The European Research Institute (ERI) is a non-profit organisation that works to promote research and experimentation for innovation in scientific and social fields. Its main objective is to improve the environment, economic, and cultural conditions of European citizens and promote respect for the territory and the living being.
Project Impact Aims
Conserve & Restore
15 clean-up events to protect high altitude alpine habitat.
Clean 200km of trails with 150 people.
Connecting People with Nature
Public events and workshops involving 700 people.
Training and educational activities with mountain professionals, schools and volunteers.
Legacy
Videos and photos to show the waste situation in the Italian Alps.
A growing community of mountain professionals, enthusiasts and administrations to continue building awareness.
Continued clean-up and prevention activities.
CleanAlp continues to build upon the achievements of previous years’ activities funded by The North Face. The project will clean up pollution (from plastic, prevalent, and other materials), raise awareness among people and stakeholders who frequent the mountains.
The project aims to protect and enhance the Alpine natural heritage and its biodiversity, to reduce all forms of pollution, and to increase public and individual awareness of the impact that environmental degradation has on people’s health and well-being. The project will hold 15 hikes in the northwestern Italian Alps, involving at least 150 people and covering more than 200 km of trails. Training, educational activities, and public events and workshops, will also be held, and are expected to involve over 700 people.
The Update
Now complete, this project surpassed its objectives with 20 clean-ups, clearing almost 215 kms, and collecting almost 137 kgs of rubbish, and involving 318 people. A couple of highlights from the project include:
- For the first time, visiting the Alpine areas in the Liguria region, the southernmost part of the Alps, just a few kilometres from the sea (less than 10 km as the crow flies). The awareness and mobilisation campaign, as well as the related research, have therefore further expanded the area of intervention, as has been the case regularly in recent years.
- Carrying out public talks on ‘Of mountain, wonder and… underwear’ – in over 100 excursions, the project found 35 pairs of underwear at high altitude (above 1800/2000 meters).
- Reaching over 100 000 people through communication activities (facebook, Instagram account, and the new tiktok account).
CleanAlp will be continuing until at least 2027, with current plans to build relationships with the Piedmont Region administration (research and building awareness) and working to build projects focusing on EU programmes (Life, Interreg, Horizon etc…).
Burned piece of plastic found in remote alpine lake. © ERI
Numerous pairs of underwear were found during the project. © ERI
© ERI
School event. © ERI
© ERI
© ERI
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