Dog Poo and the Land

Just a short rant! I don't need a picture to illustrate this issue. I was walking in the South Mountain Park the other day when I noticed a consistent problem that concerns me. Help spread the word.

People! You need to pick up your dog poo. Just because your in a very large open area doesn't mean you get to leave your crap behind. This is supposed to be a park for us all to enjoy. Walking past Two hundred piles of dog poo kind takes the joy out of it. Get this, I've even walk past bagged dog poo. People will pick up the poo in a plastic bags put they'll leave the bag behind on the ground! What the &%$#.

What has happened and continues to happen is that people abuse the land to such an extent that other people (environmentalist) have to step in and lobby for preservation. This equals no dogs, no bikes, no off-road vehicle or vehicle all together, controlled access, permits, fences, signs, rules, government intervention as in cops on patrol and your tax dollars being spent to purchase the land so it can be protected from us. Is this really what we want? Why is the human race so disrespectful to the land? Seriously, I don't get it.

I have travel the local desert area's quit a bit over the past 30 years and it amazes me what I see. For example: Four Peaks Road pull over just about anywhere and you'll find thousands of shotgun shells, refrigerators, washers, dryers, buckets, and miscellaneous junk scattered all over the place. No wonder the land has to be protected. A perfect example is the Salt River Recreation area. You used to be able to drive just about anywhere you wanted to and swim. One time I was in the area photographing when I stopped alone the main road. I got out of my car to find diapers, hypodermic needles, sanitary napkins, bathing suits, class, cans, broken coolers, torn up beer boxes and so on.

I went back the fallowing year to find fences blocked all the dirt roads. Public access permitted only at designated public access areas only. Access totally controlled by guess who, our government. So if you choose to go you will be corralled like livestock in a small area to limit the environmental impact by human beings. How sad!

I'm currently working on a book project about the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. I have been listening and digesting what my sources are saying. They are environmentalist! Somewhat extreme in there views but I know why they feel the way they do. Some people are irresponsible, ignorant slobs and it ruins it for everyone. Sorry!