Carry me back is a crowdsourced waste removal system to transport the waste generated in the Khumbu region for its proper recycling
What is Carry Me Back
Carry me back is the first initiative of Sagarmatha Next to address the waste management challenge in Sagarmatha National Park and the Khumbu region.
As its name suggests, carry me back is a crowdsourced waste removal system designed to send waste to its rightful place where it can be recycled by utilising the movement of locals and tourists.
A collaborative effort
The local NGO Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee segregates and shreds the waste to reduce the volume and packs them the 1 kg-capacity carry me back bags as well as operates the pick-up and drop-off stations. The bags were designed by Super Local and are made by women group trained at moware design using waste materials.
Sagarmatha Next and SPCC team offers the bags to locals and visitors at the pick up station when leaving Sagarmatha National Park. Then the bags are disposed of in the dedicated bins located in Lukla. The local private airline – Tara Airlines – then transfer the waste to Kathmandu, where the social enterprise Blue Waste to Value/BW2V collects them for recycling at their facility.
Since Spring 2022, the carry me back programs is sponsored by Dell Technologies.
Utilizing the movement of people
Crowdsourced waste removal system
Add a kg to your bagful of memories
Carry me back bags can be collected at the pick up station located in Namche Bazaar and deposited at the drop off station at Lukla Airport.
If you are visiting Sagarmatha National Park soon, stay tuned as we will add more pick up stations soon!
2,500 transported about 4,000 kg of waste
The pilot project took place during the trekking season in Autumn 2019. Locals and tourists could collect the carry me back bags from the pick-up station located by the Stupa in Namche Bazaar. About 2,500 trekkers and guides participated in the pilot, and thanks to their efforts, we could transport a total of 4,000 kg of waste to Kathmandu.
After a successful pilot, we are looking forward to continuing with the carry me back project once the trekking season re-starts again in the Khumbu region, and replicate the model across other mountain regions of Nepal.
