Loud music accompanied by arcade games, the whirring mechanics of seasonal rides, bright lights, greasy foods on paper plates with plastic bottled beverages abounding mixed with the sound of crashing waves, and a salty sea breeze; these are the things I think of when I think of the boardwalk.
All were present at the boardwalk as expected this season with one addition. Through this blur of lights, smells, and sounds, there were some green messages. They weren’t especially prominent, but I was happy to see them making an entrance onto the boardwalk sub-culture.
In Rehoboth beach’s Funland, a sign was posted stating, “Our tickets are GREEN and so are we! The 108 solar panels on our roof are working to reduce FUNLAND’s carbon footprint.” When contrasted with the energy intensive rides and amusements, I found the sign a bit ironic but still a good start, nonetheless.
On the side of the boardwalk closest to the ocean, I saw some informative signs posted about the importance of grasses in preserving and stabilizing delicate dune ecosystems.
I did not see recycling bins, and noted when I ordered a funnel cake (couldn’t resist) I was given a whopping 6 paper plates to hold it on. There was an excess of packaging, an overabundance of trash, and a multitude of trinkets and petroleum based prizes (likely to be imports produced with a lack of consistent fair trade or labor standards in environmentally unfriendly conditions).
Rather than focus on the negative, however, I walked away happy to see that the green movement is being acknowledged and considered on the boardwalk. Even in places like Funland, being eco-savvy might be gaining power, at least in the photovoltaic solar sense!
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