Since Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay first reached the peak of Mount Everest in 1954, thousands of climbers have followed in their footsteps.

Unfortunately, those climbers have left behind a lot more than just footprints. From tattered tents to abandoned oxygen cylinders and human waste, the slopes of Everest are littered with the leavings of past expeditions, making it the one of the most polluted mountains on Earth.

But why would someone want to pollute such a momentous peak – especially a climber who ostensibly respects it?

Danger, fear, exhaustion. Up on the mountain, especially at the higher altitudes where human life can no longer be sustained, climbers walk a fine threshold between life and death. If survival means abandoning a tent or discarding an oxygen cylinder, then so be it.

In addition, the number of Everest climbers has grown exponentially. With the growth of Everest tourism, not everyone who climbs Everest is a professional mountaineer. Many are "tourist climbers" who pay thousands of dollars to go on guided climbs, and for them, Everest is not a peak of rugged, natural beauty - it's just another box to be ticked.

Keeping the peak pristine

Fortunately, in recent years, many climbers have begun to realize the need to preserve the natural beauty of these great peaks, setting out on expeditions that bring back old garbage without creating any new waste. Horacio Galanti and Horacio Cunietti have been part of the eco-mountaineering movement for a long time, taking part in sustainable and eco-friendly expeditions on mountains like Aconcagua in their native Argentina.

On this Eco-Everest expedition, the Horacios are aiming to remove up to 400 pounds of debris from the slopes of Everest, and about 50 oxygen cylinders left behind over the years. It takes a lot of courage to climb Everest. But it takes even more courage and selflessness to climb into one of the most dangerous places on Earth and clean it up. Standard Chartered is proud to stand behind the Horacios and sponsor their expedition, and we salute them for their commitment to mountaineering, and to the environment.