Abandoned tents, human waste piling up on Mount Everest
Kathmandu: After every party it’s time to clean up and Mount Everest is no different. The record number of climbers crowding the world’s highest mountain this season has left a government cleanup crew grappling with how to clear away everything from abandoned tents to human waste that threatens drinking water. Budget expedition companies charge as little as USD 30,000 per climber, cutting costs including waste removal. Everest has so much garbage — depleted oxygen cylinders, food packaging, rope — that climbers use the trash as a kind of signpost. But this year’s haul from an estimated 700 climbers, guides and porters on the mountain has been a shock to the ethnic Sherpas who worked on the government’s cleanup drive this spring. Moreover, the tents are littering South Col, or Camp 4, which, at 8,000 meters (26,240 feet) is the highest campsite on Everest, just below the summit. His expeditions have alone brought down some 20,000 kilograms of garbage since 2008. Sherpa estimated 30 tents had been left on South Col, and as much as 5,000 kilograms of trash. Bringing it down is a herculean task when any misstep at such altitudes could be fatal. At Camp 2, two levels higher than Base Camp, the campaigners believe that around 8,000 kilograms (17,637 pounds) of human excrement were left during this year’s climbing season alone. The overflowing waste then spills downhill toward Base Camp and even communities below the mountain. The government is working on a plan to scan and tag climbers’ equipment and gear. All climbers would have to deposit $4,000 before their ascent and might not get the money back if they return without their items. (AP)
Minnesota cat survives after sneaking into washing machine
NEW YORK: A Minnesota cat miraculously survived after sneaking into a washing machine – where it stayed for about an hour. Stefani Carroll-Kirchoff said she was doing her laundry on Wednesday when her cat, Felix, jumped inside the washing machine while the door was open. Her daughter, Asha Carroll McCullough said that her mom called her immediately after she realized what had happened. She said that her mother went upstairs after starting the laundry and came back down after an hour. When she opened the door of the washing machine she realized Felix was inside the whole time. This will haunt me for the rest of my life,” Carroll-Kirchoff said. “It’s the most traumatic experience.” (Agencies)
