Resident sparks outrage after sharing disturbing photo of local park: 'This makes me so mad'

One Austin, Texas, resident who frequently visits Brushy Creek Lake Park highlighted the shocking scene of a piece of nature that had been graffitied.

"Y'all, this makes me so mad," they wrote in the post on the subreddit r/Austin. "I've been coming here for years and now some dumbass kids are out here tagging s***?" 

The resident posted a photo of a rock native to the landscape with bright green and blue graffiti sprayed on multiple sides.

Not only is spray-painting disrespectful to nature, but it can also further harm communities. 

The Environmental Protection Agency categorizes graffiti spray as a type of organic pollutant. Meanwhile, the Scientific American reported that "these pollutants contribute to ozone levels, further exacerbating environmental issues."

Furthermore, ICE Cleaning stated that "the cleaning substances used to remove the spray paint are often just as harmful to the environment as graffiti." 

Leaving the paint on the surface of a rock could lead it to pollute waterways by combining with groundwater.

The National Park Service explained that graffiti is "extremely difficult to remove," adding, "Repair of vandalized sites, if possible, is costly and time consuming, and often cannot restore the site to its former condition."

The organization also stated that defacing public lands degrades the joyous experience for others, making people less likely to enjoy natural spaces. 

Though vandalism on any form of wildlife is always harmful, vandalism on trees can sometimes even lead to severe damage and death. Carving into living plants — as has been done before — makes them susceptible to bacteria and bugs that can all be deadly.

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Some commenters gave more insight into the impact caused by the graffiti in the park.

"I remember reading somewhere that those granite chunks are leftovers from the granite that built the Capitol," they said. "It makes it even worse knowing that they have historical significance."

Another mentioned, "A lot of people don't realize these pink granite blocks are actually important pieces of Texas history. This is literally messing with Texas."

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