Looking into the future.

To finish the blog off, I wanted to recap on everything I have discovered about the cruise industry. This industry at the moment is growing immensely and shows a continuing trend of growth. There are three ways I can see the cruise industry becoming more environmentally friendly over time.

The first would have to do with the people. People as a whole need to take a stand against the pollution these cruise ships are causing and demand they become more environmentally friendly by not illegally polluting the waters and air. While cruise ships still produce tons of waste it’s a step in the right direction. Eco friendly tourism is becoming a trend also so if the cruise industry can use that as motivation to go against illegal activities, install equipment making their ships more efficient, and put environmentally friendly practices into place, it could potentially help their industry while reducing their negative impact on the earth. The only way this is going to happen is if it starts in the grass roots. The people going on these cruises need to take a stand with both their voices and actions. A problem with this is do enough people care to make this point? Even though you can practically take the same vacation you would on a cruise ship, at a resort, would people make the right decision? Or is a vacation a vacation to people and do they not care about what’s right and wrong for the environment?

The Second would have to do with the government. Stronger penalties need to be put into place to reduce illegal garbage dumping and pollution. At the moment companies don’t see the risk as a threat. The government needs to do what’s right. Since the cruise industry is highly North American, it all boils down to money and economics. The cruise industry is growing fast and bringing in the country a huge amount of income. Why would an economic first nation but harsher laws in place that would lower the amount of capital it produced, especially during harder economic times. This is where the government needs to take a stand and put laws in place that would make these ships more efficient and get them into a practice of legal standards. It may put a big cost on the companies at the start but in the long run would benefit everyone. 

The Third is to do with the earth itself. Peak oil theories are beginning to emerge as serious topics. Oils prices are increasing and it wouldn’t be a surprise if in the near future environmental friendly technology will become more available and used. People won’t be able to afford to the increasing prices of travel. Ships were you are always moving will become less affordable for an average vacation. Peak oil and the economics will soon work things out themselves. I am not saying that this is the path we should wait for but it is a reality that will hit our society sooner or later where luxurious cruise vacations will become something of the past unless they make a drastic change. The only negative that would come out of this is that it may not happen until the environment is past the point of return and it may increase illegal dumping of garbage to balance out and reduce costs. Illegal dumping fines shouldn’t become a Cost of doing business for these companies.

These are the three actions I believe that will need to take place for the cruise industry to become successful in the future and to help our future stay a sustainable place for life.