Tenerife is one of the seven Canary Islands off the coast of Africa and a favourite destination in the winter for European holidays, and the island is now looking at how it can improve it's environmental record, in both the public and private sectors.
Tenerife and Tourism
The island of Tenerife is almost completely dependent on tourism, and is a particular favourite for British tourists.
Known among many in the UK as 'Paradise Island' Tenerife is sunny year-round, which makes it the perfect destination for relaxing in the sun any time of the year. And they want to keep the tourists coming back.
Going green and protecting the environment is one way that Tenerife can protect its status as a hot holiday spot that won't have her reputation damaged as being environmentally unfriendly.
The island is vulnerable because it is so dependent on tourism. Changing climates could easily put them out of business and entirely change the nature of the island. Rising temperature alone could make relaxing on the beach an unbearable past-time, so acting to stop global warming makes a lot of the sense for Tenerife.
Travelling to and around Tenerife
Travel is a major cause of environmental concerns and a ferry is available to take holidaymakers to the island of Tenerife from the Spanish mainland. The ferry goes to either Santa Cruz de Tenerife or Los Cristanos. Nearly half a million visitors come to the island of Tenerife via cruise ships.
The main method of transportation on the island of Tenerife is buses. An elaborate fleet of newer buses which have less of a carbon footprint provide transportation for one location to another on the island. There are also plans for a light rail network to connect the capital with the south side of the island. The idea is to reduce the amount of carbon emissions in the air caused by ground travel.
Tenerife Goes Green
Tenerife is doing a lot to protect its beautiful and natural environment. The island has made a commitment to individuals and companies to go beyond the basics and protect the environment of the island with aggressive tactics.
Some of the things they are currently doing include:
* To use water purification and its natural reserves from underground.
* To promote recycling as a means to cut back on using natural resources.
* To use desalination for non drinking water.
* Cutting back on carbon emissions.
* An elaborate bus network to minimize traffic on the island.
* To protect the habitat of tropical pilot whales, which is a huge attraction for holiday-makers.
* Zoning half of the islandas either a national park or nature reserves.
* Promoting more renewable energy.
In addition to protecting the island's natural surroundings, Tenerife is dedicated to preserving its heritage and culture.
Tenerife as a Role Model for Protecting the Environment
While we all have seen some of the effects of global warming, Tenerife has taken action to protect the environment and retain the beauty and reputation of the island. The steps they've taken to reduce emissions and balance carbon in the air are ongoing and under regular review. |
