UTD Journal Volume 2, Issue 11, November 2014 | Page 14

Time to Clean Up Our Playground An LA Waterkeeper Blog One of my favorite things in Los Angeles is the beach. I am willing to forgive and forget any and all horrifying traffic experiences on our congested freeways the moment I get to the sand, see the shimmering blue vastness of the ocean and feel the breeze. Growing up in a smallish town in Bulgaria which frequently turned into a furnace during the summer with no nearby cooling escapes, I looked forward to our two-week summer vacation at the Black Sea the entire year and then grieved for months after the short period of fun at the beach ended. So I have always considered myself extremely fortunate to end up living by the beach and I think most of us living here would agree that one of the greatest perks of LA is the beach. Whether it’s birthday parties, playdates, weddings, concerts, weekend outings, Memorial Day, July 4th or Labor Day get-togethers of any kind – we Angelenos go to the beach to celebrate and have fun for any occasion. And the beach and our ocean never stop giving – the cool water, the glistening sun, the sand. Even when we are not so nice, and leave our trash in the sand to be dispersed by wind, washed away into the ocean and eaten by the sea life that we so much enjoy seeing in the water.