2022 MPA Nominee
– Nokta Mountaineering Sports Club

OVERVIEW

Sustainable mountaineering with zero waste aims to prevent any waste during mountaineering activities and spread this spirit and mindset urban life.

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Vision, goals and objectives

Mountains are one of the oldest and most ancient beings on earth. Along with the oceans and water, they were all over the world. Mountains, which have stood tall for centuries despite wars, disasters and destruction, now face a great danger: Climate Change. The effects of climate change have now reached an irreversible point that it is impossible not to see our mountains and nature disappear.

The glaciers of the mountains are melting, and the melting glaciers cause floods and threaten the settlements. Fresh water resources are decreasing due to climate change, and our access to clean water, which is the basic element of our life and our lives, poses a great threat to reduction and our future day by day.

Climate change has been a vital issue for the globe. Especially in mountaineering, it can be observed closely how climate change damage nature, water sources and biodiversity.

Thus, United Nations, European Union and other bodies sets out the target climate neutral by 2050. In order to achieve this goal, civil community organisations and individuals have to take initiative. Regarding this responsibility, Nokta Mountaineering Sports Club has adopted sustainable waste management with a zero waste commitment.

Mountaineers have been always sensitive to environment and never left their waste during activities on mountains. This manner is always appreciable but not enough yet to protect our environment. What we are doing actually is that we do not throw waste into nature but bring these wastes to our home. Over 90% of waste cannot be recycled. In this situation, the wastes we did not leave in the nature go to mountains of garbage in out of cities and burnt at final step.

We have to take into consideration that massive ice on the top of mountains do not melt because of activities physically over there but what we are doing something cause global warming on daily basis. Regarding that, Nokta Mountaineering Sports Club adopts waste free mountaineering activities which prevents wastes at the beginning. Having this mindset for mountaineering activities will prevail people’s daily life and make a big change. Once mountaineers transform their consumption habits towards sustainable way on the mountains, they remain this attitude in their private life in the city. Besides, they disseminate this mindset to their family, friends and colleagues. Consequently, the transformation for sustainable life starts at mountains and spread thorough community.

For this respect, the project sustainable mountaineering with zero waste took place on 11 December 2021 International Mountain Day named as” Waste Free Peak for Sustainable Mountain”. At first step, attendees were given training about zero waste and how to prepare their bag without waste. The basic idea is that prohibit using single use plastic and prevent producing any waste and promote sustainable materials such as reusable bottle, cotton bags and other long lifespan materials.

Waste free mountaineering focuses to not produce any waste even recyclable products. Due to fact that, many studies show at least 90 % recyclable products cannot be recycled for many reasons. Once attendees were acknowledged, they performed mountaineering peak with zero waste and make a meaningful step towards sustainable mountaineering and environment.