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Field Guiding Skills © Copyright

Module # 11 – Component # 11

Sustainable Tourism &

Sustainable Utilisation of Natural Resources

“What use is a house if you don’t have a decent planet to put it on?”

Henry Thoreau.

“We found our house - the planet - with drinkable water, with good soil to grow

food, with clean air to breathe. We at least must leave it in as good a shape as we found it, if not better.”

Reverend Jesse Jackson

Image: Andrew Russell



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Sustainability and Tourism The definition of sustainability by WCED (World Commission on Environment and

Development) 1987 is:

“development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Tourism Canada (1990) envisaged sustainable tourism development as:

“leading to management of all resources in such a way that we can fulfil economic, social and aesthetic needs while maintaining cultural integrity,

essential ecological processes, biological diversity and life support systems. “ This “mission statement” of tourism development shows the multi-disciplinary

nature of such development. The statement makes note of the need to conserve resources, since tourism is a resource based industry.

This reaffirms the fact that tourism is an economic activity and needs to continue as such to survive and provide benefits to travellers and host communities alike.

At the same time, social needs need to be addressed. Cultural (social)

differences throughout the world are in themselves a resource. These are fast becoming homogenised into a global community and run the risk of being lost to future generations.

Resources and cultures often co-exist in aesthetically pleasing environments, which provide the incentive to travel. The above factors all exist and interact

within ecological parameters, and their development should therefore take place within acceptable ecological principles and limiting factors.

Should these ecological parameters be met, the conservation of biological diversity will be ensured. This biological diversity is central to ecotourism in that it is

frequently the prime motivator for people to travel.

The need to sustain our life support systems is crucial to our very existence. If these needs are not met, then none of our higher needs (such as travel) can possibly be met.



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Measuring Sustainable Development

The development of a sustainable tourism industry is far more complex than the

definitions indicate. The level of impact on the environment cannot be quantified unless there is some form of measurement technique that can be

applied. This measurement needs to take place before any work is done on the

environment to establish at what level the system is being entered. Measurement also needs to take place during and after the process of rehabilitation to

determine how successful these steps were. These requirements have led to the establishment of Environmental Auditing

and Environmental Impact Assessments [E.I.A.]

Image: Andrew Russell



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Environmental Auditing Environmental Auditing has been defined by the International Chamber of

Commerce (1989) as:

A management tool comprising a systematic, documented, periodic and objective evaluation of how well environmental organisation, management and equipment are performing with the aim of helping to safeguard the environment

by:

Facilitating management control of environmental practices.

Assessing compliance with company policies, which could include meeting regulatory requirements.



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Environmental Impact Assessments (E.I.A) The Environmental Impact Assessment or E.I.A. is a study that is done prior to

any development. It has been defined as:

The process of identifying, predicting, evaluating and mitigating the biophysical, social and other relevant effects of development proposals prior to major decisions being taken and commitments made.

Objectives of an EIA:

To ensure that environmental considerations are explicitly addressed and incorporated into the development decision-making process.

To anticipate and avoid, minimise or offset the adverse significant biophysical, social and other relevant effects of development proposals.

To protect the productivity and capacity of natural systems and the ecological processes which maintain their functions.

To promote development that is sustainable and optimises the resource use and management opportunities.

Any significant development, whether it be for tourism development or otherwise, requires that an EIA is undertaken, specifically when that development involves the natural environment in any way.



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Sustainability of Earth’s Resources There is an ever-accelerating depletion of the earth’s resources today.

On an average day mankind:

Adds 258 000 people to the population

Clears 470 square kilometres [ 180 square miles] of tropical forests

Creates 170 square kilometres [65 square miles] of desert

Erodes 66 million tons of topsoil

Drives 10 - 100 species to extinction

Adds 71 million tons of carbon dioxide and 1600 tons of CFC’s to the atmosphere

This behaviour is obviously not sustainable.



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Types of Resources “The first great fact about conservation, that it stands for development, has been

a fundamental misconception. Conservation means nothing but the husbanding of resources for future generations. There could be no more serious mistake.... The

first principle of conservation is the use of the natural resources now existing on

this continent for the benefit of the people who live here now.” (Miller 1994)

Non-Renewable Natural Resources: These resources exist in fixed quantities in the earth’s crust and are not able to

regenerate themselves at a rate fast enough to ensure their continued supply.

These resources consist of:

fossil fuels such as natural gas, coal and oil.

metallic minerals such as iron ore, copper, gold, manganese etc.

non-metallic minerals such as sand, clay and phosphates. Some of these resources may have their economic life extended through

recycling (collected and re-processed) or through re-use (used over and over in the same form e.g. rebottling liquids).

Other resources such as fossil fuels cannot be recycled, and their continued use is unsustainable.

Potentially Renewable Resources

These are normally referred to as renewable resources, but Miller (1994) comments that they are only renewable if we use them at a rate slower than the

rate required to regenerate them. Such resources are trees, grasses, animal species, fresh water, groundwater, fresh

air and fertile soil. These resources may be turned into non-renewable resources by exceeding the sustainable yield of the resource.

Sustainable yield is the highest rate at which a potentially renewable resource

can be utilised without reducing its available supply. Potentially renewable resources may be changed into non-renewable or

unusable resources through mismanaged farming practices, deforestation and water abuse.

Perpetual Resources

These resources are infinite in their supply. Examples of these resources are wind, sunlight, flowing water and the tides. These resources will last if

the sun continues its lifecycle of some 4 billion years



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Root Causes of Unsustainability Overpopulation

This occurs when the population exceeds the carrying capacity of the area,

i.e. when the population exceeds the availability of resources. Overconsumption of Resources by the Affluent.

This exists only in the affluent northern hemisphere (developed countries)

where consumption of resources takes place at a very high rate. This consumption leads to excessive waste and depletion of resources, and finally to world environmental degradation.

Miller gives as an example of consumption overpopulation the USA. Contrasting

the USA with India he shows that with only 4,7% of the world population, the USA

produces 21% of all goods and services

uses 25% of all processed mineral resources and non-renewable energy and 33% of all paper products

produces 25% of world pollution and waste including 18% of global emission of greenhouse gases and 22% of CFC’s.

By contrast, India has 18% of the global population, (3,4 times greater than the USA) but:

produces only 1% of all goods and services

uses only 3% of all non-renewable resources

produces only 3% of world pollution and waste including only 4% global emissions of greenhouse gases and 0,7% of CFC’s.

The average USA citizen consumes as much as 50 times more than the average citizen of India during his / her lifetime (Miller 1994).

Inefficient Use of Energy

The use of inefficient heating, lighting and manufacturing techniques leads to the waste of resources.

Addiction to Fossil Fuels

Our dependence on fossil fuels (mainly coal and oil) and our reluctance to develop new and alternative energy forms appears to be largely since they

are lucrative world commodities.

In addition, large industries (such as the petro-chemical and automotive industries) are dependent on existing technology and the use of fossil fuels for their existence.



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Reduction of Biodiversity The extinction of species leads to the loss of potentially useful species. Medicinal

cures and drugs have often been developed from plants, and the extinction of even one species could lead to the permanent loss of a raw material from which

these can be derived.

Poor Political and Economic Management Failure to reconcile market prices with the overall environmental cost of economic

goods and services. The harmful effects of products on the global environment are not reflected in the price of products. Harmful and unsustainable practices that are

used to produce products should be reflected and penalised through high pricing. The Human Urge to Dominate and Control Nature

This point is self-explanatory.

Human Impact on Ecosystems

The effect of human impact on ecosystems is usually to simplify them from complex systems consisting of an infinite number of interactions between the

components, to simple monocultures of agricultural crops. We clear forests, drain wetlands, plough grasslands etc. and replace them with monocultures or buildings.

These monocultures are then protected by us from “weeds” “pests” and “pathogens” using herbicides and pesticides. These unwanted species often

develop resistance to the herbicides and pesticides which results in our developing new and more powerful chemical control methods.

This process shows that for every action we take within an ecosystem, there are multiple reactions. There can never be a simple intrusion into any ecosystem as

there are no independent organisms in nature. Another method of simplifying ecosystems is by the removal of competing species

from the system e.g. killing lions and other predators in areas where stock farming is to take place.

Sustainable living on earth can only be achieved if we recognise a few key concepts:



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We are a part of, and not separate from, earth’s web of life.

Our survival, lifestyles and economies are totally dependent on the sun and the earth.

Everything is connected to everything else. Fortunately, much of the damage that we create is repairable.

Damaged ecosystems need to be healed. This may be done through active restoration or through rehabilitation. Active restoration is the re-

establishment of the original populations of fauna and flora that were found in the area prior to it being damaged.

Rehabilitation is the prevention of further damage to an environment or ecosystem to make the area useful for human use again. This may take the form of erosion

control, clearing of invader species and many other habitat management techniques.



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Major Global Environmental Issues These are the major environmental issues facing the earth today. Without

resolving these issues the chances of mankind surviving are not good. Amongst these factors are global warming, ozone depletion, soil erosion, pollution

of water and other environments, loss of biodiversity, agricultural productivity, pesticides and herbicides, hazardous waste and so forth.

You may participate in the Prevention of Global Environmental Problems in the following ways:

Don’t buy products containing CFCs or those containing any propellant gases. Aerosols not containing CFCs still contain substances that are harmful to the

atmosphere.

Call for a ban on the use of halon fire extinguishers at your place of work. Rather use those containing dry chemicals.

Check fridges and air conditioners regularly for leaks of CFCs, and repair them if necessary.

Try to reduce the use of fossil fuels. Use transport more efficiently, walk more, use bicycles.

Use energy more efficiently. Reduce wastage of electricity. Turn off lights that are not being used.

Cut your consumption of meat. The land required to feed one meat eater could feed 20 pure vegetarians. More than half of the world’s croplands are used to

feed livestock. (Miller 1994)

Stop deforestation and reverse the process with massive re-forestation. Plant indigenous trees.

Adopt sustainable agricultural methods.

Reduce earth’s population growth. Educate your local community about birth control and the advantages of small families.

Don’t use herbicides or pesticides and other chemicals damaging to the

environment.

Design buildings around trees, preventing as much disturbance of the soil as possible.

Establish a compost bin, using this material to mulch plants and thereby reducing use of water.

Reduce the amount of water required to flush toilets by inserting bricks or plastic containers into the cistern to reduce the water required.

Check all pipes regularly for leaks and repair these immediately. (A leaking toilet that you can hear leaking is already wasting at least 90 litres a day.)

Use washing machines and dishwashers carefully - full loads only and only when needed.

Wash cars using a bucket rather than a running hose-pipe.

Save rainwater for drinking purposes.

Reduce water evaporation by watering and irrigating early in the morning and late in the afternoon.

Boycott all monocultures Eg. tobacco producers and forestry companies. Boycott all unethical foods such as fish caught in drift-nets and gillnets, long-lining and dolphin destroying tuna-netting, battery raised chickens etc.



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Waste less food.

Try to consume food that is locally produced. This stimulates the local economy and reduces the amount of energy required to transport food. Each year in the USA, 21 billion dollars is spent simply on transporting food.

Recycle and reuse products wherever possible.

Don’t buy furniture made from rain forest timbers.

Ban the trade in endangered species.

Improve the habitat in your garden – encourage birds, lizards etc.

Encourage the use of solar heating, and turn thermostats down on geysers.

Use a fountain pen instead of disposable ballpoints.

Use an electric razor instead of disposable razors.

Take your own carrier bags to the supermarket instead of using their plastic bags.

Buy only products that are bottled as opposed to those in tin cans.

Use rechargeable batteries.

Purchase products that do not have excessive packaging.

Use less hazardous cleaning materials such as baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice and borax.

Don’t pour hazardous substances down the drain. Remove these to dump sites

that have the facilities to handle them property.

Ensure that septic tanks are working efficiently so as not to pollute groundwater sources in the area.



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Choosing to Live Sustainably Miller (1994) gives his personal guidelines for “becoming an earth citizen” and

for choosing a sustainable lifestyle as:

Respect all life and fight to protect the inherent right of all life to exist.

Learn all you can about how nature works, about how human nature and power work, and about the connection between things.

Listen to and learn from nature and from children.

Evaluate the beneficial and harmful consequences of your lifestyle and

profession on the earth today and for the future.

Lead by example.

Live more richly and tread more lightly on the earth by living more simply

Become environmentally active at the local, national and global levels.

Do the little things based on thinking globally and acting locally

Think and act nationally and globally.

Get to know, care about and defend a piece of earth.

Work with others to sustain and heal the earth, beginning in your neighbourhood and community.

Personally help at least one person or family in need to the point where they

can help themselves.

Provide quality parenthood for any child you choose to have or adopt.

Don’t try to do everything.

Don’t use guilt and fear to motivate other people, and don’t allow other people to do this to you.

Have fun and take time to enjoy life. (Miller 1994)



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