12:00: The dark side of eco-tourism: balancing conservation and travel
1:00: Why are people still moving to high-risk climate areas?
Eco-tourism, a form of sustainable travel that often promises to protect natural environments, can sometimes have harmful impacts on the very ecosystems it's meant to safeguard. In this hour of Environmental Connections, host Jasmin Singer digs into the complicated reality of eco-tourism—exploring the tension between environmental conservation efforts and the demands of a growing travel industry. We’ll discuss how destinations like the Everglades and other natural areas are struggling with over-visitation and degradation, and what travelers can do to reduce their impact. Our guest:
- Josh Balistreri, stewardship director of the Western New York Land Conservancy
Then, in the second hour, we tackle the puzzling trend of Americans moving to regions increasingly vulnerable to climate disasters, such as Florida, Texas, and California. Despite the threat of hurricanes, wildfires, and flooding, millions of people continue to flock to these areas. Jasmin Singer and her guests will explore why this is happening and what it means for the future. Our guests:
- Rebecca K. Zarger, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of South Florida
- Joseph A. Henderson, Ph.D., associate professor of social sciences at Paul Smith’s College
- Lawrence Torcello, Ph.D., associate professor and chair of the Department of Philosophy at Rochester Institute of Technology
Special thanks to Chloe Milliman, Roisin Meyer and Emmely Eli Texcucano for their help with these episodes.
