Like all social media, Instagram displays photos and videos of people living their best life, traveling the world, succeeding, and simply being happy. Not only has it been shown that social media can deeply affect our perceptions of adequacy as we constantly compare ourselves to others, it also physically affects the outdoors and the environment.
Being outside is incredibly important for a multitude of health reasons. A research article was published that found that health and well-being improved just by spending 2 hours outside in nature a week. Being outside can also help increase happiness, decrease violence, decrease anxiety, and improve sleep.
The health benefits of going outdoors isn't new, but posting photos in nature has been popularized on social media. While this has a number of benefits, it also has its drawbacks.
The Dirty Laundry
Geotagging
Geotagging means that a place online has been tagged with its exact coordinates. For instance, a beautiful waterfall or vista that was once a hidden gem now has its exact location posted online for the world to see. By geotagging locations, there has been an influx of visitors to those locations, leading to environmental degradation and overcrowding.
And it makes sense, right? We all want to see beautiful places, and locals hiding locations from the public can be seen a form of gatekeeping (i.e. "this is ours" and "you don't belong here"). The question of whether places should be geotagged calls for a separate blog post, but there is no doubt that if you want to keep a place a secret, don't share it's exact location.
The solution is to geotag broadly: tag the country or region or state, but not the exact coordinates.
Overcrowding of public lands
When influencers and celebrities post pictures in beautiful places, it naturally makes other people want to go there too. This isn't inherently bad; people shouldn't be restricted from seeing beautiful things. However, crowding can be an eyesore and can negatively affect one's experience in nature. No one wants to sit in an idling car waiting to get into Yellowstone, or stand in line to take a photo of the view, or try to angle the camera perfectly to crop out the dozens of humans scattering around, giving the illusion of remoteness.
A large influx of people means damage to the environment. Even if intentional damage doesn't occur, the act of having thousands (even millions) of people in one location leads to the trampling and killing of vegetation. Visitors also damage the environment by:
Picking flowers or other vegetation. Flowers should be left alone for everyone to enjoy, not to be picked and killed.
Killing animals. All wildlife (unless it's harming you, like ticks and mosquitoes, for example) should be preserved, whether you like them or not. This includes spiders, insects, snakes, etc. You are in their home, after all.
Stacking cairns. Making little rock stacks has become popular, but it disrupts the natural environment, it violates Leave No Trace principles, and, when the rocks tumble, it can injure/kill wildlife (or other people if placed on a ledge).
Littering. The outdoors has been treated as a trash receptacle too often, from food wrappers and bottles to cigarette butts. There is no excuse for throwing your trash in the wild. Park staff don't get paid enough to clean up after tourists.
Cutting switchbacks. People taking a hike without appreciation for nature (or who are just lazy) often cut the trail, widening the path and killing vegetation.
Going off trail/ bushwhacking. Going off the trail can be dangerous to both visitors and wildlife, and not staying on trail kills vegetation. While one person might not affect an area too much, multiple people and groups can cause severe damage. Stay in designated areas to preserve nature.
Being loud. Loud music, noisy groups, helicopter rides, cars, snowmobiles, etc., cause noise pollution and can affect the natural behavior of wildlife (i.e. altering migration patterns, affecting reproduction, and causing stress to wildlife).
National Parks take a huge hit. During the COVID-19 shutdown, humans destroyed public lands via spray painting, carving names and hearts into rocks, and purposely destroying government property. The vandalism in Joshua Tree included visitors burning and cutting down Joshua trees, spray painting graffiti, and driving off-road in sensitive areas.
The quest for the perfect photo
In an effort to get the perfect photo, many people have died. Tourists will go into areas where they are not allowed, not equipped, or not prepared and put themselves in precarious situations to get cool selfies. Often, people end up falling to their deaths.
Moreover, the use of drones to capture stunning landscape views can both cause wildlife distress and ruin the natural experience of being out in wilderness. In many areas, including National Parks, flying drones is prohibited.
Not being present
Has social media ruined our appreciation for the environment? Looking at life behind a screen can make it feel like we aren't actually present in the moment, and whether or not we are being authentic is debatable. It's important to make sure we travel and tour for an authentic experience, not just for crafting a specific image on social media.
Social media can be a good thing too:
1. Inclusivity. Accounts have emerged online which bring inclusivity to the outdoors, empowering marginalized groups to go outside and giving a voice to audiences who usually aren't targeted.
2. Inspiration. Seeing incredible photos of the world is inspiring; it sparks our wanderlust
and makes us want to travel and experience the outdoors.
3. Education. Social media can also be a platform for learning/teaching outdoor etiquette, organism identification, learning safety skills, and highlighting the importance of environmental protection. It can also make users aware of what is happening in the world, including publicizing events or making people aware of certain hazards, like forest fires and flooding.
4. Community. Social media can foster a sense of community and bring together people who share common goals and interests. It can make people feel like they belong, and it can be a tool for organizing groups and calling for action.
Don't be a jerk
The solution to overcrowding and environmental damage isn't to not go outside: it's to go outside responsibly. Follow Leave No Trace principles, be respectful of the outdoors, follow local guidelines, and be educated about the area you are visiting.
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