Considering hitting the open seas for your honeymoon? You're not alone. Over the past ten years, the cruise industry has more than doubled. According to the US Maritime Administration, nearly 12 million passengers will cruise through North America this year; each passenger will generate an estimated 70 gallons of sewage, 333 gallons of gray water and 12 gallons of oil bilge during the course of a one week vacation.
Still lured by the thought of 24-hour entertainment, all-inclusive food and drink and bargain-basement honeymoon accommodations? We've outlined a number of things you can do to make your cruise a greener travel experience:
Choose an Eco Friendly Destination
Choose a region that has environmentally progressive laws -- and enforces them. Portovert's Pick: Alaska. Alaska's pioneer Ocean Rangers boarded oceanliners this month in an effort to clean up the cruise ship industry; these Marine Engineers (certified by the US Coast Guard) will work to ensure compliance with international and regional regulations off the Alaskan coast. Skip This: Southeast Asia. While the US bans many toxic agents, Southeast Asia allows the dumping of harmful waste, including chemical and medical waste.
Choose a Responsible Cruise Line
Not all ships are created equal. In the United States, the EPA regulates the dumping of waste streams, but these standards are minimal at best. Raw, untreated sewage (often called black water), for instance, is permitted to be dumped from as little as 3-nautical miles offshore. And air pollution is not regulated at all. Choose a ship with state-of-the-art environmental equipment that exceeds current regulations. Portovert's Pick: Holland America. Some of the more outstanding point on their ships:
Clean Water:
* Advanced Waste Water Purification Systems treat black water so that it meets water drinking standards. We got to go in the belly of a Holland America ship and the on-board Environmental Officer was proud to take a swig of the clear water, "fresh" from the cleaning process.
Clean Air:
* Vista-class cruise ships connect to shore power at the Port of Seattle, reducing both fuel consumption and air emissions.
* Vista-class cruisers also employ new hybrid power systems, reducing overall air emissions.
* Holland America is the first line to test sea water scrubber systems; sea water scrubbers use sea water to naturally remove sulfur oxide to reduce harmful air emissions. According to the Bluewater Network, ships are responsible for half of the sulfur found over the world's oceans. Sea scrubbers are not yet available on all Holland America ships.
Zero Waste:
* All cabins have recycle bins, but if you forget to do the crew's dirty work, no worries. All garbage is separated below ship: food, glass, cans, paper, cardboard, cooking oil, batteries and so forth. According to one ship's Environmental Officer, nearly 99% of waste is recycled.
Environmental Conservation:
* Holland America's "Avoiding Whale Strikes" program has been recognized by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA's Fisheries Service) with a Conservation Partnership Award.
Future Improvements:
* Petro-based dry cleaning machines will be replaced with soy, orange and banana oil based "wet cleaning" machines.
* Digital technology will replace x-ray facilities and onboard photo lab equipment.
Don't forget to check up with industry watch dogs before you book your vacation. Check Cruise Junkies for the latest news on your cruise line of choice. The site documents everything from labor infractions to environmental offenses.
Be a Better Passenger
Don't forget to do your part!
*Ask to skip the daily paper trail of planners and menus. Events are typically posted through-out the ship.
*When in doubt, carry your garbage on land where you can properly recycle it to prevent it from mistakenly being dumped in a sensitive coral reef.
* Choose responsible activities and take advantage of eco-friendly menus while on-board.
