'The Last Resort' unveils the environmental toll of beachside destinations

NPR's Book of the Day

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Books, Arts

4.2 • 672 Ratings

🗓️ 4 July 2022

⏱️ 9 minutes

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Summary

Beach resorts are a favorite when it comes to travel destinations. But behind the infinity pools and the all-inclusive deals, these massive resorts are taking a toll on the environment and on local communities, says Sarah Stodola, author of The Last Resort. On one hand, they've proven to raise the standard of living for local communities, help create jobs and grow the economy. On the other hand, these communities have lost big parts of their culture and autonomy, and the impact they have on the environment is hard to miss. What is the tipping point in the growth and development of a place?

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, it's Empire's Book of the Day. I'm Andrew Limbaugh. Okay, so if you're listening to this on the day it comes out, it is July 4th. And hopefully, I'm not at my desk and instead at a barbecue, crushing a beer with the boys as our founding fathers intended. Maybe you decided to bravely weather the traffic and hit the beach, in which case,
0:22.0	we've got the perfect book for you. It's a non-fiction book called The Last Resort,
0:26.3	A Chronicle of Paradise, Prophet, and Peril at the beach. It's by writer Saras the Dodola,
0:31.2	and as the title kind of implies, it's a look at some of the harms caused by those fancy beach resorts.
0:37.1	This includes environmental damage as well as the literal disappearing It's a look at some of the harms caused by those fancy beach resorts.
0:43.2	This includes environmental damage as well as the literal disappearance of some aspects of culture.
0:45.1	But it's not all bad. In this interview, Stodola tells NPR's Alyssa Nadwarny that beach resorts and tourism
0:49.8	can also have a positive impact, but only up to a certain extent.
0:54.6	Like a lot of things, the truth of it all is kind of complicated.
0:58.0	Give it a listen.
0:59.8	In the U.S., national security news can feel far away from daily life.
1:04.5	Distant wars, murky conflicts, diplomacy behind closed doors on our new show, sourcesources and Methods. NPR reporters on the ground
1:12.4	bring you stories of real people helping you understand why distant events matter here at home.
1:18.4	Listen to sources and methods on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.
1:23.5	What comes to mind when you hear the word paradise? Chances are you're thinking of the beach, the pleasant sound of waves crashing into the sand,
1:32.4	the sun toasting your skin as you relax with a book in one hand and a pinocalada in the other.
1:38.3	Beach resorts have become some of our favorite travel destinations.
1:41.6	But behind their exquisite ocean views, massive pools, and
1:45.6	indulging on all-inclusive deals, hide a darker reality.
1:50.8	Sarah Stadola's new book is The Last Resort, A Chronicle of Paradise, Profit, and Peril
1:55.9	at the beach.
1:57.0	And she joins us now.
	...

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