Beautiful places are more crowded, but the world is getting better, not worse

December 5, 2018 Good causes climate change, grand canyon, hans rosling, lord hereford's knob, media sensationalism, our world in data, social media, the guardian 9 Comments

The rise of social media means the world’s most beautiful places are becoming busier. Is this a bad thing, and does it mean we should think twice about visiting them? In this posts, I use data to argue these developments are part of a changing world that is getting better.

In Ladakh two men tackle climate change by making artificial glaciers

March 1, 2017 Good causes buddhism, climate change, crowdfunding, glacial erosion, glaciers, himalayas, india, ladakh 3 Comments

Today I’m going to tell you a story so bizarre that when I first read about it, I thought it must be fake news. But it’s true, and it’s a tale worth telling. It shows how individuals and communities can react to climate change in a way that works in harmony with nature.

Should outdoor and mountaineering writers talk about politics?

February 8, 2017 Good causes climate change, damavand, jebel toubkal, kilimanjaro, migration, morocco, mountain, mountaineering ethics, outside magazine, pakistan, public access, the alpinist, travel writing 22 Comments

If you write about a subject that appeals to people of all political beliefs, then you should avoid talking about politics. But what if politics touches on the things you care about deeply enough to write about – do you say nothing? The answer to this is surprisingly simple.

A brief introduction to Kilimanjaro’s volcanic crater

January 25, 2017 Opinion and advice africa, bill tilman, climate change, glacial erosion, hans meyer, kilimanjaro, tanzania, volcanoes 4 Comments

Last week I enthused about Kilimanjaro’s inner crater, and said that I considered it to be the jewel in Kilimanjaro’s crown. Yet the overwhelming majority of people who climb mountain don’t see it. This week I will talk in more detail about what they’re missing out on.

Mystery of the vanishing Himalayan lake

July 4, 2012 Good causes cho oyu, climate change, colombia, david breashears, everest, george mallory, glacial erosion, glaciers, glacierworks, himalayas, kyetrak glacier, lakes, mountain photography, photoshop, rongbuk glacier, rwenzori mountains, sponsorship, twitter 4 Comments

I’m no climate change sceptic, and I’ve seen its effect on shrinking glaciers many times. While scientific evidence for climate change is clear, not everyone is convinced it’s happening. One of the most powerful methods being used to convince sceptics is photographs showing how much glaciers have changed over time. But photos aren’t always what they seem.