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People searches for valuable items from a heap of garbage dumped in the Meadow of flowers on May 15, 2023 in Gulmarg, west of Srinagar, Indian administered Kashmir, India. Gulmarg, also known as the "Meadow of Flowers," is home to the world's highest golf course and a gondola lift that reaches elevations exceeding 4,000 meters. Ski enthusiasts flock to this mountainous region during the winter months to take advantage of the powdery snow. In the summer, however, the resort is flooded with tourists in search of clean, refreshing air due to India's soaring temperatures. Many of these visitors leave behind a significant amount of waste, causing severe ecological threats and endangering villagers who rely on the glacial waters. The accumulation of trash poses a grave danger to the delicate alpine ecology, as well as to the communities that depend on the glacier-fed streams for their water supply. There are no restrictions on bringing food and water up the mountain, despite signs along the road reminding people that plastic is prohibited. Environmental activists caution that all the waste generated in Gulmarg and its surrounding areas is being indiscriminately discarded in the mountains. (Photo by Yawar Nazir/Getty Images)
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