• Littering (the abandonment of waste) is a major source of ecosystem pollution.
• Littering has aesthetic, environmental, and economic consequences.
• To preserve our mountains, the Summit Foundation has launched the Clean-Up Tour, a series of cleanup events in ski resorts. During these cleanups, we sometimes find unusual objects such as mobile phones.
Pollution of ecosystems and the biosphere is a major environmental concern. It is, in fact, one of the six planetary boundaries already exceeded1, out of a total of nine2. Among the main sources of this pollution is littering3. Littering is defined as the intentional or unintentional abandonment of waste in the environment. In Switzerland, the most commonly found objects4 in nature are cigarette butts, plastics, and glass fragments.
Littering has many consequences, which can be divided into three categories5:
To protect our landscapes from the effects of littering, Summit Foundation has launched the Clean-Up Tour7, a nationwide waste collection campaign in mountain destinations. In 2024, we organized 36 Clean-Ups8, collecting over 3,000 kg of waste! During these events, we pick up the usual cigarette butts, plastic pieces, and glass fragments, but also some more unusual items like hats, walkie-talkies, and even mobile phones! You can find a small selection of these unexpected treasures9 collected in the mountains on our website.
To fight littering in the mountains, here are a few simple actions to adopt:
Let’s act together to protect our mountains from waste.
