I Heart Tree Huggers!

I love tree huggers, and fully support their nuttiness because in my opinion, progress is way out of control. They say, "you can't stop progress," well why not at least steer it in a less destructive direction? This tree hugger, Ana Rodriguez, was arrested when she decided to climb up a tree on the property that Scripps Research Institute is going to develop, in an attempt to save the forest. Others had also been arrested earlier in the month for doing the same thing, living in the trees for months to protest the future development of the property in Palm Beach Gardens.

I have lived in Florida since 1966 when Palm Beach County was mostly undeveloped. There were trees as far as the eye could see, most roads were two lanes, some of them dirt or pot holy, and it was quiet and dark at night. We were able to see stars in the evening sky. From the time I was able to appreciate the beauty of Florida, I have steadily watched people move down here from the north to destroy our paradise. You rarely hear crickets anymore and there are no more fireflies.

I lived in Dubois Park before the county came in and made it a public park. Now hundreds of people visit Dubois daily, throwing their garbage in and around the garbage cans and into the water. It's even been closed a few times for high levels of bacteria in the lagoon. I watched the very first condominiums being built on the beach in Jupiter, destroying many natural habitats and native plant life. I've seen two lane roads turn into 6 lane super highways and hundreds, if not thousands of acres of trees, ripped out of the ground year after year.

I realize everything has a ripple effect and to completely stop progress would be a bad thing, but our community's political and business leaders seem to enjoy lining their pockets, having little regard for the environment or the future of our state. I admire Ana Rodriguez' chutzpah. She is trying to protect what developers are going to destroy. Why does Scripps have to tear down every single tree in that area? The answer is, to save themselves money. So now we'll have even more concrete and blacktop heating up our already withering and unstable atmosphere. Call me a tree hugger, I don't care. Over development is killing Florida and someone needs to stand up to these tree bullies. Go Ana!!