Special to the PRESS
Dear South Padre Island Beach Trasher,
Summer. Beach Trash. Public Beach Access.
What do these three things have in common? It’s simple they are related through a common word, respect.
Summer minus respect plus beach trash equals less and less public beach access. Memorial Day came and went and despite one hell of a thunderstorm early Saturday morning it was a great weekend. Tens of thousands of people (you among them) came to South Padre Island. They came to the City Beaches, they came to the County Beaches and they fished in the Laguna Madre. Some stayed for the day, some stayed the weekend. They ate in our restaurants, bought souvenirs, bought ice, snacks and drinks at our stores and spent money all over the island. They (you included) also trashed our beaches.
Why do you come? I assume it is that you want to visit a beautiful pristine beach, whether that is within the developed beaches of the City or the undeveloped beaches of the County that have miles and miles of rolling untouched dunes. If that is true, then why not show appreciation by respecting this wonderful environment and leave it cleaner than the way you found it?
Respect. It is a two way street that can be shut down with the signing of an ordinance or the treatment of yourself by the residents of South Padre Island and the Lower Laguna Madre. You respect our area and what we love and we will return the favor with the friendliest service and treatment you have ever encountered. You disrespect it and then doors start shutting down real quick. That beach is YOUR beach just as much as it is ours. The last time I checked, SPI and Cameron County Public Works Employees didn’t wear a name tag that said personal maid on it. It wasn’t mine or anyone else around here’s personal responsibility to pick up your trash although we do because we care for and respect this place. You do not and you are ruining it for everyone.
So where has your lack of respect gotten us as public beach users here on South Padre Island?
On the northern County Beaches it now costs you a trash tax of an extra $5 to force you to pick up your own trash. How ridiculous is that? You may or may not care to collect the refund by actually bringing your trash out with you and dumping it responsibly but at least that money goes into cleaning up after you. No doubt as it becomes more and more expensive to clean up after you this trash tax along with the regular entry fees at all of the County Parks will go up. Cameron County wants to improve these parks and make them nicer. However why should they? You don’t even take care of what you have now!
In the City, it has already cost you more than half of the free public parking spaces you enjoyed by the closing off of the feeder streets to public parking because you couldn’t help but leave your empty cans, ice bags, dirty diapers and cars off of people’s private lawns. Next up is having to pay a fee to park on Gulf Blvd. to help aid in cleaning up your mess next season. Hell, I along with the rest of Surfrider Foundation have been advocating for more parking and public restrooms on Gulf Blvd. However, it is always met with opposition by property owners because YOU, again, show no respect for where you are.
It costs money to make a those beaches look the way you picture them in your mind and the costs go up every year. Go ahead, keep it up and I guarantee you, you will only see more restrictions and fees in the future.
The answer is so simple and very free, like our beaches were meant to be, just pick up after yourself. Enjoy the hours and days of fun that our area can provide for you and your family and then take that extra five minutes and take the remnants of your fun that day off of the beach with you!
There are people and organizations fighting to keep your beaches open to you for you to enjoy. However, with the absolute lack of respect that you the beach trasher shows, it is becoming a more and more difficult battle.
Sincerely,
Your Public Beach Advocate.
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