As one of the most famous mountains in the world, there’s no doubt about the fact that Mount Everest is impressive. Located in the Himalayas, it’s the tallest mountain above sea level, and to many people, this is a challenge that they just can’t ignore. Equipped with a base camp and two main climbing routes, it’s believed that around 1,000 people make it their mission to climb this mountain every single year. These climbers have to take all kinds of equipment and rations with them, and with limited space in their backpacks, they often leave this trash behind.
Leaving It Behind
While anyone who climbs Everest should be commended for their strength and their commitment, there are certain aspects of their climb that many people don’t think about. As they climb with tents, backpacks, food packets, and more on their backs, many climbers leave these items behind when they are finished with them. They do not have the chance to throw these pieces of trash in designated areas, and they don’t have the ability to take it with them. Because of this, the path to Everest is now littered with old tents and more trash than you could probably comprehend.
Making Its Mark
Of course, most of these tents, food packets, and other trash items are made from plastic. As you know, plastic can often take hundreds or even thousands of years to decompose, which means that the piles have been getting larger and larger as the years have gone by. This poses a threat to animal life that could find themselves investigating such material, and it poses a threat to the natural beauty of the mountain. Thankfully, the Nepalese Army is now getting involved to remove this waste.
Wildlife Week
On April 14, 2019, the Nepalese Army began their famous “Wildlife Week” initiative. This is a chance for them to focus on the beauty and nature of their country, with a specific focus on Everest as a whole. For this initiative, they made their way up and down the Everest routes to clean up the trash that has been left behind. They removed a whopping two tons of waste and then transported some of it to the Blue Waste To Value Company, and the rest to their army barracks for it to be treated.
Is it time for Everest climbers to rethink their climbing habits?