Sustainability in a desert oasis
We are on the edge of the Sahara. In one direction, it’s flat and brown spotted with nomadic tents backscaped by the Algerian Mountains. In another direction, there is nothing but sand dunes. As we drive, we pass signs of life in the form of palm tree oasis. I look back behind me, and see the mud thatched buildings that make up the town of Merzouga. I am befuddled by the existence of a town in this environment. Yet life exists here along with a booming tourist industry.
We arrived in Merzouga, jumped on a camel and sauntered into the Sahara Desert for a night. The following day, we toured the desert through sand dunes and drank tea with nomads. Aside from high winds and sand in the face, it was interesting to see another life perspective. I appreciate new experiences and gaining new cultural perspectives. However…I’m torn by the sustainability of it.
On one hand, life is sustained by tourism. The nomadic lady we visited for tea was divorced and the sole provider for her sister and child. After Ramadan, they plan on packing up and moving on. However, with the money she receives from tourists, she is saving to build a house outside of town, which would allow for an improved quality of life.
Then, on the other hand, Merzouga literally butts up to the Sahara, which is slowly encroaching into the town. Water appears to be scarce: there are rainwater retention wells, some “lakes” that catch runoff from the Algerian Mountains, and I saw a dam, but no water. Water is turned off to houses in villages for short periods during the day; however, I watched farmers irrigate their land and the hotel had plenty of water.
So, when I see hotel oasis dotting the Saharan landscape, it makes me uneasy. As a Westerner, we use water excessively and have a huge water footprint compared to the local villagers. After our night in the desert, I know the majority of us took at least two long showers. If it weren’t for the fact my handheld shower head was broken, I would have been guilty of the same thing. This is what leads me to my moral dilemma; when a region is dependent on tourism and is deprived of a resource, should tourists be shuttled in to increase the burden on said resource?
