Suncoast Surfrider Foundation members and supporters defied the heat and blazing sun Saturday morning July 26th to pick up litter on Upham Beach. Cigarette butts were everywhere, as well as various plastic bottles, bags, paper products, etc.
It was observed by many people who frequent Upham Beach (myself included) that much of the trash comes from youth who come to the beach and leave their drink and fast food containers on the beach when they leave. This is purely selfishness and a lack of concern for the environment and for other people who come to enjoy the beach. I spent a lot of time on the beach as a teenager–surfing, skimboarding, walking, hanging out with my friends–and I NEVER left a piece of litter on the beach. Nor did my friends.
So how about it folks, I know YOU wouldn’t leave trash on the beach, so don’t let your friends leave trash on the beach either. Just put the empty food and drink containers in the trash containers provided by your parents’ tax dollars. After all, you walk right by the trash can on the way back to your car. Why leave a mess for someone else to clean up?
Saturday, June 21st, 2008, a dedicated and concerned group of members from the local chapter of the Surfrider Foundation assembled quietly at Upham Beach under the watchful eye of nearby condominium owners and a single police officer who appeared briefly, to protest the beach erosion control tactics of Pinellas County. [Mike and Jessica pictured above]
The Suncoast Surfrider Foundation’s Mike Meehan informally led the group out onto the beach to demonstrate disapproval of the methods being used by Pinellas County to control erosion on Upham Beach. Unsightly enormous yellow sandbags have been positioned on this public beach in an attempt to mitigate the severe erosion problem caused by the jetties constructed at Blind Pass, to the north, and by the construction of several large condominiums irresponsibly close to the Gulf of Mexico.
The Surfrider Foundation and its supporters say that it makes more sense to continue with beach renourishment every 4 years or so, as has been done since the 1970’s, rather than ruin the safety and aesthetics of the beach with these unsightly experimental sandbags called Geotubes.
[Above: Demonstraters in front of the offending Geotubes]
I would imagine that the condominium owners, for whose private benefit this erosion control project was undertaken, did not welcome this outward display of disapproval. Some of them perhaps take it as a personal attack. It is not meant as such. I am sure all of the folks who live in the condos are very nice people who are rightfully and understandably concerned about their property.
The fault lies with the developers of the condominiums and whatever governmental body approved the construction of the condos and the alterations to Blind Pass. Unfortunately, when you buy into a condo, you are not only buying the view, you are buying the problems that come with living just a few feet from the Gulf on a beach known as having the worst erosion problem on the west coast of Florida. Since the beach is public property, the public has a right to influence taxpayer funded projects on the beach.
[Above: Sailboat and crew make a statement in the Free Upham demonstration]
[Above: Demonstrators in front of the GeoTubes under threat of rain and lightning ]
Helpful links if you want to know more about what’s going on at Upham and why you should care:
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