Everest Clean Up Campaign 2018 (Nepal)

At the towering height of 8,848 meters Mt. Everest - also known as Sagarmatha and Chomolungma - is a major attraction for trekkers and alpinists across the world. Travelers to the region are enchanted by the natural beauty of the pristine rivers, lakes and glaciers inside the Sagarmatha National Park. Approximately 46,000 trekkers visited the Everest region and around 700 mountaineers attempted to climb Mt. Everest in 2017 alone. These visitors bring valuable tourism dollars that help the economy of the Everest region and Nepal as a whole, providing sustainable livelihoods to many. However with the growing number of visitors, the region is also facing a growing environmental threat from the waste generated by tourism activities. Despite rigorous efforts from the rural municipalities and local conservation organisations, managing the large volume of waste in this remote Himalayan region remains a challenge.<br />
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Since 2008, Yeti Airlines and it’s subsidiary Tara Air have been actively involved in assisting the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC), a local environmental conservation organisation , and the Himalayan Club Lukla, remove non-burnable and non-biodegradable waste from the region to be recycled in Kathmandu. Most of this category of waste is comprised of empty beer bottles and cans, empty food tins, discarded mountaineering and trekking equipment. This year the airlines, as a part of it’s commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) against Climate Change, has set an ambitious target of flying out 100 tons of waste from the Everest region with the support of it’s campaign partners. The waste will then be handed over to the recycling firm Blue Waste to Value for further treatment.<br />
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As a part of its ongoing partnership with UNDP Nepal, Yeti Airlines is working actively in reducing carbon footprint, promoting climate action [SDG 13] and conserving environment through reduction, recycling and management of wastes [SDG12].The inaugural clean up flight has been officially flagged off from Lukla airport on March 17, 2018 by dignitaries from the UNDP and officials from the airlines and the campaign support partners.