In some places, it’s hard to avoid piles of trash littered on streets, in waterways, and along the coastline. But if that’s just the trash we can see, imagine what we can’t see hidden beneath waves.
Many things that lure us to the other side of the planet to witness – turtles swimming through seagrass and vibrant fish – are being destroyed. Our oceans are choking on plastic that we irresponsibly created and released into the natural world.
Tourism isn’t helping the situation, but it can.
Rather than exploring marine destinations, using resources, and expecting perfection, tourists can be a part of the solution. We can recognize the devastation caused by ocean pollution, and how tourism can have a role in the solution.
Table of Contents
Background on Ocean Plastic
How Much is there?
Estimates of 8-12 million metric tons of plastic are dumped into the ocean every year, with projections to triple this by 2040 if we don’t reduce our use and change disposal systems.
Land-based sources, like litter and improperly disposed-of waste, constitute the majority of plastic pollution, around 70% to 80%. The other 20% to 30% comes from discarded fishing gear, particularly in remote areas where education and enforcement are lower.
Where is it coming from?
Developed regions consume more plastic waste per person, around 0.2 kg to 0.5 kg per day, whereas less-developed countries like India and the Philippines consume only 0.01 kg to 0.07 kg per day respectively. Despite the lower consumption, India and the Philippines top the list for ocean litter contribution.
The higher populations in South and Southeast Asia, combined with high rates of waste mismanagement contribute to the overwhelming problem of plastic pollution, and marine degradation.
It is in these areas that ocean conservation is essential since the very ecosystems that are being destroyed are the ones that provide nourishment and livelihood for many rural communities.
Most municipal waste is managed in the region of consumption (European trash largely stays in Europe). Less than 5% of US, Canadian, and Australian waste is shipped to Asia.
Environmental Impact of Ocean Plastic
Plastic Pollution
Plastic pollution has an immense impact on the sensitive marine life. Animals mistake plastic debris for food, leading to starvation and internal injuries. Collections of plastic waste have formed 5 oceanic gyres of trash masses, leading to animal entanglement in plastic debris.
The largest – The Great Pacific Garbage Patch – is 3 times the size of France (or 2 times the size of Texas if you only know the Imperial system).
The most damaging threat to the ocean comes from microplastics – fragments less than 5 millimeters in size. They are being ingested by everything from plankton to whales, raising serious concerns about their impact on the entire marine food web (including humans).
As of this writing, the United Nations is discussing the ‘Global Plastics Treaty’, a legally binding international agreements to address plastic pollution throughout the entire life cycle of plastics.
There has NEVER been an enforced environmental treaty across nations, so check out the latest on this monumental action!
Climate Change
This sensitive ecosystem is further threatened by climate change. Rising ocean temperatures and acidification disrupt the delicate balance of marine ecosystems.
Our life on land depends on stability in the sea:
- Marine phytoplankton produce more oxygen than trees.
- Coastal mangroves and seagrass absorb half of our atmospheric carbon dioxide.
- Coral reef systems account for over 25% of all marine life, and they’re dying off due to ocean acidification.
Coral Reefs
Coral reefs and coastal hotspots are destinations for over 350 million annual travelers and are being hit the hardest.
The sensitivity of the environment has led to our complete loss of 20% of the world’s coral reefs with an expected loss of 90% by 2030, and 100% by 2050. Without change to our current actions, we will destroy our coral reefs and the abundant biodiversity that inhabits them.
The tropical regions around coral reefs are generally less developed and more rural, where over 3 billion people depend on marine and coastal biodiversity for their livelihoods, making this much more than an environmental crisis.
Tourism & Our Oceans
As aquatic life declines, locals are forced to change how they get nourishment, often in exploitative and damaging ways. The combined effects of these threats create a critical situation for our oceans and the communities that depend on them.
Not to mention the negative impacts on tourism and the local economy in general.
Island nations like the Maldives, Indonesia, and the Caribbean Islands depend on tourists for a large portion of their GDP and job availability. People travel to these destinations looking to snorkel in blue water, kick back on white sand, and live the island life.
However, the bleaching of coral reefs and subsequent decline in biodiversity, trash contaminating the coastlines, and sanitation problems due to poor management are affecting the tourism industry.
That’s all in the short term. In the long term, these island nations are being swallowed by the rising tides as climate change melts polar ice.
“In Tuvalu, we are living the reality of climate change and sea-level rise, as you stand watching me today at COP26 […] We cannot wait for speeches when the sea is rising around us all the time. Climate mobility must come to the forefront.”
Community-Based Tourism
As travelers, we have a responsibility to support community-led efforts to combat envrionmental degredation and social exploitation.
Sustainable tourism ensures that the local people are involved and leading the actions to make change. It is the livelihood of these regions that is at stake, their voices need to be prioritized.
An amazing example of CBT-focused plastic avoidance is Keep Bali Beautiful, where local government official Dermawan has created a waste collection and recycling system. Through volunteering with the organization, I got to learn about Bali’s trash problem, how locals are impacted, and support their actions that are making a difference.
Get Involved
Joining the movement to help our oceans can be hard to dive right into (pun intended). So here are a few organizations to get started with, no matter where you are!
- The Ocean Cleanup – Citizen Scientist
- Ocean Blue Project – Volunteer
- Ocean Conservancy. -Volunteer
- OCG – Eco Web Browser
- Surf Rider (US) – Volunteer
- Trash Hero – Volunteer
6 Ways To Reduce Your Impact on Ocean Pollution
1. Join a Beach Cleanup
The easiest way to get involved with community efforts is through a beach cleanup. While we can’t dig our way out of the plastic problem, it can inspire change and promote sustainable choices. Explore Facebook pages, Google Maps, and local eco-stores to find opportunities to support in person.
Taking action with a community is inspiring and motivating – climate change and pollution can feel heavy, so team up and tackle the world!
2. Host a Beach Cleanup
Don’t see anything organized in your area? Then it’s a perfect chance to host one! Use The Ocean Conservancy’s Clean Up Kit guide to learn how to gather friends, travelers, and locals and find community through collaboration. Even if your beach cleanup is just you collecting trash in a plastic bag you found somewhere, you’ll be surprised how many people help out!
Join Facebook groups, search on Google, or network in nearby eco-stores to connect with
3. Use Less Plastic
We will forever have a plastic problem until we face our overconsumption. By simply using less, you are making the biggest impact on our global waste crisis. While working with Trash Hero in Bali, the team leaders claimed this is the biggest way tourists can reduce their impact, while signaling to locals that we value less plastic!
Get the app: My Little Plastic Footprint, for a tailored approach to target your next eco-alternatives.
4. Support Locally Owned Eco-Businesses
Keeping the money you spend in the region is essential to promote economic growth and environmental protection. Avoid foreign-owned properties, and seek eco-businesses like refill stores, second-hand shops, and local food restaurants!
My favorite is TrshBg, a strap-on collection bag to use while swimming, made from recycled bike tires and fishing nets!
5. Talk About It (in a meaningful way)
We need collective action to make change at the pace we need to, and we can’t unite if we don’t talk! Let’s use the powers of the web to connect and discuss actions. Get into your community and be a voice for the world we all need!
6. Respect Local Regulation
Respect nature and the local regulations. Areas such as Koh Tao has a fin-free policy to protect its shallow corals, and many coastal areas have strict plastic bans.
No matter the laws, you should never touch aquatic life, for both your safety and theirs!
Summary - Ocean Plastic & Tourism Solutions
It is no surprise that our oceans – and seemingly every natural habitat – is littered with plastic. Our waste management systems aren’t sufficient for the amount of waste we produce, and our plastic products aren’t designed to be recycled.
We need many appraoches to combat our environmental impact; a circular economy that prioritizes reuse, government regulation and producer responsibility, and a community based approach to tackle the problems we currently face.
Tourism can have a significant role to play, by both reducing the amount of plastic used in destinations, and involving tourists in the solutions on the ground.
It’s time we start using travel as a force for good, and connecting with the world we are exploring – the good, the bad, and the ugly.
