Photo credit: Taras Kalapun

The environmental footprint per capita in developed countries is more than 10 tones per year. For example, 10,8 tones of carbon is emitted per capita by British, 12,7 per capita by Greek and 22,4 tones per capita by Americans. It takes both governments and the citizens to take measures to reduce the impact of each nation on Earth. Many every day habits need to be reconsidered and altered drastically.

19.312 Kilometers an average car travels per year, producing 6 tones of greenhouse gases. But you would have to travel 150.107 Kilometers by train to produce the same amount of carbon for the same period. At the same time, 18 times more carbon is emitted per mile per passenger in a car than in a bus. Buses emit less carbon per passenger than trains, planes, boats or automobiles (in that order). In 2007, of the European Union’s total CO2 emissions, the 12% was created by passenger cars.

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Photo credit: muha…

This post is an continuation of Travel Green: Manual 1 and Manual 2.

Opt for green: Whether it is a hotel or a tour operator, its environmental initiatives should be codified as policy, thus proving its sensitivity about limiting its impact on the environment. Also, appreciation or concern about a company’s environmental efforts should be expressed either by a comment card or by sending a letter or e-mail to the manager. Generally, companies of all kinds should notice that tourists care about nature and are concerned about the green policy of their choices. The more the demand for greener tourism, the more will industries and companies adopt greener policies.

Public means of transport: It is fairly more difficult than using them in your own country or area, but it is highly recommended. Not only do they minimize your environmental footprint, but also allow you to see a place from the perspective of the locals.

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Photo credit: moonjazz

Riding personal watercrafts is generally a not recommended choice. They pollute the air and water, but if used with care, they can be relatively harmless. Since they go in areas inaccessible for larger boats, they can damage fragile marine habitats. However, they can be ridden in a way that is negligible in terms of ecosystem damage, provided it’s in a controlled environment.

Riding ATVs is also accepted under specific rules. ATVs pollute and tear up the terrain, but are sometimes still the only way to get out into the wilderness. The key is to be respectful of your surroundings and not to disturb wildlife. Always ride on proper trails to avoid harming fragile habitats.

Fishing: Deep sea fishing is less preferred than catch-and-release. Generally, fish caught on a line is considered sustainable. Obey regulations regarding the season and size of the catch, and remember that many boats burn a lot of fuel and create air and water pollution. It should be done in moderation or not at all, and never just for a wall mount.

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Photo credit: Joshua Davis (jdavis.info)

Just as even the longest journey starts with one step, the salvation of the planet can start with one person: you. Each person that wants to be an eco- conscious traveller has to respect nature and seek for ways to reduce impact on it. That is achieved by making responsible choices and knowing well that just a few easy steps can make a big difference.

Fly nonstop: Planes burn the most fuel on takeoff and landing. That means that a long haul flight that takes you straight to your destination emits less CO2 than short haul flights. For the same destination, a long haul flight may burn up to two-thirds less CO2 than short haul flights.

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On Saturday the 21st of February, an unusual event took place in the central square of Athens. The Tourist Guide Organisation took a very important initiative in raising public awareness by organizing a unique exhibition.

Using a small part of the square, tourist guides organized a simple but effective exhibition of photographs. The central theme was littering public and historic zones, garbage production and recycling. The gallery included a small tree made of recycled paper, with photographs hanging instead of leaves. Most photographs were about polluted rivers, garbage along coast lines and litters on the streets. Recycle bins were demonstrated and equipment was available for children to draw and write their own green message. Passers-by could get informed about the various consequences of littering and not recycling.

This initiative should be set as an example to all kinds of organizations. Tourist guides realized that litters harm their profession, and decided to draw attention towards that fact. All kind of organizations and professions have problems due to environmental issues. Thus, all different groups can inform about environmental problems and guide other groups of people so as to diminish them. It is crucial that events take place to raise public awareness as to how simple everyday habits hurt both the environment and humanity.

Photo credit: thienzieyung

During the past few months, and under high pressure put by the European Union, Greece has started to adopt a greener policy. Among other measures and actions, eco-friendly plastic bags were introduced into the market, bio-eco products were widely advertised and each municipality planted more flowers in their area, also encouraging citizens to ‘green’ their homes.

But one of the biggest issues, reducing the use of cars at the city centre, is still not given proper attention. On the contrary, steps are taken to produce more parking spaces. That measure is totally against all efforts to persuade citizens not to use their cars and prefer the public means of transport.

The worst action of all was the destruction of a park in Athens so as to produce a big parking space. The municipality in charge cut down forty trees of the wide-leaf family, which produce big amounts of oxygen. The park was transformed into a huge flat area for cars.

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Right after the industrial revolution, the exploitation of natural resources by human societies increased at top speed. Fossil fuels are ever since the main source of energy used to cover most of our needs. This made people believe that they do not depend on renewable energy, but can survive only by using old technological inventions.

However, as it takes millions of years for fossil fuels to be created, being extracted in such an alarming pace means that we will sooner or later run out. Only then will people realize how much we wrongly depend on them. Production of all kinds of goods, heating and transportation are only few of the fields that will be directly affected.

But even if fossil fuels were an infinite source of energy, they are the main reason why huge quantities of carbon dioxide accumulates in the atmosphere, causing the greenhouse effect as well as acid rain, breathing problems and destruction of natural habitats.

Concequently, scientists should concentrate on creating and improving the ways we use alternative sources of energy. Making these sources more effective and easy to use, humanity will be able to wean off fossil fuels and face climate change. Generous fundings are given to laboratories dealing with medical care and weaponary. It is time that we realise that fossil fuels should not play the dominant role in producing energy, and thus major steps should be taken.

During the last few years societies familiarise quickly with environmental issues. The First and the Second World residents get gradually informed about problems such as climate change and the greenhouse effect, that take place due to human activity.

Wealthy people from the upper classes of society have many opportunities to get involved in these problems, to raise their own and other people’s awareness, and to contribute financially. However, this is not the case when it comes to lower ranks. It seems that poverty is a barrier in taking part in solving environmental problems.

For example, it is said that we should prefer bio-eco products for a greener life. Those products can be recycled or/and recyclable, manufactured in environmental friendly ways, without the use of toxic substances or chemicals. But all these features make them very expensive as well. So, the poorer people have to keep buying the cheapest products, and thus promoting the continuous manufacture and use of unhealthy and pollutant products.

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Six billion people. That’s the current human population on Earth, and the highest ever reached as well. Things start to get cramped in the cities, while there is everywhere a noticeable depressing atmosphere due to having too many people around, whether that’s in a traffic jam, in shops, at public services etc.

The number of six billion human lives would never have been reached if it wasn’t for fossil fuels. The energy sent by the sun and received by the Earth every day could ever sustain more than two billion people. Fossil fuels combine a sort of energy saved below the surface of the planet, now extracted by humans to use this energy and cover their needs. And with all needs easily covered, humanity was and is able to rise in population.

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Soil covers most of the surface of the Earth’s land. It occurred after the erosion of rocks, due to strong winds, water, ice and due to the activity of living organisms. Soil is usually suitable for plants and small organisms to grow and live. However, human activities have altered the natural soil environment of many areas, making it hostile to organisms.

Humanity deposits many toxic substances under the ground. Most of those are radioactive materials, pesticides, heavy metals and other kind of poisonous wastes. Even if they are first deposited in lakes, rivers or the sea, waters transfer most of them in the soil, when the latter absorbs water. It happens the other way round as well, as chemicals within soil are transferred with the rain into marine ecosystems.

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