It is incredibly depressing to be in the know. I was so happy laying on the beach and snorkeling in the crystal clear waters of the Galápagos Islands before I knew just how devastating humans are to the world.

Tourism has and will continue to affect marine habitats in a negative way. Different habitats see different problems. For example, tourism at sandy beaches has caused the sea level to rise. A high level of dive tourism at coral reefs also does not bode well. Visitors can transmit coral diseases and parasites between reefs, as well as leave garbage, residual sunblock, and more. People hiking/walking leads to the trampling of nests. As tourism develops, there is the risk that tour operators will search for underutilized and often more secluded and pristine areas, which leads to a decrease in biodiversity.

Basically, we suck.