Alert “06880” reader Christy Colasurdo writes:
Sunday was beautiful and sunny. My 13-year-old son was excited to show me the swan’s nest he recently spotted behind Parker Harding Plaza
I brought my camera, and looked forward to taking a few shots of the mama swan sitting on her eggs.
Then I got a glimpse of all the trash — literally, piles and piles of it — poking through the reeds and floating in the muck just below the boardwalk.
There were so many Starbucks cups, water bottles and straws that I couldn’t count them all. Too many Gatorade bottles and soda cans to mention. The garbage and debris was so plentiful that the poor mama swan wove the most colorful tidbits into her nest.
I promised Charlie we would return with high boots and trash bags at the next low tide, and do our part to clean up this mess.
But then I thought it might be worth it to appeal to all Westporters to help in the clean-up — in the spirit of Earth Day on Monday, April 22.
So I am throwing down the gauntlet, to all Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops, all environmental groups, families, local organizations and individuals who care about our environment.
Come do your part to clean up the Saugatuck. This is our river, and it is filthy.
I assumed that local businesses on Main Street, or even our municipality, would take some sort of responsibility for keeping the riverfront clean. Perhaps they are not aware of the sad state of riverfront at low tide, just as I was.
But I am seriously disgusted that a walk along the river — one of the town’s gems — would uncover such a dirty little secret.
Let’s clean it up, Westport.