Two tonnes of junk found in glacier clean-up
A truck tyre and old wooden slalom poles were among two tonnes of debris collected in the annual clean-up on the Mer de Glace glacier at Chamonix.
There were also lots of old metal cables, bits of glass and old tins and cans, said a spokeswoman for the British Embassy in Paris, which is among those involved each year.
This year was the 10th clean-up, which is carried out to remove waste uncovered as the glacier melts and which has now been renamed ‘Opération montagne responsible’.
Employees of the British consulates in Marseille and Bordeaux joined forces with the Club Alpin Français, Crystal Ski Holidays and outdoor clothes suppliers Lafuma as well as volunteers from the public recruited via the two companies who ran competitions on their social media.
To mark the anniversary, an eco-friendly ‘village’, with an exhibition and workshops, were open to the public to raise awareness about the need to protect the glacier.
Musicians entertained the participants and locals and also joined in with the collection.
British Ambassador to France Lord Ed Llewellyn said: “I am delighted to see staff at our consulates once again working closely with Crystal Ski Holidays and other partners, not forgetting the French authorities, to raise awareness of the importance of protecting our environment. This is another excellent example of continued collaboration and cooperation with our voisins in France” (see here for more about how Britons and French people cooperate).
