Written by: Glenn Montgomery, MSES’77, entrepreneur
In October 2023, Glenn Montgomery, MSES’77, and his fiancé, Marie, were married high in the majestic Himalayas along the world’s foremost trekking destination—Mt. Everest. O’Neill Dean Siân Mooney’s asked Montgomery to provide a few cultural and environmental observations of their trip among the Earth’s loftiest peaks.
The borders of Nepal opened in 1950, and tourism has grown rapidly over the decades. Nepal, in general, is quickly becoming more aware of the need to care for our environment. Lodges are full along the Trek to Everest, both in spring and fall. Yet, the main hiking trail to Everest is not overcrowded. Tourist dollars help and are essential for the local area, which offers a unique adventure like no other in the world.
I visited Kathmandu in 2018, greeted by eye-stinging air pollution levels. On my return trip in 2023 to this capital city, I found a reasonable air quality improvement. Petro-powered vehicles and motorbikes are still plentiful, and few electric cars or trucks were observed. Still, the air quality seemed better. Climate change awareness is widespread, especially at higher elevations. We toured much of the Everest trek routes to Base Camp and witnessed glaciers melting at alarming rates.
Despite Kathmandu’s and Nepal’s historic touristic, overtaxed reputations, there is less trash and litter than, say, 10 years ago. Villages along the trek to Everest Base Camp, such as Namche Bazaar, take pride in their communities for the most part and are seen constantly trying to improve local areas, especially in the Sagarmatha National Park. Ongoing efforts by the government and locals help clean up earlier trash dumps and litter. Young people here have an environmentally conscious education, and we found much more respect for the micro and macro environment.
These descendants of ancient people value what they have and where they are, and truly recognize the Everest region must be protected. Villages are sparser, and the Sherpa culture here is a giving and caring one that greatly respects the environment both spiritually and physically.
As an example of micro-focused environmental care projects, World Wide Trekking, our guide company, recently planted 1,000 black walnut trees near one mountain village (these trees will survive about 200 years) to help reduce the carbon footprint, provide a source of income by selling the nuts, and instill a source of pride for the community, which now cares for the trees.
Recycling in Nepal is not as big as in the U.S. and, in many areas, just not practical. Many villages and the tens of thousands of annual hikers look to new water filtration systems, refilling bottles and a variety of domestic water containers. Fortunately, most visitors to Nepal and the Everest Base Camp area are also extremely litter conscious.
The Mt. Everest area’s rugged terrain, steep moraines, deep valleys, and towering, long suspension bridges make motorized land travel impossible. Here, yaks rule along the Everest trek. No exhaust = very clean air… for now.
We came away from our weeks in Nepal with even more perspective on the impacts of climate change and care for the natural environment at a level seen by the local people of this country of rich history, culture, and unparalleled beauty.
BACKGROUND
Forty-six years ago, Glenn Montgomery was among a handful of graduate students in the first class of the Master of Science in Environmental Sciences (MSES) degree program at the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs. He went on to become an early president of the O’Neill School’s Alumni Association in the late seventies. He is a recipient of the IUPUI Spirit of Philanthropy Award (1990) and the O’Neill School’s Distinguished Alumni Award (1997). The Charles F. Bonser Scholarship Endowment (named after the O’Neill School’s founding Dean) was also visualized, created, and funded by Montgomery several decades ago.
Using his MSES education and graduate internship experiences, Montgomery founded Convergent Group in 1985, an international GIS consultancy and systems integration firm in Denver, where many O’Neill graduates and interns joined him. He led the firm to an IPO in 2000 and subsequent acquisition by a global Fortune 100 company. Glenn remains a strong supporter and friend of the O’Neill School.
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