Did you know that most of the areas
that Himalayan Single Track operates tours in are conservation areas? Most of the biking trails in Nepal’s Himalaya are
suffering from plastic related pollution problems. The direct source of this
problem stems from tourist demand which means Tea houses are selling bottle
water, drinks, packaged food items to meet the tourists needs and the local regions inability to deal with plastic wastes. In these
mountainous regions there is no waste or rubbish disposal systems or means of recycling which results
in pile ups of rubbish along the trekking trails, around the villages and in
the waterways.
At Himalayan Single Track we are
trying to ease the footprint that our tours have on the areas we visit. One
step towards that is to discourage our clients from buying bottle water and
packaged foods along the trails.
To help with this issue, our guides on
every trip carry SteriPEN’s, an efficient and safe way of purifying water and
making it safe for drinking.
HOW DOES IT WORK
If you break down the SteriPEN's name, you
basically have the concept in a nutshell. The SteriPEN has the physical
appearance of a pen and it sterilizes water. That's pretty straightforward,
right? But what's amazing is how the SteriPEN rids water of those pathogens that
can make you sick. The key is ultraviolet light.
Ultraviolet light is energy-rich, electromagnetic energy
naturally emitted from the sun. And while it can also have many adverse affect
(this is why we wear sunscreen), when introduced to contaminated water, it
destroys the ability for bacteria and viruses to reproduce. Once the DNA or RNA
in virus or bacteria absorbs the UV light, it can no longer reproduce,
effectively killing the organism and making it harmless to the human body.
The mechanics of the SteriPen are simple: It
has a long, clear wand that lights up similar to a neon or fluorescent tube
light. The wand on the end of the SteriPEN's body allows the UV light to
transmit into the water. Each SteriPEN model works the same way. The small
mechanical body produces the UV light and the wand captures and disperses it
throughout the water. Each SteriPEN has a cleaning cycle and times vary
depending on the model.
It's important to understand that while UV
light sterilizes water; it doesn't remove bad odors or tastes as chemicals or
carbon filtration would. The best possible solution for water purification
would be a combination of sediment and particle removal followed by carbon
filtration and then UV light sterilization. This gadget won't rid your water of
any funky smells or coloration. You can use chemicals and carbon filters for
that. But the SteriPEN will kill the bacteria that give you travelers diarrhea
such as E. Coli so you won't get sick while you travel.
SteriPEN's are a great solution to making safe drinking water for our guests.
Citation & Date
