Tibetans Take on Tall Order of Everest Cleanup

Groups of Tibetin voulenteers are set to begin the laborious task of cleaning up Mount Everest. The mountin is literaly strewn with the debrits of the many summit attempts that have occured over the years. No doubt a few frozen bodies. Most modern expiditions now have to have a refuge plan, but in the past they simply dumped wherever. This attempt is different as they intend to clean at higher elevations than before

BEIJING (Reuters) - Tibetan volunteers are planning a trip to the top of the world's tallest mountain to pick up garbage.
The Tibetans will work with environmental protection experts over the next three years to clear up the rubbish on Mount Everest (news - web sites) at an altitude of between 6,500 meters (21,300 ft) and 8,000 meters, China's Xinhua news agency said on Monday.

Everest has been strewn with garbage ever since the pioneering attempts at its peak in the 1920s. Since then, the climbing traffic has multiplied.

"The local government has organized volunteers many times to clear away the rubbish, yet all of them failed because no volunteers can reach that high," Xinhua said.
Cleanup

That is very good news!!! I've been trekking in that area in the beginning of 90- and there was already a lot of rubbish -can you imagine that from spring to autumm there is always at least one expedition (mostly two are three) and they bring a lot of equipment, to dump later on ..? In the major base camps plastic things were almost everywhere - that was sad...

[edit on 13-12-2004 by jazzgul]

[edit on 13-12-2004 by jazzgul]

Originally posted by jazzgul
(mostly two are three0 and they bring a lot of equipment, to damp later on ..?

Sorry, I am not being rude, I am just curious as to what this means? They wet the equipment once they get there? What?

Originally posted by IronDogg
Sorry, I am not being rude, I am just curious as to what this means? They wet the equipment once they get there? What?

I think she ment to say "dump"

Sorry spelling thanks fredT

This is good to hear. I can only imagine the copious amounts of trash leading up the mountain. Oxygen canisters, etc. The climbers should be more responsible for their trash and hopefully teams in this day and age are actually doing something about the refuse they inevitably must take with them.

Originally posted by parrhesia
This is good to hear. I can only imagine the copious amounts of trash leading up the mountain. Oxygen canisters, etc. The climbers should be more responsible for their trash and hopefully teams in this day and age are actually doing something about the refuse they inevitably must take with them.

I'm just amazed that the authorities that be, didn't take action long before that. While there are circumstances when you have little choice but to leave gear and debris on the montain, looks like 90% of the trash could have been moved.

I'm still giving the other 10% the benefit of doubt, because it's a real extreme environment. If I'm trying to get to the camp in time (and you can never be sure), I can imagine it's hard to convince yourself that carrying an empty bottle back is essential.