Heal the Bay Blog

The Syringe Saga Continues

11.04.2016 | Steven Johnson

South Bay

Nov 4, 2016 – The syringe saga begins anew, writes staff scientist Steven Johnson.

If you live in Los Angeles, I have a new program for you to watch.

It’s a televised drama that contains high-stakes political maneuvering, involves people who unwittingly end up exposed to a dangerously sharp edge when you least expect it, and deals with a war of Five Kings.

What? You know the program I’m talking about? No, not Game of Thrones (but good guess) – something with a little less viewership and attention. It’s the sickening story of medical waste washing up on our local beaches. Let me quickly fill you in on last season, which ended in June 2016.

The “Five Kings” is a nickname that has been used for the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. This locally governing body originally got their name due to a combination of power, homogeneity, and longevity of the members. Term limits were voted in by 64% of Los Angeles voters in 2002 and the Board itself has since morphed to better represent the diversity in the County. They still retain their tremendous power over a growing constituency, however, which is what makes them so fascinating. Each of the five supervisors represents almost two million Angelenos apiece, which is 2,000 times as many people as the original 1,000 citizens each supervisor represented in 1852. Today you have what the L.A. Times has argued are the five most powerful locally-elected individuals in the nation.

Now you know the characters and the setting. Let me set the stakes.

Early in 2016, Los Angeles County was set to have one of the most stringent used needles and unused prescription medication take-back programs in the country. At the time, only Alameda County (the county east of San Francisco containing Oakland, Berkeley, and Livermore) had such a program in place. This take-back program would ideally take the form of depositories (think mailbox/library book return) in Los Angeles drug stores and other convenient places. Heal the Bay believes that this ordinance will help keep used syringes off our shores and unused, yet abusable, medications out of our medicine cabinets and waterways. Currently, people either throw away syringes with other trash, where they can harm sanitation workers, or worse—flush them down the toilet. Heal the Bay became very aware of the danger of flushed syringes following last September’s Hyperion sewer spill, when hundreds of syringes, along with other medical waste, washed up on the shores around Dockweiler Beach. The take-back ordinance would be funded by the same people who profit from our prescription purchases in the first place: the pharmaceutical companies.

So what happened?

Over the course of spring 2016 the ordinance was delayed five times. This continued until the nail-biting season finale which took place this past June. On that fateful day, when Los Angeles County was supposed to confirm its comprehensive sharps and pharmaceutical take-back program, it was replaced in the eleventh hour and fifty-ninth minute by a watered-down public education campaign. The only similarity between the old ordinance and the new education campaign would be the funders – in both cases the pharmaceutical companies. They were asked to spend the next few months overseeing an education and outreach campaign and host quarterly take-back days.

Supervisors Sheila Kuehl and Hilda Solis, who have become leaders on the Board in the effort to establish the ordinance, warned their fellow supervisors that the proposed education program would fall far short of the original ordinance in addressing the issues posed by sharps and pharmaceuticals, and assured their constituents that they had not seen the last of the ordinance itself.

Months have gone by and the results of the public education program and take-back events have been announced. According to County of Los Angeles Public Health, the pharmaceutical companies’ campaign objectives in summary “were not approved.” Of the mandated “Education and Outreach, Take-Back Events, and Outcome Measurement Plans,” there were only two categories (out of the 43 total graded requirements) where the Pharmaceutical Workgroup actually met the Supervisors’ set criteria: The campaign messages were in fact translated into Spanish, and that the group did indeed “establish a single website.” In every other category the Pharmaceutical Outreach and Education Team either partially or totally failed.

Last week, Supervisors Kuehl and Solis proved they were keeping their word and have been paying close attention to the program. That brings us up to speed to what’s happened up until yesterday’s season premiere.

The inadequacies of the outreach campaign were discussed at the Board’s Tuesday, November 1 hearing. After hearing L.A. County Public Health officials’ report, Supervisors Solis and Kuehl reiterated their stance that the whole effort was disappointing, with Solis stating that the industry’s efforts would receive an F grade if it were a student.

Sheila Kuehl stated that the people of L.A. County “should have an easy choice” of where to get rid of their old medications and used syringes. She went on to say that as Supervisors, “it’s our responsibility [to make it happen] and we will take it.”

But when the other Supervisors spoke, those in support of the ordinance looked completely miffed, as Supervisors Antonovich, Knabe, and Ridley-Thomas all seemed to think the ordinance needed more work—despite almost a year of efforts, delays, and postponements. At this point the well-crafted take-back ordinance, to the dismay of its many supporters, was put in a state of limbo. And that’s where our most recent episode ends.

Looking at the season ahead, there is hope for the take-back program. There will be two new characters destined to join our outnumbered heroes. Two of the five kings will be replaced by new, undetermined Supervisors, as the newly initiated term limits have taken effect. Even the two electoral races to replace Supervisors Antonovich and Knabe themselves have been quite dramatic so far.

There are rumors that the take-back program will be presented again in front of the newly vitalized board as soon as January 2017.

Hearings begin at 9 a.m. on Tuesdays and are replayed each subsequent Wednesday night on television network KLCS at 10 p.m.

And unlike HBO, KLCS is free.

Stay tuned for updates in the coming months as the Syringe Saga continues…

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Día de Los Muertos: An Eerie Video For Prop 67

10.27.2016 | Heal the Bay

California Bag Ban Heal the Bay Videos Take Action

October 28, 2016 — Día de los Muertos, or “The Day of the Dead,” happens to take place just days before the general election. In the spirit of this hallowed Mexican holiday, we hope you enjoy our new video. (Haga clic aquí para español.)

Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, traditionally occurs on November 1 and 2–just days before the general election on Tuesday, November 8.

The traditional Mexican celebration is about making contact with the spirits of the dead, to let them know that they are not forgotten and that we still care about them here on Earth. So we thought, what better way to tell the story of plastic bag pollution than to connect with sea creatures that have died because of plastic pollution in our oceans?

In our new mini-film “Los Fantasmas Del Mar,” a medium has the uncanny ability to speak with marine mammals that have passed on from this world. Tapping into the great abyss, she communicates with the spirit of a gray whale that happens to know a surprising amount about California politics–and Proposition 67 in particular. Who knew?

Our creative partners–many of whom worked on our viral hit “The Majestic Plastic Bag,” filmed Sra. Sargassos in her native language, but they’ve added English subtitles to reach more voters.

Be sure to check out and contribute to our traveling Día de Los Muertos altar devoted to marine life:

Sat-Sun, Oct 29-30, 12:30-5 p.m., Santa Monica Pier Aquarium, 1600 Ocean Front Walk, Santa Monica, CA, 90401
Tue-Fri, Nov 1-4, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Los Angeles River Center, 570 West Avenue 26, Los Angeles, CA, 90065

Feliz Día de Los Muertos and remember to vote YES on Prop 67 and NO on Prop 65! To learn more, visit https://healthebay.org/yeson67

Muchissimas gracias to our pro-bono team: Lupe Gudino, Jose Flick, Arnie Presiado, Gary Le Vine, Kevin McCarthy, Regie Miller, Paul Flick and, finally, Alicia Wu as the mysterious Sra. Sargossas.

***

Día de los muertos, o Day of the Dead, tradicionalmente ocurre en Noviembre 1 y 2, días antes de la elección general del Martes, Noviembre 8.

La tradicional celebración mexicana se trata de conectarse con los espíritus de los muertos, para dejarles saber que no han sido olvidados y que todavía se les quiere en esta tierra.¿Así que pensamos, qué mejor manera de contar la historia de la contaminación de la bolsa de plástico que conectarnos con las criaturas marinas que han muerto debido a la contaminación de la bolsa de plástico en nuestros océanos?

En nuestra ultimo mini-corto “Los Fantasmas Del Mar”, Una medium tiene la gran habilidad de hablar con los mamíferos que se han marchado de este mundo. tocando el gran abismo, Ella se comunica con una ballena gris quien sorprendentemente sabe mucho sobre política en California y en particular sobre la proposición 67, Quien podría saberlo?

Nuestros creativos socios – muchos de los cuales trabajaron en nuestro exito viral “La majestuosa bolsa de plástico,” filmaron a la Sra. Sargassos en su idioma nativo, pero han agregado subtítulos en inglés para llegar a más votantes

Asegúrese de echar un vistazo y contribuir a nuestro altar de Día de Los Muertos dedicado a la vida marina en estas dos locaciones:

Sabado-Domingo, Oct 29-30, 12:30-5 p.m., Santa Monica Pier Aquarium, 1600 Ocean Front Walk, Santa Monica, CA, 90401
Martes a Viernes, Nov 1-4, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Los Angeles River Center, 570 West Avenue 26, Los Angeles, CA, 90065

Feliz Día de Los Muertos y recuerden en votar SI en Prop 67 y NO en Prop 65!

Muchissimas gracias a nuestro equipo de pro bono: Lupe Gudino, Jose Flick, Arnie Presiado, Gary Le Vine, Kevin McCarthy, Regie Miller, Paul Flick y, por último, Alicia Wu como la misteriosa Sra. Sargossos.

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Still More Delays: The Ballona Boondoggle

10.11.2016 | Katherine Pease

Ballona Wetlands Marina del Rey / Playa del Rey

October 11, 2016 — Watershed Scientist Katherine Pease, Ph.D., weighs in on the latest setback affecting the future of the Ballona Wetlands.

Way back in 2003, the State of California purchased the Ballona Wetlands, protecting one of our last remaining coastal wetlands in Southern California. Despite being protected, the Ballona Wetlands have been severely impacted by humans and are highly degraded. Thus, shortly after State acquisition, restoration planning began.

Fast forward thirteen years and we still do not have a plan for the restoration of the Ballona Wetlands.

Rumors had been circulating recently about a delay in the release of the much-anticipated restoration plan or Environmental Impact Report/Statement (EIR/EIS) for the Ballona Wetlands.

I am disappointed to say that official word has now confirmed those rumors. We are now told that we must wait until mid-2017 to see this document.

The draft EIR/EIS will detail and evaluate four tentative alternatives, ranging from the “No Action Alternative” – in other words, doing nothing – to a full scale restoration involving concrete removal to establish a more natural creek connected to the wetlands, walking and biking paths, and creation and enhancement of wetland habitats. The Army Corps of Engineers and California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) are the lead agencies preparing the EIR/EIS and will make the final decision about restoration plans.

This further delay is unacceptable. The Ballona Wetlands need restoration and action needs to be taken now. Southern California has already lost 95% of its coastal wetlands. We need to act quickly to protect and restore our remaining 5%.

Heal the Bay and partners have been participating in good faith in a public process that began in 2006. The draft EIR was due in 2012. We have been awaiting this document for four years – that’s right, we are four years behind schedule. The deadlines have continually been pushed back and surpassed, but this time felt different; I was sure we would see the EIR in 2016. Alas, it was not meant to be. But that doesn’t mean that we’ll just sit around waiting patiently – we need to speak up and hold the Army Corps of Engineers and CDFW accountable.

What is the explanation for the delay?

The official notice states in great brevity that the delay is “due to the identification, discussion and resolution of various questions and concerns from the project agencies involved.”
We ask for more transparency and specific details about the delay. What are the questions and concerns? How will they be addressed? We suggest a public meeting to discuss the process.

What assurance do we have that the new timeline will be met?

Transparency in the process about what went wrong will help give us confidence that the new timeline will be met. Further, we would like to see specific interim goals with dates to ensure that the process stays on track to meet the new timeline. The document needs to be made public as soon as possible. We ask that this work be prioritized and be finished by the end of 2016.

Heal the Bay will meet with partners, agencies, and elected officials to try to get answers to these questions and to put pressure on the lead agencies.

If you support the restoration of Ballona Wetlands and want to see it happen ASAP, starting with the release of the EIR/EIS, please sign our petition now.

You can also contact CDFW and your federal elected officials to let them know that you care about wetland habitat and that you want to see the EIR/EIS now.

Learn more about the Ballona Wetlands.

White egret at the Ballona Wetlands Student group on a tour at Ballona Wetlands Wooden posts at Ballona Wetlands

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Stuff Big Plastic: 10 Reasons to Vote Yes on Prop 67

10.05.2016 | Heal the Bay

California Bag Ban Take Action

Oct. 6, 2016 — Manufacturers are trying to overturn the state’s effective bag ban at the ballot box this November.

Did you know that all that hard work we did together to get California’s plastic bag ban passed in the state legislature years ago is now under threat? Out-of-state and out-of-touch Big Plastic is pushing bags on us once again by funding an initiative to overturn the statewide ban.

So please come out Nov. 8 during the presidential election to vote YES to uphold the sensible ban. Bag bans work! Why go back? We know you get it, but here’s info to share with your network.

1. Bags kill wildlife.

Plastic bag pollution poses a deadly threat to 663 species of marine and land animals. Each year, thousands of animals become entangled in plastic bags and drown, or ingest them and starve.

2. They poison the food chain.

In the ocean, plastic bags break down into tiny pieces, which absorb large amounts of pollutants. These toxic pellets are then eaten by small fish and animals that are in turn eaten by larger fish… ultimately passing those toxins on to us. Do you want to eat plastic-filled fish?

3. They’re used for just a few minutes, but last a few lifetimes.

A shopper will typically use a single-use plastic bag for fewer than 12 minutes. However, that bag will remain in our environment for up to 1,000 years and will never fully biodegrade.

4. Less than 5% of plastic bags are recycled in California.

The plastic bag industry may say recycling is the answer, but that’s simply not the case. The tiny fraction of bags that do make it to recycling plants yield very little usable material.

5. Plastic in the ocean will outweigh fish by 2050.

If we don’t take immediate action to reduce our appetite for plastic products, you’ll soon be more likely to reel in a food wrapper than a rockfish.

6. They cost taxpayers millions every year to clean up.

NRDC estimates that California spends up to $100 million each year dealing with plastic bag litter. We can think of a few million better ways to spend taxpayer dollars.

7. They make shopping more expensive.

Think you’ve been getting all those plastic grocery bags on the house? Think again. The real cost of those “freebies” is built into the price of consumer goods.

8. They’re an eyesore in our neighborhoods.

Chances are you’ve seen a few of these “urban tumbleweeds” blighting your block. Banned bags mean cleaner communities.

9. The plastic bag industry profits off pollution.

Plastic bags are big business in California, racking up nearly $200 million in 2012 alone. But who’s raking it in? Not the Golden State: 98% of contributions to keep plastic bags were from companies outside of California.

10. A statewide ban would streamline existing bag laws.

Over 1/3 of Californians enjoy living in 148 communities where bags are already banned. A statewide solution would simplify this regulatory jumble for retailers and shoppers alike.

Download this fact sheet.

Learn more about Prop 67.

Top 10 Reasons to vote YES on Prop 67!

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Heal the Bay Honors the Ocean With the Chumash

10.03.2016 | Tova Handelman and Dana Murray

Events

Oct. 3, 2016 — Heal the Bay’s coastal resources team, Tova Handelman and Dana Murray, share their experience Honoring the Ocean as part of the Los Angeles Marine Protected Area Collaborative.

Honor – the word evokes a sense of respect. We honor those we admire for their generosity, bravery, or dedication to a cause. We honor ourselves at the end of our yoga practice to acknowledge our health, energy, and self-love. But how often do we stop to honor – to pay respect – to our natural environment? Last week, on a beautiful and warm Saturday morning at Zuma Beach, we got the unique opportunity to do just that.

Heal the Bay and other partners from the Los Angeles MPA Collaborative came together to host a celebratory event to “Honor the Ocean” at the Point Dume State Marine Conservation Area in Malibu. L.A. MPA Collaborative members connected with Angelenos about being stewards of the sea, educating them on everything from marine life in California, to available citizen science opportunities like MPA Watch.

Heal the Bay spoke to interested community members about plastic pollution and how to volunteer for our ocean; the Chumash community welcomed beachgoers and shared their history, culture, stories, and traditions; L.A. County lifeguards provided ocean safety tips; Los Angeles Waterkeeper and the City of Malibu provided educational marine and watershed science activities; the CA Dept. of Fish & Wildlife and California Ocean Science Trust were on hand as state experts in MPA science and monitoring; and Malibu Makos offered free surf lessons.

Over 200 ocean enthusiasts gathered to witness Mati Waiya, Executive Director of the Wishtoyo Foundation and an esteemed Chumash elder, perform a moving ceremony to thank the ocean for providing us with oxygen, food, and beauty. A gorgeous hand-carved tomol, a Chumash canoe made from redwood, was lifted by a dozen men and placed on the sand in the center of the congregated onlookers, highlighting Chumash maritime culture. After leading the crowd in traditional Chumash songs, Mati Waiya spoke passionately about the need to respect the ocean’s strength and power, yet also recognize its vulnerability to harmful human activities. His emotional speech ended with a call to action for each person to remember that we are all connected with nature and we must incorporate honor and respect for Mother Earth into our daily lives to keep her – and ourselves – healthy and thriving.

The Los Angeles MPA Collaborative, a network of local organizations, municipalities, and agencies, channels broad and diverse perspectives to build ocean resilience and promote the cultural, recreational, and ecological value of Los Angeles County’s marine protected areas. While we were there to honor the ocean, we also paid respect to the Chumash community and the Wishtoyo Foundation for their advocacy for integrating tribal values into the MPA designation process. For thousands of years, the Chumash have valued ocean stewardship, and they continue to do so through Wishtoyo’s Chumash Tribal Marine Protected Area ocean conservation education program.

The event finished with children and adults alike sitting in the sand at the feet of Chumash elders, who energetically told stories of the Chumash people and their connection to the ocean. It was a truly wonderful day to celebrate – and honor – Los Angeles’ underwater parks, the Chumash peoples’ dedication to the ocean, and the positive legacy the L.A. MPA Collaborative is establishing for future generations of Californians to enjoy our stunning marine ecosystems for years to come.

Big thanks to the members of the Los Angeles MPA Collaborative for planning this event! Read an article about the event in The Malibu Times.

See Photos

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Staying Safe This Lobster Season

09.30.2016 | Dana Murray

California Sharks Marine Protected Areas News

Sept. 30, 2016 — This Saturday, October 1, marks the opening weekend of the recreational lobster fishing season in California, officially beginning at 12:01 a.m. This is one of the busiest weekends on the water in Southern California, and it’s important that people stay safe and know the rules. So, here’s Heal the Bay’s cheat sheet to the recreational lobster regulations.

On the resource side, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife recently adopted California’s spiny lobster fishery management plan (FMP) to ensure that the fishery is sustainable for both the commercial and recreational sectors, while keeping the Southern California lobster population healthy and thriving. New regulations associated with the FMP won’t take effect until next year’s 2017/2018 lobster season. Heal the Bay participated as the environmental stakeholder on the advisory committee for the management plan.

Spiny lobster play an important role in our kelp forest and rocky reef systems, keeping things balanced by feeding on sea urchins, mussels, and other invertebrates. And, it’s not just people that enjoy rich, sweet taste of lobster, California sheephead, cabezon, horn sharks, and other animals also eat lobster. The good news is that lobster populations are generally doing pretty well in Southern California, especially with the implementation of marine protected areas in 2012.

There has been a commercial fishery in California for spiny lobster since the late 1800s, and now California’s lobster fishery is consistently one of the top five in the state. It is almost entirely based in Southern California. The commercial fishery season typically opens about 5 days after the start of the recreational lobster season.

Because lobster are most active at night, recreational fishing also largely occurs in the dark. Conflicts between boats, divers, and hoop-netters are not uncommon during opening weekend. Here are a few tips to stay safe while lobster fishing, especially during the busy opening weekend:

Never dive alone. Always dive with a buddy, and keep him or her close. Divers who are dozens of feet apart may not be quick enough to respond in an emergency situation. When free-diving, one buddy should remain on the surface while the other dives in case of a shallow water blackout situation.
Don’t dive in areas you are unfamiliar with. If you’d like to try a new spot, check it out in the day first to familiarize yourself before heading out at night.
Watch the weather and ocean conditions. Winds and surge can threaten boats and divers, especially near rocky areas and close to shore.
If you are setting hoop-nets, be aware of your line. The polypropylene line can get tangled in your boat prop if you are not careful and may disable your boat.
Keep a back-up flashlight or headlamp aboard your boat. Divers should also carry a back-up dive light.
As a diver or boater, avoid encroaching on boats that have staked out a spot.
Inform someone at home of your dive plan or boat plan before you head out on the water.
When driving your boat at night, watch the water closely for lights and bubbles from submerged divers and avoid those areas. If you end up too close to divers, put your boat into neutral until you pass them to avoid an unsafe encounter.

And, here’s a recap of the CA Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (CDFW) recreational lobster fishing regulations. Check the DFW website or sport-fishing guide for detailed regulations:

All recreational lobster fishermen 16 years old and older must have a valid sport fishing license.
All recreational lobster fishermen (regardless of age) must have a spiny lobster report card in their possession while fishing for lobster or assisting in fishing for lobster. Report cards must be reported online at wildlife.ca.gov/reportcards by April 30, following the close of lobster season.
A $21.60 non-return fee will be charged when purchasing a spiny lobster report card if the previous year’s report card is not returned or reported by the April 30 deadline. To avoid the fee, you may either return or report your card by the deadline, or skip one lobster fishing season. After skipping one season, you can purchase a spiny lobster report card the following season at no extra cost.
The recreational catch limit is seven lobster, and no more than one daily bag limit of seven can be taken or possessed at any time. (You cannot have more than seven lobster per angler at home at any given time).
Minimum size limit is 3.25 inch carapace length (measuring from the rear of the eye socket between the horns to the back of the body shell, or carapace). You must carry a lobster gauge to accurately measure catch. All undersize lobster must be released immediately after measurement.
Do not tail your lobster. Separating the tail from the head makes it impossible to determine whether the lobster is legal size or not, so the lobster must be landed whole.
Open lobster recreation season runs from the Saturday before the first Wednesday in October, through the first Wednesday after March 15. The 2016-2017 season runs from October 1, 2016 – March 22, 2017.
Lobster can only be taken by hand or hoop net, and recreational fishermen are limited to no more than five hoop nets/person and vessels may not carry more than 10 hoop nets. When fishing from land, fishermen are limited to two hoop nets.
Interference with commercial traps or recreational hoop nets is prohibited.

Both commercial and recreational fishing are part of California’s coastal culture. And, charismatic lobster are also a favorite species to spot for non-consumptive divers, making great photo subjects as well. Be safe and have fun this lobster season!

More information is available on the Department of Fish and Wildlife website and through this tip-card.

Spiny lobsters are most active night, posing some challenges for divers.

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Coastal Cleanup Day: Straight Outta P.V. and Compton

09.17.2016 | Matt King

Coastal Cleanup Day Culver City

Sept. 17, 2016 — There are 8 million stories in the trashy city on Coastal Cleanup Day. Here is one of them from Heal the Bay’s communications director, Matthew King.

Heading down PCH to infamous Lunada Bay this morning, I really didn’t know what to expect.

To Southern California surfers, this idyllic cove in Palos Verdes Estates is infamous for being home to the Bay Boys, a group of largely middle-aged locals accused of using vigilante-like tactics to scare away visitors. These self-appointed regulators sit on the bluffs and regularly block access to the beach, according to a recently filed federal class-action lawsuit, all in the name of keeping some of L.A.’s best waves to themselves.

After years of hosting cleanups up and down the Palos Verdes Estates, Heal the Bay decided to host a site at Lunada Bay in concert with city staff for this year’s Coastal Cleanup Day. Leading up to the cleanup, I hadn’t given the site much thought. Then I received a few media enquiries asking about the Bay Boys and if we expected any trouble or were taking any safety precautions.

It all seemed a bit alarmist to me. But I do have some family history at Lunada Bay that gave me some pause. Last fall, my high school son and his friends – unbeknownst to me – decided to hike down to the cove to watch the sunset. They came back to find the tires slashed on their car.

Channeling the sage words of my colleague Meredith McCarthy, I assured the journalists that cleanups tend to bring out the best in people. We didn’t expect any trouble, I said (and hoped).

As usual, Meredith was right.

Volunteers climbing down to Lunada Bay I spent a beautiful morning with about two dozen volunteers at Lunada. The only intimidation I felt this day was figuring out how to navigate the twisting, semi-treacherous path to the beach without falling on my butt. And the only locals I crossed paths with were an adorable group of girls volunteering from Lunada Bay Elementary School across the street. They weren’t too menacing.

The rocky shoreline is thankfully free of the micro-trash that plagues most Southland beaches: cigarette butts and whatnot. The biggest haul came from beer cans and plastic water bottles chucked carelessly from the bluffs. An intrepid group of Palos Verdes High students scurried up the cliffs like billy goats to retrieve trash, while their proud mothers beamed on the beach. The group was part of the Los Hermanos Black club, which organizes volunteer opportunities for mothers and their teen-aged sons.

Including the Lunada volunteers, the Cleanup Day crew in L.A. County totaled 9,556 people at 48 inland and coastal sites. Participants hauled in 29,635 pounds of ocean-bound debris. This year’s group collected nearly 30% more trash in L.A. County than last year’s volunteers. (You can view that as either a positive or negative, I suppose!) Among the items found: a switchblade knife, a flight-deck crew vest from an aircraft carrier, two old TVs, three syringes, nine shopping carts and one human-sized teddy bear on the sands of Long Beach.

A couple of volunteers at Compton Creek On my way home, I detoured to another one of my favorite sites — Compton Creek, a largely forgotten gem in the necklace of green spaces along the L.A. River.

This tributary is one of the few soft-bottomed portions of the largely channelized L.A. River. A half-mile stretch of lush vegetation sits hard against the Crystal Hotel and Casino, surrounded by concrete and the 91 Freeway. The creek is choked with trash and polluted runoff fouls its waters, but life miraculously thrives here. Turtles scour the muddy bottom, while herons alight in the brush, looking for tiny morsels.

Nearly 100 volunteers donned gloves and trudged through the boggy waters, hauling out a depressing mix of fast-food wrappers, plastic bags and food packaging. To be honest, if I were a volunteer I would view collecting all that trash as a Sisyphean task. I’d wonder if I had made a dent. We could’ve sent 1,000 people to that spot today and we still wouldn’t have been able to remove all the annoying bits of chip bags and Styrofoam containers ground into the creek bank.

Yet participants remain so optimistic. A Filipino service fraternity called Alpha Phi Omega sent a squadron of volunteers to Compton this morning. One gentlemen, with a full bag of trash, smiled broadly as I approached him. Seeing my Heal the Bay T-shirt, he thanked me.

After participating in dozens of cleanups in my tenure here, it’s easy to get blasé sometimes. I wonder what in the world motivates people to get up on their Saturday off and pick up trash for nothing. I know we absolutely cannot function without our volunteers, but his smile reminded me that we give as much as we get by organizing Coastal Cleanup Day. Volunteers leave feeling hopeful, feeling good about themselves and their communities.

Meredith was right … again.

Check out the photos of Coastal Cleanup Day sites all over L.A. on our Flickr album.

And a special thanks to this year’s sponsors: Cancer Treatment Centers of America, City of Culver City, City of Santa Monica, California Coastal Conservancy, Disney, KTLA 5, L.A. County Public Works, and Union Bank!

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Heal the Bay’s 2016 Voter Guide

09.16.2016 | Heal the Bay

Culver City Take Action

September 16, 2016 — There’s a record-breaking number of propositions on California’s general election ballot this year. We created this voter guide to help make your trip to the polls as painless as possible. On November 8 (or earlier, if you’re voting by mail), cast your votes with confidence and remember to Vote Blue!

Proposition 67: A vote to uphold the ban on single-use plastic carryout bags in California.

The issue: California became the first state in the nation in 2014 to enact plastic bag ban legislation through SB 270, which prohibits grocery stores, convenience stores, and pharmacies from distributing single-use plastic bags, and requires stores to charge a minimum of 10 cents for paper bags. The plastics industry has spent more than $6 million in attempt to overturn California’s plastic bag ban by delaying its implementation by placing this item on the November ballot.

The stakes: Designed for minutes of use, plastic bags do not break down in the environment, and pose a large threat to aquatic life. Over 663 species of marine life have been impacted by ingestion of or entanglement in plastic pollution. By 2050, scientists project that plastic pollution will outweigh fish in our oceans. These lightweight plastic bags also blight our communities and are costly to clean-up. California spends up to $107 million each year managing plastic bag litter.

Our recommendation: Cast your ballot for cleaner beaches and neighborhoods. Vote YES.

Proposition 65: A rival measure to Prop 67 funded by Big Plastic.

The issue: Prop 65 will deliver little for the environment. It was placed on the ballot by out-of-state plastic bag companies who keep interfering with California’s efforts to reduce plastic pollution. Prop 65 is designed to distract from the environmental priority of defending the state’s plastic bag ban. All Prop 65 would do is direct money from the sale of paper bags to a vaguely defined environmental fund administered by the state.

The stakes: The sole purpose of Prop 65 is to confuse voters. It would only serve the interests of plastic bag companies and would distract from phasing out plastic bags entirely. Prop 65 also fuels the tired paper vs. plastic debate. The real issue is reducing the overall use of single-use bags – be they paper or plastic.

Our recommendation: Prop 65 is a smoke screen. Vote NO.

Measure A*: Safe, clean neighborhood parks and beaches measure of 2016.

The issue: Measure A asks voters to continue their support for local parks, beaches, open space, and water resources by approving an annual parcel tax of 1.5 cents per square foot of development. If approved, the estimated tax for the owner of a 1,500 square foot home will be $22.50 per year, and will be included on the annual property tax bill. Generating approximately $94 million per year for our local parks, beaches, and open space areas, Measure A will replace expiring dedicated funding from the voter-approved Propositions A of 1992 and 1996.

The stakes: For more than 20 years, our communities have relied on local, voter-approved funding from the Los Angeles County Safe Neighborhood Parks Acts of 1992 and 1996 (Proposition A) to protect and maintain our neighborhood parks, outdoor areas and water resources. However, funding from the 1992 Proposition A ended in 2015 and funding from the 1996 Proposition will end in 2019.

Our recommendation: Updating park infrastructure makes our region more resilient. Vote YES.

Ballot Measure CW**: Funding support for stormwater capture and reuse projects in Culver City.

The issue: Cities in LA County are required by the Regional Water Quality Control Board to manage pollution from urban runoff flowing through their systems. However, since stormwater services, unlike our other essential utilities, have minimal and in some cases no fees to support them, funding for fulfilling these requirements falls far short of the need. Culver City’s ballot measure would establish fees on property owners to support the stormwater projects the City is required by regulation to complete.

The stakes: Urban runoff is the number one source of pollution to our rivers, lakes and ocean. In addition, losing that volume, which can reach millions of gallons even on a dry day throughout LA County, to the ocean is a wasted opportunity that we can’t afford, especially in the midst of a drought. The proposed fee would support projects that would reduce urban runoff pollution from reaching our waterways, and where possible capture and reuse that water.

Our recommendation: Support cleaner waterways and more local water supply. Vote YES.

*Los Angeles County voters only.

**Culver City voters only.

Got election questions? Not sure when/where/how/if to vote? Visit the Secretary of State’s election FAQ page.

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Guess What You’ll Find at Coastal Cleanup Day

09.02.2016 | Heal the Bay

Coastal Cleanup Day Events

Sept. 6, 2016 — You’d be surprised what you might find at an HTB cleanup. Come join us Sept. 17 for Coastal Cleanup Day, our biggest volunteer event of the year.

First-time cleanup volunteers sometimes arrive with the expectation that they will spend a few hours removing large items of trash from the sand – used tires, abandoned fishing nets, and whatnot.

But as any cleanup veteran can tell you, the bulk of our work is picking up and removing small items like Styrofoam shards, plastic bottle caps, or cigarette butts. It’s this dinky detritus of our daily lives that most plagues beaches. It can be tedious at times, but removing tiny pieces of trash most helps marine animals, which often mistakenly ingest harmful bits of plastic and other debris.

To give some perspective, Heal the Bay’s Marine Debris Database reveals that our cleanup volunteers have collected more than 450,000 cigarette butts at L.A. County beaches since 1999. If you laid those butts end to end on the ground, they’d easily surpass the height of Mount Everest!

But it’s not all bits and pieces at our cleanups. Every year at Coastal Cleanup Day – our biggest volunteer event of the year – someone discovers something truly remarkable. Here we look back at some of our favorite finds:

HUMAN SKULL

In 2009, police were called in when divers at our Redondo Beach cleanup site found what they believed to be a human skull on the seafloor. Authorities quickly cordoned off the beach and brought forensic teams to examine the weathered skull, which was wrapped in plastic. Creepy! Unfortunately – or fortunately – for our amateur “CSI” wannabes, the skull actually turned out to be a very lifelike anatomical model that would be used in a hospital or medical school setting.

THE BENJAMINS

Forget those crazy dudes with the metal detectors. If you want to find the real big-money action, come to one of our cleanups. Last year, the mayor of Agoura Hills found a wallet in Medea Creek that contained a crisp $100 bill. And in 2010, a group of students at a beach cleanup in Santa Monica found one half of a torn $100 bill. Despite frantic digging, they were unable to find the other half. The good news is that banks will replace your damaged bill if it’s more than 50% of original length and the serial numbers are intact.

TRUE LOVE

Eveline Bravo-Ayala, our former Beach Program Manager, helped organize hundreds of cleanups during her long tenure here. Little did she know that she’d actually discover her wife at a Coastal Day cleanup. In 2007, Evelyn arranged a series of cleanups in the northeast San Fernando Valley with Olga Ayala, a staffer in Tony Cardenas’ City Council office. The two wrestled for control of the events and often butted heads. But from that rocky start, a tentative friendship blossomed into romance and marriage in 2013.

BURIED TREASURE

We’ve added a special wrinkle this year — volunteers get to search for “buried treasure” as they pick up trash. Lucky treasure hunters will find “golden sea stars” (don’t worry, they’re fake) hidden in the sand and underbrush at five of our coastal and inland sites. Winners can redeem the sea stars for valuable gift certificates from REI, Patagonia, and Amazon.

On Saturday, 9/17, join us at one of 50 locations throughout L.A. County for this year’s Coastal Cleanup Day!

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FAQ: Is It Safe to Recreate in the L.A. River?

08.25.2016 | Heal the Bay

News

Aug. 25, 2016 — Popular recreation zones in the L.A. River suffer from elevated levels of bacterial pollution, according to a new technical report from Heal the Bay that analyzed water quality during the busy summer season. Here we address concerns people may have and share our vision for a healthier river.

What exactly are “recreation zones” on the L.A. River?
Recreation zones in the Los Angeles River are areas where people are allowed to access the river. Non-motorized boating is allowed in these areas as well as fishing (with a license), walking and bird watching. There are two recreation zones: a two-mile stretch in the Sepulveda Basin (Encino) and a two-and-a-half mile stretch in Elysian Valley (Frogtown). Recreation is also allowed at the mouth of the L.A. River in Long Beach.

Why and when were they created?
The L.A. River was designated a “navigable” waterway back in 2010 by the US EPA, meaning that it’s protected by the Clean Water Act. This designation was the result of years of advocacy by many groups, including Friends of the Los Angeles River, NRDC, Heal the Bay, and other environmental groups as well as a group of kayakers and boaters who paddled 51 miles of the river to show that the river is in fact navigable (check out the documentary “Rock the Boat”). In 2011 a pilot recreation program was started in the Sepulveda Basin, and in 2013 the Elysian Valley recreation zone was opened. The zones are open for recreation during the summer months (typically from Memorial Day to the end of September) and during safe flow conditions.

How many people recreate on the L.A. River in a given year?
Every year thousands of people recreate in the L.A. River. In 2014, approximately 6,000 people utilized the recreation zones, according to the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority.

Why is Heal the Bay testing water quality on the L.A. River?
Heal the Bay is well known for its Beach Report Card, which has provided A-to-F water quality “grades” each week for over 450 beaches in California since 1990. However, we’ve also been monitoring freshwater rivers, streams and creeks since 1998 through our Stream Team program. We believe that assessing water quality in a variety of waterbodies provides a clearer, more robust picture of environmental health throughout Greater Los Angeles. Recently, our focus has shifted to popular freshwater recreational spots, which, aside from the L.A. River, includes swimming holes in the Santa Monica Mountains.

What kind of bacteria is Heal the Bay testing for?
Heal the Bay tested for two types of fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) — E. coli and Enterococcus. Our staff scientists — led by Dr. Katherine Pease — collected and tested water samples weekly for fecal indicator bacteria at three sites in the two recreation zones in the Sepulveda Basin and Elysian Valley areas of the river over a three-month period in summer 2015. Bacteria levels varied among the sites in the new L.A. River study, but overall were quite high. For example, samples for one type of fecal indicator bacteria, Enterococcus, exceeded federal standards 100% of the time at two sites in Elysian Valley (Rattlesnake Park and Steelhead Park) and 50% of the time in Sepulveda Basin. The Rattlesnake Park site also suffered from a 67% exceedance rate for E. coli.

What illnesses are associated with those bacteria?
FIB, while not necessarily harmful themselves, indicate the possible presence of pathogenic bacteria, which have been found to cause ear infections, skin rashes, respiratory illnesses and gastrointestinal illness. High levels of FIB are particularly concerning in areas where people come in contact with water through activities like swimming, fishing, and kayaking.

How does the bacteria get in the water?
The Total Maximum Daily Load, or TMDL, for the L.A. River identifies several contributors of harmful bacteria to recreational zones along the river: urban runoff, leaks and flows from wastewater collection systems, illicit connections and failing septic systems. Bacteria sources include pets, horses, wildlife, and human waste.

Is anyone really surprised that the L.A River suffers from poor water quality?
Learning that parts of the river suffered from poor water quality was not a revelation to many Angelenos. The surprise for most people was learning that there were lush, green, navigable parts of the river with actual rapids—portions of the river that actually look like a river. We hope that by spreading awareness of these “wild” spots, people will be more inspired to act as ambassadors for the river’s improvement.

Will I get sick if I go kayaking in the L.A. River?
The odds are that if you go on a kayak trip on the L.A. River you won’t get sick. But there’s always that risk – especially if you don’t follow common safety procedures. We do know that the water quality is uncertain and known to have bacteria levels that are frequently over accepted thresholds. The thresholds that the US EPA and the Regional Water Quality Control Board have put forth are based on epidemiological studies and risk. Recreation in waters that are over accepted bacteria thresholds means that there may be an increased risk of illness when you come in contact with the water. An increased risk of illness is not a guarantee that you will get sick. Certain activities are more risky when water quality is poor; for instance, swimming and submerging your head is more risky than wading; swimming is more risky than kayaking; kayaking is likely more risky than hiking (at least with regards to picking up a waterborne illness), and so on, with the risk dependent on how likely you are to ingest or contact water. Whether we realize it or not, we all make decisions every day based on risk, such as driving a car, eating questionable leftovers, or playing a sport. Deciding what to do with this water quality information depends on the risk level you are comfortable with.

Does Heal the Bay support kayaking and other recreational uses on the L.A. River?
Heal the Bay has long advocated for public access to and use of open space and waterways, whether it is in Compton Creek, Malibu Creek State Park, Ballona Wetlands, or the beach. Benefits from utilizing these open spaces are clear in terms of individual and community health as well as fostering environmental stewardship and engagement. Less than 10 years ago we worked successfully alongside many partner groups to get US EPA to designate the L.A. River as a navigable waterway, in part so it could be used more for recreational purposes. Experiencing the L.A. River firsthand is an undeniable way to make a connection to a river that needs supporters and advocates; many Heal the Bay staff members and volunteers have kayaked the L.A. River over the years and will continue to do so. We also believe that the public has a right to know what the water quality of the river is and then to make an informed decision about how they want to experience the river.

I want to go kayaking. How do I book a trip?
There are a number of groups who lead kayak tours of the river. You can take your own kayak or steerable non-motorized boat down the river or you can book an individual trip or a group trip through the kayak concessionaires listed here.

What can I do to keep safe if I do go?
Swimming is not allowed in the Sepulveda Basin or Elysian Valley recreation zones. We recommend limiting your contact with the water, particularly avoiding hand-to-face water contact, entering the water with an open wound, if immunocompromised, or after a rainfall. After water contact, we recommend rinsing off with soap and water. We also encourage all visitors to learn about water quality and ask questions. Check the most recent water quality results from Heal the Bay. Bacteria-related water-quality information will be posted on this page weekly during the summer months or open recreation season.

Who is responsible for making sure the river meets clean-water standards?
The Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board has the authority to enforce Clean Water Act guidelines for the L.A. River. The board issues permits and regulations for the L.A. River, such as discharge permits for water reclamation plants, stormwater permits for cities along the River, and Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for pollutants, such as bacteria. A TMDL basically sets the amount of pollution that a waterbody can handle while still maintaining its beneficial uses, such as recreation, wildlife habitat, and groundwater recharge. There is a TMDL for bacteria pollution in the L.A. River Watershed; this document identifies entities that contribute to bacterial pollution and sets limits and timelines to achieve reductions in pollution.

What does Heal the Bay envision for the river in the next few years?
We envision a river where people can explore, kayak, fish, and even swim without fear of getting sick. However, this goal is likely many years away. In order for this vision to be realized, community members and municipal and non-governmental agencies need to work together to support efforts aimed at reducing pollution in the river, such as stormwater capture projects. Heal the Bay is also advocating for more flexible funding options to support these projects. Understanding the impact that we as individuals can have is also key to making behavioral changes that can improve the quality of runoff entering the river – picking up after our pets, properly managing our trash, and not overwatering our lawns or washing our cars in the street.

In the meantime, Heal the Bay hopes to see readily available water quality information for people visiting the river, as well as more informative signage so that people understand the simple precautions they can take to minimize their risk of illness. Further, we will push for immediate abatement actions to reduce bacterial inputs, particularly in dry weather. For instance, if a stormdrain is determined to be a major source of bacteria, a low-flow diversion should be explored, where the runoff is diverted to the sewer system to be treated instead of reaching the L.A. River.

What can I do to help improve water quality on the L.A River?
Heal the Bay was founded on the principle of concerned citizens standing together to right an environmental wrong. In 1985, we pressured the Hyperion Wastewater Treatment Plant to improve its treatment process and stop discharging sludge into Santa Monica Bay. The same principle can be applied to the improvement and stewardship of the Los Angeles River. If enough people are aware of the problem, and commit themselves to collaboratively finding solutions, a healthy, clean L.A. River is within reach.

We urge Angelenos to explore and get to know their river, to pay attention to conversations about the River happening at council meetings and other agencies and make sure that their voices are also heard in these venues, and to support efforts that will lead to lasting change and improvements in the water quality of the river.

This FAQ is available in Spanish here.

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