Clearing garbage on Mount Everest

Ken Noguchi, a Japanese mountaineer and seven-year volunteer, "spared" a total of 8 tons of garbage into Mount Everest, returning cleanliness to the roof of the world.

From Mount Everest

Eight years ago, 25-year-old Ken Noguchi stepped into Everest's conquest after two unsuccessful attempts. On May 13, 1999, Ken set foot on Mount Everest, becoming the youngest person in the world to conquer all seven highest peaks on continents. Before coming to Everest, he in turn conquered Mount Elbrus (Europe), Denali (North America), Aconcagua (South America), Kilimanjaro (Africa), Kosciusko (Australia) and Vinson Massif (Antarctica).

If Ken was in a mood of enthusiasm, then he would be disappointed when he arrived.'I always see beautiful pictures of Everest on television. But when I arrived, the first thing that caught my eye was rubbish. Garbage everywhere " - Ken recalls. The climbers had previously neglected to leave as oxygen tanks, tents, food containers, gas cylinders, sticks . Most of these rubbish are Japanese brands. Seeing that, a European man with a mountain climbing group with Ken blurted out: 'The Japanese have the first-class economy but the consciousness is only worth three!'. Ken admitted that the same sentence had begun to resolve to clean Everest at all costs.

A year later Ken returned to Everest with an international climbing team, starting the campaign to clean up the trash left on Everest. On average, he and his friends go to the mountain to clean up garbage once a year. With a huge amount of rubbish brought down from the height of 8,000m, his team kept down 2,000m to stop

Ken Noguchi (sitting) next to the waste gases collected from Everest (Photo: OhMyNews)

Once a day to take a break, it is almost every two months for every garbage removal.'The work is really difficult, especially when the temperature rises and sometimes there are avalanches. Sometimes I was afraid that I would become garbage myself, too, ' Ken said.

Go to Mount Fuji

Up to now, the total amount of garbage removed from Everest is 8 tons, including more than 400 oxygen tanks. When the garbage collection campaign at Mount Everest was known and supported by the world, Ken thought it was time to mobilize the Japanese people to do the same with Mount Fuji, the symbol of the homeland of the rising sun. In 2004, he opened an exhibition of the garbage collected from Mount Everest in Tokyo. During the press conference, Ken said: 'Our Mount Fuji is known around the world. There are many foreigners coming here, but when they go up the mountain they see garbage like this. '

Japanese people are proud of their tidy, clean traditions that immediately feel embarrassed. The collection of waste on Fuji Mountain led by Ken then received the participation of many people. He cleaned everything from the mountain, from a 27-inch television to a computer screen and a car battery. Ken's efforts helped return the clean landscape to Mount Fuji. Currently, he is working with volunteers to build a public toilet project at 48 mountain locations.

As a child, Ken Noguchi had never thought about conquering the peaks, saying anything about clearing garbage in these places. Born in Boston (USA) in a wealthy family with a father who is a Japanese diplomat, and an Egyptian mother from a young age, Ken revealed a rebellious temperament. In high school, he was sent to Japan by Japan to " cultivate the mind " after fighting with his classmates. It was during this time that Ken read the book A Young Man dedicated to the mountains of Japanese explorer Naomi Uemura. At the age of 16, he conquered the summit of Mont Blanc, now considered the highest peak in Europe, then tied his life to the slopes since then. 'When a person steps into the climb, accept the near danger. It is important to never give up. That is similar to environmental protection. We can't do everything by ourselves, but if nothing happens when we organize a group of like-minded people, there is nothing impossible ' - Ken said.

THANH TRUC