Daily Sitka Sentinel

January 20, 2023, Community Happenings

Climate Connection: Is Increasing Tourism Sustainable?

As our community embarks on a sustainability journey with a new Sustainability Commission and Coordinator, we think about what sustainability means. To some, it may mean preserving our current way of life going forward. To others, it means surviving climate catastrophes and accompanying economic chaos, mass migration, and decreased food production. Others may be more focused on preserving health and equitable wellbeing while lessening consumption and our dependence on fossil fuels as we try to mitigate global temperature increases to protect the earth for future generations. Despite differing views of what sustainability means, we likely agree that we are in unprecedented times of change.

Our community is facing choices with respect to a major economic driver in Sitka – tourism. In the pre-pandemic decade, Sitka had 152,000 average annual cruise ship visitors, with only three years topping 200,000. Citizens voted twice to not develop a public deep-water dock in town for cruise ships. The 2022 cruise ship passengers numbered 383,000 and are estimated at 510,000 or more on 220 ship calls in 2023. On the one hand, increased sales tax and head tax revenues, increased seasonal employment, and income for businesses catering to tourists are advantages. On the other hand, community desirability in 2022 suffered with pedestrian and traffic congestion, telecommunication insufficiency, diesel air pollution, housing shortages, and local access to businesses and recreation. Many see urgency in “right-sizing” cruise ship numbers before our economy is dependent on tourism, with possible replacement of local business by outside commercial entities better able to bid up downtown real estate prices. Three major cruise ship corporations visiting Sitka each lost more than half of their 2018 stock value, with two losing three-quarters or more, despite the return of bookings post-pandemic. With current inflation and recession worries looming, is pinning our community’s future on increasing cruise tourism wise? 

The three pillars of sustainability are economy (profit), society (people), and environment (planet). In Sitka’s situation, money (profit) seems opposed to quality of life (people) and pollution (environment). Pollution stems from tourist land and marine transport and biofouling of hulls from the cruise liners which travel the world before docking in Sitka. Three of the cruise ships visiting Sitka this summer have been denied docking in Australia and New Zealand this winter because of biofouling. Equitable distribution of tourism profit and advantages is far from assured for Sitka residents.  

Unlimited economic growth is not sustainable at a time when we need to strengthen our local circular economy and decrease our community contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. The wellbeing of people and planet must be weighed against money interests in our changing world. We can limit tourist numbers downtown and on our waters. In Bar Harbor, Maine, citizens overcame their city assembly’s reluctance to limit tourist numbers in the last election. What do we want for a sustainable Sitka, and how do we best use our voices to get there?

Kay Kreiss, Transition Sitka

Ocean Wave

Quilters Meet

Ocean Wave Quilters will meet 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 7, at United Methodist Church.

Monthly meetings, September through June, are open to all, members or not. Those wishing to pay the $25 dues receive a monthly newsletter, discounts on classes and other benefits.

For more information call President Sarah Jordan at 907-738-7272.

Open Sewing

Session Feb. 11

Ocean Wave Quilters will sponsor an open sewing session 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, at United Methodist Church.

All are invited to attend. Irons, ironing boards, tables and chairs are provided. Lunch is a potluck. For information call Linda Swanson at 907-747-3471.

Service, Meeting

At St. Peter’s

St. Peter’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church will hold one service, at 10 a.m., on Jan. 22, in person and with a Zoom option.

The annual meeting and a potluck will be held in the See House after the service. All are welcome. For more info,  send an email to stpetersbytheseak@gmail.com or call (907) 747-3977 and leave a message for a call back. The church is located at 611 Lincoln Street, and is open every day to stop in for a time of quiet, prayer and rest.