Sunday, October 16, 2011

Places I want to visit before they disappear. Max Deadline: 2050

I think it's sad that people even have to write these kinds of post- the fact that we have a deadline because these natural wonders are going to disappear within the next 30-50 years! Nevertheless, I'm writing this post as a personal goal.  I am determined to visit all 7 places by at least 2050. I am not a big "protect the environment" junkie at all- in fact I hate it when people go on and on about Global Warming.  But I think we underestimate the life span of these amazing places.  I don't know if it is because I'll be travelling to Europe for the first time in less than 6 weeks, but I'm suddenly very aware of what I might miss out on altogether.

1. Great Barrier Reef
As the worl'ds largest living organism, it is also the most fragile.  With rising seas temperatures and excessive commercial tourism and fishing, it is having irreversible damage on large parts of the Great Barrier Reef.  Also, being Australian, I'm truly devestated that I haven't visited it yet! This is on my number 1 list. Deadline: 2030



2. Maldives
As the world's lowest lying country, the Maldives can be completely submerged with just a rise in sea levels of just 91 cm.  Deadline: 2020



3. Madagascar
With 90% of its forests already gone, nothing is really being done to protect the diverse environment of the world's fourth largest island. Deadline: 2045



4. The Dead Sea, Jordan
With a third of its surface are in the last 40 years having disappeared, the Dead Sea has plundered for use in the cosmetic and mineral industries.  Deadline: 2050



5. Swiss Alps, Switzerland
Renowned for being constantly capped with snow however warm summer is, in recent years, the rising temperatures and lower snow fall is resulting in the melting of the snow. This is truly sad. Deadline 2030



6. Antartica
With 40% less sea ice than it used to, the Antarctic is home to penguins, polar bears and whales. We can not let this one disappear- it is perhaps one of the most important! Deadline: 2045



7. Belize Barrier Reef, Caribbean Sea
Like the Great Barrier Reef, the Belize Barrier Reef leads a tenuous existence.  Home to the Great Blue Hole, one of my life missions is to scuba dive that. I need to go before all its beauty is destroyed by agricultural pollution, bleaching, global warming, and excessive tourism.  Deadline: 2050 

1 comment:

Tereza {Drastic Plastic} said...

This is such a beautiful and sad post at the same time.

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