The realities of the XXI century show that this is the period of the great discoveries and transformations of human civilization, but also the most complex and sometimes unexpected effects on life.
In fact, water and energy have always been necessary for the development of any area in the economy of a country. Of course we can say that it is necessary for tourism development but by this we mean the protection of the environment in which they occur.
The improvement and modernization processes, using the latest scientific achievements have greatly reduced the specific consumption of raw materials, but not of the energy. The materials likely to harm the environment increased, as a result of industrialization and the growth of the goods production.
“The Natural environment”, and by that I mean, the air, the oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, the soil – the underground, the wind energy, and the life forms that these ecosystems create and sustain, is the most common image that the normal individual creates when speaking about the environment and are the main resources for the tourism industry.
The entire activity of tourism seeks not only the rational use of all natural resources, but also the correlation of the systematic planning of the territory, as well as of the localities with measures to protect the natural factors, adopting less polluting production technologies and equipment of the technological installations and means of transport with generating devices and systems designed to prevent harmful effects on the environment, recovery and optimal exploitation of residual usable substances.
Water - vital resource for the tourism industry
Water is an important resource for tourism. The sunny beaches of the seas worldwide annually attract thousands of tourists, but to bathe without unpleasant consequences it must not contain bacteria or algae that give water a greenish color and are not very attractive to bathe in.
Water is essential for agriculture. The soil fertility is formed and productive only in the presence of water. If a large production is desired, that irrigation is needed. Water, and especially fresh water, is one of the critical natural resources. The tourism industry in general overuses water resources for hotels, swimming pools, golf courses and for the personal use of tourists. This may result in degradation of the water and reducing the amount of water supplies, but also in generating a greater volume of waste water.
The Energy – the vital resource for the tourism industry
Tourism can create pressure on local resources such as energy, food and other basic materials that are already in short supply. A higher extraction and transport exacerbates their physical effects associated with their use. Due to the seasonal nature of the industry, many destinations have ten times more inhabitants during the season than in other periods. Either these resources are highly sought by tourists with high expectations. (Central heating, hot water, etc.).
The reasons that led to the search for new sources for energy are not the ancient ones any more. The energy provided by nuclear and coal power plants supply today two thirds of the global electricity, but they are also responsible for the negative effects on the environment (greenhouse effect, acid rain, etc.).
Going beyond the technological difficulties, wind energy is cheap and what is most important, it is environment friendly, this being one of the advantages of the tourism industry. Mankind has been using wind energy for several millennia. Wind windmills work was required to move sailing ships. The kinetic energy of the wind was and is available in almost all parts of the earth. It is ecologically attractive – it does not produce any emissions into the atmosphere, it does not form radioactive waste.
As a primary energy source wind does not cost anything. It can also be used decentralized – it is a good alternative for small, secluded towns that are at a considerable distance from traditional sources or for chalets in the mountains that are hard to supply.
