The Mountain Environment and Communities
The mountains are under increasing environmental pressure. We continually scrutinise our in-country operations, in order to minimise our impact on the environments that we depend upon for our livelihood. We strongly believe that travelling to the mountain regions of the world can benefit the local communities that live within them. In Nepal, for example, porters who are employed in the trekking industry earn better wages and carry less heavy loads than they would commercial portering. We must ensure though that they are properly clothed and equipped and we take this very seriously. As a small company, the feedback we get from our leaders and team members can be acted on immediately to ensure that the standards that we expect are maintained. These standards are pushed forwards each year. In 2008, for example, we are providing harnesses, jumars and crampons to all porters who cross the Amphu Labtsa pass on our Mera and Island Peak expedition.
International Porter Protection Group
The International Porter Protection Group's (IPPG) aim is to improve health and safety for the trekking porter at work in the mountains and reduce the incidence of avoidable illness injury and death. This is done by raising awareness of the issue among trekking and travel companies, leaders, sirdars, and trekkers. In January 2007 Jagged Globe donated £600 to the IPPG:
"Dear Simon,
Thank you very much for your generous donation for the IPPG. We are very grateful for it. This money will be used for one of our projects (presently the new porter shelter in Gorak Shep, and the Khurpa Care, a new venture in Pakistan, which is about development and implementation of a mountain health and safety program for Balti porters). Another new project this year will be the Khare rescue post on the way to the Mera La, where many porters have got into trouble in recent years."
Visit the IPPG website for more information about the recently opened Machermo Porter Shelter and Rescue Post.
Khare Aid Post
In 2007, Jagged Globe established and funded a temporary aid post in the Hinku Valley on the approach to Mera Peak. This aid post is available each season to all porters working in the area. We are trying to raise £25,000 to build a permanent aid post. To help us with this endeavour, please send us a cheque payable to 'International Porter Protection Group'. Dr Nick Mason visited the aid post in November 2007 and wrote this short report.
Kilimanjaro porters
In 2008 we are providing 300 hats and fleeces to porters working on Kilimanjaro in Africa. We continue to see porters who are inadequately clothed working on the mountain. We are providing this clothing to porters, irrespective of who they work for.
Kathmandu Environmental Education Project
Jagged Globe is a lifetime member of The Kathmandu Environmental Education Project (KEEP). KEEP is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation. Its aims are twofold: to provide impartial and independent information to travellers and to ensure the future ecological and cultural prosperity of Nepal through positive impact tourism and outreach project work. Visit their KEEP website to find out more.
In the office
Our 2008-09 brochures were printed on a combination of Take 2 Offset 100% recycled fibre sourced only from post consumer waste (cover) and Take 2 Silk 75% recycled fibre (inners).In our office we re-cycle waste paper, glass and plastic.
Surplus and donated outdoor clothing is regularly shipped and distributed to the families of staff who work for us in Nepal, through Kit Spencer's Sherpa fund.