Buzzing

Helicopter in the Khumbu near Everest Base Camp for scale. Helicopters provide an amazing safety net in this region allowing quick rescue and descent to safer altitudes for those that become injured or are dealing with severe mountain sickness. Without these immediate evacuations, there surely would be more deaths. However, they are becoming a point of contention. If you have been in the Khumbu, you will become accustomed to hearing them buzz by every 10 minutes or so. They are loud. They are disruptive noise pollution to an otherwise serene mountain landscape and ecosystem. The agricultural Sherpa communities have to listen to them hourly. The wildlife patterns and behaviors these must effect. Many folks with deep pockets are paying to be shuttled up and down for flyby tours or a quick stop at base camp before flying back down to Lukla or Kathmandu. The helicopter companies are making a fortune as well as insurance companies. I talked with numerous locals about this and they are quite frustrated and said the government and companies are greedy and don't listen to them. Just imagine growing up in a community high in the remote Himalaya ...living off the land...no automobiles ....and all of a sudden you have a helicopter flying just overheard seemingly every time you look up.
It's one of the myriad issue that needs to be addressed as the Khumbu is facing serious sustainability issues with tourism all around. How can voices of the communities most impacted be heard? How do we find balance? What role/culpability as tourists/travelers do we have visiting the area?