Student Spotlight: Tatum Saunders
Since Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay's first ascent in 1953, more than 6000 people have added Mount Everest to their resume. Reaching the summit of Mount Everest is an incredible feat that requires hard work, mental strength, and determination. Climbers leave Everest with the feeling of accomplishment and triumph. But what are climbers leaving behind?
In the past, climbing Everest was a challenge only the strongest mountaineers would attempt. Today, anyone with $10,000, a month off of work, and above-average fitness can step on the mountain. Everest summit coach, Alan Arnette, said, "People are now buying a summit, not earning it." While summiting Everest still requires a lot of hard work and effort, advanced technology and increased access to professionally guided expeditions on the mountain have increased the number of climbers on Everest year after year.
The increased tourism that Everest attracts annually brings in an influx of people who help boost Nepal's economy. According to the Kathmandu Post, around 7 percent of the national economy depends solely on the months of April and June, the optimal climbing season. In addition, during those two months, the population of the region of Khumbu, which surrounds the mountain's base, increases from around 40,000 to 700,000 each year.
However, the increase of climbers has also increased the amount of waste left on the mountain annually because there is no trash collection system on the mountain. Alton Byers, a mountain geologist at the University of Colorado Boulder, noticed that the locals on the mountain bury trash in pits that range from 270 - 2150 square feet. There are hundreds of these pits all around the region. When all of the ice and snow begins to melt in the summer, the water runs off of the mountain and picks up a lot of the waste with it and carries it to the villages and streams down below, which then pollutes the water sources by releasing toxins into the freshwater sources of the locals, who often lack advanced filtering systems.
If the climbing community wants continued, unrestricted access to Everest, climbers need to be more mindful of their waste and properly dispose of their trash on the mountain. One way climbers can minimize their waste is by packing reusable containers for food and toiletries. Although this is a more costly option, the use of reusable packaging would enable climbers to pack lighter on the mountain, as they wouldn't be hauling up bags filled with single-use plastics and metals.
You may be thinking to yourself, "Why should I care if I never will attempt Everest anyways?" The reality is that most of us will never lay eyes on Everest, but the problem of waste contamination is not unique to Everest. Human waste has taken over our Earth, and we must come together to save our environment. We can all end contamination by switching to reusable materials and being mindful of waste disposal. However, local and national governments can also make a difference by implementing restrictions on single-use packaging and encouraging the use of cleaner materials.
If our trash can reach even the highest mountains on Earth, it can make its way anywhere. But we can change this. If we want to continue to reach new heights, even higher than the top of Everest, we need to assume responsibility for waste management on this Earth.
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