Tons of trash removed from Everest as cleanup unearths bodies

[riversedge]

Source: cnn





Updated 7:47 PM ET, Thu May 2, 2019



(CNN)Mount Everest is covered in trash.
Decades of climbing on the world's highest mountain have turned it into a very tall garbage dump, strewn with rubbish, human waste and even bodies.

But a dedicated -- and impressively fit -- team of volunteers are tackling the problem by carrying out one of the world's most ambitious clean-ups, and it's seeing immediate results.

Three metric tons (6,613 pounds) of garbage have been collected from the mountain in just the first two weeks of the scheme, according to AFP. That's about the weight of two SUVs, or a large male hippo.


The task is being carried out by a 14-member team, which has been set the task of recovering 10 metric tons within 45 days, the agency reported.

Waste recovered on the Everest Cleaning Campaign includes empty cans, bottles, plastic and discarded climbing gear. An army helicopter has assisted in removing the garbage, and the team is set to ascend to higher camps to collect more.
Four bodies have also been located on the 8,848-meter (29,028 feet) mountain, officials said........................



..........More than 200 mountaineers have died on the peak since 1922, when the first climbers' deaths on Everest were recorded. The majority of bodies are believed to have remained buried under glaciers or snow.....................

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/02/asia/mount-everest-trash-cleanup-scli-intl/index.html

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[YOHABLO]

1. IMO They need to close Mt.Everest to hikers and thrill seekers. There should be huge fines.

[ansible]

2. It's a huge source of income for Nepal's economy, won't happen

There's a multi-million dollar industry there already catering to the mountaineers who want to climb up their mountains, not just Everest. And with the average monthly income in Nepal at less than $200 a month they really need that westerner cash.

[oldsoftie]

13. I agree, but maybe require some sort of qualifications to attempt the climb? And a large deposit?

Because a lot of people go out there totally unprepared. They want a story to tell their rich friends about how "cool" they are.

Have some way of gauging what they take UP the mountain and charge them for what they dont bring BACK. Another source of revenue.

[Blue_Tires]

37. It's a whole industry, sadly

and a huge part of this industry are group guides who SWEAR in their sales pitch "FOR XX,XXX DOLLARS AND FOUR MONTHS TO TRAIN I PROMISE I CAN HELP GET YOU TO THE PEAK OF MOUNT EVEREST! DOESN'T EVEN MATTER IF YOU'VE NEVER CLIMBED IN YOUR LIFE!!"

[oldsoftie]

46. Ugh......

[csziggy]

15. Make cleanup part of the cost for recreational climbers to go there

Every climbing group that goes up Everest should be responsible for taking down the garbage they carry up. It's simple - they not just pay the cost of getting up the mountain, they pay the cost of keeping the mountain clean. Since for a hundred years climbers have been leaving trash, the current climbers should be responsible for a portion of the clean up to return it to a uncluttered condition.

Any time my husband and I go for hikes, whether just up the road, in local parks or national forest and refuges, we carry out anything we take in. In fact, my husband picks up trash so he carries out MORE than we take in.

Leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but pictures and memories.

[moriah]

17. If you read the article, it kinda already is.

You must pay a deposit that will get refunded if you bring a certain amount of trash back.

What wuold be nice is if they could weigh supplies, estimate trash based on supplies brought, and mandate that *plus* however many kilos of trash per person be brought back.

And I have *always* cleaned up other people's trash when out camping or hiking, so I can't agree with the "take nothing but pictures". Of course pack out your own trash, but also any other trash you find.

[cab67]

4. A couple hundred of them are being punished.

There’s pretty much no way to carry a dead body down beyond a certain elevation. If you die there, you stay there. And every other climber will see your freeze-dried corpse for a long, long time. At least one of the bodies still there dates to the 1920’s.

In fact, some of the bodies are used as landmarks to guide climbing parties, e.g. ‘follow this ridge until you get to the body wearing bright green boots, then follow the trail to the body in a red snowsuit, then...’

[Coventina]

48. Make a left at the rich dumb guy, then hang a right at the bored thrill seeker....

Too many idiots with too much money, IMHO....

[Codeine]

5. Why?

Certainly they’ve left some trash behind, but they’ve created an economy for the area. Ban climbing and all the locals are instantly out of work.

[CTAtheist]

6. Can't believe people on DU are saying to keep it open due to $$$

I'm absolutely sure the people of Nepal will find another way to make a living.

[Pisces]

12. Concern for the economically challenged is a Democratic platform. Sounds like you aren't familiar

With what Democrats champion ( the poor, downtrodden, with little power and voice) What should be done is fine the hell out of the rich climbers who don’t hire extra people to bring down their garbage like a tax for the rich who spoil the environment for their own selfish purposes.

[CTAtheist]

26. Do you support coal?

To me, its the exact same issue. Ban coal, and re-educate/re-train coal miners for other jobs. Same for mountain climbing. It's not like mountain climbers came to Nepal and then Nepalese people appeared out of thin air whose only purpose in life is to make an industry out of it. I rarely see any Democrats opining about the loss of blacksmiths. In fact, that's usually Republicans. Saying its ok for people to die for a thrill because "poor" people are making a buck off of their deaths doesn't sound all that 'Democratic' to me.

[Pisces]

27. No, i support retraining and new industry. Don't think this is an option

For Nepal. I think they should triple the cost. I don’t agree every fool should be allowed to climb Everest just because they want to. The same as I don’t agree you should go hiking on the border of Iran because you wanted to go and didn’t know exactly where you were. I think you’re here to stir up trouble

[Codeine]

31. It's entirely okay for people to die for a thrill.

Assuming they’re willing, consenting adults then how on Earth is that an issue? Do we ban auto racing or skydiving? Single-handing sailboats? Skiing? These are all thrilling activities with potentially fatal consequences.

[CTAtheist]

45. Then why is Jaywalking a crime?

Also, why do we have guardrails along cliffs with nice views?

We legislate a lot of safety in this country. Where are we supposed to draw the line?

[Codeine]

47. A jaywalker can kill a driver

who swerves to avoid him.

Where do we draw the line? When we prevent perfectly normal human behavior that harms nobody other than the participants. People have climbed mountains as long as there have been humans. Some people are driven to push themselves to extremes and that’s absolutely fine as long as they understand the danger (on Everest the freeze-dried corpses make this pretty clear) and aren’t taking anyone out with them.

[MicaelS]

49. "This country"

Nepal is not part of "this country". We have no possible reason to interfere in their affairs.

If some thrill seeking dumb-asses wants to go mountain climbing anywhere on the planet, and dies in the process, it is none of our affair.

I am tired of thrill-seeking-adrenaline-junkie-idiots trying deering-do shit that they can post on the internet to get some fame or money. Or to get another fix of adrenaline. Or to prove something to themselves. Only to get into trouble and expect to be rescued. Then they proceed to risk other people's lives to rescue them. People whose REAL job is to help people who get into situations not of their own making.

[EX500rider]

39. Wow, Big Brother knows what's best for you, eh? Some people like to do dangerous things..

....and it is their life to risk.

[moriah]

53. How does coal even compare here?

Serious question.

The coal industry is destroying the planet globally via the fact there is no such thing as "clean coal", destroying local environments because of mining strategies, and killing workers because of them inhaling dust in mines that aren't created by blowing the top off of mountains. Aka, poor people dying and rich people making money off of their lives and the destruction of this planet.

And yes, "mountain climbers came to Mt. Everest" creating the tourism industry, and people looking for jobs decided to take the jobs created by rich tourists willing to risk their lives to climb the tallest mountain in the world. At first, the Nepal government didn't allow foreigners in at all, so British thrill-seekers tried to climb from Tibet. When China cut off access, they finally got permission from Nepal to try from the other side.

Neither government *promoted* "Wow, we've got this great mountain, and you should all come spend your money and risk your lives!" to get those people to attempt it. Yes, the tourists came to them. And were dying to do it, literally.

TBH, I don't see how you can equate the two. At all. If you wish to clarify that vs attack what you think "Democrats" stand for, I'd definitely be willing to listen and debate.

[marybourg]

52. I think that 's the best idea;

require every so many climbers to hire a local as a "sanitation manager" whose only job is to ensure that everything brought up is brought back down.

[oldsoftie]

14. Well, you cant live without earning money, and theres not much there. You suggest they just move?

[obamanut2012]

16. No, they won't

[Marengo]

19. You certainly are checking all the right boxes, aren't you?

[cab67]

21. I wouldn't be so sure.

Tourism is the second largest source of foreign money in Nepal. Nepalese tourism is usually focused on the Himalayas.

Several developing countries are reliant on tourism based on their natural aspects - mountains in the case of Nepal, wildlife in East Africa and large parts of South America, etc. Some of these countries have very extensive tourism infrastructures that minimize the human footprint in natural areas.

[Blue_Tires]

36. If the Nepalese want to close it, they'll close it

Of course that just means the climbers will start from the Chinese side instead...

[CreekDog]

59. you should decide for the people of Nepal what they do with their mountain

or is it your mountain?

[Bengus81]

23. Why?

Going to close everything that's dangerous? How many IDIOTS have died at the Grand Canyon in the last few months? How many have died there in the last several decades?

[YOHABLO]

38. Um I heard of one lady recently that lost her footing and fell. That's the only death I've heard of.

So if there are more ACCIDENTS such as these. Then do tell. I don't think people go to the Grand Canyon to scale its cliffs.

[alphafemale]

57. You don't realize there is more to the Grand Canyon than that touristy squalor bit?

And I think there have been four fatal falls in the main park area in the past few months.

All related to a disrespect for gravity.

There are beautiful blue waterfalls in the Grand Canyon. Just not the National Park bit. .

They are an 8 hr hike from the nearest road....so.

Will hopefully remain free from the trash heaving hoards.

And you have to scale a cliff to get to the bottom of the best one.

A slippery wet cliff.

So people climb cliffs in the Grand Canyon.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

3. Should follow the same rules as ethical cavers...

1. Take out everything you brought in with you, and
2. Take out nothing extra other than photographs.

KY.......

[chowder66]

9. They are asking for a deposit which will be returned if they bring down 8 kg of trash back down. nt

[happybird]

51. That's what I don't get

Those same rules were impressed upon me by both my father and my Girl Scout leaders when I was young. I was also taught to pick up any litter by the trail or campsite. Garbage bags are essential gear.

I would think (and hope) anyone attempting to climb Everest would have at least a moderate amount of hiking/climbing/camping experience. How did they not learn, and take to heart, the rules?? How haven't they learned it from other outdoors enthusiasts?

Not to mention their empty drink bottles weigh a heck of a lot less than they did when full. The whole thing just pisses me off.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

54. Demonstrates the derangement of the elite and privileged....

and privileged they are to even afford to get near Everest. I suppose they expect the butler to come clean up after they leave.

And here we all are, preserving every scrap of paper and metal to recycle for the good of our planet.

I would suggest very heavy fines should be levied for any of their trash left behind, or hold their passports until all is certified as spic-and-span.

....

[EX500rider]

56. Big difference though between camping and fighting for survival at 27,000ft while fighting hypoxia

[Judi Lynn]

7. K & R. n/t

[jb5150]

8. They have tried to reduce the number

of the idiot "because it's there" thrill seekers by limiting the number of permits to climb per season, and greatly increasing the cost of the permits …. but no matter the cost, still they come.

[marble falls]

10. Its the same screwy mindset that puts Teslas into space. "Because I can."

[Blue_Tires]

11. They didn't say which bodies they recovered?

There are a lot of (in)famous tragedies up there, many of their stories I've read...

[TrogL]

20. I don't see them moving Mallory and they still haven't found Irwin

[forgotmylogin]

22. It blew my mind when I read how dead climbers on Everest remain where they fall.

The risk/reward isn't worth the danger involved in recovery attempts.

[cab67]

24. They may not be removing the bodies.

Their priority is on trash, as it should be.

[Codeine]

32. The bodies should remain.

Just clean up the trash.

[Blue_Tires]

35. Not always...

Many bodies do get removed when feasible -- Sometimes surviving family members pay a lot of money to bring a loved one home...

[EarthFirst]

18. A wealthy mans' pursuit of ego... nt

[crazyabout71]

25. Economically disadvantaged Nepalese shouldn't...

be a reason for allowing this disgusting practice. That's no different than saying it's okay to poach wild animals in Africa because the Africans are poor. It should be in the interests of the whole world to protect these places and help the Nepalese economically in other ways, if they even want that help.

[EX500rider]

29. Climbing brings in about 4 percent of the country's gross national product,

about 1/2 a billion dollars a year.
I think they'd rather have trash on one of their many mountains then lose the money.

[crazyabout71]

42. This particular trickle-down does not...

benefit the average Nepalese citizen...

https://kristof.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/03/28/sherpa-they-die-we-go-home/

[EX500rider]

44. The Sherpas like the income I bet.

The average income in Nepal is around $700; Sherpas who climb Everest can make between $3,000 and $5,000 in a single season, more if they summit.

[Codeine]

34. The disgusting practice of climbing?

Or the disgusting practice of leaving debris behind? There’s no reason whatsoever to ban the first, and the second issue seems like it’s headed toward a resolution with a cleanup program in progress.

[crazyabout71]

40. Why should the rest of us...

have to clean up after these people? If climbers can't be bothered to be good stewards of the earth, they should be prevented from climbing.

[EX500rider]

41. "The rest of us" Headed up there to clean up are you?

Nepalese will be well paid to do it I bet. When people get in a life or death situation at 27,000 ft I am not surprised trash pick up is not high on their list of things to do.

[sarisataka]

43. The rest of us...

Are you personally being drafted into the clean up detail?

[MicaelS]

28. Amazing how some on the left are ever willing to shit on..

And sacrifice working class people, in the name of the greater good. And then they wonder why we do not do better in elections.

[EX500rider]

30. Kind of a Colonial attitude to me..."We know what's best for you!"

The average income in Nepal is around $700; Sherpas who climb Everest can make between $3,000 and $5,000 in a single season, more if they summit.

[MicaelS]

33. I just call it Snobbery.

It exists on the left and the right.

[hunter]

50. I joke they should build a tram up there with a pressurized restaurant at the summit.

Being greeted at the top of the world by an out-of-shape tourist sipping from a Starbucks mug might take a lot of the thrill out of the climb.

They could sell "I climbed Mt. Everest" tee-shirts.

A tram would also be a great way to cart out the garbage.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

55. I hope the cleanup "volunteers" are making a living wage at this.

The trash dropped by rich climbers should be immediately removed, so the mountain is pristine for the next rich climbers. As long as all are paid, why not keep it as clean as Disney World?

(I am not a climber, but I have been to Disney World - trash is not allowed to remain visible)

[I_have_had_enough]

58. Pack it in...

Pack it out.
Leave only footprints.
How does someone get to be a 'high mountain' climber without learning the first rule: clean up your mess.
I have been cleaning up behind hikers in the Sierra for 40 years.
Humans can be assholes.