If you have any form of social media or are from the South, then you’ve probably seen the many (disgusting) photos being shared of the Florida beaches that are covered in trash. As any decent human being would know, that’s not only a pain to clean up but could potentially be catastrophic.

These spring breakers have come to many different parts of the South to enjoy their vacations on our lovely beaches. However, in the process of enjoying their fun, they’ve also potentially ruined our beaches and endangered any animals that fall prey to the trash left behind. The point of spring break is to have a great time, and as someone from a small beach town, we need tourists to come visit because it enhances our economy and keeps our name on the map. But we also don’t want or need any one to come stay who will leave anything behind that is more permanent than footprints.

It’s OK to come and stay in an exotic new place with all of your friends but it's damn sure not OK to leave piles of trash, cups, coolers and anything else that could hurt or harm anyone or anything. As I was scrolling down my news feed the other day, I saw a photo someone snapped of miles and miles of trash and broken glass on the beach. Hello? If my friends and I came to your hometown and left our s**t everywhere, you’d be a little upset too.

Spring break will forever be a wild time. Every college kid dreams of taking a vacation to Dante’s in the Keys or Daytona Beach for a week. And this is most certainly not the first (or last) time that our beaches will be destroyed. But every time this happens, we have to hope that we get to the clean up process before our wildlife does. It may seem harmless to leave your beer bottle sitting on the beach since everyone else is doing it, but that’s the problem. If one person leaves one item behind, multiply that by the thousands of visitors coming to stay. Destruction of property is serious, and I sincerely hope some of you individuals who left your trash behind come across this article and think about the consequences that your actions may lead to. Your carelessness may cost a sea turtle or a bird its life. Your wild week may result in countless volunteers spanning the beaches to clean up your mess.

All we ask, as the locals who care about our beautiful oceans and beaches, is for some respect. Enough is enough, and it’s time to start caring about the world we live in. Just because you’re back to where you came from and won’t have to see the damage you left behind doesn’t mean it goes away. We love for you to visit our little towns. We need you to visit. But we can do without you if it means you’ll leave a permanent reminder of your stay.