Rotten food, human waste, tattered tents and empty oxygen tanks were just some of the items left behind after a busy climbing season on Pakistan’s K2 mountain.
The second-highest peak in the world after Mount Everest, 200 people have climbed to its summit so far this year — compared to just 300 people in the past 70 years since climbers started ascending the mountain.
But with more climbers comes more rubbish.
When mountaineer Nirmal Purja climbed K2 this year, he stumbled across hordes of items dumped by those who had attempted to summit the mountain before him, including human waste.
The founder of the Nimsdai Foundation posted a video on the charity’s social media pages to show the mess left behind.
Ripped tents lay strewn across the main base camp and around them were scatterings of empty gas canisters, food packaging and drinks bottles, among other rubbish.
“The rubbish on K2 at camp 2 was so bad this year, our founder Nirmal Purja nearly threw up from the smell,” the charity said.
“Rotting food and human waste, old tents and ropes cascading down the mountainside, frozen into the ice and leaching into the groundwater.
“It’s time for action. Today we are announcing our new project to tackle this disgusting waste pile at K2.”
After witnessing the shocking sights during his trek, Mr Purja has vowed to return to K2 next year with a team of volunteer mountaineers for the #BigMountainCleanup project.
For years, the foundation has travelled to the hugely popular Mount Everest for clean-ups, but with the number of climbers ballooning on K2, the treacherous mountain is their next target.
While some of the rubbish was fresh from the recent climbing season, Mr Purja said there was an accumulation of items still on the peak from decades ago, which they also plan to clear.
“This rubbish is an accumulation of nearly 70 years, since the first mountain ascents,” he said.
“It’s not just one season’s worth. It will take time to remove as it’s so ingrained in the ice. Cleaning at high altitude is very tough and labour intensive.
“Sometimes littering isn’t a choice. Sometimes it’s a matter of life and death.
“There are other factors that contribute to waste. Bad weather can wreck tents and gear left at higher camps for expeditions to use — which gets sealed into the ice.
“If a climber is ill or struggling, they need to get down the mountains asap — they may die if they stay to pick up their gear. It’s a very different situation to sea level, due to the lack of oxygen.”
Next year, the foundation said it plans to have a team of Sherpas who will clean the main climbing route on K2 full-time, removing old, used and dangerous ropes.
It said it will be a “challenging and expensive project” because of the remoteness of K2, and the foundation will have to pay for permits and full-time wages for Sherpas, who will need to be compensated as it will mean them missing the K2 climbing season.
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Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
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Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
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This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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Your UK residence status is assessed using the statutory residence test. While your residence status – ie where you live - is assessed every year, your domicile status is assessed over your lifetime.
Your domicile of origin generally comes from your parents and if your parents were not married, then it is decided by your father. Your domicile is generally the country your father considered his permanent home when you were born.
UK residents who have their permanent home ("domicile") outside the UK may not have to pay UK tax on foreign income. For example, they do not pay tax on foreign income or gains if they are less than £2,000 in the tax year and do not transfer that gain to a UK bank account.
A UK-domiciled person, however, is liable for UK tax on their worldwide income and gains when they are resident in the UK.
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
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