Summit Foundation launches a new campaign for 2022-2026

This new prevention campaign has several objectives:

  • To raise awareness of the problem of littering in the mountains among the general public
  • To reduce littering in the environment
  • To propose solutions to improve the situation in the Alps
  • To raise awareness in all 4 seasons, not only among winter sports enthusiasts

All the messages are based on proven and verified information, available in the sources below. This webpage also aims to present solutions to reduce the problem of abandoned waste in the mountains.

Thanks to our excellent relations over many years, the ski-lift companies offer us free of charge prime locations to broadcast our awareness campaign. The campaign can be seen in almost 50 resorts in Switzerland and France.

Solutions

Various simple solutions exist to diminish and even avoid completely littering. Here are some of them.

Plastic
Avoid using plastic packaging as much as possible or at least ensure that it is properly discarded. When you go out in the mountains, take a backpack with you to bring back your waste and dispose of it properly. Practical solutions for plastic-free lunches exist, such as lunchboxes. For drinks, use a reusable flask.

Finally, if you go to a high-altitude restaurant, you can also encourage them to eliminate single-use plastics such as single-serve coffee creamers, single-serve ketchup and mayonnaise, etc. Also, suggest that restaurant owners use reusable rather than disposable tableware.

Cigarette butts
Apart from refraining from smoking, there are many ways to prevent cigarette butts from ending up in the environment:

  • Put your cigarette butts in the rubbish bin or in the ashtrays provided by the mountain destinations you visit, the ski lifts and the altitude restaurants
  • Use portable ashtrays, such as the Ecobox from Summit Foundation
  • Keep your cigarette butt with you and dispose of it in the nearest rubbish bin at the end of your hike or any other mountain activity

Loss of items
Don’t forget to close your pockets or avoid taking out your phone or wallet when you are on a chairlift. Unfortunately, when the snow melts, there are still too many valuables left in nature, which also harm the environment.

Collecting waste
Finally, if you see a piece of rubbish abandoned in nature, pick it up, the mountain thanks you in advance. You can also take part in our national waste collection tour in Switzerland, which takes place every year in spring and summer. Learn more.

Sources

Federal Office for the Environment – FAQ Plastics in the environment

Study by the Hammerdirt Association on behalf of the FOEN – Quantification of waste on lakeshores and in the mountains

The campaign is supported by