At a Glance

Beachgoers left Florida's Siesta Key Beach trashed over the Memorial Day weekend.Local officials and volunteers organized Wednesday to clean up the beach.Siesta Key Beach was named the best beach in the U.S. in 2011 and again in 2017.

A Florida beach named the best beach in America in 2011 and 2017 was trashed by beachgoers who didn't clean up after themselves over the Memorial Day weekend.

The mess prompted a massive cleanup effort by Sarasota residents Wednesday.

Siesta Key resident Randy Reid on Tuesday. The post quickly went viral with more than 4,000 shares and caught the attention of Sarasota County officials and residents.

"Right after Memorial Day, Siesta Key Beach," Reid said in hisvideo. "No. 1beach in the country, according to Dr. Beach."

"I swear to God, my generation would have never left a piece of [expletive] mess like this, ever," Reid continued. "Our country needs help, y'all."

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According to Fox 13, before the litter washed into the Gulf of Mexico.

Despite extra dumpsters set up along the beach in anticipation of increased visitors to the beach for the holiday weekend, beachgoers still left behind a mess, Sarasota County officials told the news station. The officials noted that the beach was restored to its former beauty by midday Wednesday.

Scientists at the Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota said they were concerned the trash could hurt marine life in the area and remindedbeach visitors that they must clean up after themselves when visiting any beach.

Coastal expert Stephen P. Leatherman, a.k.a. Dr. Beach, is director of Florida International University’s Laboratory for Coastal Research. He named Siesta Key Beach the best in America in 2011 and again in 2017.He issues his on the basis of , which includes water and sand quality, beach safety, environmental management and no-smoking policies.

"Siesta Beach in Sarasota boasts that it has the finest and whitest sand in the world, and I cannot argue with this claim; the powdery sand is nearly pure quartz crystal," Leatherman . "The beautiful blue-colored water is clean and clear, making it so inviting to bathers and swimmers. The beach is hundreds of yards wide, attracting volleyball players and beachcombers as well as those who just want to find their place in the sun."

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