Ecotourism – An old idea that is new again
Don’t you love these guys (I’m using the gender neutral version) that think they’ve discovered a brand new idea? Recently I heard somebody touting ecotourism as this summer great focus. Hello?!?!? Ecotourism has been around for decades. It is called getting outdoors and being aware of your environment! You don’t need big bucks or to travel to some far away location. Just put on some good walking shoes and head out to some “wild” place like your local national forest, city park, a neighborhood creek or you own backyard. There you’ll discover the environment of a special place. It won’t take you long to discover the wonders of Mother Nature or to see the impact of disrespecting Mother Nature.
Folks talks about places in Dubai, Ireland, Kenya, Peru, Canada, Japan, and other locations most of us will never get to and the need for preservation of the natural wonders found there. Okay, saving the Amazon River’s ecosystem isn’t a bad thing but, for me, it is overwhelming. It is better that I focus my efforts on places closer to my home. There’s Mule Creek at the end of my street that too often seems collect glass bottles, soda cans, and all sorts of trash. Don’t people know Mule Creek sees all sorts of wildlife drinking at its little puddles of rain water? Would you drink from a place crowded with trash?
IMHO, Ecotourism is a fancy-pants name for camping and hiking and respecting all that is great in the outdoors. Recently, my ecotourism travels have focused on the trails around the mountains near my home. What will you focus be on?
