Environmental Impacts and Economic Benefits
The Galapagos Islands is a volcanic archipelago that forms part of Ecuador’s provinces. The island group is recognized as one of the foremost places for viewing wildlife including plant and animal species. There are approximately 19 islands and many more islets located nearly 1000 kilometers off the coast of continental Ecuador. The fact that there are no natural predators, with friendly sea lions and gigantic sea tortoises, tourists can easily get access to the animals (Conlin, 2009). In this regard, cruise ship tourism provides the country with high levels of economic benefit. The numerous tourists visit the area seeking to experience the wide range of wildlife available at the area. Despite popular belief that cruise ships floating to the Galapagos Islands are eco-friendly, reports show the contrary (Long, 2004). The research by Climate Care, UK based carbon-offsetting company, it is evident that the emissions by cruise ships are nearly twice as much as that of airplanes. The fact that most of the passengers travel by air to the port where they board the cruise ship, the carbon emissions are nearly doubled (Conlin, 2009). The impact of the luxury cruises is significantly higher due to the bunker fuel that is cheap and the dirtiest of them all. The fuel is used to ran the amenities on board including restaurants, swimming pools, and nightclubs.
Conservation Practices to Protect Ocean Habitats
There are numerous measures for ensuring the effective protection of the ocean habitats in Galapagos Islands. One of the key measures is changing the oil burnt. In this case, the cruise ships are required to burn low-sulfur diesel as opposed to the bunker fuel that is more destructive to the environment (Copeland, 2008). In the implementation of the ban on fuel used by cruise ships, it is also important that the ocean habitats are protected from natural wastes. It is evident that raw sewage is released from the luxury ships each year from the thousands of passengers aboard the vessel. In the worldwide market where there are a total of 23 cruise lines, there are approximately 200 ships that could heavily impact the continued existence of the ocean habitats (Conlin, 2009). The tourism impacts may reduce by undertaking proactive action in green technologies. The minimization of effects by tourists could help meet the challenges of the industry.
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Laws in Ecuador Regarding Air Pollution and Waste Disposal
The legislature of Ecuador has incorporated significant measures of ensuring the control of pollution and waste disposal from cruise ships. The laws identify the importance of ensuring marine sanitation devices in each of the devices are designed to prevent the discharge of untreated sewage (Conlin, 2009). It is essential that sewage be treated to specified standards before discharge if the ship is stationary or if it is within a specified distance, usually three miles off shore. When the ship is beyond the specified distance, there are no restrictions on the release of untreated sewage. There are no restrictions on the release of gray water, except in the Great Lakes. Gray water identified the waters from sinks, showers, and galleys (Conlin, 2009). This is another form of waste that is released from amenities offered to the tourists.
Political, Social, and Economic Barriers
Worldwide fame (WWF) has been integral to the popularization of the Galápagos Islands as a favored tourist destination. Rapid human development has increased the number of visitors in the area increasing the demand for imported goods such and fossil fuels. It is evident that the drastic increase in fossil fuels will greatly reduce or minimize the effects of enforcing conservation programs (Conlin, 2009). The incorporation of invasive species in the ocean habitats is a significant issue that affects the preservation of the wildlife. It is evident that the lack of natural predators is a primary factor attracting numerous individuals from all corners of the world (Conlin, 2009). The programs for enforcing preservation of these animals are less likely to have an impact. There has been significant increase in the demand for qualified labor mainly from the mainland Ecuador. In this regard, the archipelago experiences an increase in human pressure becoming a potential threat to conservation and local sustainable development. The political barriers include non effective laws of ensuring the preservation of ocean habitats as they allow the release of waste into the sea.
Overcome the Barriers
The WWF among other groups that promote visiting the Galápagos Islands should focus on ways to cap the number of people who visit the area. In this case, the number of cruise voyages that visit the area should be greatly minimized to reduce the amount of pollution taking place in the area (Shehan et al., 2002). The legislative arm of the government should incorporate significant laws of preventing cruise ships that get too close to the archipelago. The laws of Ecuador should also set up strict rules on the visiting cruise ships which should be inspected on every visit and before departure. In this case, it will help identify vessels that adhere to the laws and those that evade them. Significant fines will be implemented on the violators.
Conservation Practice
It is important that cruise lines and their respective ships incorporate significant measures of ensuring conservation. In this case, on-board recycling programs are an effective measure of reducing pollution in the archipelago. Solar panels, LED lighting, and high efficiency appliances are significant measures that the organizations can undertake to improve the reduced consumption of fossil fuels (Conlin, 2009). The practice should be upheld by the numerous cruises to maximize the effectiveness of conservation of the Galápagos Islands.
References
Conlin, J. (2009) Cruise Lines Urged to Shrink Their Footprints . The New York Times, Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/15/travel/15green.html?_r=0
Copeland, C. (2008) Cruise Ship Pollution: Background, Laws and Regulations, and Key Issues . CRS Report for Congress.
Long, R. (2004). Where there's smoke, there's pollution . The New York Times, Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/21/opinion/where-there-s-smoke-there-s-pollution.html
Shehan, L., Cohen, G., Morgan, E., Sheavly, S., Balliet, K., & Marz, S., (2002) Cruise Control . The Ocean Conservancy, Retrieved from http://www.cruiseresearch.org/Cruise%20Control.pdf
