Assignment:
Iceland has made remarkable steps in transitioning from dependence on oil to becoming a world leader where the harnessing of renewable energy is concerned. The country, which is blessed with stunning scenery comprising of volcanoes and hot springs, snow-capped mountain ranges, bare, lava-strewn flats, and even glaciers, has its landscape to thank for the increasing number of tourists it gets each year. Moreover, it is the country's geographical peculiarities, its location on the mid-Atlantic ridge which is one of earth's major fault lines, that ensures that it can hold fast to the claim that it obtains 100 percent of its heat and electricity from renewable sources (Aldred, 2008). This research will look into how Iceland's tourism is impacted by the country's energy production practices, and examine what impact it has on other sectors such as pollution, education, and the economy.
The pollution in Iceland has mainly been caused by human activities. The availability of resources has been scarce as a result of the widespread pollution experienced globally. The main reason why Iceland is prone to pollution is due to the availability of many resources in the region. People, therefore, pollute the region as they look for energy, transport and agricultural resources.Since tourists visit Iceland the most during the summer season, pollution is usually high during this time. In as much as the individuals and government benefit from the revenue generated when the tourists visit, the environment is left at risk of rampant pollution. For instance, ice skiing, swimming, and boat riding destroy the environment by polluting the water (Buckley, 2012).
Geothermal electricity is used to supply energy to the hotels and restaurants where the tourists stay when they visit Iceland. The emission of steam in the generation of geothermal energy produces radiation waves which pollute the water (Huntington, 2007).Moreover, the smoke also pollutes the water when it rains while on the other hand, the steam pollutes the environment.
When it comes to agriculture in Iceland, water is provided to grow food for the tourists. Farming also pollutes the environment since the farmers use sprays and fertilizers. These chemicals cause water pollution which results in the death of aquatic organisms and plants (Hall, 2010).
Questions:
• What is the role of humans in pollution of the environment in Iceland?
• How does tourism result in pollution in Iceland?
• To what extent has the environment in Iceland been polluted?
• What impact could the pollution have on Iceland?
• How can the pollution in Iceland be controlled?
References:
Aldred, J. (2008, April 22). Iceland's energy answer comes naturally. The Guardian.
Hall, C. M. (2010). Tourism and biodiversity: more significant than climate change?.Journal of Heritage Tourism, 5(4), 253-266.
Huntington, H. P., Hamilton, L. C., Nicolson, C., Brunner, R., Lynch, A., Ogilvie, A. E., & Voinov, A. (2007). Toward understanding the human dimensions of the rapidly changing arctic system: insights and approaches from five HARC projects. Regional Environmental Change, 7(4), 173-186.
Buckley, R. (2012). Sustainable tourism: Research and reality. Annals of Tourism Research, 39(2), 528-546.