6.
You Will Do Something Batshit
Like, um, how about: climbing one of the seven summits and inventing veggie energy bars and helping women to save themselves.
By Wasfia Nazreen
Me? I’m going to climb to the top of the Carstensz Pyramid, the highest mountain of the continent of Australasia/Oceania. It’s part of my Seven Summits project to celebrate the progress of Bangladeshi women. [ED NOTE: After summiting, Nazreen will become the first Bangladeshi person — and one of only 350 people ever—to climb to the highest point on all seven continents.] And before that? Before that I’m going to be baking. Lots of experimental baking! After consulting with nutritionists and experts, I’m going to develop my own all-vege “summit power” energy bar that I’ll be eating throughout the expedition. People tend to think vegetarians are all weak, fragile, etc. So I’d like to contribute, however little, to changing that.
(Side note: Did you know animal agriculture contributes more greenhouse gas to the atmosphere than all the transportation industry combined? Did you know that? Just another reason why an individual should eat a plant-based diet.)
And between it all? I’m going to be mad focused on launching my foundation. We are starting with 50 marginalized girls. The slums may be their birth homes, but these girls aspire to be ninjas flying in the sky — and in turn inspire me constantly with their strength of hearts and minds. The alternate learning/education center will teach the girls outside, with all classes planned to be under trees, by streams or rivers and top of hills.
Yeah, that’s next year.
Wasfia Nazreen is a Bangladeshi climber, activitst, and National Geographic’s Adventurer of the Year.
