Hey urban nomads! For the past few weeks, we have always been focusing on negative impacts of tourism and that’s what got me wondering: are there actually tourists who have contributes positively or at the very least have negligible impacts on the environment?
That’s when I came across this article! A Dutch backpacker has conducted clean-ups in various Southeast Asian countries.
Clean up with 12 other local kids
The backpacker was spotted cleaning up trash with locals and although initially mocked by the public, altruistic volunteerism is addictive and had even attracted other children to participate as well (Miwil, 2018).
Beach plays an important role in the ecosystem
It is important for the beach to be clean as many marine animals depend on the beach ecosystem and many of such animals are not visible by the naked eye as they play an important role in nutrient recycling and seawater filtration (Wave Tribe, 2019). Other animals depend on the beach for nesting sites and feeding ground for birds and other wildlife. The beach also acts as a buffer as it protects the coastlines from powerful storms (Wave Tribe, 2019).
So although the above initiative is a good one since it keeps the beach healthy and inspires not just fellow tourists but also the locals to do their part for the environment, is picking up litter a meaningless exercise or is it a useful tool to overcome pollution?
Critics argue that clean-ups do not address the root cause of the pollution and what should be done is to reduce unnecessary trash or to at least dispose trash in the right place (UN Environment, 2018). However, the before and after effect of clean-up is definitely visible. For instance, in 2015, a lawyer gathered volunteers who collected 13 million kg of trash in what was termed the “world’s largest beach clean-up project”. As a result, turtles who had not been spotted for decades actually reappeared in the beach (UN Environment, 2018).
Beach clean-ups serve as a form of education as seeing is believing – when volunteers see the amount of plastic on the beach, they are inspired to reduce the use of plastic and in a larger scale, it helps to create momentum and raise awareness (UN Environment, 2018).
Also, a beach clean-up project can be a stepping stone and something small to work on in light of other environmental problems such as climate change which often renders us helpless. Clean-ups thus promote a behavioural spillover effect where the participation in a clean-up might make volunteers more willing to participate in other activities as well (Osterath, 2018) and serve greater cause for the environment.
The next time you travel or go backpacking, how about consider doing something for the environment the next time! As with all the existential environmental challenges we face today, everyone has a role to play if the tide is to be definitively turned. You might not have a science degree, or a role in government, but we can all pick up the rubbish that is lying right in front of us. It is not the only solution, but it is a critical component of the complex solution required for this complex problem.
References
Miwil, O. (2018, July 08). Watch: Dutch tourist picks up garbage in Sabah; becomes online sensation: New Straits Times. Retrieved October 22, 2020, from https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2018/07/387890/watch-dutch-tourist-picks-garbage-sabah-becomes-online-sensation
Osterath, B. (2018). Plastic pollution: Do beach cleanups really make a difference?: DW: 20.12.2018. Retrieved October 25, 2020, from https://www.dw.com/en/plastic-pollution-do-beach-cleanups-really-make-a-difference/a-46196975
UN Environment. (2018). Picking up litter: Pointless exercise or powerful tool in the battle to beat plastic pollution? UN. Retrieved from https://www.unenvironment.org/news-and-stories/story/picking-litter-pointless-exercise-or-powerful-tool-battle-beat-plastic
Wave Tribe. (2019). Why Beach Clean-Ups are Important. Retrieved October 25, 2020, from https://www.wavetribe.com/blogs/eco/why-beach-cleanups-are-important