Clean-up Day Andermatt: a pregnancy test, a golf ball and cigarette butts. Or how not to dispose of waste
The kids have been looking forward to Clean-up Day in Andermatt for a long time. Every year the volunteers are hiking through the mountain meadows in different groups and collect everything that doesn't belong there. Over 200 kilos of rubbish were collected this year. The highlight of the event was once again the award ceremony for the most original find. The jury and the 75 volunteers were quick to agree this time. The biggest puzzle was the pregnancy test discarded in a meadow. Something to talk about over lunch.
The first volunteers arrived at the valley station of the Gütsch-Express gondola lift at 8.30 a.m. After coffee and croissants, the group was off to Schneehüenerstock. Most rubbish is usually found where the ski slopes run in winter and below the cable cars. The Clean-up Day for the second group began at 10.15 a.m, with over 25 children also taking part. After a welcome from the Summit Foundation and the Andermatt-Sedrun Sport AG team, young and old set off on the gondola lift. Ski instructors from the Andermatt Snowsports School supported the Andermatt-Sedrun Sport AG team as volunteer guides.
Original finds
In the early afternoon, all the groups came together at the middle station of the Gütsch-Express gondola lift. The rubbish bags were emptied, and the large pile sorted so that all recyclable material was ready for correct disposal. Then came what the children in particular had been looking forward to. The selection of the most unusual find. The shortlist included items such as a golf ball, a silver bracelet and the pregnancy test. In the end, the latter was chosen as the most original find. One can only wonder if it had been positive. The 100-franc note found by a young boy was unusual in a different way. What a lucky lad!
Lunch with snow groomers
Afterwards, the team from the Matti Family Restaurant treated the volunteers to lunch and drinks. Because temperatures were forecast to be low, lunch was served at an exclusive location: Andermatt-Sedrun Sport AG’s garage where the snow groomers are parked. Another highlight – and not just for the kids. Full and satisfied, the volunteers took the gondola lift back down to the valley and set off on their way home.
Key figures
75 volunteers
207 kilos of waste collected and sorted
1 hundred note found
Andermatt Responsible
Our initiative Andermatt Responsible stands for climate-friendly tourism in the Andermatt region. Its aim is to enable resource-conserving tourism operations. The Andermatt Responsible 2023 progress report provides an overview of the carbon footprint of the Andermatt Swiss Alps Group and Andermatt-Sedrun Sport AG, the key environmental indicators and the current ESG projects.
