|
First order business is to do your best to determine whether your presence will deprive locals or rescue/support organizations of needed supplies. This includes obvious stuff like food, water and shelter, but it also includes access to other resources and infrastructure.
When I travel, I have money in the bank, credit cards, and all sorts of financial backups that the local people perhaps don’t, so I’ll pay whatever I need to. I eat, use fuel, pay for shelter, access internet and other communications, etc. If there are shortages, my willingness to pay whatever I have to willl either lessen availability or increase the price of all of these—probably both. That makes life harder for less-privileged locals. I try not to do that, so if that’s what it looks like, I go elsewhere.
In other situations, I conclude my presence will not drive scarcity or price inflation, and might even help out by funneling money into the local economy. In such cases, I go.
That’s my basic approach to natural and human-created disasters of all types. It’s not perfect, but it’s a pretty good head start.
Mark
|
11Likes
Threaded Mode
