Sanibel-Captiva Urbanization

This past weekend, my family and I took a road cycling ride starting from the Sanibel Causeway and all the way through Blind Pass. Although I'm from this area and I take fishing trips in Pine Island Sound every weekend, this was my first time discovering the entire inner Sanibel landscape. While riding, I couldn't believe how many mansions, perfectly manicured yards, golf courses, and development surrounds the area. I expected big homes and some small shopping centers, but I was dumbfounded how much we've manipulated the island. It's no wonder why red tide and environmental problems on the island are escalating. Pesticides, wastewater, and pollutants destroy the surrounding seagrass beds, mangroves, and bays. As a result, we've seen an increase in fish kills in the past several years (especially during the housing boom). As we came closer to Blind Pass, large mansions lined up the beaches. I questioned, how did these people get away with building these homes on environmentally critical areas? Why would Sanibel conservation groups tolerate million dollar construction projects on their beaches? Sanibel is a perfect example of how money has blinded us to destroy our remaining natural places. Our local and state government needs to push a strict agenda towards conserving our beaches and protecting them from private companies and individuals who seek to make profits by exploiting the land. We need to understand our place in the world and the importance of preserving Florida's ecosystems.