On this special day, environmental awareness is the way!
Today is Beaches Day. It is a day when we celebrate the beauty of our coasts and the importance of taking care of them. On the occasion of this special date, as allies of the seas, we want to raise environmental awareness among visitors, residents, and all those interested in caring for the environment, especially the beaches.
In this article, we will tell you about the environmental problems that Quintana Roo faces as a tourism destination and the environmental education strategies (and actions) implemented by the government, the private initiative, and the population to care for the beaches.
The pollution problem affects all destinations worldwide, and in the case of Quintana Roo, sites such as jungles, beaches, cenotes, and freshwater bodies are the main affected.
The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources in Mexico (SEMARNAT) indicates that beach pollution comes from Natural and Human Activities in coastal zones.
Pollution from natural sources |
Pollution from human activities |
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The above table gives us an idea of the impact poorly controlled human actions generate in the waters of our beaches.
And if we talk about the effects of pollution in the water of the seas, according to the article by Dr. Teresa Álvarez, located in the institutional repository of ECOSUR, uncontrolled human actions cause consequences such as "...erosion and increased turbidity in the water; the generation of garbage; the discharge of dirty sewage and rainwater into the marine environment; pollution by petroleum hydrocarbons generated by boats, and outboard motor vehicles; the use of pesticides for golf course maintenance and insect control."
In the specific case of the seas of Quintana Roo. During the meeting "Solutions to Marine Pollution for a Green Recovery" in commemoration of Oceans Day, the UN representative in Mexico, Dolores Barrientos, emphasized that "...the world's oceans...are the main climate regulator, the benefits they provide are affected by the deterioration of the health of marine and coastal ecosystems, caused by pollution, climate change, overfishing and loss of habitat and biodiversity."
All this evidence shows that it is in our hands -as humanity- to take action to care for beaches through actions that involve comprehensive environmental education.
Currently, the Government of the State of Quintana Roo, in conjunction with other agencies, has created different strategies to spread the message of the importance of beach care through manuals and programs such as:
The Federal Commission for the Protection against Sanitary Risks (COFEPRIS) has issued an operational manual for the Surveillance of Primary Contact Water on Beaches and Fresh Water Bodies. While this government agency does not focus on beach care, its application helps to understand and evaluate the contamination risk of Mexico's beaches and seas.
The objectives of the manual are as follows:
This manual will help us collect all the scientific information we need to know how polluted our beaches are and how safe they are to swim in.
The program aims to protect users' health and improve the environmental quality of Mexico's beaches. It is distinguished by:
The State Development Plan, currently being carried out by the Government of Quintana Roo, has five axes, the number 5 being ORDERLY GROWTH WITH ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY. This axis includes Program 28, a series of guidelines designed to guarantee natural resource conservation and sustainable use. Some of these guidelines are:
So far, Program 28 is composed of 58 strategies, and you can consult them here: https://qroo.gob.mx/plan-de-accion/programa-28-medio-ambiente-y-sustentabilidad
Since we know that our beaches are threatened, as citizens, we have the chance to apply actions that involve a complete environmental education in our society. Some of the small actions we can do to avoid the pollution of beaches and seas are:
Remember that these actions are not only to protect the beaches and seas from pollution but also to reduce our carbon footprint worldwide and help the environment in general.
Actions of the companies
As the government and citizens join efforts for good care of the beaches and seas, Quintana Roo's touristic companies have implemented strategies and alliances that guarantee sustainable tourism development. These strategies are:
Remember that if all levels of government, businesses, citizens, and civil associations join together to care for the beaches and the seas, we can learn how to reduce pollution of the beaches and how to take care of them.