Cruise Ships Win Anti-Environment Award for 2011

Written by Christine Lepisto

The Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU) has announced their 2011 “Dinosaur of the Year” award. The Dino of the Year trophy goes to people or companies of public interest, intended to draw attention to “the most ridiculous statement or anachronistic decision in connection with Nature and the Environment.”

This year’s dinosaurs are the cruise ship industry. The German-based NABU singled out cruise lines AIDA and TUI, based in Germany, as the representatives of their branch.

NABU President Olaf Tschimpke claims cruise ships emit particle pollution equivalent to 5 million cars driving the same distance as the cruise ship travels. NABU notes in particular that there is money for every sort of convenience and luxury for guests on board, but no investment has been made in switching cruise ships from heavy fuel oil or outfitting the ships with particle filters, to reduce the pollution emission rates. Also according to NABU,

the 15 largest cruise ships emit as much sulfur dioxide pollution annually as all 760 million cars in the world.

An AIDA spokesperson points the public to the annual AIDA Corporate Sustainability Report, where environmental efforts and successes are made transparent for all customers. AIDA voluntarily uses heavy fuel oil with sulfur content lower than 0.1%, well below what international standards require.

Cruise Ship Pollution in Norwegian Fjord

NABU’s anti-award highlights not only the sulfurous emissions but the effects of particle pollution in the environments of natural beauty and species diversity visited by cruise ships. Black oil or diesel particle pollution falling on the white ice at the north and south poles in particular has been blamed for increasing the heat absorption from sunlight, contributing to the melting of glacial ice. Maybe eco-friendly cruising needs a second look.

This post was originally published by Treehugger.

Warning! The Future of Our Planet is At Risk

More Polar Bears Turn to Cannibalism to Avoid Starvation

Photo from blmiers2 via flickr

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Maria G.

1:55PM PST on Jan 22, 2012

petición firmada!!

January 22
send a green star

Valerie A.

9:57AM PST on Jan 16, 2012

Thanks

January 16
send a green star

David N.

7:57AM PST on Jan 15, 2012

Thanks for the article.

January 15
send a green star

8:53AM PST on Jan 14, 2012

Petition signed.

January 14
send a green star

Tracy F.

2:33PM PST on Jan 13, 2012

Thanks so much for the petition!

January 13
send a green star

Andrea A.

10:44AM PST on Jan 13, 2012

Thanks.

Carole K.

3:45AM PST on Jan 12, 2012

Thank you for making us all aware of this horrendous situation. I had no idea of the extent of this cruise ship pollution problem. Signed the petition. Never have taken a cruise & now that I'm aware of what environmental havoc for which they are responsible, I am never likely to take one in my lifetime.