Paddle Boarders and a Surfer in Isla Verde

December 3, 2014 by Raul Colon

Buy a Copy of “Paddle Boarders and a Surfer in Isla Verde”

You deserve to have a digital copy of some of the pictures I have taken of Puerto Rico. This picture was taken from Isla Verde Beach in Carolina, Puerto Rico.

My Thoughts on the Image

At one point in my life I use to bodyboard. After I left High School I have carried my Bodyboard around me everywhere but have not really made much use to it. Maybe 2015 is the year where I get a bit more into watersports again. What new thing would you like to start soon?

How I captured the Attention of 10k+ people in a day

July 15, 2014 by Raul Colon

I have been sharing my thoughts and experiences online since I set up my first website in 1998 on Tripod.com; a version full of ads is still available on the free hosting service.

It took me some time to set up my personal blog (this one) as a project. After running multiple blogs which were geared towards using social platforms and digital marketing, I wanted a place to cover some of my personal experiences on a variety of subjects. I have been publishing my thoughts since May 2010.

Another Ugly 4th of July for Puerto Rico

This past 4th of July weekend, I wrote about how Puerto Rico’s beautiful beaches are trashed daily. I have written about this topic on multiple occasions and felt it was sort of ignored.

Living on the beach has given me the experience of observing how most individuals that visit the beach decide to litter. Objects vary from something as simple as a cigarette butt to an old beach chair. Others have their BBQ’s and drop the hot commercial charcoal on our beautiful beaches.

Our government and even those that are trying to help, have created an understanding that someone will come and clean-up their mess.

More than they can Carry Sober

The main question I ask myself is why are people bringing so much stuff and why are they not taking it back.

With time, I have realized that most of those who leave trash behind are publicly intoxicated. They can barely carry themselves much less bring back the trash they brought.

Although it is illegal to have bottles of liquor on the beach, nobody gets fined.

A Different Approach

On this occasion I put into practice a few things I have learned from my 52 books in one year challenge. There are two main books I took advice from which are, The Power of Visual Storytelling: How to Use Visuals, Videos, and Social Media to Market Your Brand by Ekaterina and Jessica and Content Chemistry: An Illustrated Handbook for Content Marketing by Andy Crestodina, a book I received a bit more than a week ago when I visited Chicago for the Genius Shared Business retreat.

From Visual Storytelling, I got a better understanding of using pictures and a mix of text to attract people to a website or post. On Saturday, I observed cleaning crews working for hours since Friday night. I decided to take a picture and add a message below.

I made sure the image had my personal blog’s logo and two lines; one saying “Happy 5th of July” and the other one pointing people to my blog.

Once I had the image, we shared it via our multiple social platforms. It quickly captured the attention of Mi Puerto Rico Verde’s Facebook page, a site dedicated to the environment. This started a chain reaction of getting coverage from other local mass media characters (one who even took my image and did not give attribution; he shall remain nameless).

The Image as a Starter

The image gave us some time to create a post which could be read and understood very easily by the public. We used some sarcasm and tried to insert some humor with the items left behind in the photos I took.

Longevity

I took many of the tips from, Content Chemistry, and optimized the content to improve the probability of any tourists looking for Puerto Rico’s beaches, to stumble across this blog post. My heart breaks when a tourist invests their money and time in coming to the island and they are confronted with reality and not what was marketed.

Once the content was optimized and edited, we went ahead and published the post. Optimizing the content will also send a message to those folks who can change a few laws and get resources to stop this from happening. If they want me as an ambassador of the island, they need to clean up their act.

Breaking a Blog Record

I was amazed by the analytics of the site and realized that I had broken my personal blog’s record by getting close to 11K people to visit my site in one day.

I used some tactics that were new to me, mixed with my experience of writing, and getting reactions online. I pushed the envelope with my post, Let the Puerto Rican Beach “Pigs” Pay, and it got people angry.

I can only hope that their reaction is enough to do something to change the garbage issue amongst other one’s affecting our island. A few individuals already decided it was easier to just get angry at me instead of working together at attacking the root of the problem and help hide the pollution problem. The highlight of this story was that many more people stepped up to the plate and voiced their opinions publicly, supporting the fact that I put the spotlight on a subject many rather not talk about.

Bonus: Some of the Tricks to get the 11k Visitors

I will be sharing in more detail some tips I used when writing this very opinionated post that got me traction. Sign-up via my newsletter so you can also use these tips to get your message out and hopefully seek change.

The Pollution Problem #PuertoRico Fails to Hide

June 24, 2014 by Raul Colon

I usually share a picture of my views on my beach walks and many might think I truly live in Paradise. When I try to explain the reality of how I put a positive spin to a place with very serious issues, most people quite don't understand and some might not even believe me.

I went to bed after 3 am last night due to the manifestations being made by young drunk kids (some who are probably under age) and were too high and drunk to even walk. Then we have the older crowd of individuals who for some reason feel they should be acting like their younger counterparts, bringing everything but the sink from their house and sadly leaving all that trash behind because they are so drunk they can't even carry themselves.

Our government has always done a good job at covering up more serious and obvious problems and making people feel they have everything under control. Just by watching from my balcony, some cops felt useless because if they arrested any of those kids or the families who had young ones that seem to be younger than my 3 year old daughter partying with the crowd till late hours of the morning, the cops could have gotten themselves into trouble.

The Band Aid Solution

The government in an attempt to hide the fact that we have a serious pollution problem on our beaches, had crews and groups of people picking up the tons of trash left behind.

The Water Pollution nobody talks about

The beach last night was being polluted not only by trash but the sound waves of speakers (that should be used for concerts) being used by civilians until 3am at night. I am sure if it affects me inside a room with concrete walls and security windows, it must be affecting the beautiful wildlife that lives around our beaches.

Pollution Happens Every Day

Last Sunday, I watched how people left every piece of trash imaginable from hot coals to broken beach chairs and there is pretty much nothing that can be done. When I called the cops they told me they were handling other matters and having someone start a fire near a building was not a priority (to be fair the cops are understaffed and work with very limited budgets).

I am Safe because I woke up late

I was not able to document the trash on the beach, although it can be done any other day especially on a day like 4th of July. Since there is no consequence for leaving your trash behind ,people just prefer to leave it behind and have others who get paid or volunteer to clean it.

Lucy caught a picture of activist Tamara Lopez Cruz who got run over by one of the cleaning crew's vehicles. Tamara also wrote a book criticizing Puerto Rico’s Department of Education called “Un Monstruo Llamado D.E.”.

I can relate with Tamara in many ways; she is a writer putting the spotlight on some of the issues that need to be fixed but more importantly I am usually the one on the beach documenting the mess people leave behind and the inefficiency of the clean up. It could have been me or my family in Tamara’s situation because at that hour, we are usually walking our dog or I could have been documenting the chaos/aftermath.

Images of Activist Hurt

Nobody Attacks the Root of the Problem

Apparently the trash of our beaches does not go well with the millions they pump into marketing with la #IslaEstrella campaign and previous campaigns of the past.

Puerto Rico's economic issues are very serious but the way they approach every issue including the beach trash pollution is pumping more money into superficially campaigns hoping this will fix the problem. In summary, I guess it makes it look like they are doing their best and those companies getting paid to cover up the issue make a good amount of money but the problem does not go away.

A Bullshit Campaign (A Waste Of Money)

Here is an interesting video where the current secretary of Natural Resources, Carmen Guerrero, admits they have a problem but instead of dealing with those creating the problem she rather create a marketing campaign and make those who already keep our beaches clean, work over time. Are they even taking into consideration the trash that ends up inside the ocean that nobody picks up?

A Fragmented or Non Existing Agency?

Yesterday a neighbor stopped some representatives of "Recursos Naturales" on some illegal activities, where they are the only ones apparently that can fine the individual and they clearly said it was not their responsibility.The department is so fragmented that the whole entity can't do its main goal which is to protect our Natural Resources. I have attempted for almost two years to get a meeting with the head of Natural Resources and to this day none of them will take a meeting, much less commit to fixing the problem.

A Solution that Brings Income to the Government

Instead of cleaning up, why not look for ways to have people not leave trash behind at all.

My solution would be to have cops and law enforcement start giving out fines to everyone who leaves their trash behind. Instead of spending the money the PR government does not have with marketing and a logistical exercises that spends the government's money in an irresponsible way, they can avoid putting individuals like Tamara and anyone walking the beach at risk.

Why not make some money from those who decide time and time again that enjoying the beach and littering it goes hand in hand.

If you live on the Island and are reading this I ask you to please leave your thoughts. I also ask that you disclose what part you are playing to either fix the problem or not do anything at all.

I was a huge critic of the faults of the previous administration but after last night, I couldn't sleep in peace, and I wake up to an environmental activist being hurt by those trying to cover up the real problem.

I wonder if those politicians and people who can make a difference really want to fix the problem or they prefer to continue to hurt our natural resources, the tourism industry, and those who work their butts off to vouch for Puerto Rico.

I wonder what I can do next to get closer to fixing the problem? Any thoughts?

Bonus Image to Make You think

The Kids in the Purple Shirts where cleaning the beach, the hoodlums who were drunk, were giving them a hard time. The Cops were close by and these kids who are cleaning after the morons who left the trash behind can't even feel safe. (Images where taken by Lucilla Feliciano).

Why are we putting these kids at risk? For what reason?