At an altitude of 8848 metres, Mount Everest in Nepal is known to be the highest peak in the world. An awe-inspiring summit, this peak is one of the wonders of the world.
However, this peak also has another unfortunate record to its credit – it is also known to be the world’s highest dumping ground.
Each year, the peak is ascended by thousands of climbers who discard used oxygen cylinders, torn tents, broken ladders, cans, plastic wrappers, ropes, and other waste material as they climb this mountain. According to reports, more than 60,000 people that included trekkers, climbers, and guides visited the area.
To highlight the need to protect this mountain from wastes, a waste upcycling facility called Sagarmatha Next Centre plans to transform all this waste material into art and display it at a gallery.
This centre is located at an altitude of 3,780 metres at Syangboche on the main trail to the Everest base camp. It is a two day walk from Lukla, the gateway to the mountain.
“We want to showcase how you can transform solid waste to precious pieces of art … and generate employment and income,” Tommy Gustafsson, project director and a co-founder of the organization said. “We hope to change the people’s perceptions about the garbage and manage it.”
Foreign artists will collaborate with local ones for this project and the local artists will be provided training to turn such waste into beautiful art forms.
Some of the products will also be sold as souvenirs and all the proceeds will be donated to conservation efforts in the region.
Isn’t this a great way to reduce waste and make people aware of the damage being caused to the mountain? What do you think of this initiative? Let us know your views in the comments section below.
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