To the Editor:
When I moved here in third grade, I was nervous. Sure, I visited here before, but I never actually lived here. So maybe I didn’t have the guts to try something new, but you know what? Sometimes trying something new is just the thing you need to really see what matters. So I ask you, what on this Island matters?
Now, you probably have many answers, and I don’t blame you, this Island is amazing. Here, I’ll give you one answer: our beaches. Our beautiful beaches are Island treasures. The first time I walked on these beaches, I was amazed by how beautiful they were. If we want them to stay that way, we must maintain them, just as we do our houses and families. Unfortunately, beaches too are prone to litter. When we release helium balloons, their remains land on our beaches, and in our oceans. It’s no better than just littering. Did I mention balloons are dangerous to animals? If a bird, turtle, or even your pet dog makes contact with balloon waste, they can choke on it, and die of suffocation. Sounds pretty disturbing, right?
Luckily, we are trying to stop this. I am part of an organization called Safe Sea MV, which was started by West Tisbury science students who want to pass a law that will end the intentional release of helium or other lighter-than-air balloons outdoors on Martha’s Vineyard. We want your help.
You live on Martha’s Vineyard. I live on Martha’s Vineyard. We all live on Martha’s Vineyard, and whether we like it or not, we share this 26-mile-wide rock. Our houses, jobs, and schools are all on this Island. So help us maintain our unique Island, and join us. If you are a registered voter for the town of Aquinnah, West Tisbury, Tisbury, or Oak Bluffs, all you have to do is go to the next town meeting and vote to approve our balloon-release bylaw. Thank you on behalf of wildlife everywhere.
Sam Fetters, Safe Sea MV
West Tisbury
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