I chose to post this article, as it addresses lots of the issues that we have been dealing with this semester, as well as it raises other points that we have not discussed thus far. Vanity, Pollution, and Death on Mt. Everest, written by Pablo Figueroa, is an article that discusses the distressed state that Mt Everest currently sits in. It discusses the deteriorated state that Mt Everest resides in, due to pollution (fecal matter, dead bodies, etc) and the effect that money-hungry guided companies have had on the mountain and its current climbers. Figueroa points out that even though there is a high awareness in terms of the mountains condition, it will be hard for any implementations to be followed. He states that not only does the economy within Nepal depend immensely on its mountains to bring in cash flow for its tourism, but the troubles Nepali government is still to this day, characterized by corruption and inefficiency (Figueroa 5). Not only has the pollution on Mt Everest become an aesthetic issue, but also a health hazard. Whether it be fecal matter, garbage, or dead bodies, this pollution is deteriorating the ecological environment of the mountain itself. Contaminated water raises a huge concern for environmentalists.
This article also addresses the issue of the commercialization of Mt Everest, as a hazard to the lives of climbers, as we have spoken about throughout the semester. Figueroa emphasizes the impact that the large crowds have had, most commonly seen at the Hillary Step, where on a summit day, hundreds of climbers have to wait for over two hours to access the fixed ropes. This common traffic jam has become extremely hazardous, as climbers waste precious time and oxygen, while they wait for their turn to move up the fixed lines (Figueroa 2).
This article raises questions as to wether the commercialization of Mt Everest has been beneficial or detrimental, and the overall impact it has had on the mountain itself: the topic of my term paper.