How ‘trashy’ tourism threatens world-famous destinations
Summary
TLDRThe script highlights the environmental impact of tourism, noting a surge in international arrivals to 1.4 billion annually, a stark contrast to 25 million seventy years ago. It discusses the challenges of waste management, especially at popular sites like Everest, where 4.8 million tons of trash are produced yearly. The script calls for increased tourist awareness, sustainable practices by lodges and restaurants, and the development of recycling technologies. It emphasizes the collective responsibility of the global community to address the growing trash problem at tourist destinations.
Takeaways
- 🌐 Tourism is a massive industry with approximately 1.4 billion international arrivals annually, a significant increase from 25 million 70 years ago.
- 💰 The growth of tourism can greatly benefit local economies but also leads to environmental issues, particularly waste management.
- 🗑️ Solid waste from tourists, which accounts for 14% of the 4.8 million tons of trash produced yearly, poses a significant problem for popular destinations.
- 🏔️ Iconic sites like Mount Everest, Machu Picchu, and Stonehenge are struggling with the increased trash left behind by visitors.
- 🏠 The concept of visiting someone else's home should encourage tourists to be mindful of their actions and treat the environment with respect.
- 🚫 Some sites, like Boracay Island in the Philippines and the Everest base camp, have had to close temporarily to address the trash accumulation.
- 🚀 The accessibility of tourism has increased dramatically over the past few decades, making it easier and more affordable for people to travel.
- 🌐 The rise in disposable society attitudes has contributed to the increase in trash, with items like water bottles being discarded carelessly.
- 🔄 There is a call for increased awareness among tourists and the development of sustainable waste management and recycling technologies.
- 🏨 The responsibility to address the issue of waste falls on all stakeholders, including tourists, lodges, restaurants, hotels, and tourist landmarks.
- ♻️ Implementing circular economy approaches is suggested to transform both consumption and production practices in the tourism industry.
Q & A
How many international arrivals are there per year according to the transcript?
-There are about 1.4 billion international arrivals per year.
What was the number of international arrivals approximately seventy years ago compared to now?
-The number was only twenty-five million less than it is today.
Why can tourism be problematic for local economies despite its benefits?
-Tourism can leave behind a significant amount of trash and waste, which can be difficult for local economies to manage.
Who is Alton Byers, and what has he been doing for the past 40 years?
-Alton Byers has been visiting Everest every year for the last 40 years and is working to develop waste management strategies in the villages near Everest.
How much trash do tourists produce per year, and what percentage of that is solid waste?
-Tourists produce 4.8 million tons of trash per year, and 14 percent of that is solid waste.
Which famous sites are mentioned as struggling with an increase of trash left behind by tourists?
-Mount Everest, Machu Picchu, and Stonehenge are mentioned as sites struggling with an increase of trash left behind by tourists.
Why have some tourist sites had to shut their doors to visitors?
-Some sites have had to shut their doors to tourists to take care of the pile-up of trash that has accumulated.
What has made tourism more accessible today compared to 10, 20, or 30 years ago?
-Tourism has become more accessible due to its affordability and ease of traveling, which was not as easy or affordable in the past.
What role does the disposable society approach play in the increase of trash at tourist sites?
-The disposable society approach, where it's easy to get and discard items like water bottles, contributes to the increase of trash at tourist sites.
What actions are suggested to address the growing pile of trash at tourist sites?
-The transcript suggests increasing tourists' awareness, developing recycling technologies, and adopting circular economy approaches that transform both consumption and production sides.
Who are the stakeholders that need to be involved in tackling the trash problem at tourist sites?
-Stakeholders include tourists, tour companies, accommodation providers, restaurants, hotels, and tourist landmarks.
Outlines
🌏 Impact of Tourism on Environment
The script discusses the significant growth of tourism, highlighting that there are now approximately 1.4 billion international arrivals annually, which is a stark increase from 25 million just seventy years ago. It emphasizes the economic benefits of tourism but also points out the environmental consequences, such as the production of 4.8 million tons of trash per year, with 14% being solid waste. The script mentions Alton Byers, who has been visiting Everest for 40 years and is now focusing on waste management strategies in nearby villages. It also notes that major tourist sites like Mount Everest, Machu Picchu, and Stonehenge are struggling with the trash left behind by visitors, leading to some sites temporarily closing to address the issue. The script calls for increased awareness among tourists, the development of sustainable waste management practices by lodges, and a collective effort to reduce trash at tourist sites.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Tourism
💡Local Economy
💡Waste Management
💡Solid Waste
💡Everest
💡Machu Picchu
💡Stonehenge
💡Disposable Society
💡Recycling Technologies
💡Circular Economy
💡Awareness
Highlights
Tourism has grown significantly, with 1.4 billion international arrivals annually, compared to 25 million 70 years ago.
Tourism can boost local economies but also leaves environmental issues such as waste management.
Alton Byers has been working on waste management strategies for Everest for 40 years.
Tourists produce 4.8 million tons of trash annually, with 14% being solid waste.
Major tourist sites like Mount Everest, Machu Picchu, and Stonehenge face trash accumulation problems.
The increase in tourism accessibility has led to a surge in waste left behind at tourist sites.
Disposable society approach contributes to the ease of littering during travel.
Some sites, like Boracay Island and Everest base camp, have closed temporarily to address waste issues.
The need for increased awareness among tourists regarding waste management.
Lodges and accommodations are recognizing the need for sustainable waste management practices.
Development of recycling technologies is crucial to address the waste problem at tourist sites.
All stakeholders, including restaurants, hotels, and tourist landmarks, must participate in waste reduction.
Circular economy approaches are being considered to transform both consumption and production sides.
The question of necessity for disposable items like plastic straws and cups in tourist areas is raised.
A collective effort is required to tackle the growing pile of trash at tourist sites globally.
Mindfulness and awareness raising are key to solving the waste problem in tourism.
Transcripts
tourism is big business if we take a
look at the numbers a lot more people
are traveling now there are about one
point four billion international
arrivals a year that number was only
twenty five million less than seventy
years ago
tourism can be great for a local economy
but what it leaves in its wake can be
well trashy no matter where you go where
no matter what remote area they have the
to the same problems what do you do with
human waste
what are you solidly Alton Byers has
been visiting Everest every year for the
last 40 years and is working to develop
waste management strategies in the
villages near Everest tourists end up
producing 4.8 million tons of trash per
year and 14 percent of that is solid
waste and it's the big sites with the
biggest problems Mount Everest
machupicchu Stonehenge are all
struggling with an increase of trash
left behind I think you have to think
about it as you're going to someone
else's home what would you do in your
own home and would you do the same thing
in someone else's home the island of
Bora cane in the Philippines the base
camp at Everest in China are some of the
sites that have had to shut their doors
to tourists to take care of the pile up
of trash but why is the pile up of trash
growing tourism is now super accessible
even 10 20 30 years ago wasn't
necessarily that easy or affordable to
just hop on a plane and go somewhere so
now suddenly everyone can and so I think
in addition to that when you have your
bit more of that disposable society
approach where it's just as easy to get
a water bottle and just toss it on the
side when you're done so what is being
done about the trash that continues to
pile up at tourist sites around the
world the tourist needs to have their
awareness increase and they need to do
their part okay lodges need to see that
this I think they know that this is a
unsustainable what's going on the
practice is not sustainable they need to
start developing recycling technologies
if they're real it realistically going
to address the problem so everybody is a
player in this that includes restaurants
and hotels a tourist landmarks
work a lot at the foundation on circular
economy approaches and part of that is
you know how do you not just transform
the consumption side but also the
production side so do we need to have
the plastic straws and the plastic cups
and the disposable everything in our
tourist areas in our hotels in our you
know visiting centers buyers and budva
boat tapped into a similar solution to
tackle the growing pile of trash at
tourist sites around the world and that
is to be more mindful raise our
awareness as tourists tour companies
accommodation providers and eliminate
trash together as a global community
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