On April 16th, 2016 the people of Miami might have seen the last of ‘Floatopia’ – an event with the aim to bring the community together by encouraging attendees to bring floating devices and party on the beach and along the coast.
Many have been discussing the result of Floatopia and the distress and disgust it has brought residents and Miami Beach officials. Miami Beach Commissioner Michael Grieco described the aftermath of Floatopia on South Beach as an "absolute travesty" in a video posted on his Facebook feed. In the video, he points to a beach covered in trash. Grieco has vowed to put an end to future Floatopias on South Beach, (Hallelujah.)
People left behind floats, bottles, cans, plastic bags, and more, creating a thick sheet of garbage above the white sand and blue sea that so many from around the world come to visit. Thousands didn’t bother cleaning up after themselves, littering and destroying the very ocean that was meant to be celebrated. It was indeed an absolute travesty, and it is time for the safety of the environment to come first and take priority above events like Floatopia.
But it’s more than the environmental damage caused by one event – let’s start a bigger conversation.
Earth Day was just last week, and I saw a lot of people post beautiful pictures on Instagram. Photos of towering trees, blooming flowers, powerful waterfalls, mighty mountains, blue oceans, and endless meadows were circling the Internet. What I didn’t see, however, were photos of the damage to the environment — like seabirds suffocating in oil and more waste being added to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch — that has become a reality and struggle for our planet and wildlife. Earth Day is a day to not only celebrate our planet, but spread awareness of the fact that we are responsible for its wellbeing.
On a day when hashtags are viral and the vast digital community are all talking about the same thing, it is important to inform people about movements that desperately need attention. The neglect that has taken place in regard to our planet’s safety has gone on long enough, and the initiatives to preserve our environment, like the cancellation of future Floatopia events, deserve to be recognized and heard.
We have grown accustomed to being reckless and thoughtless. I mean, in all honesty, how hard is it to walk a few steps to throw away your garbage in a trash bin, or plan ahead to take your trash with you? And why are people so disconnected from the severity of climate change and global warming? There is even a new anti-global warming movie calling itself a documentary, “Climate Hustle,” despite the fact that most of the world’s geologists have gone on record stating that climate change is happening at a rate even faster than previously thought.
Yes, on a day-to-day basis, people are swimming in everyday worries and struggles, but this is the big picture. Without our planet, we cease to exist.
So the challenge I present is this: be responsible, stay informed, and open your heart. We need to start caring for the place we, and the nature that supports our very breathing, call home.
