The issue of waste dumping in nature is a real scourge for the environment: it pollutes water and soil, has direct impacts on wildlife, and creates a negative visual impact on tourism. This problem is particularly visible when the snow melts. It was this observation that led to the creation of the Summit Foundation by Laurent Thurnheer in 2001. Reducing the consequences of human activity in the mountains must be a priority in an alpine country like ours. There are numerous waste collection operations in Switzerland. The Summit Foundation aims to bring them all together under the "Clean-Up Tour."

Microplastics are everywhere. According to a recent study, the average human ingests over 5g of micro-plastics per week, the equivalent of a credit card (1)! In addition to the transport of waste (macro-waste, micro-waste and nano-waste) by water, micro-plastics are also carried by the wind. Initial scientific studies have shown their presence in completely uninhabited mountain regions, in mountain lakes above 1500m (2). Switzerland is Europe's water tower. Yet our waters are as polluted as those of the Mediterranean Sea (3). We urgently need to take action against plastic pollution in our mountains and waters too.

(1) Kieran D. Cox, Garth A. Covernton, Hailey L. Davies, John F. Dower, Francis Juanes, and Sarah E. Dudas. Environmental Science & Technology 2019 53 (12),

7068-7074. DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b01517
(2) Allen, S., Allen, D., Phoenix, V.R. et al. Atmospheric transport and deposition of microplastics in a remote mountain catchment. Nat. Geosci. 12, 339-344
(2019). DOI: 10.1038/s41561-019-0335-5
(3) Océaneye. (14.07.2019). Plastic pollution in Lake Geneva identical to that in the oceans. Retrieved from: https://www.oceaneye.ch/14-07-2019/