• Outdoors Outdoors

Passerby outraged after catching man's shocking act in beloved US nature area: 'I hope someone sent this to the police'

"Makes me sad."

When visiting the great outdoors, it's common practice to leave no trace — clearly, this graffiti artist didn't get the memo.

Photo Credit: Reddit

When visiting the great outdoors, it's common practice to leave no trace of your presence to avoid damaging the environment — clearly, this graffiti artist didn't get the memo.

People go on a nature trip to get some fresh air and escape the hustle and bustle of the city. Therefore, one thing nobody wants to see in the middle of the remote wilderness is a badly designed graffiti tag sprayed across a rock.

However, that's precisely what one Redditor stumbled across on a visit to Santa Cruz. They posted a picture of the graffiti artist caught in the act to the r/santacruz subreddit.

When visiting the great outdoors, it's common practice to leave no trace — clearly, this graffiti artist didn't get the memo.
Photo Credit: Reddit
When visiting the great outdoors, it's common practice to leave no trace — clearly, this graffiti artist didn't get the memo.
Photo Credit: Reddit

The pictures show a scenic landscape marred by a man spray-painting enormous, bright-blue paint on the side of a rock.

Being aware of the issues our planet faces starts with a basic respect for nature. Enjoying the outdoors and being among the wilderness makes most people want to preserve it from littering, pollution, and deforestation; not destroy it.

Being outdoors can work wonders for your physical and mental health, so making sure these areas thrive benefits all of us.

FROM OUR PARTNER

Spread the holiday glow with 40% off curated plant-based skincare sets

OM Botanicals is known and loved for delivering food-grade skincare formulations that nourish without harsh chemicals — and this holiday season you can spread the glow with 40% off carefully curated gift sets.

Whether you’re gifting wellness seekers, conscious beauty lovers, or just treating yourself, OM delivers full-spectrum herbal extracts, bioavailable vitamins, and microbiome-friendly ingredients crafted in small batches with artisan-level care.

Learn more

Not only is the graffiti a visual eyesore, but it can also cause environmental harm. Spray paint often contains harmful chemicals and volatile organic compounds, which can leach into soil and water. This can negatively impact the health of animals and humans by contributing to air pollution and spreading into our food and water systems.

Reddit users were outraged by the man's actions. 

"I hope someone sent this to the police," one commenter remarked.

"Makes me sad that so many people go here and are not respectful," another user added. "I honestly don't know why some people even bother to visit places in nature and proceed to both not appreciate it and totally trash it."

Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty?

Definitely 👍

Only in some areas ☝️

No way 👎

I'm not sure 🤷

Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices — and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club.

Cool Divider