Editor,

To my dismay, a recent walk on Double Bluff revealed a rainbow of paper remnants and plastic particles, plastic water bottles, newspapers, fire pits, driftwood fort cities, unidentifiable rubbish, the stench of dog feces and overflowing outhouse and a dam line of driftwood, hindering the water from climbing the beach in its natural pattern.

I don’t want our natural spaces to be treated this way. I am guessing I am not alone, so what can we do about it?

We can begin by honestly recognizing the long-term effects of allowing such pollution to ravage our island. Fireworks displays and individual gunpowder-inspired entertainment are threatening to our wildlife, dangerous and highly polluting ways to “celebrate” independence.

Let’s advocate for the county parks and law enforcement to post additional signs, enforce fines, provide recycling bins and additional toilet facilities, and monitor our off-island visitors to ensure they care for our island as much as we do. Let’s be open minded to new and innovative ways to hail independence. How about the most amazing laser light show anyone has ever seen?

This is not about political beliefs or ideologies, but an issue of basic human integrity. I am hopeful we can all agree that we love to live here because of the wildlife, pure air, clean water and tranquility. So let’s work together to reinvent the ways we choose to honor our holidays in order to protect our precious island, keeping it pure and beautiful, right now, in the years to come, and for future generations in line to inherit it.  It is up to us to protect this amazing place we are honored to reside.

With heartfelt thanks and gratitude,

KRISTINE O’KELLY

Freeland