Rusty cooking gas cylinders weighing more than 30kg, flattened pressure cookers, discoloured oxygen cylinders, broken helmets, ice climbing boots, electronic waste, watches – these are only part of 35,000kg of waste collected from four of the world’s highest peaks, including Everest, Lhotse, Annapurna and Baruntse.
The items were retrieved during a two-month-long Mountain Clean-up Campaign, an annual expedition undertaken by the Nepal Army since 2019. This year, a team of 97 expeditioners – which included sherpas, high-altitude porters, medical officers, rescue operators and Nepal Army personnel – participated in the campaign, which lasted from March 28 until June 5.
It was literally a Himalayan task, one where the climbers – divided into four teams – faced blizzards and avalanches even as temperatures plummeted to -40ºC. Two young sherpas even lost their lives during the expedition.
“The campaign was fraught with multiple challenges,” says Lakpa Tenji Sherpa, 29, part of the team that scaled the Annapurna mountain. “I attempted four climbs, one to fix the ropes for the summiteers, and three more to collect about 200kg of waste, which was physically hauled down in bags. There were plenty of scary moments.”
At 8,091 meters, Annapurna is also known as the “world’s deadliest mountain”, due to the number of climbers who die trying to scale it. For every three successful summits, one climber dies. Some lose their hands to frostbite, others freeze to death and several plunge to their deaths in a crevasse.
Some of the items collected as waste from the mountains were part of an evocative exhibition at the Nepal Army Headquarters in Kathmandu earlier this summer. As well as highlighting the extraordinary courage of the summiteers, the displays reinforced the menace of pollution and waste accumulation at some of the world’s most pristine mountains. Through their tangibility, the objects relayed a powerful message about the urgent need to preserve the environment and encourage sustainable practices among communities.
“When you see documentaries or read about pollution on these mountains, the magnitude of the problem doesn’t really sink in. However, when you see these objects brought down by the brave climbers, its impact is immediate and strong,” a local visitor says.
In some ways, the exhibition was also reminiscent of "Art brut", a French term that translates to raw art. Invented by French artist Jean Dubuffet, the concept revolves around 'naive art – which is outside the traditional confines of mainstream art, untrammeled by convention.
According to Dubuffet, such art serves as a particular genre of creativity, “exposing hidden dialogue and demonstration of arts in a naive, raw, free and unexplainable and ruleless form”. It’s also something that creates dissonance and discomfort among viewers helping them to recognise their own shortcomings – in this case littering precious mountains and triggering global warming, glacier melting and devastating floods.
Every year, hundreds of climbers scale Everest, leaving behind a trail of both biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste, leading to challenging waste management issues. So acute is the problem that the Everest has been dubbed “the world’s highest garbage dump”. It is estimated that there are about 14,000 tonnes of garbage languishing on Everest alone.
Mountain garbage and debris has wider ecological ramifications as the impact of climate change is felt more strongly at highest altitudes such as the Himalayas, say conservationists. This is alarming, as these mountains are a primary source of water for agriculture, drinking, energy production and biodiversity. The pollution of water at this primal source pollutes the entire subsequent chain.
“The escalating problem of mountain debris and glacier melting has accelerated in recent years which is playing havoc with the global ecosystems,” says Ghana S Gurung, country director for the World Wildlife Fund, Nepal.
“Awareness needs to be built at the highest level, which is what MCC is all about, as billions depend on fresh water from the Himalayas – also known as the Third Pole. And it has to be done sustainably and regularly.”
However, through MCC, the Nepal Army expects to make a significant contribution to preserving the mountains for future generations, while using it as a force multiplier to attract tourists and mountaineers.
The campaign has become a new feature in the field of nature and environment conservation and preservation in the country. Last year, two decomposed human bodies along with 157kg of biodegradable and 33,877kg of non-biodegradable waste was collected from from Mount Everest, Lhotse, Manaslu and Kanchenjunga, a representative for the Nepal Army revealed.
Collected waste is brought to Kathmandu for recycling, where the decomposable waste is managed in collaboration with local authorities as part of the campaign’s efforts to promote sustainable waste management practices.
At the waste-recycling centre, where the collected garbage had been assembled in downtown Kathmandu, enormous bags full of plastic and objects similar to the ones displayed at the exhibition greet visitors once again.
One cannot help but wonder why the climbers – who obviously love the mountains enough to risk their lives to climb them – sully them with so much trash.
Ang Babu Sherpa’s explanation is an eye-opener. “In that death zone and at that vertiginous height, where every second your survival itself is at stake, what’s uppermost in the mountaineers’ minds is a safe descent. Bringing down heavy equipment which they lugged up for daily sustenance isn’t a priority,” he says.
The sherpa added that some of the items brought down were more than 25 years old. “Even so, many dead bodies of climbers still continue to litter the mountaintops; there’s way too much stuff to be brought down,” he adds.
This ominous reality notwithstanding, all one can hope is that at least some of that refuse, as well as the ones displayed at the event, will be recycled into useful or even beautiful objects. Be it modular furniture, wall hangings or decorations, it would be a fitting tribute to the circularity of life.
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
Important questions to consider
1. Where on the plane does my pet travel?
There are different types of travel available for pets:
- Manifest cargo
- Excess luggage in the hold
- Excess luggage in the cabin
Each option is safe. The feasibility of each option is based on the size and breed of your pet, the airline they are traveling on and country they are travelling to.
2. What is the difference between my pet traveling as manifest cargo or as excess luggage?
If traveling as manifest cargo, your pet is traveling in the front hold of the plane and can travel with or without you being on the same plane. The cost of your pets travel is based on volumetric weight, in other words, the size of their travel crate.
If traveling as excess luggage, your pet will be in the rear hold of the plane and must be traveling under the ticket of a human passenger. The cost of your pets travel is based on the actual (combined) weight of your pet in their crate.
3. What happens when my pet arrives in the country they are traveling to?
As soon as the flight arrives, your pet will be taken from the plane straight to the airport terminal.
If your pet is traveling as excess luggage, they will taken to the oversized luggage area in the arrival hall. Once you clear passport control, you will be able to collect them at the same time as your normal luggage. As you exit the airport via the ‘something to declare’ customs channel you will be asked to present your pets travel paperwork to the customs official and / or the vet on duty.
If your pet is traveling as manifest cargo, they will be taken to the Animal Reception Centre. There, their documentation will be reviewed by the staff of the ARC to ensure all is in order. At the same time, relevant customs formalities will be completed by staff based at the arriving airport.
4. How long does the travel paperwork and other travel preparations take?
This depends entirely on the location that your pet is traveling to. Your pet relocation compnay will provide you with an accurate timeline of how long the relevant preparations will take and at what point in the process the various steps must be taken.
In some cases they can get your pet ‘travel ready’ in a few days. In others it can be up to six months or more.
5. What vaccinations does my pet need to travel?
Regardless of where your pet is traveling, they will need certain vaccinations. The exact vaccinations they need are entirely dependent on the location they are traveling to. The one vaccination that is mandatory for every country your pet may travel to is a rabies vaccination.
Other vaccinations may also be necessary. These will be advised to you as relevant. In every situation, it is essential to keep your vaccinations current and to not miss a due date, even by one day. To do so could severely hinder your pets travel plans.
Source: Pawsome Pets UAE
'Ghostbusters: From Beyond'
Director: Jason Reitman
Starring: Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace
Rating: 2/5
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus
Black Panther
Dir: Ryan Coogler
Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o
Five stars
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Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
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More from Aya Iskandarani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Brief scores:
Kashima Antlers 0
River Plate 4
Zuculini 24', Martinez 73', 90 2', Borre 89' (pen)
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
match info
Maratha Arabians 138-2
C Lynn 91*, A Lyth 20, B Laughlin 1-15
Team Abu Dhabi 114-3
L Wright 40*, L Malinga 0-13, M McClenaghan 1-17
Maratha Arabians won by 24 runs
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Friday (all kick-offs UAE time)
Hertha Berlin v Union Berlin (10.30pm)
Saturday
Freiburg v Werder Bremen (5.30pm)
Paderborn v Hoffenheim (5.30pm)
Wolfsburg v Borussia Dortmund (5.30pm)
Borussia Monchengladbach v Bayer Leverkusen (5.30pm)
Bayern Munich v Eintracht Frankfurt (5.30pm)
Sunday
Schalke v Augsburg (3.30pm)
Mainz v RB Leipzig (5.30pm)
Cologne v Fortuna Dusseldorf (8pm)
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
More on animal trafficking
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
