Here’s some food for thought- tourists can seek the optimum benefits from the tourism industry only if the industry is sustainable. Unfortunately, the sector contributes to a substantial amount of plastic waste. But there is a silver lining- the industry can adopt more circular and sustainable measures and become well balanced.
Plastic waste, the real threat!
The existing capitalist world works in two ways- it consistently thrives on innovating, and it tries to make innovation sustainable. This helps in maintaining a balance between technological advancement and climate protection.
Unfortunately, plastic waste is becoming a serious global threat. Big heaps of garbage are accumulating across borders; cheap plastic products are used worldwide because of their cost efficiency and, thus, increasing the amount of global plastic waste.
Plastic is a tumor that cannot be eliminated thoroughly. However, if one is cautious, the adversities can reduce.
With rising awareness for climate change, industrialists are becoming more conscious of the consequences of global waste. To tackle the plastic waste issue within the tourism industry, the industry has time and again come up with tasks designed strategically and on the ground level to reduce the aggregate plastic waste.
Source credits: © Paktaotik | Megapixl.com
ALSO READ: The Opening Bell || Will The Dip In Travel And IT Stocks Continue To Pull Down The ASX 200 Strings?
How does plastic waste affect the tourism industry?
The tourism industry is the embodiment of all the beautiful destinations around the globe- the mountains, water bodies, city hikes, adventure parks, etc. Sadly, owing to the ignorance regarding sustainable journeys on both tourist’s and hospitality’s end, plastic waste is not kept in check.
As a result, natural resources get contaminated, the ecosystem gets disturbed, local communities and animals face the worst consequences.
The industry collectively needs to take stringent measures to tackle the problem of plastic waste. Here comes the role of the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative, which is leading the cause to support the plastic waste issue in the tourism industry.
GOOD READ: COVID-19 leaves tourism workers in dire straits
Image Source: © Donyanedomam | Megapixl.com
How can tourism support the plastic waste issue?
The Global Tourism Plastics Initiative unites the tourism sector to resolve the plastic waste issue. Solving the problem of plastic waste is too big of an issue for a single organisation or government. Thus, governments and organisations join hands together under the Global Tourism Plastic Initiative umbrella to solve the issue.
Recently the committee has advised to minimalise the use of single-use plastic and move towards a circular economy. This year’s theme is “Eliminate, Innovate and Circulate”. The industry operators need to make effective strategies surrounding the theme for a better and more sustainable economy.
Presently, it is the most suitable time for the industry to take adequate measures as it is soon going to pick up its pace towards recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic. Until then, the operators can implement strategies that will encourage the initiative to support the plastic waste issue by everyone within the industry.
The primary focus should be innovation and circular economy – plastic should be reused in the industry rather than thrown away so that the aggregated plastic waste can be reduced.
32 new signatories have joined the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative, taking the total count up to 93 member companies and organisations and indicating that the awareness towards the plastic waste issue is increasing within the industry.
Through elimination, innovation, and circulation, the tourism industry can support the plastic waste issue on a larger scale. The industry needs to be more sustainable, and for that, the operators and tourists need to be conscious of their actions.
SOURCE: KALKINE MEDIA
.jpg){kind=tracking}