Save the Laguna Madre

Dear Editor,
    This letter I am writing to you today is inspired by the loyal and dedicated members of Friends of Isla Blanca Park and the ever-growing voice from the coast of the lower Rio Grande Valley. Always thankful that Austin and your paper represent green ideals has motivated me to write this letter as an attempt to make more of us who love the Gulf aware of an atrocious event that is occurring in my hometown of Port Isabel, Texas. As Earth Day was celebrated this weekend, I thought it was an ironic time to share some upsetting earthly news. A piece of the Texas Gulf Coast is up for exploration of oil/gas. Well, the equipment is in the water, so I guess that means business. Bummer.
    The Laguna Madre is the official name of the body of water that is about to be tapped into. A petition I downloaded from the Save the Laguna Madre Web site (www.savethelagunamadre.com) informed me that the Madre, which is more familiar to visitors as the bay you cross driving over the bridge to reach South Padre Island, is the "last unspoiled hyper-saline bay system in the United States" (quoted directly from the Web site). I don't think I need to explain how or why this is upsetting, but I do want to elaborate that rising gas prices is a constant reminder to me on how desperate our society is to get the next quick fix of this resource. It saddens me to think that I thought something like this could never happen in my parents' back yard. Naive much?
    My parents are avid surfers who have passed on to me an immense appreciation of nature and our surroundings that runs in me so deep. Check out www.saveislablanca.com or www.savethelagunamadre.com if interested in helping preserve this area from intrusive resource exploration and future plans of gambling development.