Coulter, Kimberly. “Open Access to the Beach.” AntSpiderBee. Ant Spider Bee, 18 Feb. 2014. Web. 22 Aug. 2014.
http://www.antspiderbee.net/2014/02/open-access-to-the-beach/
Though Malibu’s beaches are officially designated as public, their access has regularly been blocked and hidden by wealthy residents along the shore. Environmental historian and writer Jenny Price is looking to change that with her app, Our Malibu Beaches. The app acts as a companion for the beach-seeking public, providing directions to and photos of access points, legal information about beach-goers’ rights, and advice on how to deal with any conflict that may arise.
In her interview with Kimberly Coulter of Ant Spider Bee, Price defends the public’s entitlement to the beach as a natural area. I agree with the importance of this – some may consider the Malibu situation to be minor, but a hierarchy of access to the environment could easily warp into a nightmare. Humans should be allowed to enjoy a connection with nature, regardless of their economic status. However, this app doesn’t solve that problem entirely – it is only accessible to smartphone owners.
I do wonder how this app will affect the beaches in terms of pollution and litter. Will they be ravaged by the sudden influx of visitors? Will beach clean-up crews be assigned to these now accessible beaches? Over 28,000 people have downloaded the app so far. Hopefully these are beach-goers who care about the land beyond demanding their right to it.
