Iconic 12-foot sculpture made from mountain waste Unveiled at 3,775 meters aims to inspire responsible tourism and waste management
The artwork “Hand of Everest,” at an altitude of 3,775 meters in the Khumbu region of Nepal. Standing 12 feet tall, the sculpture is made from waste collected in the Everest region and was designed by climate activist and artist Von Wong.
The sculpture is composed of discarded items like metal pipes, oil drums, old tents, and plastic bottles, all left behind by visitors to the Himalayas.
The bright colors of the tents and bottles are a striking reminder of the growing waste management problem in one of the world’s most iconic mountain regions.
This artwork is part of the #carrymeback program, an initiative by Sagarmatha Next, a non-profit promoting sustainable tourism in the Khumbu region. The organization encourages tourists to carry waste down from the mountains to help ease the burden of waste disposal in the region.
The “Hand of Everest” was brought to life in just 11 days, thanks to the creativity of Von Wong and the craftsmanship of local artists Dipak Lama and Roshan Mishra, with support from Sagarmatha Next.
The Khumbu region sees thousands of trekkers and climbers every year. In 2019, over 60,000 tourists, along with guides, porters, and local workers, generated over 200 tonnes of waste in the area.
Despite the efforts of the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC) and local stakeholders, waste continues to pile up, with much of it burned in pits scattered throughout the national park due to the lack of infrastructure to remove it.
The “Hand of Everest” hopes to inspire visitors to take responsibility for the waste they bring into the mountains and think creatively about waste management solutions for the future. Sagarmatha Next and SPCC are working together to find better ways to deal with the waste problem in this high-altitude region.
The message is clear: Waste is not just a problem to be hidden away, but a challenge we all need to face together.
