What comes to your mind when you think of pollution? Thick black oil smeared on clean ice? Small piping shorebirds strangled by old plastic? According to the Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU), you should be thinking of something entirely different - cruise ships.
NABU recently singled out AIDA and TUI, two German-based cruise lines, for their harmful environmental impact.
In one day alone, a ship generates 21,000 gallons of sewage, which is often dumped untreated three miles from shore, as well as one ton of garbage, 170,000 gallons of wastewater, 6,400 gallons of oily bilge water, and 25 pounds of batteries, fluorescent lights, medical wastes, and expired chemicals.
It's time for cruise lines like AIDA and TUI to stop putting profits over the environment. Updating their filtration systems to stop spewing filth into the ocean is a great first step to improving their impact on the environment.
Tell AIDA and TUI to clean up their waste filtration systems today!Cruise lines have come a long way since we became aware of the dangers of particle emissions. For example, during 2010, AIDA Cruises reduced sulfer oxide emissions by 5.9 percent, nitrogen oxide by 2.9 percent, and carbon dioxide by 2.8 perent.
However, this is not enough. AIDA and TUI still put profits over the environment, and given the fact that the 15 largest cruise ships produce as much air pollution as the world's 760 million cars, this is not acceptable. Reducing current emissions rates is relatively easy, requiring a switch from heavy fuel oil to cleaner diesel, and the installation of air filters to prevent filthy particles from swirling up into our beautiful blue skies. Such measures would take a chunk out of profits, but it would be an investment in the collective future of our world.
Cruise ships also generate tremendous waste.
In one day alone, a cruise ship generates 21,000 gallons of sewage, which is often dumped untreated once the ship is three miles from shore, as well as one ton of garbage, 170,000 gallons of wastewater, 6,400 gallons of oily bilge water, and 25 pounds of batteries, fluorescent lights, medical wastes, and expired chemicals.
Stay on the right side of history and stop polluting our world!
