By DINA ARÉVALO
Port Isabel-South Padre Press
editor@portisabelsouthpadre.com
It’s no secret that South Padre Island has the best stretch of beach on the Texas coast. Our beaches are filled with white sands that are soft and fine as powder, as well as soothing waves tinged in glittering shades of emerald, turquoise, and even slate blue on stormy days.
Our beaches are our best marketing device, and are a major variable driving the tourism-based economy here in the Laguna Madre area. But that can be a double edged sword.
For every visitor who comes to read books underneath beach umbrellas, enjoy tropical drinks at beachside bars, go for a dip in the silky water, or post sunset photos to Instagram, there is the potential that litter may be left behind.
You can’t always tell who will be a litterbug just by looking at a person, either. It doesn’t matter the time of day or the season, if you look hard enough — which isn’t very hard at all — you’ll see signs of litter. Bottle caps mingle with seashells along the tide line. Bits of twine tangle with the trailing ends of delicate beach plants and grasses in the dunes. Lone flip flops, absent their mates, lie half buried and forgotten by the feet that wore them.
Every year, thousands of tons of trash are left on Texas beaches from Galveston on down to lovely SPI. It’s unfortunate, but it has become the cost of doing business, I suppose.
Fortunately, we also have many folks who are faithful stewards of our island. Hundreds of such people have registered, in fact, to help out in the Texas General Land Office’s annual Adopt-a-Beach cleanup this Saturday. This cleanup, which will take place at various locations across the Island and Boca Chica Beach, will be a bit more special than in years past, however, because this year marks the 30th anniversary of the Adopt-a-Beach cleanup program.
There’s still time to join a cleanup. You can register online at TexasAdoptaBeach.org, or you can show up to one of the locations about half an hour early on Saturday to register on site. It’s a great experience for people of all ages.
Bring a reusable water bottle and garden gloves, if you have them, and a keen eye. Our beaches give us so much, from the business we derive our livelihoods from, to the serenity and beauty we enjoy in our off hours. We depend on our beaches and they depend on us.
See you out there! And of course, visit us online at www.portisabelsouthpadre.com.
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