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Nepalese Sherpa conquered Everest for 19th time to create
environmental awareness

    Washington: A man from Nepal conquered Mount Everest for a breathtaking 19th time on May 21 to create environmental awareness. Apa reached the summit of the world's highest peak as part of Eco Everest Expeditions, aiming to educate climbers about their impact on the Himalayas and highlight the affects of climate change on the region. "I want people to see that our mountains are really fragile and vulnerable to what we do as humans," CNN quoted Dawa Steven, leader of the expeditions, as saying. Dawa Steven said that apart from the impact of warming temperatures on the Himalayas there are more direct impacts from climbers. "There's a big problem with human waste on the mountain. Toilet bags have been introduced on expeditions in the last two years, so it can be transported back down the mountain again," he said. The expedition is also encouraging mountaineers to bring down trash that they find on the mountain with a "Cash for Trash" program; Eco Everest offers 100 rupees for each kilo of trash brought back down. The expedition teams also use parabolic solar cookers harnessing the strong sunlight of the mountain region. "They're really good, you just point it at the sun and about 30 minutes later you have a pot of boiling water. If I can use it in the harsh environment of base camp Everest then anyone can use it back home," Dawa said.
-May 25, 2009

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