Now 8:21 AM
“One hour and twenty minutes … with a stop in the middle to let Cliff drink (the dog) and the last 200 meters sink in the snow”.
“San Giorgio / Fraccaroli going from Malera and doing the Costa Media of Carega?”
“Oh yeah!”.
These are the yesterday’s texts between me and Andrea Zambaldi, friend and mountaineer (Alpamayo, Shishapangma, Makalu, Quitaraju, Aconcagua and expedition around the world Cave and Canyon), then he continued writing of his next challenge…that’s why he’s training, but I’ll tell you later.
We also talked about the tons of garbage on Everest: camp kitchens, oxygen tanks, equipment for climbing and even tablets.
The Nepalese government has therefore decided that each expedition or climber must not only bring back their waste, but “take down” a bit of those of others (otherwise a hefty fine).
Now we expect, from a responsible mountaineer and professional organizations of expedition, a great deal of attention to nature and the conservation of the territories…of course that in climbing an 8.000 you may have some hard times, hence the need to abandon the waste. It is happening, however, a reversal of the trend in expeditions. There are less “holiday” expeditions and more mountaineering expeditions, with all the passion for adventure and challenge their own limits.
The only equipment needed, no oxygen tanks and low-impact transfer.
There is the same trend in tourism, tourism for us mellow guys, for us that the Capanna Margherita at 4.554mt on Mount Rosa is a finish not a start, for us that the 520km of Inn cycling path are enough for one year, for us that feel the sanctification even if we start from Leon on the Camino de Santiago.
In short, the eco tourism rose sharply in popularity, because on vacation I want to use my muscles, breath, and have relax for my mind.
Let me give you a fresh fresh news of agency: the cycle path Passau / Vienna (the one along the Danube) with a cost of € 28M, sees 60 thousands riders per year with a turnover of € 70M per year!
Consider that every Italian produces an average of 500kg of waste per year, a car full of junk, a BIN-CAR.
No less than 40% of the waste ends up in landfills…waste that produces gas and pollutants.
I want to Reduce, Reuse, Recycle because I want my daily natural and clear like a vacation.
In these weeks when we look for the last-minute holiday or refreshing holiday, well, among the options we should consider an eco tourism or sustainable holiday.
The philosophy is: take account whether any action or activity I do is positive for myself, for the environment and for the economy of the place I will visit. In this way, my journey into the world begins as soon as I plan it and it won’t stop.
Ah , what has in store Andrea?
Well, he will start on 20th of August to make two 8,000 in seven days (Shisha Pangma and Cho Oyu).
They will be in three to do this adventure, according to the principles that we said before, it will be an expedition without oxygen tanks, with the necessary equipment only, but moreover the transfer from the first base camp to the second, they will do it by bike…170km at an altitude of more than 4,500 meters.
A minimal ecological-footprint for a maximum adventure.
“Humanity has the ability to make development sustainable to ensure that it meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
(World Commission on Environment and Development – 1987)
