In response to the growing waste problem in Nepal's Sagarmatha National Park, Dutch design studio Super Local has launched a unique initiative called "From the Himalayas."
Images: Super Local
This project encourages mountain trekkers to carry waste out of the park, transforming it into colorful souvenirs made from recycled materials, including bottle caps.
Hikers participating in the project carry specially designed one-kilogram "Carry Me Back" bags filled with waste collected from trails, lodges, and open pits in the park. The trash is then transported to a recycling facility in Kathmandu. While some materials like PET bottles and aluminum cans are more easily recycled, Super Local developed a creative solution for repurposing HDPE bottle caps into items such as necklaces, keychains, and a scale model of Mount Everest.
Images: Super Local
The project, launched with the support of the Nepalese non-profit Sagarmatha Next, tackles the estimated 200 tonnes of waste left behind by trekkers each year. With more than 80 open pits used for waste burning, the environmental damage is significant, but this project offers a solution that is both practical and poetic. Super Local's work has been recognized with a Dutch Design Award for its innovative approach to addressing waste in the region.
This initiative not only helps to reduce waste but also raises awareness among trekkers of their responsibility to the environment, offering them a chance to take home a piece of the Himalayas in the form of sustainable souvenirs.
Find out more about Super Local and their sustainability efforts here!
