Having seen pictures of starving Albatross chicks fed plastic objects by their parents thinking them to be fish is harsh, but then to hear that shipping companies regularly dump waste, including plastic objects, into the sea is appalling.  The estimated amount of plastic floating about on the oceans is the size of America and weighs a massive 100 million tonnes, all waiting to wash up on the beaches of every continent.  A study by the University of California shows that not only are we polluting the surface of the oceans but also 40% of the world’s oceans have inhabitants who are fighting for survival.

One of the greatest sources of plastic and sewage pollution comes from cruise ships that regularly empty waste into the sea.  An average cruise ship with 3000 passengers and crew generates 30,000 gallons (137,000 litres) of human waste and 255,000 gallons (over one million litres) of grey water from showers, dishwashers and the like all of which can, and often does, go into the sea after some form of basic treatment.  Solid waste such as food and rubbish amounts to seven tons (seven point one tonnes) each day.   That is a massive amount of pollutant and does not include oily bilge water and the emissions from the engines of the ships that are equal to running 12,000 family cars a day.

Flying is seen to be the real monster when it comes to climate change; however, a research paper leaked to the press in recent weeks suggests that the biggest single culprit of C02 emissions is not aviation but shipping, pouring 1.12 billion tonnes into the atmosphere each year.   That figure compared to flying which puts 650 million tonnes of C02 into the atmosphere is much lower yet some believe more damaging due to the height of the emissions in the troposphere.

The destruction of habitats such as coral reefs is happening at such a dramatic rate through tourism that some areas of reef around the world will soon be closed in order to promote survival of the areas.  We are so mobile that we think nothing of jetting off to the other side of the world to visit a wonder of nature and in doing so are part of its destruction.  Moreover, when we get there we jump into motor boats to wiz over fragile habitats causing more destruction.
However it is not all doom and gloom as there is a growing band of tour operators who provide sustainable and ethical holidays even planting trees as an off-set for your carbon footprint. www.responsibletravel.com www.exodus.co.uk www.ethicalescapes.com

If you want to help save the Albatross save postage stamps and post them to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Sandy Lodge, Bedfordshire who collect the stamps and turn them into funds to support their work saving the great bird.  Leave some paper around the stamp and a postmark if you can. Please pay the postage, Thank you.

I have just come across a web site today telling of a trip through Europe to Timbuktu in a pick up fuelled with chocolate diesel…how cool is that!  I know Valentine is close by but I am off to buy up stock of this wonderful bio-fuel.  Please have a look at the site www.biotruck.co.uk and have a smile at such a great way of supporting the need for bio-fuels made from waste products instead of cutting down forest to grow fuel crops…madness in it self when so many are going hungry in the world.  I know what to buy this Valentine!  Ouch where did that brick come from????

Thought you would like to see my new eco travel assistant…just getting used to parking! I even have my name embossed on the handle so it does not get lost…he he