Heal the Bay Blog

Category: Palos Verdes Peninsula

Plastic Bags Get Bagged in SLO County

01.12.2012 | Heal the Bay

On Jan. 11, San Luis Obispo County became the 15th community in the state to pass a ban on single-use plastic bags in an effort to encourage citizens to use reusable bags instead.

The California Grocers Association endorsed the proposal, as did representatives of local landfills, who said plastic bags are a problem for them. Approximately 130 million plastic bags are used each year in the county alone, and only three percent of those are recycled.

In an attempt to stop the ban in SLO County, the Save the Plastic Bag Coalition said after the meeting that it would file a lawsuit within 30 days, serving a “threat of litigation” to the board. The coalition issued a similar challenge when the Manhattan Beach City Council approved a bag ban in 2008, which ultimately failed in July 2011 when the California Supreme Court unanimously ruled in the city’s favor. The Manhattan Beach plastic bag ban goes into effect Saturday, Jan. 14.

Momentum for plastic bag bans has been building since 2007, when San Francisco became the first city in the nation to ban the free distribution of plastic bags. Other cities and counties across the country have followed, including Seattle, Portland, Ore., San Jose, Los Angeles County, and Washington, D.C. Smaller cities such as Santa Monica, Long Beach, Carpinteria and Fairfax have enacted some form of ban or limitation on the use of plastic bags.

The SLO County ban will apply to single-use plastic bags at supermarkets, pharmacies, convenience stores and big-box stores as part of an effort to get shoppers to start bringing in reusable bags. It is scheduled to go into effect on Oct. 1. 2012.

Heal the Bay has led the legislative fight to enact a bag ban for more than five years as part of its ongoing efforts to tackle plastic pollution in California seas and neighborhoods. Join us and take action.

Learn more more about the San Luis County bag ban.

Read about plastic pollution and its impact here.

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Mark Gold to Exit Post at Heal the Bay

01.10.2012 | Heal the Bay

About Us Long Beach / Avalon Malibu / Pacific Palisades Marina del Rey / Playa del Rey Marine Protected Areas Palos Verdes Peninsula Santa Monica South Bay Venice Beach

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (Jan.10, 2012) – Heal the Bay president Mark Gold announced today that he is stepping down from the environmental organization to accept a position at the University of California at Los Angeles as associate director of its Institute of the Environment and Sustainability.

Gold, a 23-year veteran of Heal the Bay, is returning to his alma mater to provide leadership at the Institute’s Coastal Center. As part of his management duties, he will also help spearhead efforts to build the Institute’s education, research and public outreach programs. He begins his new duties at UCLA Jan. 30.

Executive Director Karin Hall and Associate Director Alix Hobbs will continue to provide day-to-day management and organizational and fiscal oversight for the environmental group. Heal the Bay’s board of directors will be meeting to determine a management structure for the nonprofit following Gold’s departure. Gold will continue to serve on Heal the Bay’s board of directors.

“Everyone who lives in or visits Southern California has benefited from Mark Gold’s tireless efforts to keep our waters safe and clean,” said Matt Hart, chairman of Heal the Bay’s board of directors. “He has also built a great organization of smart, dedicated professionals that will sustain the legacy he and Dorothy Green started over 25 years ago.

“On behalf of our Board of Directors, our Board of Governors and the thousands of Heal the Bay volunteers, I want to thank Mark Gold for his leadership and service to Heal the Bay and wish him the best of luck in his new career at UCLA.”
While working on his doctorate in Environmental Science and Engineering from UCLA, Gold joined Heal the Bay as staff scientist in 1988, making him the organization’s first employee. Guided by his mentor and Heal the Bay founding president Dorothy Green, Gold was named executive director of the organization in 1994 and president in 2006.

He has worked extensively over the last 25 years in the field of coastal protection and water pollution and is recognized as one of California’s leading environmental advocates. He has authored or co-authored numerous California coastal protection, water quality and environmental education bills.

“I have been lucky to be part of an environmental organization that has achieved so much to better Southern California,” said Gold. “I’ve had the privilege to work with many incredible leaders, staff members and volunteers that have shared a common vision of clean water and protected watersheds. I am confident that the senior management team we’ve spent years developing will continue to move the organization forward. Heal the Bay will always be an important part of me, but I look forward to new challenges at UCLA’s Institute of the Environment.”

Heal the Bay staff is focusing on four key policy issues in the coming year:

The implementation of marine protected areas off the coast of Southern California. Heal the Bay is assisting the state Department of Fish & Game gather research to help educate the public about the boundaries, which took effect Jan. 1.
Coordinating with Assemblymember Julia Brownley on her pending bill to enact a statewide ban on the distribution of environmentally and fiscally wasteful single-use plastic bags. Heal the Bay also has led the drive for a ban in the city of Los Angeles expected to be enacted this spring.
Working with local school districts to implement environmental literacy materials developed by National Geographic and Heal the Bay into K-12 curriculum statewide.
Advocating for a countywide stormwater permit that will reduce polluted runoff to levels that protect public health and aquatic life

Heal the Bay is one of the largest and most influential environmental groups in California. Combining scientific rigor with dogged advocacy, Heal the Bay staff and volunteers have secured dozens of environmental wins for Southern California coastal waters, including:

Hyperion wastewater treatment plant – In 1986, Hyperion was ordered to stop dumping incompletely treated sewage in the bay by 1998. Also, the LA County Sanitation District’s sewage treatment plant in Carson was forced to upgrade its facility by 2002. As a result, sewage pollution discharged to Santa Monica Bay was reduced by more than 90%.
Pollution limits – Heal the Bay fought to have site-specific pollution limits included in routine regulation. These so-called Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) force dischargers to dramatically cut down on trash, bacteria and other pollutants entering our rivers, creeks and ocean.
Beach Report Card – In 1990, Heal the Bay published the first Beach Report Card, a local analysis of bacteria levels at L.A. area beaches as a guide to let swimmers know if it was OK to get in the water. Heal the Bay now grades almost 500 beaches along the Pacific coast on a weekly basis. The Beach Report Card, the subsequent Santa Monica Bay health effects study, and beach TMDLs led to California’s beach water quality criteria and monitoring program, as well as over $200 million being allocated to clean up California’s most polluted beaches.
Santa Monica Pier Aquarium – In 2003, Heal the Bay opened the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium, bringing the Santa Monica Bay to life for more than 70,000 people each year.
Coastal Cleanup Day – Heal the Bay first coordinated Coastal Cleanup Day in Los Angeles County in 1990. Now, 15,000 people annually clean more than 65 sites, both coastal and inland in L.A County.

More about Mark Gold
Gold received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Biology and his doctorate in Environmental Science and Engineering from UCLA. He has served as chair of the Santa Monica Environmental Task Force for 18 years and was vice chair of the California Ocean Science Trust. Currently, Mark is vice chair of the National Estuary Program’s Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission.

About Heal the Bay
Heal the Bay is a nonprofit environmental organization that makes Southern California coastal waters and watersheds, including Santa Monica Bay, safe, healthy and clean. We use science, education, community action and advocacy to achieve our mission.

Contact: Matthew King, Heal the Bay, 310.451.1500, x 137; cell 310.463.6266

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Garden Smarter, Save Water

01.06.2012 | Heal the Bay

Long Beach / Avalon Malibu / Pacific Palisades Marina del Rey / Playa del Rey Palos Verdes Peninsula Santa Monica South Bay Venice Beach

The Water Replenishment District (WRD) will offer a series of free classes for water smart gardening.

Topics include drought-tolerant plants, irrigation basics, horticultural practices, and garden design concepts. Classes will be held monthly from Feb. 18 – June 9 at WRD Headquarters in Lakewood.

For a complete schedule and to sign up, call 562.275.4215 or visit www.ecogardener.org.

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Misinformation About MPAs

01.04.2012 | Dana Murray

Malibu / Pacific Palisades Marine Protected Areas Palos Verdes Peninsula

It has come to Heal the Bay’s attention that some kayaks in the Malibu area have been tagged with a notice that states they are not allowed to be moored or placed on the beach within the newly established marine protected areas (MPAs) near Point Dume.

These tags contain inaccurate information and are of unknown origin.

MPAs allow for the mooring of vessels or any other non-consumptive use activities, such as surfing, kayaking, diving and sailing. Heal the Bay and other organizations are involved in marine protected area monitoring, but not enforcement. Enforcement is being conducted by the Department of Fish and Game.

Refer to the Department of Fish and Game website for information on MPAs and the only list of restricted activities.

Sample Misinformation Tag

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10 Ways to Heal: Watch and Learn

12.23.2011 | Heal the Bay

Beach Report Card Long Beach / Avalon Malibu / Pacific Palisades Marina del Rey / Playa del Rey Palos Verdes Peninsula Santa Monica South Bay Venice Beach

Even if you live miles from the ocean, there are some simple steps you can take in your home to protect your favorite beach (as well as your local neighborhood, park or river).

Over the coming weeks, we will be sharing short, educational and fun videos with tips on 10 ways you can heal the Bay — so keep an eye on this page (or subscribe to our YouTube channel)!

Our first video comes from Melissa Aguayo, Heal the Bay’s Speakers Bureau Manager.

Hold on to Your Balloons

10 Ways You Can Heal the Bay

1. Keep your Litter out of the Gutter

Keep trash, yard trimmings, and other litter off the street and out of the storm drains so they don’t end up in the ocean. Clean up after your dog, cat, or horse to keep the waste out of the storm drain and away from your favorite beach. Report full catch basins to the Dept. of Public Works: L.A. City: (800) 974- 9794 L.A. County: (800) 303- 0003. For non-L.A. County residents find your local city numbers.

2. Bag the Plastic Bags

Instead of accepting plastic bags from the grocery store, bring your own reusable bag. Single-use plastic bags create loads of unnecessary litter; they are easily blown by the wind, and they often end up in the ocean. Plastic takes hundreds of years to degrade, and creates hazards for marine life and other wildlife.

3. Hold on to Your Balloons

Released helium balloons eventually pop and fall back to land, ending up in the ocean where animals mistake them for food. Always pop balloons and put them in the trash.

4. Beware of Six-Pack Rings

Avoid buying them, and any other loop of plastic, or cut them up before you throw them out. Marine animals choke on garbage and get tangled in trash. Unlike people, birds and fish don’t have hands to remove items caught around their necks.

5. Don’t Be a Drip

Overwatering is wasteful and moves trash and toxins to the ocean. Turn off the faucet when you don’t need it. Fix leaky pipes and install low-flow shower heads and toilets. Help the sewage treatment plants do a better job by conserving water.

6. Go Non-Toxic

If you must use harsh chemical products, when you are through bring them to authorized household hazardous waste drop-off centers. For locations near you, call (800) CLEAN-UP. Instead, avoid buying products like liquid drain openers. Use pesticides as little as possible and look for non- toxic alternatives. Use compost instead of chemical fertilizers. Best of all, using simple recipes and ingredients, you can make your own environmentally-friendly cleaners.

7. Make a Clean Sweep

Use a broom, not a hose, to clean sidewalks and driveways. Watering the driveway won’t make it grow! Sweep trash into a dustpan, not the gutter, and use the garden clippings as mulch to fertilize your yard.

8. Recycle Used Motor Oil

You can recycle your used motor oil at gas stations, auto parts stores, and garages. Never pour it down the drain, in the gutter, or on the ground. Motor oil is extremely toxic.

9. Go to a Car Wash

Most car washes recycle their water. But if you clean your car at home, always wash it on your lawn to recapture lost water, use a bucket to conserve water and consider a ‘waterless’ car wash like Lucky Earth or Ecover.

10. Become a part of Heal the Bay

Help us continue to protect the Santa Monica Bay and all of California’s coastal waters; become an environmental advocate, volunteer or join as a member.

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Dragon Boat Makes Historic Crossing

12.21.2011 | Heal the Bay

Long Beach / Avalon More Ways to Give Palos Verdes Peninsula

After months of training, the AeroDragons Dragon Boat Club, met their goal to “go where no man has gone before” by paddling a dragon boat in the open ocean from Two Harbors at Catalina Island back to Mother’s Beach on Naples Island, Long Beach.

Dragon boats are not typically designed for open-ocean travel, making the crossing a dangerous undertaking, but the team succeeded nonetheless. The AeroDragons Dragon Boat Club members challenged themselves, not only to set a new record by making the first open-ocean crossing of the Catalina Channel by a dragon boat, but also to use the paddle out as a third party event to raise funds for Heal the Bay.

The Club’s team couldn’t have asked for more perfect conditions on the morning of September 24th, with calm seas and virtually no wind or waves. It took the team three hours and 26 minutes to paddle the 21-mile crossing.

During the paddle out, the team reported multiple sightings of blue whales and dolphins, including a pod of hundreds of dolphins near Point Fermin.

Congratulations to the Long Beach-based club for going, where no dragon boat has gone before.

Reusable Water Bottles = Triple Bonus

12.21.2011 | Heal the Bay

About Us Long Beach / Avalon Malibu / Pacific Palisades Marina del Rey / Playa del Rey Palos Verdes Peninsula Santa Monica South Bay

Today’s guest blogger is Melissa Aguayo, Heal the Bay’s Speakers Bureau Manager

The New Year is just around the corner, and we all know what that means… New Year’s resolutions.

Some people like to focus on their health while others focus on helping others or even saving money. If only there was an easy way to do all three… oh wait, there is!

Kicking your bottled water habit and switching to tap and a reusable bottle will save you money. Plus, it’s better for the environment and your health! Confused? Keep reading.

Save Money
Bottled water is expensive; it costs anywhere from 240 to 10,000 times more per gallon than tap water. The average tap water in California costs about $1.60 per thousand gallons while the average bottled water costs about $0.90 per gallon-that means you are paying over 560 times more for a product that falls from the sky! In fact, if you look at the price per gallon, you will pay more for single-use bottles than for gasoline. In 2009 Americans spent $10.6 billion on bottled water and almost half of that bottled water came from public tap water supplies. Beverage companies do a great job of marketing bottled water as purer and safer; however this is not necessarily true.

Protect Your Health
Our tap water is safe and highly regulated by the federal government. On the other hand, the Food and Drug Administration has much less stringent rules and only regulates the 30-40% of bottled water sold across state lines. Even then, testing is intermittent and once the water is bottled and stored, it does not have to be tested at all. The Natural Resources Defense Council completed a four-year study where they tested 1,000 bottles of 103 bottled water brands. Among many shocking discoveries, they found several companies buying water from a spring in Massachusetts which was located near a hazardous waste site. The water was contaminated with carcinogenic chemicals. Many plastic bottles also contain phthalates and BPA (Bisphenol A) which are both carcinogenic chemicals and can leach into the water.

Help the Environment
Many bottled water companies take water from local public sources, which harm the environment by depleting groundwater sources which the local community relies on. Once this water is removed it has to be packaged, in plastic. The U.S. alone uses about 17.6 million barrels of oil to produce plastic bottles. That would be enough oil to fuel more than one million vehicles each year. These bottles then have to be transported over hundreds of miles which consumes energy and releases pollutants. At the end of all this we are left with billions of empty bottles of which only 16% are recycled. The other 84% will end up in landfills or littering our streets where they can make their way to our rivers, lakes or oceans through the storm drain system.

So there you have it, three incredibly important reasons to make switching to tap and reusable water bottles this New Year’s resolution. It’s a small change that will go a long way.

Now go return that ugly sweater Aunt Liz gave you and exchange it for a reusable water bottle.

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L.A. Bag Ban Sends Strong Message

12.16.2011 | Heal the Bay

About Us Long Beach / Avalon Malibu / Pacific Palisades Marina del Rey / Playa del Rey Palos Verdes Peninsula Santa Monica South Bay Venice Beach

The Los Angeles City Council’s energy and environment committee today approved an action asking for a Chief Administrative Officer-Chief Legislative Analyst report on a single-use bag ban within 30 days. Also, the Bureau of Sanitation must implement a public outreach program over the next 60 days.

Immediately after the committee meeting, the city council met to celebrate outgoing president Eric Garcetti’s long-term leadership. After Jimmy Kimmel’s monologue and the rest of the festivities, the council heard the bag-ban item.

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Avoid Contaminated Catch

12.09.2011 | Heal the Bay

About Us Long Beach / Avalon Malibu / Pacific Palisades Marina del Rey / Playa del Rey Palos Verdes Peninsula Santa Monica South Bay Venice Beach

If you’ve strolled down a Southern California pier, you’ve probably seen the warning sign: “No Coma White Croaker” (Don’t Eat White Croaker”). The reason for the warning? The effects of widespread DDT and PCB contamination in our local waters from the 1940s-1980s that’s worked its way up the food chain.

The kinds of health problems that have been linked to DDT and PCBs include effects on the nervous, immune, endocrine, and reproductive systems, infant development, and cancer.

To spread the alert of this danger, members of our Pier Angler Outreach Program have educated nearly 100,000 anglers over the past eight years on the health risks of eating certain fish they’ve caught on their lines, most notably, white croaker, black croaker, barred sand bass, topsmelt and barracuda.

In addition, members of our team, employing languages from Spanish to Tagolog to English, suggest cooking methods if the anglers choose to eat any of their contaminated catch.

Our EPA-award winning efforts span eight different piers: Santa Monica, Venice, Hermosa, Redondo, Pier J, Rainbow Harbor, Belmont and Seal Beach.

Find out more en espanol.

Download a guide to eating fish caught in the bay.

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Toward a Red Tide Warning System

12.05.2011 | Heal the Bay

Long Beach / Avalon Malibu / Pacific Palisades Marina del Rey / Playa del Rey Palos Verdes Peninsula Santa Monica South Bay Venice Beach

A five-year grant is headed to scientists researching harmful algal bloom “hot spots”—aka “Red Tide”— in southern and central California.

In addition to investigating methods that could provide early warning detection of toxic blooms, the $4million project will boost the capabilities of California management agencies to safeguard living resources, public health and economies.

The study was funded through a national competition of the Ecology and Oceanography of Harmful Algal Blooms (ECOHAB), a program run by the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration’s National Ocean Service/National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science.

According to a statement from the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), research will be carried out at the University of California Santa Cruz, the University of Southern California, Moss Landing Marine Laboratory, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, the Southern California Coastal Water Research Project, University of California Los Angeles, and NOAA’s Center for Coastal Environmental Health and Biomolecular Research.

Some species of red tides produce a toxin that when eaten can lead to potentially fatal human illness. The toxins can also cause illness and death in marine mammals and birds. To find out more about the hazards of algal blooms, visit the NOAA National Ocean Service Harmful Algal Blooms website: http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/hazards/hab/

Read Aquarium Director Vicki Wawerchak’s The Truth About Red Tides.

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