There are many local and international initiatives that are already in place in the Nepal Himalayas that are viable alternatives to both plastic bags and bottles.
- Eco-poly bags: These bags are part paper, part recycled plastic, and the rest biodegradable material. They can be manufactured in Nepal and would cost Rs. 5 and up for each bag. They are easily washable, and trekking agencies could print their logo on the bags that they hand to each client. Nylon bags are perfect for dry foods as well.
- Cloth, hemp bags: Locally produced cloth and hemp bags are ideal solutions to plastic bags. The increasing demand for other bags after the Ban would promote local bag-making businesses and provide another source of income locally.
- Water Filters (ACAP): Installing water filters provides a viable alternative to mineral water bottles. Certified water filters can provide clean drinking water at nominal cost for trekkers pre-equipped with refillable water bottles. ACAP already has a project in place where 17 ozone filtration water stations are placed around the Annapurna trekking route.
- Creating a certification system for water filters will also be reassuring to visitors drinking the filtered water.
- Mandate lodges to have water filters and sell filtered water instead of selling mineral water.
- Purifying pills and iodine drops: Trekkers have been traveling around Nepal for decades long before mineral water existed. Purifying pills are easy to carry, do not cost a fortune and would supplement water filters that should be in place.