A hiker out enjoying a beautiful day in Arizona's Saguaro National Park was dismayed to come upon something unsettling: large scrawled graffiti, spray-painted over several boulders by Lower Tanque Verde Falls.
They posted a photo of the offending vandalism on Tuscon's Reddit page, which immediately garnered outrage and frustration.
"What is wrong with people?" one person vented. "I am SO disappointed."
"Infuriating," another said.
For the vast majority of people — people who are not compelled to vandalize preserved natural areas — actions such as this majorly detract from their ability to enjoy hikes and public parks.
"I went yesterday," one person commented. "It looks really bad."
"This makes me want to … make them sit out there with toothbrushes until it's gone," another commenter wrote.
However, for a small minority of the population, the urge to leave a lasting mark on protected natural spaces seems impossible to ignore. From spray-painting graffiti to carving their names and even blatantly smashing rocks, people have been recorded vandalizing areas that are meant for peaceful enjoyment around the country and world.
In some cases, the damage can be undone, but it often comes with a price tag — both literally and ecologically. Removing graffiti from stone generally involves sandblasting, but doing so can simply redistribute toxic paint chemicals into surrounding soil and water, according to the City of Portland's Environmental Services office. This means that, even after it's been removed, paint continues to wreak havoc on an ecosystem. If that area is one where food is grown, it can be doubly dangerous.
For these reasons, many national and state parks are working to discourage would-be vandals by enforcing serious penalties.
Visitors to Yellowstone National Park who were caught stepping onto delicate thermal areas have been handed hefty fines and even sentenced to jail time, the Cowboy State Daily reported. (Even celebrities such as actor Pierce Brosnan aren't immune to being punished for perpetrating environmental crimes.)
And in New York City parks, destroying or vandalizing trees, plants, flowers, grass, and shrubs can result in up to six months' imprisonment, $15,000 in fines, or both.
Join our free newsletter for cool news and cool tips that make it easy to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
