Water and waste issues - the vital organs of sustainable destinations

Water and waste aren’t exactly top of the list when it comes to sexy sustainable subjects. But they are most definitely top of the fundamentals list. They are some of the vital organs of destinations and if they aren’t working, then you can almost forget about the rest of your sustainable tourism goals. Gaining access to water is an issue for many islands, and getting rid of waste is also a problem as both cost money. Read more below about two leading case studies of organizations creating long-term change when it comes to water and waste management, and the stories of people who made these changes happen.

“Almost half (49%) [of global travelers] still believe that in 2021, there aren’t enough sustainable travel options available, with 53% admitting they get annoyed if somewhere they are staying stops them from being sustainable, for example by not providing recycling facilities.” - Booking.com’s 2021 Sustainable Travel Report

Saba

Saba is a Caribbean island in the Lesser Antilles chain, and a special municipality of the Netherlands, along with the islands of Bonaire and Sint Eustatius (which together are sometimes called the BES Islands). As with all islands, water is a big issue, and so is waste. Getting hold of the former and getting rid of the latter are both significant problems. Saba has undertaken to tackle both issues by creating a new seawater and bottling plant on the island, a project that led to its being a finalist in the Green Destinations Awards in 2021. 

Most of the drinking water on Saba has been traditionally gathered in rainwater cisterns during the year but not only do these dry up, the water does not meet health and safety standards. This has led to many people buying imported bottled water, which is not only costly to them but also to the environment. However, a new water plant has been built which converts seawater into drinking water, using reverse osmosis technology. 

The island is mountainous and so they have also had to engineer a system that pumps this water up to an elevated bottling plant. At this plant, local people can buy 3 and 5 gallon refillable bottles, the first set being offered free of charge as a way to encourage them to jump on this new bottling bandwagon. The aim is a self-sufficient supply of high quality and affordable drinking water for individuals and businesses, especially tourism businesses with no more single use plastics soiling these sublime seas and landscapes.

LifeStraw

One of the world’s leading filtration water bottles, LifeStraw has completely changed the way travelers consume drinking water and, therefore, has had a hugely positive impact on the use of single use plastic. It seems too simple to be true, but it really works - by using a filtration straw in your water bottle, you eliminate 99.9% of contaminants. Fill up at your accommodation sink, or at a stream while you’re out and about and rehydrate safely. LifeStraw’s mission to provide clean water to travelers doesn’t stop there. Because for every LifeStraw product sold, a school child in countries ranging from Bangladesh to The Bahamas, Mexico to Mozambique receives clean drinking water for a year. 

We had the honor of filming the story of Viola Adeke Otwane, LifeStraw Area Coordinator in Kenya who has, with the support of LIfeStraw, brought clean water to over 4.6 million school children and educated them about sanitation and basic human rights in terms of water access. Considered an eminent leader in her community, not only are the children benefiting from this but local women are too. This is because it is women who traditionally go in search of drinking water in the community, meaning that their potential for empowerment in other areas is limited. 

“They say that what a man can do, a woman can do better. A stronger woman makes a stronger family. Eventually we have a stronger community and a stronger country. It has always been the responsibility of women to get water from whatever sources, no matter the distance. And most of this water was never treated...All the potential that was hidden in women in the kitchen is now being felt out there, in the community.” - Viola Adeke Otwane.