We now have a Garbage Island AND a Garbage Mountain.
When you think of Mount Everest, you probably imagine glittering jagged peaks striking a bold horizon against a clear blue sky. Or perhaps a flag flapping atop the highest peak. For many, Everest represents a challenge that only the most intrepid of adventurers have dared to conquer.
But do you know what has conquered it? Garbage.
Yes, we now have a Garbage Island and a Garbage Mountain. What was once an untouched wonder of nature is now filled with rubbish. Photos reveal the stark reality of the true impact tourism has had on the surrounding areas of the highest mountain in the world.
A video has surfaced on Twitter showing the beautiful white snow of the world’s tallest peak littered with rubbish, garbage, abandoned tents, and other plastic waste discarded at a camp on Mount Everest.
“Disheartening to see the accumulation of garbage at Camp IV on Mt Everest (29,031.69 feet, 8848.86 meters),” wrote Everest Today, a Twitter account devoted to high peak climbing. “It’s high time we address this issue with urgency and commitment.”
They added: “Let’s demand stricter regulations, enforcement of clean climbing practices, and effective waste management strategies.”
The video accompanying this call to action is equally grim, showing rubbish littering the ground as far as the eye can see. Social media users expressed disgust at the sight of what many assumed would be a pristine landscape.
One user commented: “This is pretty disgusting. I would think the climbing community could do better, but I guess I’m wrong.”
Another added: “We as humans might have scaled insurmountable summits but we’ve surely stepped too low in our conduct and compassion towards nature. Be it mountains, forests, or rivers, we’ve not spared nature’s resources from our interference, pollution, and destruction.”
A third noted: “This situation is insane and critical to the natural ecosystem there. Local authorities should be able to solve the problem and prevent further damage.”
They continued: “Waste management with efficient maintenance services is one option, but we also need other potential measures to cope with this issue.”
Besides rubbish, there are also a number of bodies left discarded at what is essentially the world’s highest rubbish tip. Climbers frequently perish on the arduous trek up and down the peak, many left abandoned due to the isolated nature of the mountains.
The alarming state of Mount Everest calls for immediate action to preserve this iconic natural wonder. Stricter regulations, better waste management strategies, and a renewed commitment to clean climbing practices are essential to restoring Everest’s pristine beauty.
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