More than 15 years ago my uncles decided to build a hotel on a virgin beach in the province of Esmeraldas. This beach called Las Peñas, has a small town, with a lot of huts, it has some hotels, but its beach is usually empty. I could say without hesitation that this is my favorite place in the world. It has the best sunsets, it has a relatively clean sea as well as its beach, it has the best food and above all, it is extremely peaceful. During all these years I have been going regularly, being a witness of how global warming has affected our world.
Several years ago, the beach had a lot of space between the sea and the town. The tide was coming in, but not high enough to frighten the business. Until almost a year after not having been there, I notice the change. One of the hotels that was lower, had to create a huge wall of stones, as the tide began to invade the hotel. The following year not only did the hotel have to build that wall, but all the huts had to help create a wall between the town and the sea. It was in that moment, when I noticed that something was very wrong.
Scientists had been talking about for a long time how the glaciers, snow-capped mountains, etc., were melting, causing the sea water levels to increase. This caused me a lot of anxiety, fear, sadness and intrigue. Anxiety, because I knew that I can contribute with my grain of sand, to try to make this world a better one, and to be able to recover the place that I love so much, but I am aware that there are 7 billion people in the world, and not all them are conscious of this circumstances. Fear, because things are happening so fast, it seems that we have the time on top. Sadness, because it is the place I love the most in this world and I have seen how it slowly fades away, and finally, intrigue, because I want to know what I can do to help.
Seeing this change, things started to change in my house. I may not be able to change everyone, but I can change the way my mother and my family see things. I started recycling religiously. Change certain items for more eco-friendly ones. Whenever I visit the beach, I pick up the garbage that I find. I know that in other parts of the world the same thing happens, and that there is some boy who is going through the same situation. I am aware that a change must be generated, and that this change begins with oneself.
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