HE tourism It allows us to get to know new cultures, visit unknown settlements, and broaden our mental horizons. However, it is also an activity that inevitably creates multiple environmental impacts. And while it is almost impossible to completely eliminate these effects, it is necessary to consider the most harmful practices to avoid them.
1.-The elements of nature are not ‘souvenirs’ to take home. The habit of many people taking shells, seashells, rocks, or plants from their destinations as souvenirs is a very harmful practice. The cumulative impact of this practice could be problematic for the ecosystems of the place we visit. It should be borne in mind that the simple act of lifting a stone from the ground reveals the habitat of small invertebrates in which these organisms live and reproduce. You just have to leave things where they are.
2.-Avoid the most famous and crowded destinations. When they sell you photos of well-known destinations, but you only see deserted beaches and no people, be careful. When you arrive at some famous destinations, it is impossible to find those deserted beaches. On the contrary, they will be full of people. This assumes that apart from deceiving the consumer, it has a huge impact on the environment. Mass tourism destroys coastal ecosystems through a multitude of activities: recreational boats, car traffic, pollution with insufficiently treated waste and water, noise, etc. Don’t contribute to it.
3.-Stay in environmentally friendly businesses. More and more hotels are discontinuing the use of single-use plastic bottles (typical mini shampoos, etc.), implementing water-saving measures, extracting energy from renewable systems, and developing other sustainable practices beyond what is currently required by law. Of course, the most recommended thing is to choose rural tourism and to enrich the local economy by staying in rural businesses.
4.- Consume domestic products, avoid franchises and multinational companies. If you need to buy souvenirs or souvenirs, choose products made in the region, this way locals will benefit from your purchase. Likewise, bet on local products while eating. And if you have to rent a car, look for a local company because if it’s a multinational the benefits don’t stay where you go. In short, leave your money at local businesses.
5.-Use the train, avoid the bus and plane. Airplanes are a highly polluting environment. So are buses and cars. Therefore, whenever possible, opt for the train, a more sustainable and authentic mode of transport. By rail you can enjoy much more attractive scenery than you would see on a highway, and it allows you to connect more with nature and small towns. It takes a little longer but you have to be on vacation so relax and forget the stress.
6.-Avoid cruise ships: They are a source of land, sea and air pollution.. Of all the tourism options, cruises are perhaps the least ecological because of the many and varied environmental impacts they cause. Numerous studies show that it can affect the discharges they cause to the sea, the waste they produce on the mainland, and the pollutant emissions to the atmosphere, even to passengers traveling on board. It is also an isolated ‘balloon’ travel system in a space that does not allow interaction with the places visited.
7.- Animals and plants do not touch each other. A television series did so much harm that it turned out a supposedly popularizing person who spent his time hugging koalas, grabbing snakes, and harassing wild animals of all kinds. It is a serious mistake that is a serious nuisance to this species as well as being a danger to us. Neither these animals nor their habitats should be disturbed by our presence. We must maintain a simple attitude of observation and from places where we will not disturb. Likewise, starfish, however easy and beautiful they may seem to us, should not be touched or removed from the water because they die within a few minutes. Legally established restrictions in protected areas (natural or national parks) should always be followed. Plants should not be cut or broken in the same way. There is no uprooting seedlings and getting seeds.
8.-Avoid water parks or zoos. While many of these enclosures have carried out wildlife rescue activities in recent years, the reality is that they are still prisons for wild animals. Orcas, dolphins, elephants or lions should be free and not locked in cells so that people can watch them at all times.
9.-Reduces water consumption as much as possible. At the hotel, reuse the towel as many times as possible before washing it. Maximize shower time and of course don’t use the tub if you have one as this is a huge and unfair waste of water. Do not forget that most countries in the world have water problems, and in some cases this liquid is a real luxury.
10.-In short: Leave no traces other than your steps. In short, the sustainable tourist has to go somewhere without realizing that he is going. We should not leave any ecological footprints, or if we do, we should keep it as small as possible. Our consumption, our attitude towards natural areas and our course of action must respect the environment. Let’s imagine that the influence of a single person may not be significant, but this is when it is multiplied by thousands or even millions of people.
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Contact address of the environment department: [email protected]