Since 1985, we’ve partnered with people like you – volunteers, donors and advocates — to make Southern California safer, healthier and cleaner. And 2018 will prove no different.
As another year closes we’ve been reflecting on all our wins in 2017. But now we look ahead to this New Year. We’ll be hosting cleanups, educating kids at our Aquarium and monitoring beaches and watersheds statewide as we do year in and year out. We’ve got bigger plans, too.
Here’s a snapshot look at our Big Three policy goals in 2018, encompassing our three impact pillars – Thriving Oceans, Healthy Watersheds and Smart Water.
1. Parting With Polystyrene
Action Item: Enact a ban on polystyrene food and drink containers in the City and County of Los Angeles.
Following the model that propelled the statewide plastic bag ban in 2014, we are fighting to rid our beaches and neighborhoods of polystyrene trash.
We don’t want to live in a nanny state, with a long list of prohibited items and activities. But sometimes enough is enough. Our volunteers have removed more than 500,000 bits of Styrofoam™ from beaches in L.A. County over the past decade1. These discarded fragments of takeout-food packaging and cups are not only unsightly – they’re also downright dangerous to marine life and our health.
Recycling isn’t the answer, as polystyrene food and drink containers suffer from low quality and value. More than 100 California cities have implemented all-out bans. But we need a statewide solution, as with plastic bags. Sacramento legislators likely won’t act until the state’s biggest city acts.
2. Saving Stormwater
Action Item: Get L.A. County voters to approve a funding measure for stormwater capture projects.
When it rains, we create terrible waste in Southern California. First, billions of gallons of polluted runoff are sent uselessly to the sea. Second, we fail to capture and reuse that water to replenish our depleted aquifers.
We import 80% of our water in L.A. – at great risk and cost. It’s simply madness not to reuse the water that nature provides. The County of L.A. already does a fairly good job of capturing stormwater – about 200,000 acre feet each year. But we need to at least double that amount.
Engineers have created detailed plans for multi-benefit, green projects throughout the county – think smart parks, green streets and the like. We can transform the region from a concrete bowl into a giant sponge. But in a time of tight government budgets, finding the funding is tough. In the November election, voters will decide whether to support a tax to reduce pollution and increase water reliability.
3. Revitalizing the River
Action Item: Advocate for strong water-quality and habitat protections in the County’s upcoming L.A. River Master Plan.
Heal the Bay recently released an eye-opening study of water quality that showed that bacterial pollution continues to plague the L.A. River. Our scientific report demonstrated that popular recreation zones suffer from poor water quality. Fecal bacteria pose health risks for the growing number of people fishing, swimming and kayaking its waters.
We’re excited about all the great things happening on the River these days, spurred by a $1 billion revitalization plan. We love that more Angelenos are getting on the water. We just want to make sure people stay safe and are informed about pollution.
Our work isn’t possible without the real passion, action and commitment from people like you. Help us spark more positive change in our region, up and down the coast, and around the world. Help us hit the ground running this year by making a donation today.
1. Source: Heal the Bay’s Marine Debris Database (12/1/2007-12/1/2017). Heal the Bay’s Marine Debris Database is an online record of trash and other debris that has been picked up by schools, companies, and other volunteers as part of Heal the Bay’s various beach cleanup programs.
