Introduction!

For the next few weeks I will be writing about impacts of littering and garbage from the tourism industry. I have never written a blog before so please bear with me! Enjoy!

http://scuba.about.com/od/ConservationandDiving/ss/Dive-Site-Preservation_5.htm

Does this look like a nice place to go on vacation? Definitely not! This is an example of what a destination can look like after tourists have visited a site and obviously have been very inconsiderate. This trash washed up on the beach after tourists that use the ocean (scuba diving, fishing trips, etc) did not dispose of their trash properly. Personally, this is not a beach that I would ever visit if I saw what it was like before going.

 

Litter is simply trash that is put in a place where it doesn't belong. It belongs in a trash can, a landfill, recycling bin, or other disposal facilities. It does not belong on a beach, in a campground, on the street, or anywhere else that is used by the public! Duh! This sounds like common sense to me, but I guess I have to understand that not everyone is smart like us tourism students taking an environmental issues class!

 

Littering can have impacts not only on the aesthetics of a destination but on many other aspects of our world too. Animals can be trapped and killed if they get caught in garbage that is left floating in the sea ...

http://www.thelivingocean.net/2012/05/plastic-trash-altering-ocean-habitats.html

 

Or they can die from starvation if they get caught and can not do anything to save themselves...

Fortunately for this little 6 month old bear cub, he was able to be caught by locals in the area and the FWC (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission) and freed from the plastic jar before it was too late.

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/features_lifestyle_animal/2010/08/jarhead-the-bear-cub-who-beat-the-odds-3.html

 

Aside from animals, there can be negative impacts on visitor numbers to a location, reputation of a location, and unnecessary stress for local residents and their waste management facilities.  

 

This is Leonard the litter bug and he will be coming along this journey with us!

http://www.teacherstimesaver.com/litterbann.html