Following up on my earlier post on the heroic Apa Sherpa, I’ve found a nice ecology related post on Powinthekisser:
Cleaning up Mount Everest
April 6, 2009
Nearly 9,000 meters above sea level and dangerous to reach, Mount Everest would seem a likely place to be free of litter and waste. However, you may be surprised to know that climbers over the past 50 years have left a staggering 50 tons of trash and debris and human waste along the summit. This has prompted the world’s most experienced sherpa to join forces with the Eco Everest expedition for his 19th ascent of Mount Everest, this time not for a climbing expedition, but rather for a conservation expedition.
Apa Sherpa and company left today on their journey and will use this trip to highlight the devastating effects of the global climate crisis on Mount Everest, where global warming is causing the snow at the summits to melt at a rapid rate. Along the way, they plan on filling hundreds of rubbish sacks with human waste and litter left behind by previous climbers.
Apa Sherpa (Thomas L. Kelly for The New York Times)
At the age of 17, Johnny Strange from California has become the youngest person ever to summit the tallest peaks in each of the world’s seven continents.
He capped his record breaking feat on June 8th this year with his ascent of Australia’s Mount Kosciuszko after summiting Mount Everest in May.
Apa Sherpa says that he “climbs Everest for fun” A Nepalese man - who has been nicknamed Super Sherpa - has broken his own world record, climbing Mount Everest for the 19th time.
Apa Sherpa, 49, first made it to the summit 19 years ago.
He said his latest climb was to raise awareness of the impact of global warming on the Himalayas.
Apa Sherpa’s expedition team has been collecting rubbish from the mountain as part of a campaign to return it to its pristine condition.
Apa Sherpa spent around 30 minutes at the top of Everest, unfurling a banner saying “Stop Climate Change”.
Dawa Steven Sherpa, expedition team leader, told the AFP news agency: “We are very excited and happy with Apa’s achievement. It will highlight the effects of global warming on Everest.
“Climbing Everest is getting more difficult and dangerous every year because of the melting ice. The rocks that used to be covered by snows are getting exposed.
“We have brought down over five tonnes of mountain trash including parts of a crashed helicopter, old ropes and tents, ladders, metal cans and climbing gear.”
Veteran British adventurer Sir Ranulph Fiennes also reached the summit, succeeding after two previous attempts ended in failure.
