Help Save Island Habitats

refugebeach - photo by Tom Schueneman Invoking images of sultry afternoons on white sand beaches, cool tropical breezes, and a pristine environment teeming with exotic flora and fauna, islands have long been the vision of paradise on earth for many.

And now with the summer vacation season here, many are heading off for their week or two in paradise.

I can’t blame them; at least once a year I leave the mainland for my respite on one of the islands of Hawaii, and have dreams one day of maybe even settling on the Big Island.

But there is trouble in paradise, as reported by the Environmental News Network and Seacology.org, over 50% of all plant and animal extinctions over the last 400 years has occurred on the world’s islands. For birds it’s much worse with 90% of bird extinctions happening in island environments.

As lovely as Hawaii is, it accounts for 72% of plant and animal extinctions in the United States.

The small island of Lord Howe, located between Australia and New Zealand in the Coral Sea, has had more bird species and subspecies go extinct than all of Africa, Asia, and Europe combined.

Add to this the problem of global warming and we may soon see the islands themselves become extinct. The tiny coral atoll nation of Tuvalu faces a dire future and may be completely lost to a rising sea within the next 50 years.

Seacology.org has compiled a list of ten things you and I can do to help preserve our precious island environments:

1. Spend your vacation at a true eco-resort. Many establishments claim to be environmentally friendly, yet confine their efforts to encouraging you to re-use your towel. If a resort is calling itself eco-friendly, ask why before making a reservation. Resorts such as the Jean Michel Cousteau Fiji Island Resort (www.fijiresort.com) and the accommodations at the Chumbe Island Coral Park (www.chumbeisland.com) provide a true, one-of-a-kind ecologically responsible vacation experience.

2. Take nothing but pictures. Do not collect shells or other wildlife as souvenirs of your trip. That shell you want to take might be the future home of a hermit crab.

3. Offset your carbon. Flying to an island releases large amounts of CO2 into the air. Compensate for the negative environmental impacts of your travel by contributing to Seacology's Carbon Neutral Fund. Your dollars will assist Seacology's efforts to support tree planting and clean energy projects on islands throughout the world.

4. Cool off responsibly. Many tropical islands are cooled by trade winds. Shutting off the air conditioning will not only save energy, it will also allow you to hear the breeze passing through the palm trees and the chirping of the birds. If conditions are sweltering and you must use the air conditioning, turn it off when you leave your room!

5. Respect and appreciate the diversity of island cultures and languages. The devastation of island cultures is happening at an alarming rate. One island alone - Papua New Guinea - is home to over 800 languages, many of which are spoken by only a small number of tribal elders. Before you go, learn a little about the culture and language of the island you plan to visit. The smiles that greet you when you use the local language will be a nice added bonus.

6. Don't destroy underwater life. When scuba diving or snorkeling, do not touch anything. Coral reefs are very fragile and take a long time to grow. You will also save yourself from nasty stings and bites by adopting a no-touch policy.

7. Avoid disposable products. Waste disposal is a critical problem on many of the world's islands. Do not bring disposable products on your vacation.

8. See an island's hidden treasures and get closer to nature. Reduce your impact on an island's environment and atmosphere by engaging in eco-friendly activities instead of motorized ones such as jeep or helicopter tours. Kayaking, biking, hiking and sailing are great ways to see the beauty of island ecosystems. You will also meet a lot more people when you are out of your car.

9. Support local economies, save fossil fuel and discover new flavors by eating locally caught and produced foods. Not only that, but the local coconut dessert is a lot fresher than the packaged cupcake made months ago in a country thousands of miles away.

10. Help launch new projects to protect island environments and cultures by supporting Seacology. Seacology works directly with island villagers to create initiatives that both protect precious habitats, and improve quality of life. In the words of Dr. John McCosker of the California Academy of Sciences, "Dollar for dollar, pound for pound, Seacology gets more output than any conservation group that I've seen." Learn more about Seacology by visiting our website www.seacology.org.

( Add your comments )

Recent Entries:
· Planet 100: Oil Minefield in the Gulf of Mexico
· Greenpeace Guide to Greener Electronics
· Fake plastic cups make a great conversation starter

[ READER COMMENTS ]

Help Save Island Habitats

Add your comments...

We kindly ask that you keep your comments relevant to this blog entry. Abusive or inappropriate comments or comments that are specifically promotional in nature may be removed.