We are reminded that eco-tourism is not a panacea for all the world’s problems. Here is a parody written by Peter Schrock:
As their air-conditioned bus pulled away from the lodge, the tourists celebrated their near-impossible victory over a multitude of humanity’s greatest challenges. Their heroic four-night trip to first class facilities in the heart of the Amazon rain forest exposed to the world the absurdity of burning unsustainable fossil fuels for energy.
In a brilliant gambit, the eco-tourists observed and cataloged every previously unknown species during a single hour-long night hike. An overnight stay with the indigenous people at a nearby village reportedly rid the world of wealth inequality, power discrepancies, racism and sexism for good. With great trepidation, the group tried chichi, a fermented drink make from a root vegetable named yucca, and found that their brave sacrifice had miraculously destroyed every cultural stereotype and misunderstanding on the planet.
In what some are calling a daring masterstroke, the group visited and donated to a micro-credit bank, immediately fixing the global banking system. Corruption, fraud, inflation, unemployment and low growth are all ideas that belong exclusively in the domain of the historian.
In his characteristically matter-of-fact tone, one of the eco-tourists remarked, “I’m surprised nobody thought of this before. It was so easy and so fun!” At press time, designs for life-size statues of the gallant and noble tourists are being drawn up to be erected by the end of the calendar year.
