Heal the Bay Blog

Category: Santa Monica

Santa Monica, California located in Los Angeles County is a popular eco-friendly coastal destination for families, couples, tourists and Southern California beachgoers.

The L.A. River Up Close and Personal

08.31.2012 | Heal the Bay

I don’t get a ton of opportunity to get out from behind my desk to romp in the creeks and watersheds that we protect. But this Friday afternoon was going to be the exception, as I was joining our Education Department for a kayaking tour of the Los Angeles River.

The night before I cringed at all the work I had to finish to be able leave the office for four hours, but I knew it would be worth it. And it was! What an excellent way to see the L.A. River up close. And this time I was not armed with gloves and a trash bag but rather a kayak and a paddle.

We weren’t even in the kayaks yet and our Education staff was spouting off information on this bird or that plant — I’m a hobby gardener so I could add a few names here and there as we meandered down the wide calm river for an hour-and-a-half tour. Birds and dragonflies were everywhere. We saw Black-Necked Stilts, Snowy Egrets, a Great Blue Heron and Great Egret fishing in a rocky outcropping – it caught two fish while we snapped pictures.

The river was not at all what one thinks of when they conjure up images of the L.A. River. Most think of the Hollywood version of a high speed car chase down a solid concrete storm drain. The banks were filled with Sycamores and Willow trees that touched the water’s edge. The air smelled like sage – the same scent you get while hiking in the Santa Monica Mountains. The temperature was hot, but the water was cool to the touch. We quickly unwound from work mode and started joking and laughing and enjoying the exercise. What a great way to end a busy week – or better yet, start the weekend.

The tours sold out very quickly, so be sure to put this on your list for next summer. There’s an exciting possibility that the tours will expand to the Glendale Narrows, the soft-bottomed stretch of the river that runs from the Los Angeles Equestrian Center to the 5 Freeway overpass.

Thanks to LA Conservation Corps for taking us out on this day. And big thanks and congratulations to the Friends of the L.A. River, who recently succeeded in getting Governor Jerry Brown to sign the Los Angeles River Expanded Public Access Bill, which will allow more residents can experience this little known treasure. The new law takes effect January 2013 and will broaden the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works’ 100-year-old mission of flood control and stormwater management to include, for the first time, education and recreation.

—Alix Hobbs

Associate Director, Heal the Bay

View photos from Heal the Bay’s L.A. River expedition.

Join our fight for clean water in Los Angeles.

Read Less

First 100 Volunteers at Bay Street Site Receive Jazz Concert Tickets

08.30.2012 | Heal the Bay

Coastal Cleanup Day Santa Monica

Heal the Bay and California Greenworks Inc, have joined forces to thank Coastal Cleanup Day volunteers with a FREE concert ticket for EarthFest L.A. 2012! The first 100 people that volunteer at the Bay Street Coastal Cleanup Day sitein Santa Monica on Saturday, September 15th, will receive a free ticket ($20 value) to the Jazz for the Environment Concert at EarthFest L.A. 2012 at 2pm.

Read Less

CCD 2012: Introducing the Bay Street Site

08.20.2012 | Heal the Bay

Coastal Cleanup Day Santa Monica

Bay Street has been added as one of the Coastal Cleanup Day sites in Southern California.

This new Santa Monica cleanup site, sometimes known as the “Inkwell,” was a popular beach hangout for African Americans from the 1920s to the early 1960s. Santa Monica Conservancy docents will be on hand to educate volunteers on the history of this unique site.

Pictured to the left, Verna Williams and Arthur Lewis at the segregated African-American beach site near Bay Street in 1924, courtesy of the Los Angeles Public Library Online Collection.

Just Announced: The first 100 people who volunteer at Bay Street will receive a free ticket ($20 value) to the Jazz for the Environment Concert at EarthFest L.A. 2012 at 2 p.m.

For a complete list of Coastal Cleanup Day sites or to register, visit healthebay.org/ccd.

Related: “White Wash” Documentary Screening and Discussion on Sept. 16, 2012.

Read Less

A Super Staffer Shares Her Story

08.17.2012 | Heal the Bay

About Us More Ways to Give Santa Monica

In January 2005, after a month of being holed up in our tiny Santa Monica apartment and listening to the rain fall incessantly outside, I knew I had to get out and do something productive with my time. I was still adjusting to my new surroundings after a cross-country trip from our native Canada in a rented U-Haul packed with husband, bewildered dog and our meager belongings. The move had happened so fast; I hadn’t really had time to think about what I might do to keep busy without a work visa. After more than 15 years working in health care and administration, I knew I was ready for something completely different!

There was so much I didn’t know about my new California home, but one thing I was sure I wanted to learn more about was the ocean. Fresh water was an intrinsic part of growing up in Canada, surrounded by lakes, rivers, creeks and ponds; summers were spent at the cottage swimming, boating and fishing.

Having been raised on the shores of Lake Ontario, I understood fresh water, but the ocean was a huge mysterious entity to me. I’d never even dipped my toe in salt water until my late 20s! Staring at my computer screen, I typed in the words “Volunteer, Santa Monica, and Ocean” and the first site that popped up was Heal the Bay’s.

Initially the name conjured mental images of running slow motion down the beach, coming to the rescue of stranded marine mammals and saving oil-slicked water birds rather than the reality of collating documents and stuffing envelopes for mailings in the Heal the Bay office.

After about a month of Wednesday office work, Tom Galassi, HtB’s volunteer coordinator at that time, happened to mention something about aquarium volunteer training. What’s this? There’s an Aquarium…with animals… and it’s only four blocks from my house?! How could this be? I think I was out the door and headed down to the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium before the cloud of papers I’d left behind settled to the floor. I was immediately enchanted by the cozy facility, captivated by strange and new marine life and wanted to learn absolutely everything I could about it.

The small staff was so warm and engaging and the energy and enthusiasm the children brought with them when they visited was contagious. You couldn’t keep me away. In 2006 I was honored to receive the volunteer “SuperHealer Award” and in 2008, once being granted a work visa, I was hired on as a paid Key to the Sea naturalist. Less than three months later, I interviewed for the newly created Executive Assistant position supporting Executive Director Karin Hall and Associate Director Alix Hobbs, the position I occupy today.

Okay, so maybe administrative support isn’t quite as “sexy” as teaching on the beach or saving marine mammals in distress. But I know that every day I come to the office, I am playing a small part in protecting this amazing resource, which I’ve been so lucky to have come to know and love — the ocean!

–– Sylvie Makara

Executive Assistant and 2006 SuperHealer

Interested in working to protect what you love? Consider one of our career, intern and volunteer opportunities.

Want to support our work as ocean stewards? Join Heal the Bay.

Read Less

Respect the Landlord of the Sea

08.17.2012 | Heal the Bay

California Sharks Heal the Bay Aquarium Long Beach / Avalon Malibu / Pacific Palisades Marina del Rey / Playa del Rey Palos Verdes Peninsula Santa Monica South Bay Venice Beach

No other animal on Earth has captured the imagination and stirred the range of emotions like the Great White Shark, aka The Landlord. Yes, the Landlord, the lord of the land, or in this case, the lord of the sea. The nickname we SoCal natives have bestowed on this beautiful and misunderstood fish has everything to do with shaking off that jittery feeling we sometimes get out in the water. I will admit there have been times I’ve even heard cellos strumming that all too famous tune. Because honestly, who hasn’t thought about it? The Landlord owns the place, and we just rent the space.

Every summer, predictably, the images of white sharks gobbling up an elephant seal or breaching out of water with a little sea lion in its mouth is the topic of conversation on every TV in the U.S. This time every year, images and programs about sharks and shark attacks seem to consume the airwaves. The news media frenzy about any little story related to shark attacks. And, of course, you can always rely on weeklong programming dedicated to sharks.

I have always questioned this kind of programming and have wondered if this is exploitive or if the people viewing are actually getting educated about the important issues that are facing the global shark population. Are these programs dispelling fear and myth or galvanizing people to appreciate and respect sharks?

The past few years have been very special in the Santa Monica Bay because of the regular appearances of white sharks, sometime small ones and sometimes … big ones! Last week a large white shark was seen off shore near Venice and earlier this week a young white shark was spotted just off of King Harbor. What a treat! What an amazing event to have the Landlord pay us a visit. I get excited about these sightings because these animals are very rare.

In fact the population of white sharks number in the low hundreds off of the California coast. Decades of over fishing and shark finning have depleted white sharks and other shark species in California and around the world. Groups like Oceana and the Center for Biological Diversity are calling on the government to list the white shark on the federal Endangered Species Act.

At the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium we get to educate thousands of school children and visitors about current marine science issues and the relevant work we do as Heal the Bay. Sharks and the conservation of sharks is a critical part of the education we provide to all of our visitors.

Last year, Heal the Bay helped champion an important law making it illegal to possess or sell shark fins in California. This law is a part of a global movement aimed at saving shark populations everywhere. It is so satisfying to see a new generation of adults and children learning about the white shark with respect and admiration rather than through fear from misconceptions. It will take continued education and activism to save the white shark from extinction. Please do your part in helping the Landlord get the respect it deserves.

— Jose Bacallao, Operations Manager, Heal the Bay’s Santa Monica Pier Aquarium

Want to get active and protect what you love? Join Heal the Bay.

Read Less

Can World’s Largest Retailer Be Green?

08.16.2012 | Heal the Bay

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

We didn’t have a Wal-Mart near me growing up in the Midwest. My first real exposure to Wal-Mart came from watching the documentary Store Wars: When Wal-Mart Comes To Town. In case you haven’t seen the film, it pits the big, nasty retailer versus the small town, little guy. Since then I’ve felt guilty when I do shop there. However after last week, I have a somewhat enlightened perspective.

Last week I was invited to participate in a sustainability meeting with Wal-Mart executives and leading California environmentalists. Wal-Mart wanted to better understand the nexus between our initiatives and their company initiatives. Specifically, I wanted to push the retailer on moving away from single-use bags and supporting AB 298, the single-use plastic bag ban bill (Ed. Note: AB 298 did not pass the state senate).

I was pretty surprised by all that the retailer is doing that coincides with many environmental issues. For instance, Wal-Mart is aiming to be zero waste in its stores – 80% of the waste that previously went to landfills is now diverted. Company officials also have a goal for their stores using 100% renewable energy; in fact one of their distribution sites just got its own wind turbine. They work directly with local farmers and source produce, which they characterize as a “no brainer.” As the largest retailer in the world, Wal-Mart has the advantage of scale. If the stores want an organic cotton t-shirt at the same price point as a regular cotton t-shirt, a supplier will typically step up to the plate.

Will a huge company really put the environment first? Probably not. Could they and should they do more? Of course! However, Wal-Mart has found that pollution and conflict (i.e. lawsuits) are expensive. Also they realize that a local tomato tastes a whole lot better (and is less costly to ship) than a tomato from the other side of the world. In other words, the smart choices for the environment don’t necessarily conflict with smart choices for a business. Hopefully many other businesses will come to this same conclusion.

As for AB 298, the execs were non-committal. I’m hoping they will come around and realize that reusables are also smart for business. In the meantime, they did ask us to give them some suggestions for promoting reusables in their stores. So, that’s a start!

— Kirsten James

Water Quality Director, Heal the Bay

You can learn more about the cost of single use plastic bags in California. Learn more.

Your donation can help Heal the Bay continue impactful advocacy programs. Please donate now.

Read Less

And the Emmy Goes to…

08.15.2012 | Heal the Bay

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

We are proud to announce that KTLA5 won a 2012 Emmy for its one-hour special about Heal the Bay’s Coastal Cleanup Day program. The Emmy was the third that KTLA has won for its CCD-focused programming.

We are grateful to KTLA for showcasing our work so effectively. This Emmy win is testament to KTLA’s long support of our mission to keep Southern California’s coast and waters healthy, safe and clean.

In case you missed the show, KTLA will rebroadcast it on Saturday, September 8 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, September 9 at 4 p.m., just in time for Coastal Cleanup Day on Saturday, September 15.

You can join this year’s Coastal Cleanup Day, the biggest volunteer day on the planet: Find a cleanup site near you and sign up now.

Read Less

That’s Beautiful…and Disgusting!

08.10.2012 | Heal the Bay

California Bag Ban Santa Monica

California artist Marina DeBris transforms the trash she finds on the beach into “trashion,” wearable – and fashionable—clothes.

“When I moved here 14 years ago, I was disgusted by the amount of trash on the beach,” she recalls. Eventually she engaged with Heal the Bay and other environmental organizations to address the problem, because she says, “I love the ocean.”

DeBris began crafting trashion about a year ago, when Heal the Bay asked her to dress a mannequin to display at the opening of Santa Monica Marketplace. She made that piece, titled “White Trash,” from the “most prevalent things” she finds when she walks the beach, including: cigarette lighters, bottle caps and straws.

“I saw ‘White Trash’ as a great opportunity to represent Heal the Bay and get the public to think about how they know all of these items,” she says.

Her latest trashion collection features what DeBris calls “The Bag Lady,” a dress comprised entirely of plastic bags. “I don’t clean the items,” she says. “So the bags on this dress have already gone through the ocean and have been sitting in the sun for a long time. It’s rather disgusting.”

And that, she says, is her favorite compliment to receive: “That’s beautiful…and disgusting!”

Watch this video for a trashion show of DeBris’ latest work, made from ocean-bound litter.

Want to help end the scourge of plastic bags? Help Heal the Bay pass a statewide ban in California. Take action.

Read Less

Seven-Year-Old Pledges Lemonade Sales to SMPA

08.07.2012 | Heal the Bay

Heal the Bay Aquarium Santa Monica

Seven-year-old Jack Mcguinness has a passion for all animals, according to his mom Karen Mcguinness. So our Science Adventure Camp this summer was right up his alley.

After a week of fun getting to know the 100-plus species of marine life at our Santa Monica Pier Aquarium, Jack was inspired to fundraise for the Aquarium as well as adopt a swell shark egg through the marine education facility’s aquadoption program.

To run his lemonade and cookie stand, Jack enlisted the help of his siblings, who took turns holding a sign and flagging down customers. Thank you Jack for becoming a steward of the marine environment and for supporting the Aquarium!

Join Jack and support our work. Donate now or adopt an SMPA animal as a birthday or anniversary gift.

Read Less

Your Bag Photo: Worth a Thousand Words

07.25.2012 | Heal the Bay

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

They float down the street like tumbleweeds, get stuck in trees and wrap around fence posts, flapping like tattered flags in the wind. You know what we’re talking about: Discarded plastic bags.

We want to tell their story, and we need your help. Because we believe that in a sea of text, it’s often photographs that catch our eye. We ask you to submit to us your own photographs of plastic bags that you find in their unnatural habitats.

You can share your plastic bag images on Twitter, Flickr and Instagram using the tag #BagBanCA, and on Facebook by posting them to our Fan Page. We will be reposting them here and collecting them to present to the State Senate. Your photos are automatically entered to win a free “California, Sack the Bag” T-shirt!

Californians use an estimated 12 billion single-use plastic carryout bags a year, and due to their lightweight nature and the fact that they never truly biodegrade, these bags often end up as litter. This is not just a coastal or beach issue: We encounter them as litter in schoolyards and our parks, and if you’re really unlucky, you’ve discovered them wrapped around your car’s exhaust system.

Over 100 California cities and counties have led the charge in banning plastic bags. And now the California legislature has the opportunity to eliminate plastic bag waste statewide by passing Assembly Bill 298. This bill will create a uniform California policy by phasing out single-use plastic bags in supermarkets, retail pharmacies, and convenience stores statewide and encouraging consumers to bring reusable bags, the most sustainable alternative. We don’t want to just tell state legislators that this legislation is important to Californians; we want to show them why passing this bill is necessary.

It’s time to use photos to tell the story about plastic bag pollution in your neighborhood.

Read Less