It's time for the big Clean-up! On the 7th of September 2019, all the organizations of the Chamonix valley will mobilize for a cleaning day in the mountains and they call on both residents and tourists to join in.
"Opération Montagne Responsable" is necessary
Waste in Mont-Blanc is not something pleasant, but it is nevertheless a reality. Around 500 kilos of trash were removed by helicopter weekly from Mont-Blanc during the height of the summer season in 2018, declared Jean-Marc Peillex, the mayor of Saint-Gervais, for Thelocal.fr.
And even though a mandatory permit to climb Mont-Blanc was introduced in 2019 and a quota of 214 climbers per day was established, there is no denying that waste in the mountains continues to be a big concern.
In order to counteract the waste in Mont-Blanc and its terrible effects on the environment, all the actors of the Chamonix valley have been mobilizing for the past 12 years.
Since its first edition 12 years ago, more than 28 tons of waste had been removed by thousands of participants.
A day of action & awareness
And the big cleaning has already begun! On Saturday, the 24th of August, five members of the Club alpin de Chamonix pre-cleaned the Mer de Glace. They picked up cans, skis, plastics, pieces of wood and cables to make piles that will be evacuated during the final cleaning on September 7th.
The 12th edition of the "Opération Montagne Responsable" (called "Cleaning Up the Mer de Glace" prior to 2017) will take place on the 7th of September 2019, from 10 am to 6 pm, and will be organized as usual by Lafuma and its partners (Chamonix commune, Compagnie du Mont-Blanc, UCPA, CAF and Mountain riders).
It will be a day of action and awareness, dedicated to the protection of the mountains. The day will include echo-hikes, villages initiatives & entertainment.
"TrashTag" and documentary film
As usual, art and music will be on the agenda.
Specific "Trash Tag" will be organized on the Mer de Glace and in some hard-to-reach areas to thoroughly clean the mountain.
The "village of eco-responsible initiatives" will contain workshops, led by the local partners.
Another novelty this year: the projection of an outdoor documentary film, presented by FIFAV (International Festival of the Film and Adventure Book of La Rochelle).
When & where?
On September 7th, 2019, from 10 am to 6 pm.
Place des Alpes, Chemin des Alpes, 74400 Chamonix-Mont-Blanc.
More details: +33(0)4 50 10 72 60
Read also: The story of the man who climbed Europe's highest peaks to reduce waste in the mountains.
