Why What I Did For The Beaches Of Puerto Rico Is A Lost Cause

For the past 12 years, I have dedicated my life to protecting the natural beauty of Puerto Rico, standing as a self-proclaimed guardian of its beaches and rivers. Armed with handmade signs, I’ve spent countless days raising awareness and protesting against the litter and environmental negligence that plague this island. I go around handing out free bags, but I often feel like what I have done is a lost cause. in this blog I will share my thoughts on why I feel like it has been a lost cause.

My Goal: Raising Awareness

From the beginning, my goal has been simple yet profound: to educate the public about the impact of littering and inspire them to care for this breathtaking paradise. Unfortunately, this mission has not been without its challenges. Over the years, I’ve faced threats, resistance, and even violence. Recently, I survived being shot in the face while defending a beach. Read more about that harrowing experience here.

Despite my efforts, it often feels like Puerto Rico is a lost cause. The apathy toward environmental issues, and even broader social problems, is disheartening. It’s as though the beauty of this island is invisible to many who live here.

A Paradise Turned into a Landfill

On any scorching summer day, the popular beaches of Puerto Rico are packed with people, their footprints leaving more than just an impression on the sand. The crowds come and go, but the trash remains: plastic cups, bags, bottles, beer cans, cigarette butts, and a host of other discarded items. These aren’t just inconvenient litter—they are deep, gaping wounds inflicted upon this island, marking the land that was once pristine and untouched.

Driving down the roads, or visiting the rivers and beaches I care so much about, the sight is the same: garbage scattered everywhere, as if it belongs there. People walk right past it, stepping over it without a second thought. In fact, it often seems as if they’ve become blind to it altogether. I’ve even witnessed people sitting among the piles of trash, as if the litter had somehow become part of the natural landscape, a strange and depressing kind of decoration.

The heartbreaking truth is that it isn’t tourists who are trashing this island. No, it’s the very people who call Puerto Rico home. The ones who should be guardians of this paradise, treating it with the care and respect it deserves. It feels as though so many here have taken this paradise for granted, oblivious to the beauty they’re slowly destroying. They don’t see what they have—they don’t understand that they live in one of the most beautiful places on Earth. If they did, maybe they would treat it differently.

Why Do I Keep Picking Up Trash?

I often ask myself: Why continue this fight when it feels like no one else cares? Why dedicate my time to a place where litter has become so ingrained in daily life that it’s almost invisible? Why walk the beaches with my signs, when it seems like people just don’t see the damage they’re causing? The answer, however, is simple: because I care. I care deeply for Puerto Rico, for this island, and for the world we live in.

Every piece of trash I pick up is a small act of resistance against the indifference that has become so pervasive. This island, this paradise, deserves better than to be treated like a garbage dump. Our world deserves more than to be buried under the weight of neglect. I don’t do this for attention or recognition — I do it because I love this place, and I love the Earth we all share.

If not me, then who? I look around and see so few taking action. It’s disheartening. The plastic cups, the cigarette butts, the discarded bottles — they just keep piling up, and yet it feels like most people walk by, blind to it all. So I continue to walk with my signs, to pick up what others leave behind, because if no one else is stepping up, then I must. I owe it to this island. I owe it to the world.

I don’t do this because I think I can change everything on my own. I do it because I want to show that it’s possible to care, to take action, to lead by example. If I can inspire even one person to stop and think twice before leaving trash behind, then it’s worth it. If I can help people see the beauty of this island through the lens of respect rather than indifference, then it’s worth it. This is my fight, and I’m not backing down.

Apathy Has Replaced Action

We live in a world where people care more about artificial comforts than the environment. It’s a society where voices are silent, and hands are idle—unless they’re holding alcoholic beverages. The focus is on pleasure, not progress. Too many seem fixated on drinking, eating, and having a good time, while neglecting the responsibility of caring for their own home.

Some have questioned why I, as a non-native, care so deeply about Puerto Rico. My response is that this is not just about Puerto Rico; it’s about our planet. Every piece of trash has a ripple effect, and every action—or lack of action—impacts the global ecosystem. I fight for every species that calls this world home, not just humans.

But as I always say, I was not born here, I was reborn here. Puerto Rico is where I found a deep connection to Mother Earth and nature. It’s become my home, and it’s where I’ve learned to care for this island—maybe even more so than those who were born here. I feel a deep responsibility to defend this land, even if it means standing up against those who fail to see its true value.

Feeling Unsupported

After the shooting, my social media following grew, but despite the increase in numbers, true support remains hard to find. Few people share my messages or engage with my content, even though it could help amplify the cause. I put in extra effort, translating posts into Spanish using Google Translate, but that too often feels like a lost cause.

People are more inclined to share gossip or mindless entertainment than anything of substance. Conscious messages are drowned out by the noise of negativity, leaving vital causes like environmental protection to suffer in silence.

I walk mile after mile under the intense heat, carrying my signs and cleaning up the beaches. All I ask is for others to share, to help inspire change, and to support this mission so I can reach more people and continue raising awareness. But despite the lack of support, I press on with my mission, knowing that it’s not about the numbers or the recognition—it’s about the love I have for this land and the hope that someday, others will wake up to its beauty and responsibility.

Fighting for Change: One Bag at a Time

To combat the apathy surrounding our environment, I launched the One Trash Bag Challenge—a simple yet powerful initiative. The idea is straightforward: bring a bag wherever you go and collect the trash you find. It’s a small step, but every action counts. You can read more about the challenge here.

When I hand out free bags and challenge others to participate, it’s often the tourists who take up the call. Unfortunately, many of the locals sit idly by, surrounded by the mess, ignoring the problem altogether. It’s disheartening, especially when I try to inspire them to see that they are the solution, that the change must come from within this community.

Seeing so many people turn a blind eye makes it feel like a lost cause at times. But I continue to push forward, determined to spark a shift in mindset, to remind people that the beauty of this island—and the world—requires active care and responsibility from all of us. Even when it seems like no one else is paying attention, every bag collected, every small action, is a step toward preserving this beautiful, enchanted paradise.

Puerto Rico Needs More Earth Warriors

People often tell me Puerto Rico needs more individuals like me. My response is always the same: look in the mirror. The power to create change lies within each of us. Lead by example. Pick up trash. Speak out when you see littering.

Together, we can transform this island into the paradise it is meant to be. But it starts with you—your actions, your voice, your willingness to care.

A Message of Hope

Yes, Puerto Rico is a lost cause if we choose to see it that way. But if we act, if we inspire others, we can begin to heal this beautiful island and the world at large. I hope that through my efforts, I’ve sparked a desire for change in those who have witnessed my journey.

Let’s stop seeing the trash as someone else’s problem. Let’s stop treating this world as disposable. Instead, let’s take responsibility, leave positive footprints, and nurture the paradise we all call home. We could either choose to be a plague or we could be the cure

Let”s be that change.

Donations for my cause

I am an unofficial one man non profit and if you like to support what I have done and continue to do on the island and would like to donate. I accept donations through paypal @ jivanwild@gmail.com or click here. Thank you

Questions for Reflection

Do you believe Puerto Rico, or any place you call home, is a lost cause when it comes to protecting the environment?
What steps are you personally taking to preserve the natural beauty around you?
How do you feel about the growing apathy toward the environment? What do you think needs to change?
Have you ever witnessed a moment where someone’s small action made a bigger impact than expected? What was it?
How can we shift the mindset from convenience and pleasure to responsibility and action when it comes to caring for our planet?
What will it take to inspire the people around you to take action, instead of ignoring the problem?

Take a moment to reflect. The change begins with each of us. What role will you play?

Leave any comments down below—I’d love to hear from you! Let’s start a conversation about how we can all make a difference.