A park integral to Sarasota's safety was trashed — but a gracious citizen cleaned it up for people to enjoy. The helpful person posted on the subreddit r/sarasota to show what a mess they found, writing, "Can we not litter?" They even tried to help someone find a lost item.
"I was able to find a trash bag in my car and clean it up. And yes I did recycle the cans. There was a bracelet on the ground as well. I tied it to a nail on the bench, in case someone is looking for it," they wrote.
The photo shows a park bench overlooking an open green space and water — but the area is covered in beer cans.
Sarasota's Celery Fields is a flood mitigation zone. These are areas that the Federal Emergency Management Agency designates as having a high likelihood of flooding. Efforts are made to reduce property damage in these places by, for example, disallowing construction.
"The 400+ acre site is also the county's primary storm water collection zone, allowing it to serve a dual purpose of public safety and recreation," according to Sarasota Audubon.
The website Naturally Resilient Communities explains how a flood mitigation park works: "Ensuring that floodwaters can easily enter the park when needed and that drainage allows for waters to recede in a controlled way will allow the park to serve its larger flood reduction purpose most effectively. Allowing for extended stretches of time where any park infrastructure may be submerged by floodwaters is likewise an important consideration in the design process."
When such an important and beautiful area is littered, the people who love it often feel offended and violated. It takes a toll on happiness and peace of mind in addition to creating an environmental hazard.
Sometimes, this spurs people to take action. They might clean up the area, publicize the underlying issue, or even take part in long-term individual activism.
Commenters were thankful for the OP's efforts and perturbed by the mess.
"Absolutely disgusting," one wrote.
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Fantastic 😎 Another noted the importance of keeping Florida's ecosystems safe, saying, "You know it's not like we are in a coastal state and it's even more vital for us not to litter."
Someone else simply expressed gratitude, writing, "Thank you for cleaning it up!"
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