The season is already in full swing here in Ibiza and, give or take the odd rain shower, it already feels like the height of summer. The island welcomes around three million visitors annually, most of them between the months of May and October, and while it goes without saying that tourists are the backbone of the local economy, the influx of such a large number of people over such a short period of time clearly has an environmental impact.
We at IbizaPreservation have therefore put together this simple, ten-point guide to help tourists enjoy their time on the island in a way that protects its incredible natural heritage and helps to preserve the Ibiza we all love.
To help you, we’ve put together the following ten tips:
- Plan your journey. Being an island, Ibiza isn’t easy to access. But if you have time on your side, you might want to explore no-fly options such as train + ferry, if practical. Choose accommodation and activities that are environmentally friendly and that use energy, water and other resources responsibly. Calculate and offset the total CO2 emissions from your entire trip (not just the flights) via www.ibizasostenible.com/co2-ciudadanos.
- Getting around. Help us cut pollution by walking, cycling and using public transport to get around wherever possible. If you need to hire a car, choose an electric one. Although these are no silver bullet, they do typically have a smaller carbon footprint than gasoline cars, even when accounting for the electricity used for charging and the energy consumed in their manufacture.
- Save water. Ibiza suffers from severe water shortages. Opt for showers instead of baths, keep them short and turn the tap off when washing up or brushing your teeth. If staying in a hotel, hang up and reuse your towels to avoid generating unnecessary washing. You can read up on more of Ibiza's water situation by visiting our water holiday tips article.
- Ditch the plastic. Bring some reusable bags for your shopping; buy loose fruit & veg to cut down on plastic wrapping. Also, carry a refillable water bottle and use water fountains, large water bottles or the tap to fill it up. Contrary to popular belief, the tap water in most parts of the island is safe to drink as it comes from desalination plants. If unsure, check with your accommodation manager.
- Manage your waste properly. Please clean up after yourself! Always separate your waste and deposit it in the correct recycling containers: yellow for packaging; blue for paper and cardboard; green for glass; brown for food waste; grey for anything else. This can be made easier by setting up different bags in your accommodation and then taking them down to the many recycling bins on the street to deposit either during or at the end of your stay.
- Attention, smokers! Don’t throw your cigarette butts on the ground and especially don’t leave them in the sand at the beach; they take years to degrade and release harmful toxins into the environment. In fact, just one cigarette end can pollute up to 500 litres of water and kill many of the fish swimming in it. Read more on this issue in our previous column.
- Safeguard our biodiversity. Respect the local environment by ensuring you don’t walk over protected areas like sand dunes. Take nothing of the island’s flora and fauna home except photos. If you see a turtle or its eggs at the beach, please don’t touch them and call 112 straight away.
- Protect Posidonia. This underwater plant absorbs 15 times more CO2 than the Amazon rainforest and keeps our waters crystal clear. Anchoring boats in the meadows is illegal and the damage caused by it takes centuries to repair. If you’re chartering a boat, please ask the captain to ensure he or she does not drop anchor in these protected areas.
- Cut the chemicals. Choose an eco-friendly sunscreen; it reduces pollution in the water and is much friendlier to our marine life.
- Respect the island & choose local. Educate yourself about the island’s culture and traditions and always treat its people and customs with respect. Support Ibiza’s farmers by visiting markets and farm shops and discovering some of the delicious local produce on offer. More info via ibizaproduce.org.
If we want the island to continue to flourish and welcome future generations, it’s essential that we move towards a more sustainable model of tourism. By taking personal responsibility and following these few simple steps, we can all be part of the change.
You can find out more about IbizaPreservation and donate towards their work by going to their website: ibizapreservation.org. You can also follow them on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
Check out Ibiza Spotlight's recommended eco-friendly businesses whilst you are here and help to support a greener, cleaner Ibiza and Formentera.
