GO Winter 2023

GREEN OBSERVER

UIUC'S ONLY STUDENT RUN ENVIRONMENTAL

CONTRIBUTORS

SOPHIA BEEM

THE POLAR VORTEX AND INEQUITABLE DISASTER AID KEEP IT LOCAL: WINTER CLOTHES DONATIONS

JULIA SPAINHOUR

WINTERTIME ANIMALS

MICHAEL GERGENI

MAVYNEE OSHUN BETSCH: BEACH LADY

STAY ON THE LOOKOUT: SACKETT V. EPA’S IMPLICATIONS ON ILLINOIS’S PRESERVATION EFFORTS

JULIA SAN MIGUEL

A BRIEF HISTORY OF FLORIOGRAPHY

LEXI DELMONICO

ANTARCTICA: A GEOLOGICAL HISTORY OF THE LAST GREAT WILDERNESS

TOURISM, WASTE, AND DEATH IN THE "GODDESS MOTHER OF THE WORLD"

EDITORIN-CHIEF

Welcome to the winter issue of the Green Observer! February is a month of love, Black history, and more. For many of us this winter has been defined by early spring warmth cut across by the bitter cold of a polar vortex. If you're like me, this lack of consistency in winter climate might make you think of a time when winter was snowy and magical. It seemed like there was no record-breaking heat in the North or recordbreaking cold in the South.

I hope we reach that magic someday again. In this issue we focus on cold climate issues, groundbreaking Black environmentalists, flower production, and more. Enjoy!

THE POLAR VORTEX AND INEQUITABLE DISASTER AID

written by Sophia Beem

The polar vortex is an area of cold air and low atmospheric pressure that can exist over the Earth’s poles, but usually the North pole, that gains the most strength during the winter. The winds within the vortex swirl counterclockwise and inward towards the North Pole. It’s kept in place by the polar jet stream, a strong river of air that separates the Arctic air from the midlatitudes. The vortex usually does not have much impact on weather beyond the poles.

Changes in temperatures can offset the flow of the jetstream and cause it to meander south, allowing the arctic air from the vortex to plunge south as well. This occurs naturally, but the arctic is warming faster than the rest of the planet as a result of climate change, and this warming offsets the jetstream and displaces polar vortex air more often to southern regions. Future warming is likely to further weaken the polar jet stream, leading to more extreme and unusual weather patterns.

246 people died during the Texas freeze of 2021

Extreme cold disproportionately affects the most vulnerable people in a population and many southern regions aren’t prepared with the infrastructure to manage such a freeze from Arctic air. One recent example is the historic cold outbreak over the Great Plains region of the United States, particularly Texas, lasting from February 6th to February 18th, 2021. 246 people died during the Texas freeze of 2021, many from hypothermia. People of color and lowincome communities were disproportionately affected by this conflict, especially in experiencing the most blackouts and burst pipes, and faced a long and difficult journey to recovery even after power and water were restored. The unprecedented freeze exacerbated preexisting poor infrastructure and lack of resources in those marginalized communities.

This is not an isolated incident, and draws back on the systemic bias, racism, and antipoverty mindset embedded in American systems. Researchers from Rice University in Houston and the University of Pittsburgh found that post-disaster assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency is distributed unevenly. According to their research, white communities see higher levels of reinvestment post-disaster. With the threat of polar vortex-induced freezes, in addition to the general extreme and unnatural weather phenomena prompted by continued global warming, the issue of equitable emergency aid is more urgent than ever.

https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/04 1322climatechange

https://scied.ucar.edu/learningzone/climate-change-impacts/whypolar-vortex-keeps-breaking-out-arctic

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/ nation/2021/02/20/texas-ice-stormblackouts-minorities-hardest-hitrecovery/4507638001/

MaVynee Oshun Betsch: Beach Lady

written by Michael Gergeni

A history of environmentalism, environmental struggles for justice, strife and unrest for a more environmentally conscious world is never complete without the contributions of Black environmentalists. Too often, conversations about environmentalism and conservationism overlook their contributions. This is why we know the John Muirs, Jane Goodalls, Teddy Roosevelts, and Aldo Leopolds, but not as many people know the story of the Beach Lady, MaVynee Betsch.

MaVynee Betsch was born January 13th, 1935 in Jacksonville, Florida, into a Black family that was wealthy and well-known in the South for founding the oldest African-American beach resort on a piece of coastline a few miles north of Jacksonville named American Beach. She was trained as an opera singer when she was a young adult at Oberlin’s Conservatory of Music, and she subsequently gave opera performances all over the world, but mostly in Europe. But it is when she came back when she truly became the name she was affectionately given – the Beach Lady.

A little while after Hurricane Dora struck Northeastern Florida in 1964, she returned from her successful opera career of ten years to her hometown in

Florida and settled back down. At the time, it was not allowed for African Americans and white Americans to share a beach due to various Jim Crow restrictions, and American Beach was a rare place where Black people could come over to the Florida coastline without any of those restrictions.

And come over they did. Not only was it an incredibly popular vacation spot for thousands of Black Americans since its inception in 1935, but it featured some really premier talent – the likes of jazz legend Duke Ellington, home run king Hank Aaron, writer and anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston, Joe Louis, Ray Charles, A. Phillip Randolph, and many more. Visitors had access to one of Florida’s largest dune systems, including a 60ft dune that Betsch called “NaNa”. But over time, in part from the hurricane and in part from the passage of the Civil Rights Act, the beach fell into disuse and many of the businesses there boarded up. As a large part of African American culture at the time was built up on the exclusion that segregation caused, desegregation made other locations finally available, but it meant that the appeal of American Beach would begin to fade.

Businesses left and populations diminished, but MaVynee Betsch remained committed to the preservation of this beach. She invested all of her career earnings, about $750,000, back into environmental organizations and preservation funds, sold her family home and began living on the beach. Her inheritance went to its upkeep and preservation. Her life as preservationist would start with this grand swing.

She vehemently opposed Reagan’s environmental policies, even dropping the “R” from her birth name, Marvyne, and adding an “E” at the end to honor the environment. As land developers offered mind-boggling sums of money for American Beach’s “hot property”, Betsch stayed strong and did not budge. She planted trees everywhere and gave historical tours to keep her family’s legacy alive. Her preservation efforts were widely successful, not just at American Beach, but for all the fifty-odd environmental associations she was benefactor or member of.

In 2002, however, she was diagnosed with cancer, and had to begin living indoors. But that still didn’t stop her from pursuing another ambitious project: opening a museum for the history of American Beach. Though she never saw its completion in her lifetime, it opened joyfully, and permanently, in 2014. The Beach has now become a National Park Service Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, and the “NaNa” dune is now owned and protected by the NPS as well.

MaVynee Betsch once claimed that when she died, she would come back as butterfly. On the day the American Beach Museum opened on September 6th, 2014, the sun split the clouds and orange butterflies fluttered nearby, greeting all the visitors almost as a welcome from the Beach Lady herself.

Sources

Day, A. (2021, February 19). The unsung hero who saved a Florida beach. Grist Magazine. Retrieved January 24, 2023, from https://grist.org/fix/oceans/mavynee-betsch-unsung-hero-who-saved-a-florida-beach/ National Park Service. (2021, July 26). MaVynee “Beach Lady” Betsch. Retrieved January 25, 2023, from https://www.nps.gov/people/mavynee-beach-lady-betsch.htm

Quet. (2015, January 13). The Beach Lady MaVynee Betsch: Gullah/Geechee Sacred Ancestor. Gullah/Geechee Nation. Retrieved January 24, 2023, from https://gullahgeecheenation.com/2015/01/13/the-beach-lady-mavyneebetsch-gullahgeechee-sacred-ancestor/

Rymer, R. (2003, June). Beach Lady. Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved January 25, 2023, from https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/beach-lady-84237022/

Soergel, M. (2022, February 15). Vintage TU: Renowned “Beach Lady” championed Amelia Island’s beach for African Americans. jacksonville.com | the Florida Times-Union. Retrieved January 20, 2023, from https://www jacksonville com/story/news/history/2022/02/15/floridas-amelia-island-mavynne-betsch-blackamerican-beach/6755186001/

The HistoryMakers (n d ) MaVynee “Beach Lady” Betsch Retrieved January 24, 2023, from https://www.thehistorymakers.org/biography/mavynee-beach-lady-betsch-39

Wintertime Animals

Julia Spainhour

Red-tailed Hawk (buteo jamaicensis)

Walking around campus, you may have recently spotted a red-tailed hawk soaring about, perching in a tree, or hunting for prey. The red-tail is considered to be the most common hawk in North America, and its reach goes far and wide. Anywhere there’s some open space and high places to perch, a red-tailed hawk is probably nearby. This can include forests, mountains, deserts, plains, roadsides, and tropical rainforests in Mexico. Some migrate in and out of Illinois, but many of them are permanent residents to the state, with many of them nesting from February to May. The male and female work together to build their nests in high trees, and after about a month of incubation, 2-4 eggs hatch. These birds are active hunters, and will watch from above until the right moment, when they swoop down and capture their prey in their talons. They’re opportunistic feeders, meaning they’re not very picky with their food and will go for just about anything they’re able to get. They mostly eat small mammals, like squirrels, voles, and rabbits, but will also go for birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians and insects.

Fun fact: Their eyesight is 8x better than that of humans

Raccoon (procyon lotor)

Raccoons are common mammals in North America known for their black masks and mischievous behavior. They’re found all across the state of Illinois, especially in urbanized areas. Their dexterous paws have allowed them to exploit human resources for shelter and food, which is most prevalent in cities. Around 2/3 of their cerebral cortexes are designated to their tactile senses, which is more than in any other studied animal. They can interpret objects without ever touching them, detect stimuli in the environment to determine if something is edible, and easily handle things in their hands. This allows them to swim, climb, hold things, open doors, and other behaviors which aid them in behaviors such as breaking into homes or stealing food. However, they’re nocturnal creatures and not very fond of people, so if you see one, don’t get too close as they can get aggressive. Typically, they remain fairly solitary, but they occasionally meet at feeding grounds or form loose groups. As omnivores, they’ll eat insects, fish, frogs, clams, slugs, and young mammals, as well as fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, and of course the junk food they find in dumpsters.

Fun fact: Since the 1930s, the raccoon population in North America has increased dramatically

Eastern Box Turtle (terrapene carolina carolina)

Residing in forested land near campus is the Eastern box turtle, one of two terrestrial turtle species in Illinois. They are recognizable by their vivid orange and yellow colorations on their carapaces, feet, and faces, which they use to camouflage in fallen foliage. The plastron, which is the bottom of the shell, is hinged, meaning they can completely shut themselves in. When damaged, their shell can regenerate over time with the growth of new granular tissue

and keratin. Ranging from 4 to 6 inches, they are pretty small creatures, but slightly larger than nearby counterparts. They lay their eggs in May to June, although a female can wait up to four years after fertilization to lay her eggs. During the earlier years of their lives, they spend more time in water, where it’s easier to catch prey. Later on, however, they spend most of their time on land. In 2022, the largest survey ever of Eastern box turtles was led by researchers at the University of Illinois to monitor their health

Fun fact: Eastern box turtles can live to be more than 100 years old.

Great Horned Owl (bubo virginianus)

The great horned owl is another bird species that can be found in Illinois around the wintertime. This is your quintessential owl: staring yellow eyes, ear tufts, and distinctive hoot call. They’re large, ranging from 18 to 25 inches, and widespread throughout North America. These owls begin nesting in January, which is very early in comparison to other birds in the region. This is a smart strategy, because it gives the offspring more time to learn to hunt in time for the next winter, providing them an advantage against their counterparts. They don’t build their own nests, and instead utilize nests abandoned by hawks, eagles, ravens, and even squirrels. As nocturnal creatures, they come out at nighttime, and so they have excellent night vision to help them navigate the darkness. The great horned owl is known for its impeccable hunting abilities. They survey the area from a perch up above, and then swoop down to capture their prey, which typically includes mammals and other bird species, including falcons and ospreys. They’re also very territorial, and when another owl threatens to come nearby, they respond with aggressive hooting, hissing, screaming, and stomping their feet.

Fun fact: Since they can’t turn their eyes, their head can turn up to 270 degrees.

While some of us are enjoying the coziness of the winter season, many with poor housing and financial situations are struggling to stay warm, and you can help by donating clothing to charities and thrift shops!

Donating clothing is a great way to lower your carbon footprint. The volume of clothing Americans throw away each year has doubled from 7 million to 14 million tons in the last 20 years! Textile waste in landfills eventually emit harmful greenhouse gasses while deteriorating, contributing to the environmental crisis.

Please considering donating your clothing this winter season, particularly anything from this list of the most needed items at shelters and charities in the wintertime:

Keep it Local: Winter Clothes Donations

written by Sophia Beem

Socks!

Socks are among the least donated items, but they key to keeping out moisture to stay warm in wintry conditions. Donate pairs of clean socks so everyone can share the coziness of warm winter socks!

Boots

Often people throw out used shoes without considering them for donation. Winter boots are usually incredibly durable and your used boots could be a lifesaver for someone else.

Coats

Coats are essential winter items, and donating an outgrown or unused coat can be the determining factor in preventing illness for someone!

Hats and Gloves

These are among the most accepted winter clothing items in shelters and charity stores. You may have a large bin of accumulated hats and gloves that are never used, so keep in mind the difference these will make for someone without these crucial items!

Some places to donate clothing in the Champaign-Urbana Area:

Carle Auxiliary Resale Boutique- Corner of Lincoln and University in Urbana

Empty Tomb- 301 N. Fourth St., Champaign

Restoration Urban Ministries- 1213

Parkland Ct., Champaign

Salt & Light- 1512 W. Anthony Dr., Champaign; 1819 S. Philo Road, Urbana

Twice is Nice- 607 W. Elm, Urbana

Salvation Army, 2212 N. Market St., Champaign

https://www.gogreendrop.com/blog/t he-most-useful-things-you-candonate-for-winter/

https://www.roadrunnerwm.com/blo g/textile-waste-environmental-crisis

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3. 4. 5. 6.

Antarctica: A Geological History of the Last Great Wilderness

written by Lexi Delmonico

Antarctica is perhaps the most mysterious continent on our planet. Once a part of the supercontinent Gondwana, Antarctica has dinosaur and marsupial fossils from a time when its climate was not the snowy landmass we know it as today. According to the Australia Antarctic Program, the continents of Australia and Antarctica that were once connected, completely separated only 30 million years ago. Considering that the Earth has been alive for 4.5 billion years, this separation is fairly recent in geological history.

Of the dinosaurs that once roamed the “cold temperate rainforests” that made up Antarctica, the ankylosaurs, an armored dinosaur, and the mosasaur and plesiosaur, marine reptiles, are the most formally outlined. Antarctica is also a place where various dolphin and whale fossils have been found. It also shows evidence of a major extinction event that occurred 2 to 3 million years ago. The cause is up for debate with scientists theorizing that “the closure of the Isthmus of Panama, which caused the flow of water from the Atlantic

to Pacific Ocean to stop” or that “the Himalayas, which were growing at the time and influenced the circulation of the atmosphere in the northern hemisphere”.

Seymour Island, residing in the Northern-most part of the continent, is known as “one of the most important fossil sites on Earth”. The extinct Colossus Penguin was found at this location. These penguins thrived in the warmer climate and stood at nearly 7 feet tall. Terrifying.

It is important to note that most of Antarctica is unknown to scientists, because of the dangerous conditions that make it difficult to study

The continent is split primarily by the East and the West The West is smaller and complex as it consists of 4 land units Its volcanic activity makes it a popular destination for geological study. The East is less well known. It hold the bulk of Antarctica’s ice sheet and the Transantarctic Mountains which have an elevation of nearly 15,000 feet.

Although Antarctica is rich in iron ore and coal, attempting to get the resources is extremely dangerous. In 1998, the Madrid Protocol provided universal protection for Antarctica. Mining is illegal on the continent, giving fossil fuel industries one less place to search. As the Earth warms and the ice sheet melts, learning more about Antarctica may provide climate scientists with new information about global warming.

Sources

https://www.antarctica.gov.au/about-antarctica/geographyand-geology/geology/

https://www.pegasustutors.co.uk/blog/2020/8/20/colossuspenguin#:~:text=The%20fossil%20remains%20of%20the,dub bed%20the%20%E2%80%9CColossus%20penguin.%E2%80% 9D

https://www.antarctica.gov.au/about-antarctica/geographyand-geology/geology/antarctic-prehistory/ https://www.antarctica.gov.au/about-antarctica/geographyand-geology/geology/mining/

written by Julia San Miguel

A Brief Overview of Floriography

With Valentine’s Day coming up, the iconic red rose prepares for its biggest day of the year. In 2022 alone, around 250 million roses were produced for the amorous holiday (that’s more than the populations of Canada, the UK, and Mexico combined). Red roses signify undying love in cultures around the world, and the rose is the most popular flower grown globally.

However, the rose is not a symbol of love everywhere. In China, flowers are traditionally only given at funerals or in times of mourning. In Catalonia, roses are gifted during the Feast of Saint George, to commemorate their patron saint who slew a dragon and watched a rose come from its blood. Needless to say, flowers have a language of their own, which can differ across the map.

While this tradition has mostly died out, in the 1800s, floriography was all the rage. Floriography, literally the language of flowers, can be attributed to a dogmatic love for tulips in Constantinople. This tulipmania was noticed by English aristocrat and poet, Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, while on an extended visit to the Ottoman Empire. She brought this idea back to Europe, where flower language began to take shape and expand.

In 1819 the first official dictionary of floriography, Le langage des Fleurs, was published in French by Louise Cortambert.

Flowers came to be associated with a plethora of different definitions, depending on the situation in which they were used. Common meanings slowly began to emerge, and Victorian England jumped on the new language to send each other floral messages that could not be said aloud. Flowers were popularly written about in Shakespeare plays and by Jane Austen and the Brontë sisters.

According to The Illustrated Language of Flowers by Anna Christian Burke, published in 1856, flowers in different life stages could take on different meanings. The younger stage of an almond plant flower meant hope, while a fully grown almond flower was associated with stupidity. Daisies grown in gardens signified a sharing of sentiments, while the wild daisy was more akin to “I’ll think about it.” Colors, too, carried different explanations. A white lilac brought to mind innocence, while purple ones coveted feelings of first love. Bouquets could combine several ideas or phrases together, and be gifted as a sort of message or poem to the recipient.

While more specific flower languages may be a thing of the past, the love affair with the sweet flower as a gift to a loved one still burns passionately bright.

On a not quite as romantic note, rose farms tend to consume large amounts of water and energy, and droughts exacerbated by climate change may threaten their supply in the coming years. Kenya, a large global exporter of roses, dedicates much of their scant water supply to growing them. More sustainable farming and water conservation practices can be implemented to address this problem, but locally harvested roses (and all other flowers!) are kinder on the environment. Whether this means shopping locally or growing your own, Valentine’s Day flowers can take on a more climate-conscious and personal touch.

The Delight Flower Farm in Champaign is a local, woman-owned flower farm that claims to be sustainable and often sells their cut flora at Urbana’s Market in the Square. They also sell bouquets at Harvest Market, the Common Ground Food Cooperative, County Market on West Kirby, and the Rose Bowl Tavern. Their flowers can last for several weeks, as they are often

sold the same day they’re picked to ensure freshness, and are grown without herbicides and pesticides. Roses may be red, and violets may be blue, but if your valentine is an environmentalist, you know what they’ll value!

Kenyan Rose Production

Delight Flower Farms

Stay on the Lookout: Sackett v. EPA’s Implications on Illinois’s Preservation Efforts

written by Michael Gergeni

As is tends to be the case, the courts are digging at the Environmental Protection Agency again. In Sackett v. EPA, it’s another attack on the strength of the EPA by the Supreme Court.

The case centers around a specific provision of the Clean Water Act of 1977, defining what is and isn’t considered “waters of the United States”. This provision, also called the “navigable waters” provision, was written to outline which lands qualify as wetlands, and are therefore protected by the CWA. Over recent years, we’ve seen quite a flip-flopping of expansion and decline in the power of this

provision, with an expansion in the Obama years and a subsequent restriction during the Trump administration. Nowadays, the Biden administration mostly enforces the Obama rules.

This case takes us all the way back to the dark ages of 2004, when Michael Sackett and his wife, Chantell Sackett, decided to buy a patch of land out by Priest Lake, Idaho. Upon their purchase, however, the EPA swiftly notified them of nearby wetlands, which are protected by the CWA. This included a lake and a stream, both within 300 feet of their property. They sued the EPA, got their case thrown out, then appealed to the 9th Circuit court, and then the US Supreme Court. So, wait a second, if this case has already gone to the Supreme Court and been debated over (the Court decided it was filed wrong), why are we writing about this?

Well, that was Sackett I, this is Sackett II. Sackett II is now a question of the definition of wetlands, whether the CWA should be enforced according to a less environmentally

friendly definition set forth by former Justice Antonin Scalia, or the more progressive and protective definition that former Justice Anthony Kennedy used that would strengthen the scope of the EPA to enforce the CWA. The Sacketts seek to make the courts abandon the use of Kennedy’s definition.

Pending the Supreme Court’s decision, this could have major consequences for environmental preservation efforts nationwide. In a brief filed by the Biden administration about the case, they argue that Scalia’s definition “has no grounding in the CWA’s text, structure, or history.” The Natural Resource Defense Council has called Sackett “the most important water-related U.S. Supreme Court case to come along in a generation.”

In Illinois, the effects could be particularly damaging. Our state has already lost an estimated 90% of its original wetlands – most states in the Midwest have lost over 50% – and if Sackett goes through, we could see major trimming to the current methods protecting the few wetlands we have left.

The future is uncertain for wetland preservation and all eyes should be on the outcome of Sackett this summer. If the Supreme Court constricts the EPA any more, we could see some of the most important and vital ecosystems in the world under attack, and preservation efforts seriously encumbered.

However, there are many ways in which the fight to preserve wetlands will persist. The Illinois River Valley has recently seen a massive restoration at the Emiquon Preserve ever since it was first undertaken in 2007. Native plants and thousands of endangered birds have

returned since the wetland was first given a true shot at preservation. At the Emiquon Preserve alone, over 93% of Illinois’ endangered bird species have been observed, and many have returned in the thousands. The conservationists that oversaw that project say that it presents a very promising example of what could happen if we put more effort into preserving our region’s wetlands.

Sources

Just, R. (2022, August 10). Sackett v. EPA and the Definition of Waters of the United StatesEnvironmental & Energy Law Program Harvard Law School Retrieved February 2, 2023, from https://eelp law harvard edu/2022/06/sackett-vepa-and-the-definition-of-waters-of-the-unitedstates/

Ramirez-Franco, J (2023, January 30) The Supreme Court could end protections for some wetlands, threatening water and wildlife. STLPR. Retrieved February 1, 2023, from https://news.stlpublicradio.org/2023-01-30/thesupreme-court-could-end-protections-for-somewetlands-threatening-water-and-wildlife

Turrentine, J. (2022, September 19). What You Need to Know About Sackett v. EPA. NRDC. Retrieved February 2, 2023, from https://www.nrdc.org/stories/what-you-needknow-about-sackett-v-epa

Three-Minute Legal Talks. (2023, January 3). Three-Minute Legal Talks: Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency UW School of Law https://www law uw edu/newsevents/news/2023/sackett-v-epa

Tourism, Waste, and Death in the "Goddess Mother of the World"

written by Lexi Delmonico

The Himalayan mountains run along the China and Nepal border, growing minimally yet steadily each year as tectonic plates move India further North. The first recorded climb to Mt. Everest, the mountain range’s highest peak, was recorded in 1953. Thousands have attempted to recreate the achievement since.

The rare and dangerous feat of climbing the mountain has become a playground and casual sport for the wealthy. Everest popularity has resulted in waste being left behind that risks contaminating the water supply and disrupting ecology.

playground and casual sport for the wealthy

Master Kungga Dundruk brings up the point that “When climbing at extreme altitude (such as the notorious death zone at around 8,000 m or 26,000 ft), the survival comes first… abandoning used gears and other unnecessary stuff would be considered as a wise decision to keep one’s stamina” (Dundruk 2020).

Nevertheless, the Northeast and Southeast Ridge are contaminated by overpopulation, human waste, and garbage that leak out of the glaciers. The issue has been so concerning that the Nepalese government works with

various NGO’s on projects to recycle the empty oxygen tanks and fine climbers for failure to bring back their waste. Tibet deals more with the plastic waste like “beer bottles, coke cans, and wrappers of foods” (Dundruk 2020).

A more sinister reality of Everest waste is the human toll. At least 310 people have died on Mt. Everest since 1953. Because of the dangerous conditions, retrieving these bodies is nearly impossible. As one of the largest fresh water resources in Asia, contamination from dead bodies and the thousands of tons of human waste is a major concern for the population that relies on the watershed.

The issue with the commercialization of Everest, besides the ecological toll left by garbage and waste, is the impact it has on the indigenous

population. It is largely wealthy White climbers who can afford the 30,000-130,000 cost of climbing that rely on native Sherpas to not only guide them, but ensure their survival and clean up after them. According to one student magazine, “A Western guide can expect to earn around $50,000 per season while the average Sherpa will only make approximately $4000” (Fouquere 2023).

Indigenous populations are being exploited and their resources depleted by tourists and Western fueled climate change. As climate change and over tourism cause detrimental effects that are requiring governments to shut down travel to certain areas, we reach a turning point as a society as to where our footprint should land. It is paramount that we are more responsible for the environment that we are

guests of.

And maybe even start to appreciate that some places are meant to be seen in pictures.

Sources

https://www.tibettravel.org/tibet-everest-basecamp-tour/everest-environmental-issues.html

https://www.ucf.edu/pegasus/too-manytourists/#:~:text=Though%20tourism%20to%20Ever est%20brings,camp%20following%20a%207.8%20ea rthquake

https://bullandbearmcgill.com/the-tragic-overcommercialisation-of-mount-everest/

LIKE THE CANARY IN THE COAL MINE, THE CLIMATE CHANGES ALREADY EVIDENT IN THE ARCTIC ARE A CALL TO ACTION

SUSAN COLLINS