How Trash on Mt Everest Is Turned Into Treasure by Sensible and Sustainable Means

Mount Everest the scene of pristine natural beauty, unfortunately, came to be known as the ‘highest dumpster in the world’ due to years of the accumulated waste left by mountaineers who throng the mountain to scale the world’s highest peak. After facing criticism for the unclean state of this majestic mountain, Nepal’s government and mountaineering groups organized a six week clean up this year. Dedicated Efforts The workers who are on a mission to clean up the world’s tallest mountain are manually collecting tones of trash which include empty cans and gas canisters, bottles, plastic and discarded climbing gears. These are then sent to recycling centres. A 14 member strong team scaled almost 26,300 feet from base camp to the closest camp to the summit and retrieved more than 10 tons of trash that were flown or driven to recycling centres in Kathmandu. Turning Trash To Treasure The workers manually sort the trash – iron, shredded aluminium, cans etc which are sent appropriate places like rod manufacturing firms or utensil makers for their rebirth. Gradually, upcycled items like pots, lamps, light fixtures, household items like glasses are finding its way into homes, upmarket restaurants and even five-star hotels. While authorities and businesses are finding sustainable and environment-friendly ways to tackle waste left at the Mount Everest, it is also the duty of every mountaineer to pick up and carry their trash back to the place where they could be disposed off in a responsible manner.

While We Plan Trips With Friends, This Devoted Son Takes His Mother Across the Country to Make Her Happy

Once Sarath Kumar, a 30-year-old businessman dreamt that he was holding hands with his mother and walking along the ghats of Varanasi. He couldn’t believe it was a dream as he could even recall the scent of the ghats. He instantly booked two tickets to Varanasi and declared to his mom that she should pack a few clothes as they are going to Varanasi. His mother was surprised and she soon found herself on a flight from Kerala to Varanasi. In the evening, he walked hand in hand with his mother along the ghats just as he had dreamt in the morning. Sarath loves to travel and his mother is his travel buddy. He said that initially, his mother would resist, but once she starts the journey, she enjoys it thoroughly. They travel once in three months. Mrs. Geetha recalls their first trip to Mumbai from where they went to Nashik, Shirdi and explored the Ajanta Ellora caves in Aurangabad. Since then the travel buddies have been to Delhi, Amritsar, Wagah border, Tibet, Nepal and the Mt Everest summit! Since Mrs. Geetha is a spiritual person and a Shiva devotee, Sarath made a plan to take her to Mt. Kailash in Tibet. They took a flight to Kathmandu but owing to mother’s sore back, Sarath decided against the 1,500 km bus travel to reach Tibet and instead hired a chopper. After they reached Tibet, it took two more days to reach Kailash, The stopover at Mansarovar was an unforgettable experience as the night sky full of stars reflected in the lake. Sarath reminisces how his mother just sat and stared for hours at the Kailash mountains. His mother was very overwhelmed by the sight of the majestic mountains and can even visualize them with her eyes closed. Mrs. Geetha must have felt on top of the world when her son booked an eight-seater plane that landed at the top of Mt. Everest. The mother-son duo was astounded by the sight of the highest mountain peak in the world and said that it couldn’t be described in words. Their most daring act was when the duo decided to ride to Manali on a hired 500 cc Bullet. Sarath said that they were ecstatic as they could see the clouds under their feet. He couldn’t forget how his 60-year-old mother transformed into an 18-year-old as she ran, jumped, laughed and played in the snow. For Sarath, it is his mother’s happiness that matters the most and he loves to travel with his mother more than with his friends. He has already planned their next trip to cover Dwarka, Somnath and Rajasthan. Since it is happiness that matters, Sarath’s father and brother support the adventures of mother and son. As for Mrs. Geetha, she now looks forward to her next trip with excitement. Image Source: Travel Manoramaonline