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Raising ecological awareness in mountain areas

Mountain Riders

young people aware of climate change by 2023

litter collected in the mountains (during 82 collections in 2024)

Camille Rey-Gorrez

<div>For the first time, <strong>Mountain Riders</strong> took part in <strong>Sport For Future</strong>, bringing together athletes, NGOs, brands, scientists and institutions around a common goal: to make sport a lever for the ecological transition.</div><div>📍 <strong>In Chamonix</strong>, a territory with the Flocon Vert label, we carried out several strong actions alongside committed athletes and partners in the field:<br><br>
</div><strong>Tuesday</strong>, co-hosting the <strong>Fresque de la Montagne</strong> with Xavier Thévenard to set a collective framework for understanding climate issues in the mountains.<strong>Wednesday</strong>, <strong>immersion on the Mer de Glace</strong> with Luc Moreau (glaciologist) and guides from the Compagnie des Guides, followed by a <strong>waste collection and characterization</strong>: over 27 kg collected to establish an environmental diagnosis at the start of the water cycle.<strong>Saturday</strong>, hosting a <strong>public roundtable</strong> crossing views between sport, individual commitment and territorial transition.<br><div>🎽 Some fifteen athletes were present alongside us, sharing the same desire: to use their voice and their practice to protect the territories in which they evolve.</div><div>🙌 A first participation rich in cooperation, actions and perspectives. A collective breath of fresh air to continue accelerating the transition in the mountains!</div>

Mountain Riders at Sport For Future 2024 - A first committed participation in Chamonix

<div>Dear difteur-ses,</div><br><div>"Do we really sleep outside? With the groundhogs?"</div><div> The question, sincere and tinged with apprehension, comes up during a workshop. Young people from CDSA 73 (Fédération Française du Sport Adapté) are preparing for an extraordinary experience: their very first night in a bivouac, in the heart of the Vanoise mountains. </div><br><div>This summer, some fifty of them, aged between 14 and 25, have already set off to hike, sleep and live together in the heart of nature. In all, we've already organized 18 days, including 11 nights in tents, to help them discover a different relationship with the world, with the collective, with themselves. </div><br><div>For nearly ten years, through the <strong>"Montagnez-nous" project,</strong> we have been offering young people from social, educational and medico-social structures a different way of experiencing the mountains. Not as a simple postcard backdrop, but as a terrain for experience and transformation. </div><div>⛰️ Here, the mountain becomes an <strong>educational and inclusive tool</strong>, a lever for creating links between young people with varied backgrounds, cultures and abilities.</div><br><div> 🌿 It's also a concrete way of tackling issues of <strong>ecology</strong>, citizenship, emancipation.</div><br><div>At a time when individualism is gaining ground, <strong>"Montagnez-nous"</strong> is betting on the strength of the collective, on contact with living things and on the power of shared paths. So that the mountains are not just a place to admire, but a place to grow, and all this: thanks to you! Thank you for your support.</div>

"Montagnez-nous": an immersion in nature to learn to live together

<div>Dear Difteur-ses,</div><br><div>Since the launch of our annual mountain litter-picking campaign in March 2025, <strong>1,570 participants</strong> have mobilized in <strong>30 operations</strong> to clean up the peaks and trails.</div><br><div> 👉 Result? <strong>4.6 tons of rubbish</strong> collected and characterized (characterization is a big word for a (super) method developed by the MerTerre association to diagnose pollution following a collection operation), <strong>16,835 cigarette butts</strong> collected, and a <strong>majority of plastic</strong> spared fragile ecosystems. </div><br><br><div>💚 <strong>Thank you, donors</strong>: your concrete support enables us to move forward towards our goal of <strong>Zero Wild Waste Mountain</strong>. Without you, none of this would be possible. </div><br><br><div>📅 And the mobilization continues! Many <strong>pickup dates are coming</strong> all over France: every action counts to preserve our mountain territories. </div><div>🔗 https://www.mountain-riders.org/agenda/</div><br><div>A big thank you for your support!</div>

Over 4.6 tonnes of garbage already collected... thanks to you! 🏔️

<div>Dear difteur-ses,</div><br><div>Much more than a simple stay, the <strong>Village Polaire</strong> is a unique experience that plunges some forty young people, aged 11 to 16, into the heart of the mountains every year. Supported by our association and partner structures, this project aims to offer young people in the Savoy region total immersion in an environment that is often little-known and difficult to access. </div><br><div>As soon as they arrived in the heart of the Charteuse, the energy was high: snowball fights, collective challenges and igloo building punctuated the first moments. <strong>Cooperation and good humor</strong> were essential in building this ephemeral shelter, reinforcing the youngsters' team spirit. </div><br><div>Over the course of the stay, the youngsters also prepared a campfire, built a blind to discreetly observe the local wildlife, and explored the mountain landscapes in search of animal footprints. This immersion enabled them to better understand <strong>the fragility and richness</strong>of this exceptional ecosystem. </div><br><div>But beyond the activities, what will remain of the Polar Village are above all <strong>the memories etched in the minds</strong>. Discovering the mountains in winter, adapting to them, respecting and preserving them are all part of the fundamental values of this project. Each young person leaves with a new awareness: that of the need to leave nature <strong>as untouched as possible</strong>.</div><br><div>
<strong>A big thank you to you</strong> for making this possible!</div>

The Polar Village: winter mountain immersion

<div>Dear difteurs,</div><br><div>We wish you a very happy 2025 ✨</div><br><div>In <strong>2024</strong>, we have strengthened our actions with various audiences to help meet the systemic challenges we face. Our educational projects have diversified and adapted to different contexts and groups. </div><br><div>
<strong>Focus on our concrete actions in schools</strong>:</div><br><div>🧑🏼‍🎓 Through our <a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1gWhfDMu0nCofTajB_S7Y9iuy3u80MfjE?usp=drive_link">program </a><strong><a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1gWhfDMu0nCofTajB_S7Y9iuy3u80MfjE?usp=drive_link">"Let's take the R",</a></strong> we have enabled teachers and activity leaders to tackle the impacts of climate disruption on children's everyday lives in a fun and understandable way. Through <strong>participatory activities</strong>, pupils were able to become aware of these issues while developing a critical mindset and a desire to take action. </div><br><div>🏔️ The <strong>Montagne Zéro Déchet</strong> program raised young people's awareness of mountain waste issues. The aim was not to make people feel guilty, but to <strong>encourage children to actively mobilize</strong> to find solutions, while involving teachers in this dynamic. </div><br><div>⛅️ We also supported the <strong>"open-air"</strong>school experiment, which places outdoor learning at the heart of young people's development, promoting their well-being and health. </div><br><div>We wish to emphasize that it is an essential lever for understanding and acting on tomorrow's challenges. Whether by raising awareness among young people, training adults or supporting local structures, <strong>we encourage everyone to take action</strong> with a non-judgmental approach, but one that empowers and inspires!</div><br><div>We will continue to work for an education that inspires and transforms. </div><br><div><strong>A big thank you to you, dear difters, for your invaluable support and donations 🌟</strong></div>

Educating for transformation: the mountains as terrain for the future

<div>Dear difteurs,</div><br><div>As the year draws to a close, we'd like to send you our warmest thoughts and best wishes for this year-end. 🌟 </div><br><div>At Mountain Riders, we cultivate<strong>the joy and spirit of "doing things together" to accompany mountain territories in their transition, </strong>in the service of living<strong>.</strong>These values, we carry through each of our actions, whether influencing, supporting, co-constructing or even spreading inspiring initiatives. </div><br><div>Our commitment is fueled by the support and energy of volunteers, members, partners, service providers and a motivated team. </div><br><div>To discover all that we have achieved and the projects that drive us, we invite you to read our <strong><a href="https://www.mountain-riders.org/app/uploads/2024/11/Rapport-dactivite-2023-2024-2-1-compresse.pdf">activity report</a></strong><a href="https://www.mountain-riders.org/app/uploads/2024/11/Rapport-dactivite-2023-2024-2-1-compresse.pdf">.</a>
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<strong>A huge thank you for your support throughout this year</strong>. Together, let's continue to take action for our mountains. We wish you a wonderful holiday season and a beautiful year 2025 full of serenity, discoveries and shared commitments. 🎄✨ </div><br><div>Together, for our mountains. 🏔️💚 </div>

Together for our mountains

<div>Since 2016, over<strong>1,000 beneficiaries, in school, out-of-school, integration and vocational training settings, with audiences as diverse</strong> as youth, families, adults in professional situations, young people and adults in custody, disabled or otherwise, have been able to discover the mountains and their exceptional environment. <br><strong>Long-term</strong>, these projects <strong>mix indoor activities, day trips, and itinerant stays,</strong> with nights in refuges, under the stars, under tarpaulins, in trees or simply in tents. And encounters with those who live from the mountains, in the mountains.</div><div><br></div><div>While we're taking these audiences out into nature, <strong>environmental issues also continue to gain momentum</strong>: climate disruption is more topical than ever, with summers of flooding, drought, forest fires and storms, and the loss of biodiversity continuing to accelerate. There's no shortage of challenges for those who intend to help solve the ecological crisis and commit to eco-citizenship. </div><div> </div><div>Nature, the mountains, and their environmental and cultural heritage, are for us <strong>tools/means that have as their purpose: </strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>living-together, </strong> <strong>eco-citizenship, </strong> <strong>"eco-empowerment".<br></strong>Ambitious objectives, which play above all a role of aiming, of azimuth, of direction to follow, without however defining precisely the path to follow. <br><br>Thank you again for your support which brings these projects to life! </div>

Gain perspective on our educational projects...

<br><br><div>𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 🎇 The first step on our path to a Zero Waste Mountain in 2030.<br>𝟒 𝟔𝟖𝟓 👨‍👩‍👧 participants (local authorities, volunteers, economic players...) We are delighted to have shared these moments of commitment together!<br>𝟖𝟎 ⛰️ pick-ups organized this year (60% of which were autonomously organized by the destinations, well done!)<br>𝟓𝟖 𝟕𝟕𝟔 🚬 cigarette butts collected (the waste star we can't seem to dethrone)<br>𝟏𝟖 tons of litter found (that's a lot to bear...)<br>𝟒𝟗 📜 signatory structures of the Zero Waste Mountain charter<br>𝟐𝟎𝟑𝟎 📅 the year to achieve a Zero Waste<br>𝟎 ❌ is the amount of waste we'd like to collect (it's our favorite number)<br><br>
</div><div>The full balance sheet, with all the figures and the comparison with last year, will be in a few months. Many more "Adopt'1 Spots" are planned for the autumn.<br><br>
</div><div>Thank you all again for your vital support in this wonderful adventure! We'll keep you posted on the next steps. 🙏 </div>

 Garbage collection in the mountains is over for 2024! And it's time to take stock

<div>News for our Captains! As you know, the mountains are a fragile ecosystem that we strive to preserve. However, despite its magnificent landscapes that we love so much, every year <strong>tons of litter are abandoned on its slopes.</strong> <br><br>
</div><div>As you know, <strong>after more than twenty years of pick-ups, 2023 marks a historic moment,</strong>with an unprecedented commitment by mountain stakeholders to the ambitious goal of Montagne Zéro Déchet Sauvage by 2030. <br><br>
</div><div>⛰️ Wondering what the first step towards this ambition is? <strong>Reduce mountain litter by 10% by 2024.</strong> <br><br>
</div><div>With this in mind, we launched our 2024 mountain litter pickup season a few weeks ago. <br><br>
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<strong>🌿 </strong>In the space of a few weeks and with the participation of nearly 600 volunteers at <strong>15 pick-ups, </strong>we've already collected more than <strong>1.5 tons of rubbish</strong>, 42% of which is plastic.<br><br> Our road to a rubbish-free mountain by 2030 is still a long one, and we need you all. Many thanks for your support! </div>

2024 pick-ups are underway

<div> The mountains are an unspoilt territory, yet <strong>every year, tons of litter are collected.</strong> Unchecked mountain pollution has an impact on the Planet's aquatic ecosystems and biodiversity. As essential players in the start of the water cycle, <strong>La Montagne is committed, with one voice, to achieving zero uncontrolled waste in the mountains by 2030.</strong> <br>This is why we are organizing, on March 21 the<strong>first National Meetings Mountain Zero Uncontrolled Waste in 2030 </strong>in Chambéry.<br><br> 👉🏻 On the program: <br>- Speeches by experts on wild pollution in the mountains, <br>- Feedback from the field on source reduction solutions, <br>- 1st assessments and forecasts of the national commitment Montagne Zéro Déchet sauvage en 2030. <br><br>🎯A friendly and constructive day, ambitiously turned towards the future of our mountains! Together for our mountains!</div>

National Zero Waste Mountain Meetings

<div>The origins of Mountain Riders can be traced back to litter picks in the mountains. More than 20 years later, the association is still going strong. The theme? Education in ecological transition in the mountains. Garbage pick-ups? We're still doing it! The Montagne Zéro Déchet Sauvage en 2030 project was born of this observation: 20 years on, we're still collecting. </div><div><br></div><div>
<strong>The ambition is simple: 0 wild waste in our mountains by 2030.</strong> This goal is no longer Mountain Riders': on March 16, 2023,<strong>many mountain players committed to this objective, through the signing of a charter, and the creation of action plans.</strong> What we're aiming for today: reduction at source. If we want to stop collecting, we need to turn off the tap!</div><div><br></div><div>Through collection and characterization, through empowerment of territories, thanks to scientific data, with the federation of players and by raising awareness of all, the intention is clear:<strong> we need to play it collective!</strong>
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Our history

<div>More and more of you are taking part in our mountain litter pick-up days, and we'd like to thank you!<br><br>
</div><div>The 2023 season in a few figures is:</div><div>72 pick-ups</div><div>55 level 2 characterizations</div><div>3,681 volunteers during pick-ups</div><div>14,594 tons of waste collected</div><div> </div><div>But it's also: new territories in the project, increasingly automatic characterization carried out by local players, more efficient pick-ups and a growing "scientific" database.</div><div>See you soon for new collections.</div>

Our pick-ups in 2023...

<div>Achieve zero wild waste in the mountains by 2030? <strong>It was around this objective that we brought together 100 mountain stakeholders in Grenoble on Thursday, March 16.</strong>  That same day, <strong>the launch of the national campaign to collect litter in the mountains</strong> sounded off and <strong>the National Charter "Mountains Zero Wild Waste in 2030" was signed. </strong>A beautiful day, a hundred or so participants, round tables, exchanges...<br><br>
</div><div>It was around this same concrete, measurable and ambitious objective that all the stakeholders united: <br>- Mountain economic players: Atout France, Syndicat National des Moniteurs de Ski Français, Domaines Skiables de France, France Montagnes, Nordic France, Syndicat National des Accompagnateurs en Montagne, Union Nationale des Accompagnateurs en Montagne, Agence Savoie Mont Blanc, Agence des Pyrénées, Union Sports et Cycles, Cluster Montagne ;</div><div>- Régions Auvergne Rhône Alpes &amp; Région Sud ;<br>- Institutional players : Association Nationale des Maires de Stations de Montagne ;<br>- Many Flocon Vert territories also represented: Font Romeu, Val D'Isère, Tignes, Chamrousse, Valloire, Les Arcs, Megève, Combloux, Morzine-Avoriaz...<br><br>
</div><div>Bolstered by this commitment, public and private players intend to<strong> make the mountains the only territory free of all wild pollution</strong> (cigarette butts, unique catering packaging, waste from commerce, building sites animations events...).<br><br>
</div><div>With a view to eliminating litter by 2030, stakeholders are working with Mountain Riders to <strong>determine action plans and various deadlines.</strong> The year 2023 will be "year 0" for measuring litter pollution, with the aim of achieving zero litter by 2030, with various stages: -10% in 2024, -40% in 2026 and -70% in 2028.<br><br>
</div><div>On the same day, Olivia Grégoire, <strong>Minister Delegate in charge of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, Trade, Craft Industry and Tourism, took part in a videoconference to support the approach of this National Charter</strong> "Montagne zéro Déchet Sauvage en 2030". In particular, she emphasized "<strong>the indispensable, simple but ambitious</strong>" objective of the charter. <br><br>
</div><div>Fabrice Panneckouke closed the morning by affirming this necessary<strong>collective ambition</strong>, in which the AURA region is fully involved. </div><div>The SUD region is also part of it, and we intend to mobilize all the Regions and Massif Commissariats, as well as the Ministry of Transition!" <br><br>
</div><div>The collective challenge we face here enables us to <strong>learn how to do things together in a very concrete way</strong> and thus prepare to take on other ambitions for the ecological transition of our mountain territories. </div>

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Raising ecological awareness in mountain areas

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