"Garbage out of Thin Air"

A 10-day exhibition of art in April, entitled, "Garbage out of Thin Air," was created by artists from the Kathmandu University Centre for Art & Design. The artists used garbage and debris collected on Mt. Everest and brought down by the Eco Everest Expedition 2008 Team led by Dawa Steven Sherpa. Debri included helicopter parts that have fallen out of the sky, garbage left over from trekking expeditions- pieces that have been buried in the snow and ice for decades. In total, 300 kilos of garbage were transported off the mountain!

Sherpa said the significance of this exhibition is to urge people to create greater empathy with the mountains. The garbage, in the form of art, will be valued by people who recognize the importance of Mt. Everest not only in mountaineering as the highest peak on earth, but also for the mountain’s cultural importance. He said it is also a symbol that if we can keep our mountains clean, then surely we can keep our town, cities, rivers and air clean.

The garbage brought down from Mt. Everest has been used to create works of art with a message rather than just being disposed of randomly.

What a great idea for young artists to use their creativity and have an outlet for social responsibility! It made me look at "garbage" in a whole new light.

Open Fire Policy

When the Olympic Torch reaches the top of Mt. Everest, it might come at the cost of lives. Soldiers and police in Nepal have been cleared to open fire to stop any protests during China's Olympic torch run to the summit of Mount Everest. Nepal's Home Ministry said the use of deadly force is only authorized as a last resort. The troops will first try to persuade protesters to leave during the torch run and will arrest those who stay. If demonstrators defy all nonviolent means of restraint, troops have the option of using weapons.

Twenty-five soldiers and policemen have established camps on the mountain. Climbers will be banned from the mountain's higher elevations during the torch run.

An American climber has already been detained and sent back to the U.S when police found a Tibetan flag in his expedition pack. All backpacks, camping equipment and personal possessions are subject to check in the coming weeks. May is peak climbing season for expedition teams to summit Everest and the controversy surrounding the torch relay has already discouraged teams from around the world and created a buzz in the trekking community in Nepal.

Given that the Nepali police have used excessive force and brutality during protests around Kathmandu, it is likely that if there is a protest on the mountain, Beijing could experience yet another embarrassing moment leading up to the Olympics. Nepal vehemently supports a “One-China” policy and backs the Chinese government’s aspirations to quell any and all protests against Beijing.

The worldwide torch relay has been the target of demonstrators protesting China's human rights record, including its recent crackdown on Tibet. The climb up Everest is planned for the first few days of May.

Living here and witnessing this all unfold has been quite a life experience. Nepal is going through a political transition at the moment, not to mention a petrol, food and electricity crisis; this just adds to an already dramatic period for the tiny nation. The streets are full of protesters, rouge political groups and vehicles fighting for petrol. I would like to say that it is exciting, but in reality, it is unsettling and unfortunate. Maybe all this international exposure will shed light on the country’s problems and encourage steps towards a solution.