Let me start by saying that every single location in the world has a unique charm, culture, and experience. So, the argument can be made that it’s almost certain that should you visit any destination that isn’t your homeland, you’ll get a new and different experience.

Having established that, it must also be pointed out that only a few locations in the entire world can boast the appeal and seemingly endless offerings that the state of Hawaii displays almost effortlessly. You’ve got everything from world-class surfs to amazing marine life, breathtaking views, volcanoes, stunning beaches (of course!), and literally tons of endless adventure and outdoor activities. Needless to say, all of this is why, every year, this location records an average of more than eight million visitors!

To be sure, this level of tourism does contribute a more than decent sum to the economy of the state. However, the point must be made that over-tourism has gotten to its peak here and this fact is beginning to become quite obvious. This is why we’re starting to see, among many other things, heavily polluted beaches, waning coral reefs, and disappearing fauna and flora. From all indications, it’s crystal clear that something must be done about this dire situation.

However, that “something” certainly isn’t the Hawaii Green Fee. Like with all things surrounding legislature in the United States of America, the details of this bill are deeply enmeshed in a sea of political lingo. However, the long and short of it all is this; should this bill successfully go through Hawaii state legislature and be approved, it’ll require that ANY visitor to the region that’s above the age of 15 must pay a sum of $50 to simply visit the location yearly.

According to Carissa Cabrera who is the Hawaii Green Fee project manager, “For this place we call home, that cost is the erosion of our natural and cultural resources. The Hawaii you see today is so different from the Hawaii of 10 years ago. The constant visitor traffic takes its toll,” she says. “We cannot keep taking from our resources without replenishing and protecting and caring for them in some way to ensure they do more than survive, but thrive.”

Again, for the purpose of clarity, Cabrera does have a good point. It’s obvious that certain steps need to be taken to preserve this heaven on earth. But, in the same stretch, I do not see how billing people in this manner will address the problem in a sustainable way.

There are several reasons why I hold this particular stance on this issue and I’ll be more than happy to discuss some of the biggest ones in detail.

To start with, there’s a very good chance that this Hawaii Green Fee idea will backfire, and badly, too. No matter what guise this matter will be presented to visitors, the fact remains that you’re essentially asking them to pay more. Fantastic experience or not, the numbers speak for themselves.

The average Hawaii tourist spends over $3,000. That figure jumps to in excess of $13,000 for a family of four. The more of this place you want to see, the more you’re likely going to have to cough up here.

Now, adding a mere $50 to $3,000 is akin to adding a drop of water to an ocean – most people probably wouldn’t feel it, at least, from the financial aspect of things. But consider that some people may not react so favorably to having to pay, just so they can visit a spot. If the public responds negatively to this, you can expect that the number of visitors would fall.

Now, you might be wondering; but doesn’t that solve the over-tourism problem? Yes, it does. But apparently, Hawaii doesn’t want the issue resolved that way. Because, if they did, they would instead have placed sensible restrictions on the number of people that could visit per time. Places like the Galapagos Islands (Ecuador) and Machu Picchu (Peru) have done this with decent levels of success.

But no, Hawaii just wants to make money while continuing to invite in the same elements they claim are destroying it. They are hoping to make around $400 million annually from the Green Fee. However, should people stand against this (as they rightly should) the tottering economy of the region may finally crash altogether.

Another thing worth considering here is the fact that, for people who live in the U.S. and intend to visit Hawaii, paying the Green Fee would be tantamount to being charged to travel within the borders of the country! Again, of course, the political lingo will make it seem otherwise but the simple truth is that this bill is essentially evading the country’s constitutional commerce clauses.

Finally, there’s the most obvious hole in this whole Hawaii Green Fee deal. Would the money being paid here make the carbon footprint of visitors magically disappear? If things go as the state plans, would it stem the tide of over-tourism in reality? The answer to both these questions is “No”.

Even with all the money in the world, the effects of population and the fact that plants and animals are going into extinction can’t be rolled back so easily. What can mitigate these effects is enacting and enforcing sensible environmental protection policies – something that Hawaii seems intent on not doing.

Rather, they prefer to make money off the back of something truly sad. Something needs to be done about the situation in Hawaii but the Green Fee is obviously a step in the wrong direction. As a matter of fact, it makes the words of Cabrera that, “…we’re not trying to be greedy…” ring hollow indeed.