The shipping industry has been actively operating for hundreds of years in different parts of the world. And it has revolutionized the way of life for millions of people by connecting lots of countries. Huge amounts of goods, food, and information are being transported across the world to improve people's lives. The shipping industry plays an important role in maintaining the world’s economy.
Rapid technological advancement has improved education and shipping equipment by making them more efficient to meet ever-rising global demand. While shipping has improved the lives of millions of people, we cannot deny the global pollution that has been caused by it. In this post, we are going to study the environmental impacts of international shipping and why college students should read about them. Let’s get started!
The Environmental Impacts of International Shipping
If you’ve been wondering why global shipping is bad for the environment, this article is for you. Here are the top environmental effects of international shipping:
· Air pollution According to various research studies, more than 18 percent of air pollutants on earth are caused by ships. This is a common problem inshore because large diesel engine fumes concentrate and affect hundreds of species and human beings.
· Water pollution The international shipping industry dumps more than 250 million gallons of gray and black water into the sea each day. Leaking engines and machinery mix with water. This leads to water pollution and the death of fish and other species in the ocean.
· Sound pollution: Ships produce noise that travels for long distances. This greatly interferes with species in bodies of water that rely on communication to feed and find mates.
· Oil pollution: The most common type of pollution is oil spillage. While oil spills happen rarely nowadays thanks to modern technology, they are the most devastating to the environment. It kills life and destroys the ocean’s ecosystem.
· Greenhouse emissions: A research study conducted by the International Council on Clean Transport found that international shipping is responsible for the emission of close to one billion tons of carbon dioxide every year. If no one takes action, the UN reports that these rates of emissions will rise by at least 50 percent by 2050.
A smart tip to help you change your life.
As a student, the effects of international shipping on the environment should concern you. Here’s why. You are a young person right now with big goals. You probably look forward to reading a free essay example to get good grades, land your dream job, buy your first car, house, or even start a family. For you to achieve your goals, you have to find a site covering most various free writing examples to find time to improve your health. Without good health, there’s nothing much you can do in any area of life.
Your health depends on the air you breathe, the water you drink, and the environment that you live in. If you care about your goals and future generations, you have to start taking action wherever you are to conserve the environment. You can volunteer in nature conservation activities such as planting trees, conserving water, using public transport, or emission-free transportation modes such as biking and walking, to name a few.
Solutions for the shipping industry
The shipping industry can greatly reduce emission rates by:
· Investing in low-carbon fuels: Minimizing fuel consumption is one of the best ways for shipping companies to reduce carbon emissions. Low carbon fuels have the potential to reduce greenhouse and other toxic gasses produced by huge cargo ships. When impurities are stripped away from fuel, the toxic impact on human health and the environment will be reduced.
· Effective port management: When operating procedures and port management are optimized, shipping companies will reduce the amount of time that ships spend on the dock. When ship idling time is reduced in harbors, carbon dioxide emissions will be reduced, and this will make the entire shipping process efficient.
Conclusion
Modern technology has revolutionized the shipping industry by reducing fuel consumption, gaseous emissions, and shipping overhead costs for companies. However, there’s still much that needs to be done to conserve the environment and improve people’s health. International shipping has been responsible for a lot of environmental issues.
As a student, you can do a lot wherever you are to prevent things from getting worse. You can minimize the number of goods that you order from other countries and support local businesses. Apart from that, you should conserve water, plant trees, and use emission-free transport modes such as biking or walking. In the end, you’ll not only help yourself but also the world. What are you going to start doing today to conserve the environment?
