SNAPSHOT
- Name: Shrestha Raj
- Age: 30
- Profession: mountain guide
- Nationality: nepalese
- One word to define you: change the world
- Favorite travel destination: Switzerland
- Travel weapon: reuse water bottle
I think we have a lot of things to change. First of all, our country is not able to take over all the trash we have in Nepal. Of course, this trash come not only from tourists but also from local people. Both have a responsibility. When tourists (local and foreign) travel in the mountains, they buy junk food and bottles. And then, they throw in the rivers and trekking trails. Local people burn these plastics in the mountains. So, all these bad habits are really bad for our climate. So, I think tourists should be extremely careful with what they bring and buy in the mountains.
For my country, I would like a more sustainable tourism. We could use more local food (instead of chips, kit kat, biscuits,..), drink more tea instead of coke, use biodegradable products, use natural water instead of buying water bottles and refuse plastic bags in shops, use hot bags instead of warmers.
Respect should be in the center of all behaviors (respect of local culture and respect of nature). If we all try to give the best examples, we can slowly reduce impacts of tourism on nature and change local habits.
I work for two different causes but they are linked: education and environment.
Since 7 years, I connect donors with poor and orphanaged kids who live in remote areas to help them to go to school. I also go often in their schools to aware teachers about how to develop education in the remote villages. I teach to kids how to clean in front of the school and explain them why we need to protect nature. I give also tips for healthy life.
Since 2 years, I clean the mountains and educate local people and nepali tourists. I try to connect with people all over the world to spare my messages. I have cleaned 7 times trekking trails and I have organized 2 events in Kathmandu to clean our city. This year, I have also organized one event in Switzerland to talk about the trash in Nepal.
These days, I organize everything by myself so if I work with my Green Trip I will have more ideas about sustainable tourism. By working together, projects become big and have more impact faster. Trash is everywhere so if we work together and use social medias, we will have more visibility. Other countries can be inspired.
In Langtang valley (Nepal), I have found a lot of trashes, bottles, broken glasses, cans and plastics. Rivers and forests are full of trash. Sometimes, they burn also.