Photos of the Mendocino Glass Beach, like the one above, captivate the imagination with thoughts like, “wow, that’s cool!” But proceed with caution. The millions of shiny color stones on the beach are actually wasted glass from old bottles and glasses. While this may change your feeling about the beach it still is a breath-taking site that truly is a diamond in the rough.
Nestled away in Mendocino Coast, CA crystal beaches stretch for miles, sparkling from millions of small pieces of eroded glass. Why is this beach is composed of glass, not to be found in the sand at most other beaches in the world? Well, beaches on the Mendocino Coast have not always been beaches. From 1950 t0 1967 the beach as a dumping ground. As a result, glass, porcelain and other waste ended up on the Pacific coast.
Recently the state of California has acquired the beach, therefore making it a protected area. Visitors are encouraged not to pick up any glass in hopes of preserving its “artificial beauty”. It has been said the shiny crystals display their color especially on sunny days, creating a striking sparkle that capture the attention of tourists instantly. While human activity is often responsible for the deconstruction or transformation of many landscapes that is not the case in Mendocino. The glass beach in Mendocino is an example of an artificial landscape that holds a mysterious beauty unique to the rest of the world.
