Foreigners care More About Puerto Rico Than Most People Born There

Foreigners Care More About Puerto Rico Than Most People Born Here

Why is it that someone not born, foreigners in Puerto Rico often shows more care for its natural beauty than those who call it home? Why do I, a foreigner, find myself picking up trash while locals walk past it? These are the questions that haunt me as I witness this island’s paradise tarnished by neglect.

Before I start, I want to clarify that this does not apply to everyone in Puerto Rico. Many people care deeply about this paradise, but a majority seem indifferent. Too often, I see people sitting next to trash and doing nothing about it.

I know this message might hit a nerve for some, especially here on the island. Many are wary of foreigners. They see us as outsiders or even colonizers, coming in and telling others how to live. I understand. That skepticism is real and understandable. But this is not about claiming ownership or superiority. It is about love and responsibility. And as I always say, while many see me as a foreigner, I see everyone here as a brother and a sister. That is how I speak to everyone , with love.

Puerto Rico is a place I have chosen to call home, and caring for it is not a privilege reserved for those born here. If anything, it is a call for all of us, no matter where we come from, to step up and protect this land we share.

I have lived in the beautiful paradise of Puerto Rico for the past 15 years after spending my life in Brooklyn, NY. I originally moved here to open a bar, but my path shifted. Since 2013, I became a self-appointed guardian of the beaches and rivers. You can read more about my journey or watch my video below:

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Over time, I grew tired of seeing this beautiful island treated with disrespect. It felt as moved I was here to pick up trash, a task that should belong to all of us who love this land.

Someone Not From Here Is Picking Up Trash

I understand that some may find the title provocative and call me a colonizer, as many have when I share this perspective. Yet, as I travel across Puerto Rico, cleaning beaches and protesting environmental neglect, locals often tell me something surprising. Once they realize my Spanish is limited and I am not a native, they express sadness. They say it’s disheartening that someone not born here cares more about this paradise than many who were.

My response is always the same. We all belong to this earth. It is our shared home, and no matter where we are, it is our duty to protect it.

Many have told me this island needs more people like me. I tell them to look in the mirror. The person Puerto Rico and our world needs is right there as I truly believe we are the change this world desperately needs.

This Is Our Home

In my view, this land is not separate from the rest of the world. It is one with the earth. I don’t believe in divisions like race or flags. This land is as much my home as it is anyone else’s, just as migrating birds call many places home.

What people often overlook is how littering harms not just Puerto Rico, but the world. Trash left on beaches eventually enters the ocean, carried by currents across the globe. It kills marine life and eventually circles back, affecting us threefold.

“Water and air, the two essential fluids on which all life depends, have become global garbage cans.” – Jacques-Yves Cousteau

What Fuels My Passion

My passion stems from the neglect and ignorance I witness daily. Driving along these beautiful roads, now littered with trash, fills me with disbelief. How can people accept this without outrage? It has become normal, second nature.

I see people walk over garbage, sit next to it on beaches, and ignore it entirely. Puerto Rico is a paradise, but it is becoming a lost one.

I hand out free trash bags and challenge others to my “one bag challenge.” The concept is simple, fill one bag with trash to help clean up. Tourists are often the first to take up this challenge. Sadly, locals are less likely to join in.

Pride Means Nothing Without Action

Waving flags and expressing pride in Puerto Rico means little if the land is treated like a landfill. It’s heartbreaking to see people littering here, only to travel abroad and show respect elsewhere.

Pride must come with responsibility. Treating this island with care should be a point of pride, not neglect.

“Like a man who has been dying for many days, a man in your city is numb to the stench.” – Chief Seattle

Being Vocal

I won’t stay silent. While many locals admire and cherish the beauty of Puerto Rico, some seem to have taken it for granted. Perhaps they don’t fully realize the magic of this island, but I do. I refuse to sit idly by while this paradise is destroyed.

My vocal approach is often seen as radical or extreme. Some accuse me of painting a negative image of the island, but my goal is to ignite a passion for change. I’ve faced threats and even violence when I was shot at my face for defending the beaches, but I won’t stop.

I Love Boriken

I wasn’t born here, but I was reborn here. This is where I connected with nature and myself. Puerto Rico is my home, and I will defend it. If you love this island and this earth, you should too.

When people suggest I leave if I don’t like what I see, I respond with determination. Why would I leave when there is so much to fight for? I speak for the birds, the fish, the marine life, and future generations who deserve a clean and thriving environment.

Let’s Be the Change

This message isn’t about belittling anyone. It’s about inspiring action. If my words spark outrage, let that anger drive change. Trash isn’t someone else’s problem, it’s ours.

Raise your children to respect the land. Teach them to value the earth. But first, educate yourself. Be the example your children need.

We are the change. Let’s stop waiting for others to act. It starts with you, here and now.

Do you feel that many on the island are not doing enough to care for our paradise? Do you believe Puerto Rico deserves better?

What kind of future do you envision for this island and for our planet? Imagine a world where every person took responsibility for the land beneath their feet.

Will you rise to the challenge and be the change our island, and our earth, so desperately need?

Join the movement to protect this paradise. Start today. Pick up one piece of trash, fill one bag, or share this message to inspire others.

Let’s create a Puerto Rico—and a world—we can be proud of.

Please leave your comments below and share your thoughts.