Sand dunes are sexy, or so some people think. Personally, I don’t care for sand in all the various places it gets. Sand is gritty, not sexy. The next time you are walking hand-in hand with your special someone (or a special stranger, I suppose), on the beach in the moonlight, and you start to get that ‘special’ feeling down there, your act of lovemaking may very well be destroying the fragile ecosystem of the dunes, not to mention the possible damage to your clothes and skin.
A study, entitled “Sand, Sun, Sea and Sex with Strangers”, published in the Journal of Environmental Management concludes that it leads to significant degradation of the dunes surrounding the beach. The report studied an area in the Canary Islands and says that dumped cigarette butts and condoms have become a major problem, as has removal of vegetation to make sites for sex, and destruction due to trampling and track creation.
Plants get destroyed and the animals that rely on them for shelter and food are also harmed.
Sand dunes are natural barriers against powerful waves and windy storms. Beach dunes are also a rich habitat for specific vegetation and wildlife. However, when humans decide to alter this sensitive grainy environment, the beach and the entire coastline change nearly overnight.
Let nature re-arrange the dunes as it sees fit, while you enjoy an encounter in some less delicate place. The researchers say, “we’re not calling for an end to public sex, but we do want people to be aware of the damage it can do.”
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