This week I discovered AECO which is Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators. Their mandate is to ensure respectful, environmentally friendly and safe cruising in this region. They understand not only about the fragile natural environment in the Arctic but also about the culture. They have 7 basic principles that they adhere by 1. leave no lasting signs of your visit, we should not be leaving any litter of any sort and even watch where we step with our feet when exploring. 2 do not take anything with you. 3. do not disturb animals and birds. 4. do not pick flowers. 5. leave cultural remains alone. 6. take the polar bear danger seriously. 7. respect local culture and local people. 8. be safe.
The AECO believes that if we all do our best to follow these guidelines then cruising can be a benefit to tourism. If we choose not to follow these guidelines then we are ultimately risking too much.
The environment I think is number one of this list because we really do need to understand the risk that we present when we travel. Cruise ships leave a large footprint on land, especially land that doesn't usually have many visitors. Without taking careful consideration of what we can do to contribute to making our travels more sustainable for the environment we are being negligent.
For more information on these guidelines and what exactly AECO is all about you can visit their website
www.aeco.com
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