Ken Noguchi witnessed the increasing amount of garbage on Mount Everest during his climbs and started cleanup activities in 2000. He has continued these efforts, even in dangerous environments, encouraged by the requests of Sherpas.
Global warming is causing the glaciers on Mount Everest to melt, leading to flood damage. Ken Noguchi is working to raise awareness of this issue and find solutions.
He has emphasized the importance of environmental protection by organizing environmental schools and engaging in various activities to spread awareness of environmental issues and encourage people to participate.
Ken Noguchi, an alpinist and environmental activist, has been conducting annual cleanup activities on Mount Everest. When he first climbed Everest in 1997, he witnessed an overwhelming amount of garbage left behind by over 3,000 climbers during the season. He even received criticism from his fellow climbers about the excessive amount of trash left by Japanese climbers.
In response, Ken Noguchi initiated Everest cleanup activities in 2000. At an altitude of 8,000 meters, the air is too thin for helicopters to carry the garbage, so he had to manually carry oxygen tanks and garbage bags on his back, bringing down the waste little by little. Despite the inherent dangers and physical strain, he persevered due to the Sherpas' requests to continue the cleanup efforts.
Recently, due to global warming, temperatures in the Himalayas have risen, causing the Everest glaciers to melt. This has resulted in flood damage in surrounding areas. To raise awareness of this issue, Ken Noguchi appealed for flood risks at the 1st Asia-Pacific Water Summit, prompting experts to explore methods for draining water from the glaciers. Furthermore, the impact of global warming is evident in Tuvalu, where rising sea levels are causing coconut trees to fall.
Ken Noguchi believes that people can achieve great things when they come together. He has also held 'environmental schools' to instill environmental awareness in elementary and middle school students. The Mount Fuji cleanup activity has seen 6,000 participants, demonstrating the growing involvement of many individuals. He urged people not to give up on environmental issues and to continue raising awareness.