Carry me back system was designed by Sagarmatha Next for SPCC in collaboration with BW2V and moware design, to solve the waste management problem in the Khumbu region
The increasing growth of tourists in Sagarmatha National Park has brought considerable socio-economic benefits to the region but also put a massive strain on the environment. Beyond 3,000 meters altitude, lack of connectivity and limited recycling infrastructure is resulting in a growing amount of unmanaged waste in the Khumbu region.
In 2018, various local organizations and social enterprises united forces to implement an innovative solution to tackle the problem - that's how carry me back was born. As its name suggests, carry me back is a crowdsourced waste management system designed to send waste to its rightful place where it can be recycled by utilising the movement of locals and tourists.
First, the local NGO SPCC segregates and shreds the waste to reduce the volume and packs them the 1kg-capacity carry me back bags. The bags were designed by Super Local and are made by women group trained at moware design using 100% waste materials. Sagarmatha next team offers the bags to locals and visitors that come across the pick up station when leaving Sagarmatha National Park. Then the bags are disposed of at the dedicated bins placed at Lukla Airport. The private airline - Yeti Airlines, transfers the waste to Kathmandu, where the social enterprise BW2V take it for further recycling at its facility.
*Data from 2019, before COVID-19 pandemic.
Where can you pick up a carry me back bag?
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!
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