Why I Travel:
I’ve been traveling for the past few years, heading to different countries and learning about different cultures. I’ve also learned much about tourism and how it effects climate change. There are many reasons why I travel. I’ve always wanted to see the world and knew it was important to go out and see it. My objective as an adult with young children is to learn more about the world and expose my children to it. There’s so much to learn from different people across the world. The languages, cultures and customs of different countries has helped to understand my own direction and passions. But do these passions have a price. Have we thought about how our travel experiences affect the places we visit.
What I’ve Learned About Climate Change From My Travels:
From my travels to Iceland, northern and southern Europe and even the Caribbean, I’ve learned so much about the effects of climate change on many communities around the world. Although many places depend on the economics of tourism, it’s important to validate the people in the local community when they voice their opinions on tourism.
When I visited Iceland a few years ago I remember visiting a glacier and hearing flows of water as we made our way up the trail to the glacier. What I realized as I walked was that the water was coming from the glacier. The glacier was melting. This was a disturbing thought. Over the past few years Iceland has experienced an influx in tourists, causing residents to take another look at how it was affecting their environment. Although this other-worldly country is a gem that many want to experience, the local residents of the country are growing concerned with how much tourism is affecting the natural landscape.
On the island of Mallorca, many residents have protested the amount of travelers that arrive on cruise ships daily and the effects it’s having on the local infrastructure. Although tourism is an important part of this Spanish island, the residents are putting their future before money and focusing sustainability.
As with the hurricane that devastated parts of the Bahamas earlier this month, when traveling to Antigua I have to consider the time of year I visit to ensure we don’t visit during hurricane season. Many islands depend on tourism for their economic growth and when whole islands are destroyed, it has a long term effect on the amount of tourist who visit annually.
How Tourism Affects the Climate:
Tourism is shown to have negative effects on the climate. This includes the role of green house gas emissions and biodiversity changes. Considering the amount of flights we take annually, many countries are looking into how we can find alternatives to how we travel and see the world. See the link below for more on Climate Change and Tourism. http://sdt.unwto.org/en/content/climate-change-tourism
What Climate Change Means for My Future as a Traveler:
I’m not here to preach about flying less or staying at eco-friendly hotels. I can only focus on the personal changes I can make to decrease my carbon footprint as a traveler. Thinking about the rise of sea levels and green house gas emissions. I’ve started thinking about longer travel experiences. Keeping my towels throughout my trip and only washing them once a week. Making train travel a part of my itinerary and researching where I decide to stay. Remembering to be mindful of how my travel experiences have an affect on the local residents.
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