Nikki Winkel
When the discussion of ATVs and their environmental impact is brought up, people often think carbon emissions are the biggest threat to nature. However, there is another threat that is arguably more disruptive to wildlife than an increase to CO2, and that threat is noise pollution.
This article outlines the effects of engine sounds and how using an electric vehicle lessens the environmental impact on both carbon emissions and noise pollution. To learn more about DRR USA’s electric all-terrain vehicles you can visit: https://www.drrusa.com/adult-electric-atvs-utvs-motorcycles
All forms of tourism have their effects on the environment; ecotourism is centered on conservation of natural environments. ATV tours provide access to environments that passenger vehicles are not able to reach. They also provide a way to see more that the world has to offer by allowing a faster and easier way to explore the wilderness. However, the use of gas ATVs is contributing to new issues for the environment that can be avoided with the use of an electric quad. Below are excerpts from two articles, discussing the impacts of ATV tours on their environment.
The first excerpt was written by Kevin Chlad, the full piece can be found here. He discusses how gas ATV tours disturb the wildlife of the park.
“One of the greatest, yet least tangible, impacts ATVs have on wildlife stems from the noise these machines create. Just as with humans, wildlife can suffer auditory damage. A report published by the Wildlife Conservation Society, entitled ‘All-Terrain Vehicles in the Adirondacks” states that, “[n]oise from [engines] can affect predator-prey relationships by masking the sounds that generally have an important role in those interactions. High levels of background noise can have a number of indirect effects as well. Noise can cause an increase in animals’ heart rates, and affect behavior patterns such as nesting and reproduction or feeding and foraging. These impacts may or may not be devastating to an animal depending on the season, its energy budget, and the extent of the disturbance.’ (Page 22)”
The energy budget of an animal refers to the amount of energy they have per day to survive on. There are two major factors of an animal’s energy budget that off-road recreational vehicles are affecting. The first is that vehicles may be contributing to habitat destruction which is decreasing the food supply. When an animal eats less food, they have less energy to burn. The second issue that can be eliminated with a silent, battery powered 4 wheeler, is noise pollution. The noise from ATV engines causes animal’s heart rates to speed up, increasing the rate that they burn calories. Both of these factors are lowering the amount of energy animals have to survive on each day. If a species is already struggling in an area, the introduction or continuation of ATV use could be devastating to their ability to live in that environment.
The next excerpt, titled “ATVs and the Environment” can be found here. It focuses on this ecotourism adventure in Costa Rica, one of the ecotourism capitals of the world.
“The fresh jungle air is also affected by ATV tours. Off-road vehicles use two-stroke engines, which tend to produce excessive exhaust … Four ATV manufacturers in China were recently fined well over a million dollars and forced by the US Environmental Protection Agency to discontinue selling their vehicles in the U.S. due to clean-air violations. They are still able to sell in Central America, however, and even ATVs that pass legal code have [engines] that pollute heavily—ATV [engines] aren’t restricted by the same laws as cars, and one ATV ends up putting as much pollutant into the air as about four cars.”
The issues of both noise and air pollution caused by gas ATVs can be eliminated completely with the use of all electric ATVs. The conversion to electric vehicles with the combination of responsible driving practices, can greatly minimize the impact on the natural environment. DRR USA provides the best electric quads for adults without compromising the experience. Riders claim that it improves the experience because you can hear the natural sounds and avoid the exhaust fumes that are typically a concern when travelling in a group. The switch to electric vehicles is a growing movement, the change is simple, and the benefits are undeniable.
For other information on DRR USA’s electric ATV’s visit https://www.drrusa.com/adult-electric-atvs-utvs-motorcycles