|
Beach Front Communities can Save the World Together
Beach
Front Communities can Save the World -Together What
if all of the sea creatures and sea fowl , such as the
pelicans, seagulls, crabs, lobsters, along with sharks,
fish, eels, dolphins, whales and more got together and
waged war on the people? By standing together and communicating
they would be a very strong adversary. Like wise if
all of the communities that are beach front band together
and communicate they are capable of yielding considerable
political force and possibly saving our world. How important
are our beaches? The coasts are the front lines where
the ocean meets the land. All beach communities are
unique and for many in the world the most desirable
location in which to live. Real estate prices near the
beach seem to verify this. While providing breath taking
sunsets, food, recreation, transportation and diverse
memories for locals and tourists alike the ocean and
beaches actually provide much more. Consider the ocean
has been a major food source throughout history and
continues to nourish and benefit multitudes of people
and vast cultures world wide. One in five jobs is directly
related to the sea. Tourism and recreational industries
revolving around the ocean make millions. New medicines
as well as proven ones are provided by the ocean. We
also use the sea for dumping our waste and sewage On
any given day it is our source of food, recreation and
our toilet. With advances in desalination processes
more fresh clean drinking water will come from the sea.
Over 70 percent of our world is under water. With such
a strong dependence on the ocean for life it is ironic
that modern scientists know more about the surface of
the moon than what's underneath the ocean. To illustrate
the financial impact surfing has on beach communities
a sophisticated marketing survey shows that the coastal
city of Santa Cruz profits real dollars to the tune
of millions directly and indirectly from the sport of
surfing which draws huge masses of people to the beaches.
Lets say someone fly's or drives to the coast to try
their hand at surfing, airlines, rental car companies,
local restaurants, sundries stores, surf shops and many
more ancillary businesses all profit. As the open spaces
disappear and recreation demands increase, the popularity
of our beaches will only accelerate. It makes sense
to plan for smart growth. Quite possibly we should leave
the beaches as they naturally are. Maybe there should
be a law forbiding the taking of anything from the beach
including rocks, shells, or even sea weed. Oceanographers
know that seaweed washing up is a vital part of the
shoreline and ocean ecosystem. This very sensitive eco-system
is where many insects, organisisms and small fish live
that are part of the food chain, feeding a population
of sea birds like the least tern , western sand pipers,
and sea gulls. The beach is no less a natural treasure
than the Grand Canyon or Niagara falls and in many ways
is much more and should be respected as such. Some of
the issues that need to be addressed are overcrowding,
water quality moniterization, standardization and pollution
guide lines, safety issues in regards to general recreation
and the surfing zones, sea walls and the natural erosion
process that actually creates beaches. Of formost importance
is planning and implementing ocean and beach preservation
programs and policys now. Ocean Education is paramount.
Humans still don't know just how much pollution and
abuse the ocean ecosystem can take before being affected
beyond the point of no return. As the ocean begins to
succumb to pollution and get sick, so will the people
who depend on it, which is all of mankind. Beach communities
banding together for the collective good of all using
effective communication can plan, preserve and protect
a priceless natural resource. Whether surfing, feeding
the world or finding a cure for cancer our survival
depends on keeping our ocean environment healthy. Just
like the sea creatures and sea plants, by working and
communicating together as one we can create positive
and pro-active solutions that will have an ever lasting
effect for present and future generations to come. See
you in the surf.
back to top >>
|
