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Heal the Bay Blog

Category: Events

Heal the Bay Year in Review: 2019

01.07.2020 |

Coastal Cleanup DayHeal the Bay AquariumLos Angeles StormwaterNick Gabaldón DayPlastic PollutionSanta Monica Bay

heal the bay

Oh, what a year! We reflect on some of our favorite milestones from this past year. A huge thank you goes out to our bold and dedicated Heal the Bay community. We would not have achieved these victories without your ongoing support.

heal the bay

heal the bay aquarium

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Take a swim down memory lane with us and replay 6 unforgettable moments from 2019.

6. Released our first-ever Stormwater Report—a groundbreaking assessment of stormwater pollution management in Los Angeles County.

In our new Stormwater Report we found that local governments have made shockingly minimal progress in addressing stormwater pollution over the last 30 years. If the current rate of stormwater pollution cleanup continues, LA County communities will wait another 60 years for clean water.

The LA County stormwater permit, the only real mechanism we have for regulating stormwater pollution, is up for renewal in early 2020. Heal the Bay is pushing hard for a strong stormwater permit. We fear it will be weakened and deadlines will be extended, further delaying cleanup of local waters. Municipalities can tap into various funding sources to implement projects, so there is no reason for them to not make meaningful progress moving forward.

Our Stormwater Report was big news for LA and was covered by the L.A. Times, The Guardian, NBC, CBS, KCRW, KPCC, KNX, LAist, The Argonaut News, Daily Breeze, Patch and more.

Heal the Bay Aquarium
Photo by Kelton Mattingly

5. Welcomed our 1 millionth visitor to Heal the Bay Aquarium at the Santa Monica Pier.

Since our Aquarium opened its doors in 2003, our mission has been to give visitors an underwater experience of the Pacific Ocean without getting their feet wet. We invite all our guests to explore critically important marine habitats and environmental issues.

From swell sharks to red octopus, and seahorses to stingrays, more than 100 local wildlife species thrive at our Aquarium. And now we can proudly say that more than a million visitors have met our local underwater residents!

Around 100,000 visitors come to Heal the Bay Aquarium each year. Local residents and global tourists share their passion for their own local waterways with us and inquire about how to protect what they love. In order to better serve the public, we’ve centered our programs and events around environmental advocacy, community science, pollution prevention and family education.

We also host 10,000-15,000 students each year for school field trips and we offer fun, educational, zero-waste birthday parties.

4. Hosted our 30th anniversary of Coastal Cleanup Day as the LA County coordinator.

What an honor it has been for Heal the Bay to steward this annual event since the 1990s, especially with such vibrant community support. Our very first Coastal Cleanup Day hosted 2,000 volunteers – my how far we’ve come! From diving underwater in the Santa Monica Bay to hiking along the East Fork of the San Gabriel River and everywhere in between, 13,914 volunteers removed more than 30,165 pounds of trash — from 79 locations in Los Angeles County, in a span of three-hours — on Coastal Cleanup Day 2019.

The weirdest finds from 2019 included: A laptop and electric scooters (underwater in Santa Monica); A 20 foot industrial ladder (underwater in Redondo Beach); Horseshoe (Compton Creek); Cat skull (South LA); Positive pregnancy test (White Point Beach); Shake weight (Venice); Half a rat (Arroyo Seco Confluence); and a California King Mattress-sized Styrofoam block (Arroyo Seco Confluence).

Straws-On-Request

3. Supported Straws-On-Request going into effect in the City of LA.

Los Angeles City Hall passed the Straws-On-Request ordinance this past Earth Day, making single-use plastic straws available by request only at all food and beverage facilities in the City of LA. This, along with other plastic reduction strategies, will hopefully decrease the amount of trash we see in our environment while still giving patrons access to straws when needed.

Often times plastic trash flows from our streets into our storm drains and out to the ocean. Plastic straws and disposable beverage, food, and snack-related items are some of the top types of trash we find at Heal the Bay cleanups. In fact, our cleanup volunteers have picked up more than 138,000 plastic straws from LA beaches over the last two decades.

The Ocean Protection Council acknowledges that trash in the ocean is a persistent and growing problem that is negatively affecting human and ecosystem health, not to mention coastal beauty. We’ll continue to work locally and at the state-level in California to reduce the use of harmful single-use plastics.

2. Rejoiced over these announcements: Hyperion will recycle 100% of the City’s wastewater and LA will phase out gas-fired coastal power plants.

LA Mayor Eric Garcetti announced that the Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant (aka sewage treatment plant), one of the largest in the world, will recycle 100% of the City’s wastewater by 2035. The water will be treated extensively and then put into our local groundwater supply for additional treatment by natural soils. Afterwards, the clean water will be pumped up to replenish our local tap water supply. Hyperion’s capacity is 450 million gallons per day and treated water currently flows out to the ocean. But with full recycling at Hyperion we can re-use that water!

Garcetti’s next big announcement was that the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power will close three coastal gas-burning power plants in El Segundo, Long Beach and the Los Angeles Harbor area by 2029. The plants will be replaced by renewable energy sources and storage.

Heal the Bay was integral to both advancements. We advocated for over a decade for wastewater recycling and for eliminating the marine impacts of the coastal power plants. Our founder Dorothy Green would be so proud of us, and of our City, for taking these giant steps forward.

the inkwell

1. Celebrated the new listing of the Santa Monica Bay Street Beach in the National Register of Historic Places.

The shoreline at Bay Street in Santa Monica was an active hub of African American beach life during the Jim Crow era. This beach was popular from the 1900s to early 1960s among African Americans, who were barred from enjoying most other southland beaches. Santa Monica’s Bay Street Beach Historic District recent listing in the National Register of Historic Places recognizes this important coastal history.

Since 2013, with the help of African American historian Alison Rose Jefferson, we’ve joined forces with the Black Surfers Collective to honor Nick Gabaldón Day at Santa Monica Bay Street Beach.

Nick Gabaldón (1927-1951) was a pioneering surfer of African American and Mexican American descent. He was the first documented surfer of color in the Santa Monica Bay. Nick Gabaldón Day provides an opportunity for broadening outreach, action and education to connect Angelenos with their cultural, historical and natural heritage.

Now go check out our top Instagram posts from 2019. And view our 2019 wrap up for environmental legislation in California.

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Coastal Cleanup Education Day 2019 Recap

10.16.2019 |

EventsHeal the Bay Aquarium

Heal the Bay hosts hundreds of field trips to Heal the Bay Aquarium and the beach each year. We always kick off the new school year with the biggest field trip of them all: Coastal Cleanup Education Day!

The entire Heal the Bay team takes part in this special day for hundreds of local students in Grades 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. Students are invited to experience natural phenomena and explore the great outdoors while practicing science skills. See all the photos from the day.

Inspiring today’s youth with real-world science

This year, we hosted 480 students from ten schools (9 from Los Angeles Unified School District and 1 from Long Beach Unified School District). Kelly Kelly, Heal the Bay’s Education Manager, says students honed in on Next Generation Science Standards “NGSS” Science and Engineering Practices – making observations, asking questions and developing explanations. They also experienced local beach ecology through animal ambassadors and interactions with the natural environment. Tying into Coastal Cleanup Day, students learned about watershed health, human impacts and pollution, and solutions to maintain a healthy environment – they even picked up 18 pounds of trash from Santa Monica State Beach.

Overheard on Coastal Cleanup Education Day

Students were overheard saying, “This is the best day ever!” And when asked what their favorite part of the day was, one student replied  “Sharks! Touching the animals! I’ve never gotten to touch them before,” and “the beach was really awesome!”

One staffer said a highlight for her was when the students made a real-time connection between what they were learning and what they were seeing. After students reviewed a lesson on watersheds and storm drains in Heal the Bay Aquarium, they walked by grates in the ground on their way to the beach, and the students pointed out – “oh those are storm drains too!”

Why is a field trip to the beach so important?

Field trips are a great way to bring lessons learned at school to life. Research shows that outdoor classrooms are a critical tool to teaching and learning science.

“Teachers can effectively use the outdoors as a learning context periodically throughout the year as they instruct lessons on science. There is wide-ranging evidence to support the use of natural environments, local communities and outdoor settings as a real-world context for science learning that engages student interest as they investigate places around them,” according to the California Department of Education.

Get involved

We wouldn’t be able to create such a rich and dynamic field trip experience, if it weren’t for our volunteers, donors and advocates. Here’s how you can help out.

Give time: Stay on the lookout at our Take Part page for our 2020 Volunteer Orientation calendar, and sign up to learn how to become a volunteer at Heal the Bay. And visit Heal the Bay Aquarium – we’re open daily and we’d love to SEA you.

Give money: With 75 cents of every donated dollar supporting science-based advocacy, grassroots community outreach, and award-winning educational programs, your donation is a smart investment. Donate today!

Give voice: Out of time AND money? We get it. Don’t forget your voice is powerful in making change, too. Advocate for healthier seas and a greener and bluer LA, not only for  future generations, but also for the youth today. Sign our Plastic Petition to reduce blight and health risks from plastic pollution in our neighborhoods and add your name to our monthly Blue newsletter for the latest campaigns and opportunities.

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Wild for Los Angeles: Coastal Cleanup Day 2019 Results

09.25.2019 |

Coastal Cleanup Day

Volunteers remove trash at the Arroyo Seco Confluence.

View Photo Album

This year, we celebrated our 30th anniversary as the LA County coordinator for Coastal Cleanup Day. It has been an honor for Heal the Bay to steer this annual event since the 90s, especially with such vibrant community support.

Shelley Luce, Heal the Bay president says, “After 30 years of beach cleanups, we are still picking up tons and tons of trash on Coastal Cleanup Day. That’s frustrating, but the good news is that our work continues to make a difference. We see fewer plastic bags since they were banned in LA County and statewide a few years ago, so we know that changing our habits does make a difference.”

From diving underwater in the Santa Monica Bay to hiking along the East Fork of the San Gabriel River and everywhere in between, 13,914 volunteers removed more than 30,165 pounds of trash — from 79 locations in Los Angeles County, in a span of three-hours — on Coastal Cleanup Day 2019.

The Most Trash:

  1. Agoura Hills/Medea Creek (120 people, 4,500 pounds of trash)
  2. Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve (153 people, 3,358 pounds of trash)
  3. Long Beach – Alamitos Bay Marina (1,226 people, 2,376 pounds of trash)

The Most People:

The location with the most people was Santa Monica State Beach – North of Santa Monica Pier, which clocked in at 1,260 volunteers and 782 pounds of trash.

The Local Heroes:

Overall 229 intrepid divers took journeys at 6 different underwater locations to remove an incredible 1,078 pounds of trash from the ocean.

At the Redondo Beach Pier in King Harbor, Thomas Kruger, head of the Dive Division at Dive N’ Surf and fellow divers Michael Cruz, Cory Alexander and Redondo Beach Police Department officers Jason Sapien and Nolan Beranek took to the waves to uncover and pull a 20-foot, 250-pound industrial ladder out from under the pier.

The ladder required three 50 pound lift bags and a 200 pound lift bag to raise it off the seafloor. This was the biggest and heaviest piece of trash collected in LA at this year’s event.

“More than 13,000 people gave their time and energy to pick up trash today, including hundreds of divers who were our heroes on Coastal Cleanup Day, going to great depths to pick up trash, including tangled fishing lines, dozens of pairs of sunglasses and goggles, a huge industrial ladder and e-scooters. That’s some nasty trash! We so appreciate their help,” remarks Shelley.

The Weirdest Finds:

  • A laptop and electric scooters (underwater in Santa Monica)
  • A 20 foot industrial ladder (underwater in Redondo Beach)
  • Horseshoe (Compton Creek)
  • Cat skull  (South LA)
  • Positive pregnancy test (White Point Beach)
  • Shake weight (Venice)
  • Half a rat (Arroyo Seco Confluence)
  • California King Mattress-sized Styrofoam block  (Arroyo Seco Confluence)

LOCAL TREASURES

We organized 79 sites this year – here’s a deeper look at four incredible locations in Los Angeles County — from summit to sea.

San Gabriel River – East Fork

This year, for the first time, the San Gabriel River – East Fork area took part in Coastal Cleanup Day!

From mountain lions and bighorn sheep to the threatened Santa Ana Suckers, this special place in the San Gabriel Mountains is a hotspot for biodiversity. The San Gabriel Mountains were designated as a National Monument in 2014. According to the U.S. Forest Service, “The designation will help ensure these lands remain a benefit for all Americans through rock art that provides a glimpse into ancient civilizations, an observatory that brought the world the cosmos, and thousands of miles of streams, hiking trails and other outdoor recreation opportunities.”

A volunteer, @adventureiscallingme_ tells us, “As a first timer in Coastal Cleanup Day, I’m glad to have been invited by the East Fork’s Golden Preservation and Nature for All Stewards. I was shocked by the amount of trash we found. It was bittersweet helping because of the amount of trash we saw, but also the difference we made together. We’ll be back!”

Other new sites added to LA County’s Coastal Cleanup Day this year included Zuma Beach, Temescal Canyon Park and Rio del Los Angeles. Emely Garcia, Heal the Bay Beach Programs Manager and organizer of Coastal Cleanup Day says, “the new sites are extremely important because they add to the spectrum of representation for unique wild places you can only find in LA.”

Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve

Tucked away in the San Fernando Valley, adjacent to the Santa Monica Mountains, the Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Area boasts winding, flat trails through the floodplain, marshes and ponds in an expansive recreation, habitat restoration and wildlife area.

On Coastal Cleanup Day, 153 volunteers removed a whopping 3,358 pounds of trash from the Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve, a refuge for 240 bird species that migrate, nest or live in the area. Kris Ohlenkamp, a resident expert on the endemic and migrating birds of the Sepulveda Basin who works with the San Fernando Valley Audubon Society, says many birds come and go with each season and therefore it’s always an exciting time for bird watching. Kris hosts monthly bird walks in the area, which is also home to local California plants, including Fremont’s cottonwood, Coast live oak, Valley oak and California sycamore.

He shared our concern for the declining bird populations. The number of birds in the United States and Canada has decreased by 3 billion (29 percent) over the past half-century as reported recently in the NY Times. This sobering statistic has put the spotlight on what we can do locally to save the birds. Important actions we must take include protecting and restoring the remaining wildlife areas in our region, which provide habitats for birds and animals.

Arroyo Seco Confluence

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The Arroyo Seco is a major tributary of the LA River; the confluence of the Arroyo Seco and the LA River is historically and culturally significant as it was an area utilized by the Gabrieliño-Tongva people and others. Today, the confluence’s ecosystem is drastically different; the two channelized waterways are encased in concrete – often mistaken for roads, not the rivers that they are. 

On Coastal Cleanup Day, there were groups from Pasadena City College and CSULA among others and in total 73 volunteers showed up at Arroyo Seco Confluence. Participants cleaned along an access road down to the LA River and in the channels, pulling out over 1,500 pounds of trash, including a potato, half of a dead rat, shopping carts, a Home Depot metal lumber cart and so much plastic and smaller items stuck in river muck and sediment. 

“Nearing the end of the cleanup, I was so impressed to see many of the volunteers really getting adventurous – some were just in sneakers, but fully in the river muck and water, going after that next piece of trash just out of arm’s distance,” recalls Katherine Pease, site captain and Heal the Bay scientist.

Speaking of weird trash, Scouts from Troops 5 and 55 of Pasadena removed a California-King mattress-sized block of Styrofoam from a different part of the Arroyo Seco, near the Rose Bowl. As volunteers carried it up a hill, the foam crumbled apart, so they had a train of followers picking up all the pieces. 

Dockweiler Beach

Coastal Cleanup Day at Dockweiler Youth Center. Photo by Venice Paparazzi Coastal Cleanup Day at Dockweiler Youth Center. Photo by Venice Paparazzi Coastal Cleanup Day at Dockweiler Youth Center. Photo by Venice Paparazzi Coastal Cleanup Day at Dockweiler Youth Center. Photo by Venice Paparazzi Coastal Cleanup Day at Dockweiler Youth Center. Photo by Venice Paparazzi Coastal Cleanup Day at Dockweiler Youth Center. Photo by Venice Paparazzi Coastal Cleanup Day at Dockweiler Youth Center. Photo by Venice Paparazzi Coastal Cleanup Day at Dockweiler Youth Center. Photo by Venice Paparazzi Coastal Cleanup Day at Dockweiler Youth Center. Photo by Venice Paparazzi Coastal Cleanup Day at Dockweiler Youth Center. Photo by Venice Paparazzi Coastal Cleanup Day at Dockweiler Youth Center. Photo by Venice Paparazzi Coastal Cleanup Day at Dockweiler Youth Center. Photo by Venice Paparazzi Coastal Cleanup Day at Dockweiler Youth Center. Photo by Venice Paparazzi Coastal Cleanup Day at Dockweiler Youth Center. Photo by Venice Paparazzi
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Coastal Cleanup Day at Dockweiler Youth Center. Photo by Venice Paparazzi

One cleanup site, welcoming families with games and good, clean fun, was the Dockweiler Youth Center and State Beach, co-hosted by the Los Angeles Department of Beaches and Harbors and LA Waterkeeper. Together these organizations threw a cleanup party with colorful arts and crafts, raffles and an annual poster contest that wraps ocean-inspired artwork around trash receptacles on public beaches and parks in LA.

“The Dockweiler cleanup drew hundreds of volunteers who affirmatively demonstrated their desire for a better, cleaner coast. The number of young people who participated gave us hope that our future leaders will care deeply for the ocean and our cherished beaches. They understand what must be done and are not afraid to make the needed changes in their daily lives that will lead to healthier, cleaner beaches and oceans – setting a great example and inspiring adults around them,” says Gary Jones, Director of the Department of Beaches and Harbors. 

SAYING THANKS

Heal the Bay has many to thank – from our statewide organizers to site captains to sponsors to all the partners and organizations that came together to make this day relevant and unique for so many people in LA and beyond.

“Some of the most memorable moments were meeting our new and returning site captains at our site captain trainings. Our 100+ site captain volunteers ranged from 16 to 75 years old; it was inspiring to see everyone engaged in lively conversation and listening to one another,” says Emely.

We’re grateful to get a front-row seat for the moment when so many local environmental all-stars shine!

A special thanks to ALL our Coastal Cleanup Day sponsors:

“We have amazing partners in this work. The Ocean Conservancy coordinates Coastal Cleanup Day all over the world and comes to our Los Angeles event every year, and this year we also had the K-Swiss team here picking up trash and sporting the new Heal the Bay shoes, which are made with recycled plastics and a reduced carbon footprint. We love working with both of these partners, and so many more, to keep our coasts and oceans clean,” Shelley continues.

WHAT’S NEXT

“Our biggest concern today is still all the plastic trash – takeout containers, water bottles and caps, cigarette butts, food wrappers and disposable packaging are everywhere. We have got to reduce the volume of this toxic trash in our waterways and in our daily lives,” states Shelley.

We’re already saving the date for next year’s Coastal Cleanup Day on Saturday, September 19, 2020! Sign up for our email alert to stay in the loop.

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Meet the Coastal Cleanup Day Poster Artist: Aaron Gonzalez

09.11.2019 |

About UsCoastal Cleanup DayL.A. River

Meet the local artist and illustrator behind our 2019 Coastal Cleanup Day poster, and get a glimpse of the process all the way from brainstorm to sketchbook to print. We love the final product and the journey it took to get here, thanks so much Aaron!

Give us some background on yourself and this project.

 

 

 

 

 

 

My name is Aaron Gonzalez and I’m a Los Angeles-based creative. The majority of my work is a stylized documentation of what’s going on around me, so my work naturally reflects L.A. It was a real honor to spend time drawing the variety of wildlife in L.A. County for this year’s Coastal Cleanup Day. My work tends to be a blend between representational and imaginative drawings, but this project leaned more on the representational side. Below is the final product.

What was your goal, inspiration, and process for creating this poster?

In addition to advertising Coastal Cleanup Day, the main goals of this poster were to highlight the local wildlife living throughout and watershed running through L.A. County. It was important to Heal the Bay and I to provide a visual aid explaining a watershed, since there is a lack of visuals on the topic. Watersheds keep L.A. County connected through waterways that flow from summit to sea. It’s extremely necessary we keep our waterways clean because it has a direct impacy on our water supply and the health of our natural environment.

We decided to break the poster up into thirds to represent the mountain, river, and ocean regions. By including these three regions, we hoped to communicate how Coastal Cleanup Day doesn’t only have cleanup sites on the coast, but throughout L.A. County. I depicted L.A. County’s watersheds with a painting made up of loops flowing through the composition and ending where the poster text begins. I’ve always been a big fan of hidden messages within images, so I included “LA” within the waterways toward the top of the poster.

wildlife watershed poster_watershed only wildlife watershed poster_no watershed in progress crop 2 wildlife watershed poster_wildlife only wildlife watershed poster_cream
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A collection of poster iterations we explored, before settling on the final version.

During the poster design process, I took a couple of trips to Heal the Bay Aquarium and spent some time with a few of the marine animals I was drawing. I also took a trip to visit my sister, who is studying wildlife biology at Humboldt State. She gave me insight on what to be mindful of when depicting animal and plant life. For example, how the wrong petal or leaf count can determine one plant species from another. Heal the Bay provided me with a hefty list of animal and plant species to include, along with their scientific names, so it made my job easier and the drawings more accurate. It was also super helpful to have in-house aquarists at Heal the Bay Aquarium and scientists at Heal the bay to double check the accuracy of each species.

What were some of your favorite parts of the process and things to illustrate?

My favorite animal to illustrate was the egret. Not only is it iconic to L.A., but the physical features are super interesting. I like to draw wavy and wobbly lines, so drawing the egret’s elongated neck was really satisfying. I had to keep the consistency of drawing representational wildlife throughout the poster, but I kept thinking about the possibilities of drawing an egret with an extra long wobbly neck with twists and turns similar to the waterways in the background. One of the toughest animals to draw was the sea hare. For the longest time, I didn’t know what I was looking at. They look like deformed blobs with spots. It was one of those drawings where you didn’t know what you were making until it was done. I had to draw multiple sea hares, close my notebook, open it the next day with fresh eyes until I understood what they were. Now they’ve become some of my favorite drawings from the poster.

Another aspect of the project I was really excited about was the Korean lettering for the poster’s language variations. I am not familiar with Korean, so it felt like I was creating abstract shapes and developing a secret code. The challenge was to make the Korean text match the type style I was creating for the English and Spanish versions, maintain the consistency of each character’s height and width, and do my best to keep it legible. I managed to recognize a few patterns within the text by the end of it and I now look at signs in Koreatown a lot differently. I sent off what I came up with and was excited to hear it was approved by the Korean translator.

On top of the watershed, I sprinkled each wildlife species in their proper region. I keep imagining these drawings as textile adorning objects. Forming textile designs based on specific groups within a particular region would be great. For example, all of the plant life from the river and mountain regions living on a button down shirt or sundress. Or a collection of aquatic life forming a pattern on the interior of a beach bag. The possibilities are endless.

Overall, it was an amazing opportunity to design this year’s Coastal Cleanup Day poster. Heal the Bay is an incredible organization who has been amazing to work with from start to finish. Thank you for all that you do.

 

If you’re curious to see more of Aaron’s work, check out his website and Instagram.

To see more behind-the-scene sketches, see our Heal the Bay Instagram.

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Community Gathering and Vigil In Memory of Conception 

09.04.2019 |

EventsHeal the Bay Aquarium

Heal the Bay extends our deepest sympathies to all of those who experienced loss in the destruction of the dive boat Conception near Santa Cruz Island on Monday, September 2. The diving community is a close-knit group of passionate people who truly love and appreciate the ocean. Our thoughts are with the families and friends who lost their loved ones.

We are saddened to hear about Marybeth Guiney, a Heal the Bay cleanup volunteer and donor dating back to 2011, who was aboard Conception.


Marybeth Guiney is pictured here to the far right-hand side at a Heal the Bay Speakers Bureau Training in  2017.


Marybeth Guiney is pictured here in the center under the banner holding up a peace sign after a beach cleanup on March 18, 2017.

Ways to Donate

Please seek out the individual GoFundMe pages in support of families.

The divers on the Conception were drawn to the wonders of the Channel Islands. In memory of those ocean lovers, here are some organizations that support this critical ecosystem:

Channel Islands Restoration
Channel Islands Park Foundation

Support local first responders:

Coast Guard Foundation
Red Cross – Santa Barbara Chapter

Please contact us if you have additional recommendations for GoFundMe pages and organizations to support. We did our best to comprise fundraising resources, and we appreciate any suggestions you may have.

In memory of Conception and in honor of all the lives lost, we’re holding a Community Gathering and Vigil at Heal the Bay Aquarium with Eco Dive Center on Thursday, September 5 from 6:00PM to 10:00PM. Our hope is to bring together family, friends, the diving community and the general public to grieve. We kindly ask attendees to please bring open hearts and dive lights or flash lights, if you have them.

Event Information

Event Schedule

  • 6:00pm – Gathering at Heal the Bay Aquarium. Dive videos on display; Bringing a reusable beverage container is recommended.
  • 7:00pm-7:15pm – Formal words from:
    • Shelley Luce, Heal the Bay CEO and President
    • Richard Bloom, Assemblymember for the 50th Assembly District including Santa Monica
  • 7:15pm-7:45pm – Open mic for storytelling and sharing; getting ready for procession
  • 7:45pm-8:00pm – Vigil procession down to beach
  • 8:00pm-8:45pm – Gathering on shore to hear bagpipes in memory of those lost
  • 8:45pm-10:00pm – Gathering at Rusty’s Surf Ranch on the Santa Monica Pier

Transportation to Heal the Bay Aquarium

  • Take the #7 Big Blue Bus to Downtown Santa Monica
  • Take the Expo Train to the last stop at Downtown Santa Monica
  • Paid parking on top of Santa Monica Pier and Lot 1 North
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Coastal Cleanup Day 2019: Site Locations in Los Angeles County

08.27.2019 |

Coastal Cleanup Day

It’s time for Coastal Cleanup Day 2019!

Looking to give back and create cleaner and more vibrant communities alongside thousands of your neighbors? Join us on Saturday, September 21 for our biggest cleanup of the year. It’s Heal the Bay’s 30th year coordinating Coastal Cleanup Day in Los Angeles County. For our anniversary, we’ll be upping our game with more than 70 cleanup sites – inland, coastal, habitat restoration and underwater – to volunteer at, a Sock Drive at our Santa Monica sites in support of people experiencing homelessness and free admission to our Heal the Bay Aquarium for all participants.

Our 70+ cleanup sites are located throughout L.A. County, ranging from wildlife habitat restoration areas such as the coastal dunes under the LAX flight path, to the L.A. River and San Gabriel River areas, and lots of places in between.

  • Inland sites include Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook, Ballona Creek Bike Path, L.A. River, Lake Balboa, Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve, Madea Creek, Avalon Gardens, Arroyo Seco, Compton Creek, Elysian Valley Gateway Park, Ken Malloy Harbor Regional Park, Koreatown, Pacoima, Hyde Park Boulevard, San Fernando and Santa Clarita.
  • Coastal sites include Catalina Island, Dockweiler Beach, Hermosa Beach, Long Beach, Malibu, Manhattan Beach, Marina del Rey, Pacific Palisades, Palos Verdes peninsula, Playa del Rey, Redondo Beach, San Gabriel, San Pedro, Santa Monica, Torrance, Topanga and Venice.
  • Habitat restoration sites include the LAX Dunes and the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve, Alta Vicente Reserve, Medea Creek and Gardena Willows Wetland Preserve.
  • Underwater sites include Malibu Pier, Leo Carrillo State Beach, Redondo County Beach, Dockweiler State Beach and the Santa Monica Pier.

See all of our cleanup sites on our handy map and sign up.

Our Watershed Connects Us All

We are wild for L.A., which is why we mobilize thousands of volunteers to participate on this single day of action. Our combined efforts remove trash and debris from the natural environment by the ton and help protect local biodiversity across our watershed.

Can you find the “LA” hidden within the river on the poster?

Our Coastal Cleanup Day 2019 poster, created by local artist and illustrator Aaron Gonzalez, celebrates local wildlife species found right here in L.A. County, and highlights how our winding waterways connect many unique habits from summit to sea. It’s critical that we protect all of our local habitats, animals and communities.

Download and share our poster in English, Spanish, and Korean using the hashtags #healthebay and #coastalcleanupday.

Helpful Tips for Coastal Cleanup Day

  • Try carpooling, ridesharing, biking or taking mass transit to avoid parking and traffic jams – and, please arrive early.
  • “BYO”—Help us reduce waste by bringing your own buckets, reusable bags and gloves to pick up trash. However, cleanup supplies will be available at each site.
  • Bring a reusable water bottle and wear sun block, a hat and sunglasses.
  • If you’re coming with a big group, have everyone print and sign waivers in advance. It speeds up check-in!
  • We’re organizing a Sock Drive, at our Santa Monica sites, in support of people experiencing homelessness. You can drop off new and gently used socks, which will be donated to West Coast Care.
  • When you take part in Coastal Cleanup Day you get FREE admission to our Heal the Bay Aquarium under the Santa Monica Pier.
  • We’ve launched a Change.org petition that urges the California Senate and Assembly to approve the California Circular Economy and Plastic Pollution Reduction Act. Over 410,000 signatures have been gathered so far and our goal is to reach 500,000 by Coastal Cleanup Day. Add your name!

For even more details, check out our event page.


Thank you to all our sponsors and organizers for supporting Coastal Cleanup Day 2019

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6 World Oceans Day Events in Los Angeles

06.04.2019 |

EventsLos AngelesPlastic Pollution

World Oceans Day is on Saturday, June 8, 2019. Heal the Bay shares a roundup of fun ocean-inspired events in the Los Angeles area that you won’t want to miss!

On World Oceans Day people around the globe come together to honor our oceans, which cover over 70% of Earth’s surface and sustain one million species of animals.

Looking for things to do around L.A. to immerse yourself in the marine world? From the worlds of science, art, film, and fashion, here are six World Oceans Day events nearby that you should consider adding to your social calendar.

Atlas Obscura: Aquatic Gender Fluidity
Fri. June 7, 7pm-9pm @ Heal the Bay Aquarium under the Santa Monica Pier

This unique Heal the Bay Aquarium event was created specifically for Pride Month????! Enjoy cocktails, listen to speakers from the LGBTQ+ community, and learn how many marine species in our oceans change sex, gender roles, and use forms of asexuality to survive. Laura Rink, Associate Aquarium Director at Heal the Bay Aquarium will discuss the gender diversity of our local marine inhabitants followed by a presentation from transgender speaker and educator, Michelle Dennis, who joins us on behalf of PFLAG.

RSVP

Recycled Plastic Lifeguard Tower Inauguration
Sat. June 8, 9am-Noon @ Manhattan Beach

See how plastic waste can be transformed into usable products. Get your coffee to-go Saturday morning (in a reusable cup!) and come down to Manhattan Beach pier on the sand at Bruce’s Beach (26th Street). Watch how the ByFusion team diverts 1,420 pounds of plastics and recycled surfboard foam waste into a functional Lifeguard Tower. The tower will be on display until sunset on #WorldOceansDay.

RSVP

“Reef Paintings” Exhibition
June 1-16 @ Silverlake

Dulce Stein and The Neutra Museum are proud to present ‘Reef Paintings, Cataloguing Nature’s Fingerprint’ by Michael Torquato deNicola in honor of World Oceans Day. The art exhibit covers the artist’s surfing adventures in Chile, Sumatra, Nicaragua, Maui, and California alongside his first-hand observations of the environmental impacts on reefs from plastics, polluted run-off, and development.

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“The Smog of the Sea” Film Screening
Sat. June 8, 12:30pm-5pm @ Heal the Bay Aquarium

Explore oceans of inspiration at the Aquarium with marine-themed games, activities, scavenger hunts, and crafts. “The Smog of the Sea” a 30-minute film by musician Jack Johnson about single-use plastic in our once pristine oceans will also be screened throughout the day.

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The MY HERO Project Short Films Screening
Sun. June 9, 2pm-4pm @ Santa Monica

Enjoy a free short film screening of uplifting short films that honor World Ocean’s Day and Peace and Social Justice, hosted by filmmaker and social justice activist, Trey Carlisle, and MY HERO International Film Festival Director, Wendy Milette. The event takes place in Moss Theater at New Roads School.

MORE INFO & RSVP

Fred Segal Malibu Trunk Show
June 6-9, 10am-9pm @ Malibu

Join our fashionista friends at Fred Segal Malibu for a trunk show celebrating World Ocean Day with their fully sustainable vintage collection; both luxury vintage as well as the Morphew Collection, which is made from one-of-a-kind vintage materials. In addition to donating proceeds to Heal the Bay, the Fred Segal team are also hosting a beach cleanup in the ‘Bu to give back.

RSVP

How else can you get involved?

 ???? Become a Heal the Bay Sustaining Member for $9 a month.

 ???? Pre-order your Heal the Bay x K-Swiss limited edition sneakers made from recycled and eco-friendly materials.

 ???? Stay informed about beach water quality and practice safe swimming in freshwater, too.

 ???? Sign our Plastic Petition to advocate for new statewide policies in California that drastically reduce single-use product and packaging waste.

 

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And That’s A Wrap: 2019 Bring Back the Beach

05.24.2019 |

Bring Back the Beach Gala

Photo by Dan Do-Linh

And just like that another Heal the Bay Gala has come and gone.

Yesterday, Heal the Bay welcomed hundreds of guests to the ultimate beach party. Our annual Bring Back the Beach Gala recognizes the fearless leaders who have helped make real progress toward a healthier natural environment in L.A, and celebrates the victories Heal the Bay has achieved. This year, we honored the eco-accomplishments of Los Angeles County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, and the lasting legacy and support of KROQ.

View Gala Photo Gallery

The event started with guests arriving in their white beach-chic attire and walking the signature blue carpet. A mobile tank from Heal the Bay Aquarium offered a deeper look at some local marine animals and wildlife. After a sweet cocktail party, thrilling live auction, and scrumptious dinner and dessert (the donuts!), we danced the night away to the incredible James Gang band, right on the sand and beneath the stars, and guests enjoyed a fun photo booth provided by CEG Interactive.

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Photo by Nicola Buck

K-Swiss, our event sponsor, even announced their sneaker collaboration with us! It was a wonderful night of making waves, celebrating the great work being done, and creating a sustainable water future in L.A. County.

heal the bay k-swiss

Our wonderful community of supporters also included Bonnie Wright, Harry Potter actor and environmentalist, Ser’Darius Blain, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle actor, Jason Lewis, Sex and the City actor and model, Victoria Konefal, Days of Our Lives actor, Andrew Walker, actor, Jackson Dollinger, Disney’s Sydney to the Max actor, and -of course- Amy Smart Oosterhouse and Sharon Lawrence, actors and our Heal the Bay Board Members. And although he could not be in attendance, our long-time friend and wavemaker, Jeff Bridges, also cheered us on with a special video message!

A final thank you to our dynamic team of Heal the Bay volunteers, staff, Board, our incredible photographers, Dan Do-Linh and Nicola Buck, our brilliant event producer Natalie McAdams of NAMEVENTS and all of the gracious staff at the Jonathan Club.

Thanks to ALL of our Bring Back the Beach Gala 2019 Sponsors & Partners

Heal the Bay Gala 2019 Sponsors

Thank you to our official airline partner, American Airlines

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Heal the Bay Honors Green Leaders at Annual Gala on May 23, 2019

05.07.2019 |

Bring Back the Beach Gala

Heal the Bay Gala

Los Angeles leaders Sheila Kuehl and KROQ to be feted on the sand in Santa Monica

We’re excited to announce our honorees for the Bring Back the Beach Annual Awards Gala 2019 on the evening of Thursday, May 23 at the Jonathan Beach Club in Santa Monica, California. Now in its second decade, Heal the Bay’s Gala has grown into L.A.’s ultimate beach party. Reflecting the eclectic nature of Southern California’s devoted ocean lovers, Heal the Bay will salute the eco-accomplishments of Los Angeles County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl and “The World Famous KROQ”.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl has a long history of collaboration with Heal the Bay, starting with her days as a California State Senator. Under her fearless leadership in public office, she has made the L.A. region more environmentally healthy and sustainable. She protected the long-term health of the local coastline by co-authoring legislation that created the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission in 2002. Last year, she championed Measure W, a ballot measure that will generate $330 million annually to fund projects that capture stormwater, treat runoff and replenish our local water supply. Measure W passed with a huge 69% majority. This crucial progress toward sustainable water would not have been possible without the leadership and vision of Supervisor Kuehl.

KROQ has given a steady stream of support to Heal the Bay over nearly three decades. As the region’s leading alternative rock music purveyor, KROQ has connected millions of music listeners and concert-goers to the shoreline, to their watershed and to each other. Driven by an unrivaled dedication to the Los Angeles community and culture, KROQ has contributed $1,000,000 to Heal the Bay’s local science-based programs since 1992. Proceeds generated from KROQ Weenie Roast and benefit concerts fund Heal the Bay’s work surrounding plastic pollution, climate change, contaminated seafood and beach safety.

The Gala will welcome 1,000 guests to celebrate on the sand, and under the stars, in support of thriving oceans and healthy watersheds. The event consistently sells out and brings together a lively group of artists, entertainment figures, local government officials and business leaders. At last year’s Gala, Bring Back the Beach partygoers celebrated Mayor Eric Garcetti, Gabriela Teissier, Zooey Deschanel and Jacob Pechenik.

This year’s attendees include American Airlines – the official airline of Heal the Bay. The organization is leading the way in their commitment to environmental sustainability.

Group tables and individual tickets are available at www.healthebay.org/bbb.

View Tickets

Download our 2019 Sponsorship Kit, learn more about the event, check out the recap from last year’s Gala, and view more photos from 2018 and 2017.

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Kids Ocean Day 2019

05.03.2019 |

CaliforniaCalifornia CoastEventsNews

An aerial view of Kids Ocean Day 2011

Thousands of kids are coming together on May 23 for the 26th annual Kids Ocean Day! Sparking a love for nature in young kids sets them up for a lifetime of appreciation and respect for our oceans, watersheds and natural environment. Plus, they love digging their toes in the sand! At this event, kids will learn about marine animals, the importance of keeping our beaches clean, and what they can do to help.

To wrap up the day’s activities, the kids gather together in formation to create a powerful environmental message on the beach. Far above their heads, helicopters fly by to capture a photo. The result is a spectacular and meaningful image that our team at Heal the Bay looks forward to every year.

Kids Ocean Day 2019 Event Details

Date: Thursday, May 23
Time: 7:00am – 2:30pm
Location: Dockweiler State Beach, Vista Del Mar, Imperial Hwy Entrance, Playa Del Rey, CA 90293 (The end of Imperial Highway between Playa del Rey & Manhattan Beach)

Visit Kids Ocean Day Website

Kids Ocean Day Founder, Michael Klubock, on the importance of youth outreach, hands-on education, and how Kids Ocean Day makes an impact:

“Kids Ocean Day teaches school kids about how litter flows from our neighborhoods to the ocean, where it harms marine life and pollutes our natural resources. It’s where the lessons come to life. By bringing Los Angeles school children to the beach, we put them in touch with nature, while instilling good habits and stewardship that can last a lifetime. The wonder and beauty of the coast, combined with a mission to protect the natural world, is a profound experience. I see it on their faces every year and every year it moves me.

Kids Ocean Day is a way to show kids that their actions—both good and bad—have an impact. That’s a lesson worth learning at any age. Eighty percent of the pollution in the sea comes from the land as the result of runoff. We can all do something about that. Simple things like disposing of litter, picking up after your dog or joining a beach cleanup can make a huge difference.”

An aerial view of Kids Ocean Day 2014

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