AWARD YEAR
2023
CATEGORY
Home
GOALS
Responsible Consumption & Production, Life On Land, Sustainable Tourism
KEYWORDS
Trash, waste, himalayas, merch, recycling
COUNTRY
Netherlands
DESIGNED BY
Super Local, Sagarmatha Next
WEBSITE
https://www.super-local.com/
Carry Me Back
Merch collection made from the waste left on the Himalayas
How does it work?
Dutch design firm Super Local has partnered with Nepalese nonprofit organization Sagarmatha Next to manage what it calls ‘the world’s highest garbage dump’. The collaboration, titled ‘Carry me back,’ is a sustainable solution to remove, process, and transform municipal waste from Nepal’s Everest Region into colorful plastic-based products.
Why is it needed?
The majestic scenery of Sagarmatha National Park, home of Mount Everest, draws over 80,000 visitors annually, offering tourists an unforgettable experience in nature. Unfortunately, while introducing considerable socio-economic benefits to the area, touristic activities have also resulted in tragic amounts of waste piling up, compromising the region’s delicate ecosystem in the last few decades.
How does it improve life?
Hopefully these items become a perfect reminder for tourists to look back on their hiking adventures among the world’s largest summits while carrying on their responsibility to the environment, even as they return home.