How Not to Save the Environment: Environmental Damage Caused by Bad Ecotourism
The environment is precious to all forms of life, because without the environment, nothing would survive. Over the years more and more damage has been done to the environment by humanity. For example, gas emissions from cars and trucks have damaged the ozone layers. So, various groups have decided to educate people about the environment by creating ecotourism events. However, are these groups aware of the environmental damage that is caused by bad ecotourism?
How Environmental Damage is Caused by Bad Ecotourism
Perhaps the idea of ecotourism was formed with good intentions, but the fact is that there is much environmental damage that is caused by bad ecotourism. Sometimes, getting up-close with nature is something that really does not benefit the situation.
A very common example of how environmental damage is caused by bad ecotourism is camping. National parks often allow people to camp in tents in certain areas, but some of these people do not respect their surroundings. A family might have gone camping and littered, having not found a wastebasket anywhere nearby. This litter might be ingested by an animal and cause harm, not to mention damaging the delicate ecosystem of the forest.
Something else that many people like to do while they are camping is carve their names into trees. These people think that the tree does not feel any of it, but in fact the tree can. Unless the tree is visibly dead, it is very much alive, and this action scars the tree. This is not to mention people, while camping, cutting branches for firewood.
Another example of environmental damage caused by bad ecotourism is what happens at many beaches. While private beaches that charge a fee require people to be clean and considerate of their surroundings, public beaches have no private funding, so people often end up littering. An unfortunate example of this is when people bring drinks that come in plastic rings. Animals such as seagulls try to eat the left over plastic, and end up choking to death. Thus, if you decide to go to a public beach, do not litter!
Something that is also considered an example of environmental damage caused by bad ecotourism is when tourists decide they want to bring home a natural souvenir. Perhaps it is a plant, or some other example of flora and fauna. Regardless, this is a bad idea, because the plant is only accustomed to a specific climate. Also, the plant might be a source of food for animals. If tourists started taking things like this, it would cause a chainlike effect in the environment. So, the next time you decide to participate in an ecotourism effect, be sure that you respect the environment!
Ecotourism Pros
Depending on your beliefs, you will have to come to your own conclusion in whether or not ecotourism is becoming a problem.
Such a study of ecotourism has as its principal purpose the goal of being able to define how ecotourism can use governmental agencies to come up with a common definition of ecotourism and also identify possible ecotourism policies. Furthermore, an ecotourism example is Belize whose department of immigration saw more than fifty percent of its two hundred thirty thousand visitors in the year 2004 coming from America and among these tourists many were eco-tourists. Within this sphere of tourism is the new trend known as ecotourism whose main aim is to minimize the negative aspects of tourism on the host country. Ecotourism examples abound and can be seen in the instance of places such as the Lamanai area situated in the north of Belize, and in this regard much effort is being expended in not destroying the many attractions that such a destination has for its eco-tourists. Also, such ecotourism grants may generally not be given to undergraduate expeditions and there should also be strong emphasis on field work for conservation applications, and the grant is usually given to those that bring new skills and conservation education opportunities to the area where ecotourism is taking place. In any case, different case studies of ecotourism involving different destinations must highlight the potential of ecotourism as an activity that brings economic prosperity and which also will contribute towards a sustainable as well as social development of the host country, and which also promotes preservation of that countrys environmental as also cultural heritage, and at the same time ensures that local communities are also advantaged as a result of ecotourism.
Such a scenario is not as unlikely as we may assume and global warming is a very real threat that may lead to many disastrous situations in the not too distant future.
A family might have gone camping and littered, having not found a wastebasket anywhere nearby. However, if you are a person who is already interested in the environment, you might also be interested in the various ecotourism policies. Thus, by setting a good ecotourism example, countries such as Australia and Costa Rica are showing the way to other countries to make similar and proper follow-up checks, because if standards at a particular ecotourism destination fall, eco-tourists simply pack their bags and head off in search of other ecotourism destinations. They realized people wanted more when it came to traveling. Also, such ecotourism grants may generally not be given to undergraduate expeditions and there should also be strong emphasis on field work for conservation applications, and the grant is usually given to those that bring new skills and conservation education opportunities to the area where ecotourism is taking place. Furthermore, you can glean much more information from studying ecotourism statistics as can be seen in the case of Kenya where it is estimated that a single lion is worth seven thousand dollars per year in income generated from tourism, and an elephant herd can bring in an estimated six hundred ten thousand dollars per year.
The various choices and activities that one could take part in, in the realm of ecotourism are vast and all-encompassing.
Here is the contact info:If one wishes to contact the International Ecotourism Society, all one needs to do it visit their website at http://www. Ecotourism is tourism that appeals to people who are concerned about ecology as well as social consciousness, and in most instances, it focuses on local culture as well as adventures in the wilderness and personal growth and also learning to live in a new way that benefits the planet and its peoples. tourist that needs to be considered. |
