Heal the Bay Blog

The environmental movement appeals to people of all ages, from all walks of life. We each have important and very personal reasons for protecting the world around us.

But young people, in particular, are poised to become the new face of the environment. As they grow older and begin to inherit the earth, with all of its majestic open spaces as well as all of its pollution problems, more and more teenagers and other young people are embracing environmental activism as their legacy.

One of the coolest examples of the connection between teenagers and the environment is a group called Teens Turning Green. It’s a youth-led initiative that brings environmental education and awareness to young people throughout the country.

And we’re not just talking about environmental science. Teens Turning Green focuses on environmentally friendly lifestyles, including making smart purchases, avoiding chemicals in makeup and other products, and other important habits. One of their biggest campaigns has been against lead in lipstick, called Lips Against Lead.

Teens Turning Green is having a free environmental summit in LA on Feb. 26. If you’re interested, or know someone who might be, visit teensturninggreen.org.

That is, if Ethan Gauthier is any indication. The Sierra Madre teenager just won first prize in his school’s science fair for a project he called Runaway Runoff.

Basically, he took 4 samples of garden soil and added inorganic fertilizers to 3 of them. Then he added water, and measured the amount of nitrates and phosphates coming off of each sample.

The project is a brilliantly simple way to illustrate the impacts gardeners can have on the ocean. When inorganic fertilizers are added to gardens, those same phosphates and nitrates run off your yard, into the stormdrain system, and into the ocean.

Nitrates and phosphates are a huge source of harmful algal blooms in freshwater bodies like Malibu Creek. They contribute to dead zones by encouraging the overgrowth of algae. That algae blocks sunlight, inhibiting the growth of other plants and animals. And when it dies and decomposes, it sucks up all of the oxygen in the water.

Ethan’s answer? It’s even more simple. Follow the directions on your fertilizer packages, and don’t over-fertilize. Heal the Bay will take that one step further and suggest you use organic fertilizers, like compost, rather than chemical-based fertilizers.

Read more about Ethan’s project at Sierra Madre Patch.

It looks like the rain might finally be slowing down, but that just means the clean-up can begin. Among the downed trees and mudslides, there are also some ocean issues for you to keep in mind. This much rain carries huge amounts of bacteria and pollution straight through the stormdrain system to the beach, and can also cause sewage spills. Make sure you stay out of the ocean for a full 72 hours and avoid stormdrain impacted and enclosed beaches for 5 to 10 days after a storm, to give the bacteria time to disperse. You might even want to wait a little bit longer, given how much rain fell.

For up-to-date info, check out the Beach Report Card.