Hills 2 Ocean campaign is launched at Sheffield Adventure Film Festival

The BMC launched its new campaign Hills 2 Oceans (H2O) at Sheffield Adventure Film Festival to help encourage the nation to remove as much litter and plastic from our hills, mountains and crags as possible so it doesn’t end up in our oceans..

Around 80% of all the debris in our oceans and seas originally comes from inland, according to estimates, so the BMC is asking all its members and the wider public to help reduce this amount by joining an existing litter pick or by organising their own.

There are a number of worthwhile clean up events already happening around the country this year. To make it easier for you to find out about them, we brought all the details together in one place on their events calendar.

The BMC is also keen for members and the wider public to take the initiative and organise their own event. Whether you simply take a bag and a litter picker with you next time you go to your local crag or wish to arrange a clean-up event of the entire Pennine Way with your friends, family or local club, the BMC can help. Details of how to arrange a successful event can be found in our resource pack along with a template risk assessment. We will also provide handheld litter pickers (that can be recycled once they are no longer in use) and re-useable, biodegradable bin bags.

Mountains of momentum

Support for the campaign is already gaining backing from the outdoor community and those involved in clean up events.

Dave Turnbull, BMC CEO, said: “We all know that the amount of plastic and waste that ends up in our oceans is a global problem so we are encouraging the outdoor community to get out there and remove as much litter form our mountains as possible – we all have a role to play.”

Kate Worthington, director and mountain leader at RAW Adventures and long-standing volunteer organiser of the #Real3Peaks Challenge deep clean on Snowdon, said: “Many hundreds of volunteers and numerous conservation and environmental organisations already play a big part in helping to spread positive behaviour messages, as well as physically clearing up discarded items found. It’s an on-going challenge within a ‘disposable-loving’ society generally.

“We can all do something to help a local, national and global issue by setting high expectations of ourselves and others with regards to the choices we make when purchasing, consuming and processing food and drink items when we’ve finished with them.  I’m really pleased to see the BMC commanding a voice on this subject and looking to support many existing local and national clean-up schemes and awareness campaigns, because we’re all working towards a common goal.”

Jack Middleton, community manager with Surfers Against Sewage, said: “We are excited to be working with the BMC to stop plastic pollution from reaching our coastlines. Our Big Spring Beach Clean: Summit To Sea will see us working in collaboration with the BMC on its Hills 2 Oceans campaign to create the biggest network of community mobilisation from mountain tops to beach fronts across the UK.”

We would love to hear from anyone that is about to undertake a litter pick. In particular, where you go, how much rubbish you remove and if you find anything of interest. You can do this by sharing your stories with us on our dedicated Facebook Group.