Fall in Los Angeles means earlier evenings, vibrant sunsets, thicker wetsuits for surfers, autumn colors taking over the San Gabriel Mountains, and the first rainfall of the season is inevitably approaching with winter rains following. We welcome the much-needed showers to quench our environment and combat wildfires. However, the first rainfall (aka the first flush) also impacts the health of our local watersheds and beaches.
The Risk
Stormwater is a major source of pollution for the rivers, lakes, and ocean in Los Angeles County. The first flush brings a flood of water, toxins, and trash from our streets straight onto our beaches through the storm drain system. The runoff eventually dumps a mountain of trash onto shorelines, from Malibu to Redondo Beach, without any treatment or screening. This poses a significant risk, not only for wildlife and marine life who can ingest trash or get entangled, but also to the health of our communities. This is why we have suggested safety precautions after a rainstorm, like waiting 72 hours to go swimming and staying at least 100 yards away from any flowing outfall that looks like a stream meeting the ocean.
The Data
During Coastal Cleanup Month in September 2020, Heal the Bay volunteers removed more than 40,000 pieces of trash, including food wrappers, straws, takeout containers, and plastic grocery bags from our neighborhoods, parks, trails, and beaches. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) even made the list of top items found for the first year ever. The 4,320 pounds of trash would have been swept through the storm drain system and out on the beach after the first flush if our amazing volunteers didn’t take action.
Coastal Cleanup Month ended weeks ago, but the trash in our environment continues to pile up. The first flush will happen soon, and it will take all of the accumulated pollution in our communities and storm drains and dump it straight onto our beaches. We have a finite amount of time to remove this trash before it reaches the ocean and becomes marine debris.
How Can You Help?
For several years now, Heal the Bay deploys a team of first responders known as the Storm Response Team in an effort to remove trash and debris around low tide before it heads out to sea. This dedicated team braves the elements and heads to designated areas immediately following a rain event.
We need more volunteers to join our Storm Response Team for the rainy season to help remove trash, track data, and/or document photos. If you’re interested in being the ocean’s first responder after a storm and protecting our environment and community, sign up to receive alerts about volunteer opportunities!
Heal the Bay will host a virtual training for our Storm Response Team to brief volunteers on what to expect and ensure the team is prepared to conduct individual cleanups after the first rainfall. When a storm hits, volunteers will receive an email a day (or sometimes just hours) in advance of low tide with relevant details and location recommendations. At that point, our Storm Response Team can spring into action, spreading out along the coast and collecting as much trash as possible before it is swept out to sea.
When I first visited Los Angeles in 2015, I was not interested in seeing the Hollywood Walk of Fame or the Hollywood Sign. Instead, I asked my local friends to take me directly to the L.A. River. I wanted to see the hallmark concrete embankments where so many movie car chases happened and the thin ribbon of water I watched my favorite skateboarders jump over (with mixed success).
The L.A. River has A-List status far outside of the Los Angeles area, and is recognized by people all over the globe. Its notoriety is mostly due to its unique appearance. It doesn’t look like a typical river at all, instead it looks like – and functions as – a storm drain channel.
The L.A. River begins in Canoga Park where Bell Creek and Arroyo Calabasas converge, and it runs 51 miles through the City of Los Angeles and over 17 other cities, draining over 800 square miles of land, before it flows into the Pacific Ocean in Long Beach.
The History of the L.A. River
In pre-colonial Los Angeles County, water from rivers and streams naturally flowed and supported Tongva, Tataviam, and Chumash Peoples in the area. Later, the L.A. River and its tributaries supported the colonial settlements that were violently and coercively established on local Indigenous territories.
1800’s Before Colonial Settlement. Source: Seaver Central For Western History Research / Natural History Museum Los Angeles County, riverlareports.riverla.org
A population boom in the early 1900’s meant the L.A. River and its tributaries could no longer support the water demand for the area. Cities began sourcing water from the Colorado River and Northern California, and the L.A. River gradually went from being a vital local water source to being seen as a nuisance.
From 1900-1940 there were multiple floods of the L.A. River that destroyed neighborhoods and resulted in fatalities. The colonial cities along the river failed to respect the L.A. River as the Indigenous People had, and instead built homes and buildings within the River’s floodplain.
1938 Colfax Avenue Bridge Studio City. Source: Regional History Center / USC, riverlareports.riverla.org
In response to the floods, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers decided to pour concrete over the sides and bottom of the L.A. River channel and its tributaries to create a network of concrete storm drain channels. The concretization of the river led to a reduction in flood risk because it forced water to flow much more quickly down the river and out to the ocean. But, the concrete completely decimated the river ecosystem and the services it once provided, including cultural value, habitat for wildlife, and greenspace for recreation.
After the river was concretized, Indigenous People, activists, and environmental organizations demanded the restoration of the L.A. River and its tributaries back into a functioning natural river ecosystem.
Now with the climate crisis, we can no longer afford to have a concretized river system that solely provides flood control. We need a river system that will help cool communities as temperatures rise, provide habitat for diverse wildlife, increase local water resiliency, and serve as a greenspace where communities can recreate and reconnect with nature and culture.
Government agencies have identified the need to re-establish all of the lost ecosystem services as well, and have implemented six major plans with the goal of transforming the L.A. River and its tributaries into a multi-benefit system that will serve the surrounding communities.
Here we summarize these plans and let you know how to get involved.
Los Angeles River Master Plan Update (LARMPU)
The LARMPU is a plan created by L.A. County with the goal of transforming the L.A. River. The original Master Plan was drafted in 1996, and its main goal was to beautify the river while maintaining its functionality as a stormwater conveyance system. The 2020 update of the Master Plan was set into motion to ensure the L.A. River has spaces that provide more benefits in addition to flood abatement and beautification. As stated in the plan, projects will reduce flood risk; improve parks and open space; improve river access; support the ecosystem; provide cultural and educational opportunities; address housing affordability and homelessness; improve local water resilience; and promote water quality.
Heal the Bay was selected to serve as a Steering Committee member for the update and has been attending meetings and offering feedback over the last two years. The updated Master Plan for the entire River is expected to be released to the public in the next few weeks as a draft open for public comments – stay tuned for updates on that and be ready to share your thoughts on the River and the Master Plan.
The ULART Working Group (formed by Assembly Bill 466 & Senate Bill 1126) developed this plan so low income communities with limited access to greenspace in the L.A. River Watershed have the opportunity to implement projects such as parks and paths along the river. The ULART Plan was developed to revitalize the L.A. River from Canoga Park to Vernon as well as Aliso Canyon Wash, Pacoima Wash, Tujunga Wash, Burbank Western Channel, Verdugo Wash, and the Arroyo Seco. This plan has identified areas along the L.A. River and its tributaries where multi-benefit projects will be implemented. This is the only plan discussed here that addresses tributaries, which have largely been ignored by revitalization efforts in the past.
As stated by the ULART Plan, the goals are to enhance the ecosystem; maintain and enhance flood management; increase opportunities for culture, arts, and recreation; and increase connectivity and green space along the river system. This plan has identified areas along the L.A. River and its tributaries where projects such as parks and bike paths can be designed and implemented. And, community members are encouraged to collaboratively develop project ideas and get them constructed. The plan was finalized and adopted in April 2020 and can be found on the ULART website.
Lower L.A. River Revitalization Plan
The Lower L.A. River Revitalization Plan was set forth in Assembly Bill 530, and unlike the other plans discussed, has been in the implementation phase since 2018. This plan covers revitalization efforts in the lower 19 miles of the L.A. River from Vernon to Long Beach. Communities in this section of the river have lower than average incomes in L.A. County, are predominantly People of Color, and have been historically underserved by economic, educational, and environmental services. Local residents are disproportionately exposed to pollution and have little access to green space among other environmental injustices. Therefore, it is crucial the Lower L.A. River Revitalization Plan works to create benefits that will address systemic issues. As stated by the plan, the goals are:
Create diverse, vibrant public spaces along and connected to the Lower Los Angeles River resulting in safe, inviting, healthy green spaces that support diverse local communities, allowing equitable access to nature and a variety of recreation entertainment, multi-modal transportation and socio-economic opportunities that enhances quality of life and sustains watershed health.
Conserve and restore natural river and watershed functions while managing flood risk, enhancing the long-term ecosystem services provided to surrounding communities and mitigating climate changes and environmental impacts of urbanizing on the Lower L.A. River, floodplains, and associated habitats.
Heal the Bay was on the Working Group to help develop and offer feedback on the Plan and currently attends the Implementation Advisory Group meetings, where specific projects are brought forward for discussion and feedback in context of the Master Plan.
Los Angeles River Revitalization Master Plan (LARRMP)
This LARRMP was approved by the Los Angeles City Council in 2005, and it aims to revitalize the 32 miles of the L.A. River within L.A. City limits. The plan is intended to serve as a blueprint for transforming the river over the next 25-50 years, and the four “core principles” of the plan are as follows:
Revitalize the river by creating a continuous stretch of riparian habitat throughout the 32 mile section of the river in the city boundaries. The plan states that concrete removal will be considered as long as flood abatement ability of the river channel is not compromised.
Creating a continuous “River Greenway” that would consist of a network of bikeways, pedestrian paths, “green connections,” and open space.
Create a river that is safe, accessible, healthy, sustainable, and celebrated. The LARRMP states that it will address environmental justice issues by redeveloping polluted areas and providing natural spaces in neighborhoods that lack them.
Create value by encouraging participation and consensus-building, creating opportunities for sustainable, economic reinvestment, and adding value and providing an equitable distribution of opportunities to underserved neighborhoods along the River.
Projects under this plan are still ongoing, but some projects like Albion Riverside Park, have already been completed. Check the LARRMP website for updates.
Los Angeles River Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study
Adopted by the Los Angeles City Council in 2016, this proposed plan would transform 11 miles of the Elysian Valley in the Los Angeles River. The restoration would include the creation of riparian and marsh habitat, enhancing habitat connectivity to other natural areas such as the Santa Monica and San Gabriel Mountains. The plan will also include a natural hydrologic regime with the goal of restoring historic floodplains and connections to Los Angeles River tributaries. Ecological restoration under this plan will also allow for certain passive recreation opportunities like nature walks. There are some preliminary projects that must be completed before this plan is implemented, but the project is expected to be completed by 2029.
Los Angeles River Flows Project
Historically, the water in the L.A. River came from rainfall and groundwater upwelling in the Glendale Narrows. While that remains the case today, wastewater is now the dominant source of water in the main channel of the river during dry weather. The Tillman Water Reclamation Plant in Van Nuys and the Los Angeles-Glendale Water Reclamation Plant near Griffith Park both discharge treated wastewater into the L.A. River on a daily basis. Although this water originated from toilets, sinks, and drains, it is relatively free of contaminants like fecal matter.
In light of the recent long-term drought conditions in California and the looming threat of climate change, wastewater managers in L.A. are rethinking the practice of discharging treated wastewater into the L.A. River. That wastewater can be recycled, which would result in improved water resilience in times of drought and sustainable local water. However, the reduction of wastewater discharges into the river poses a potential problem for the river ecosystem that has come to rely on that water source. The State Water Board and other stakeholders have created the Los Angeles River Flows Project to evaluate the environmental and recreational impacts of reducing wastewater discharge into the L.A. River. The goal is to identify a water flow regime that will support a healthy river ecosystem, allow for recreation opportunities, and recycle enough water to be drought resilient.
Right now, the L.A. River Flows Project has been conducting analyses to identify the optimal flow regime, and research and meetings are planned to continue through the end of 2020. After that, a plan will be drafted and there will ideally be an opportunity for the public to weigh in on the plan.
Heal the Bay is a member of the Technical Advisory Committee as well as part of the Stakeholder Working Group. We will keep you updated on the progress of this and if there are opportunities for the public to voice their comments.
What’s with all these plans for the L.A. River?
Revitalizing the L.A. River is a monumental task so it makes sense to break the revitalization effort into different pieces. However, the main reason for this patchwork of plans is that they are all being led by different agencies. The LARMPU was created by L.A. County and ULART and the Lower L.A. River Revitalization Plan were created by legislation at the state level. The L.A. River Flow Plan was mandated by the State Water Resource Control Board. The LARRMP and L.A. River Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study are both overseen by the City of Los Angeles. Each plan states that it will work in conjunction with all the other plans; however, it is unclear what that collaboration will look like as three of the plans are not in the implementation phase yet.
What will these plans do exactly?
The L.A. River Master Plan, ULART, LARRMP, and Lower L.A. River Revitalization Plan will all identify areas along the L.A. River watershed where there is space for a project. A project can take the shape of many different things such as a park, retail space, housing, bike path, nature trail, and habitat among other things. The spaces where these projects will be placed are government owned or easily obtainable by a government agency. The Flows Project will not consist of any projects, instead, it will make recommendations on the amount of water in the river. This might change the habitat characteristics of the river as well as the recreational opportunities. We will know more as the plan continues to take shape. The L.A. River Revitalization Master Plan has already identified the locations of proposed projects.
How can I get involved?
When the L.A. River Master Plan is released to the public, you can provide comments about the changes you would like to see in the watershed. The Flows Plan has not been released yet, but the public will have the opportunity to comment when it is released. As plans are implemented, you will have the opportunity to weigh in on each individual project that gets implemented. We recommend tracking these projects on the L.A. River Master Plan, Lower L.A. River Master Plan, ULART Plan, LARRMP, and L.A. River Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study websites.
Los Angeles River Access and Points of Interest
Click on a trail segment, access point, or icon for photos and to learn more.
What’s spookier than Halloween? Plastic pollution!
Trash in the ocean and in our neighborhoods, especially single-use plastic waste, negatively impacts public health, water quality, our food supply, marine ecosystem health, and our carbon footprint. Plastic is made from fossil fuels, and toxic pollution from its extraction, development and manufacturing disproportionately impact People of Color and low-income communities.
Around the globe, we produce 300 million tons of plastic annually, 50% of which is used for disposable items. That number is only expected to jump, as Big Plastic pushes their agenda and pumps up plastic production to make up for fuel price losses during COVID-19.
While we’ll keep doing cleanups to pick up the plastic pieces that have already made their way into our environment, a better solution is to shift away from single-use and move toward a thriving culture of reuse.
Help protect our planet! Reduce plastic pollution this Halloween by taking part in our at-home virtual Halloween Challenges below. Tag #healthebayhalloween on social media, so we can “sea” your creepy creations! We’ll feature a few on our feeds, too.
And, tune in to Heal the Bay Aquarium’s Facebook channel on October 31 at 1:00pm for a virtual Spooktacular Saturday Storytime with a family-friendly reading of “The Garbage Monster” by Joni Sensel.
Sustainable Costume Challenge
Calling all frightfully fintastic Halloween a-fish-ianados! Instead of buying a new costume that will come wrapped in plastic packaging – opt for a DIY look. Make a costume with reused, repurposed or upcycled materials from home, local thrift stores, or any items you can find.
Come on, unleash your kraken of creativity. Create a light saber using the force (of a flashlight and rolled up paper) or swim around your living room with a shark fin made of cardboard, cloth, and safety pins.
Plastic-Free Trick or Treat Challenge
We’re seriously scared by how much single-use food and candy wrappers are in our environment. In the last 5 years, 48,015 food and candy wrappers were picked up by cleanup volunteers in Los Angeles County.
Don’t let the ghost of plastic’s past come back to haunt you. In-person trick-or-treating may be cancelled this year, but we can still enjoy some Halloween favorites at home. Whip up some delicious homemade Halloween candy, purchase candy in recyclable or reusable paper boxes, or opt to give some fun goodies like an ocean animal plush keychain that supports your favorite local nonprofit.
Trash Art Challenge
Conduct your own neighborhood or community cleanup, and turn that gross plastic pollution into trash art. Reuse the materials you find to create a garbage monster, sculpture, mosaic, homage to your favorite artwork, or anything you choose—there’s an ocean of creativity that awaits. Remember to wash your hands, avoid using any hazardous materials, and clean the trash before you get to work.
Get Inspired with our Gallery of Ideas
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Photo Credit: Washed Ashore, Smithsonian's National Zoo
El reciente cierre de las escuelas significa que gran parte de los estudiantes no reciban la educación diaria necesaria. En estos momentos en los que todos debemos practicar el distanciamiento físico es necesario hacer buen uso de toda nuestra energía y capacidad cerebral e innovar para darle a nuestros estudiantes más oportunidades para seguir aprendiendo de manera remota.
Heal the Bay está respondiendo a esta situación con una nueva serie interactiva de educación científica llamada “Gotas de conocimiento” o Knowledge Drops por su nombre en inglés, donde nuestro grupo de científicos, expertos y defensores exploran el mundo acuático y ofrecen divertidas lecciones acerca del entorno marino. Cada lección tiene una duración aproximada de una hora e incluye una presentación en vivo, una sección de preguntas y respuestas, encuestas y videos. Nuestra nueva serie web está pensada para estudiantes del 3° al 8° grado pero ¡personas de todas las edades son bien recibidas y están invitadas a participar!
Recent school closures mean many students are not getting the daily education they need. While we all should be practicing physical distancing at this time, we also need to put our brainpower and creative energy to good use and innovate to give students more opportunities to keep learning remotely.
Gotitas del Saber is Heal the Bay’s new interactive science education series, where our team of scientists, experts, and advocates explores the water world and offers fun lessons about the marine environment. Each session is about 1-hour long and includes a live presentation, Q&A, polls, and videos. Activities are generally geared for 3rd – 8th grade students, but all ages are welcome and encouraged to attend!
4/22 – LA HISTORIA DEL DIA DE LA TIERRA 🌍 5/6 – CONOCE EL FLUJO 💦
5/13 – DESAGUES PLUVIALES 🌧 5/20 – PLASTICOS 🥤 5/27 – PESCADO CONTIMINADOS 🎣 6/10 – VIRUS Y CALIDAD DEL AGUA ❓ 6/17 – SITIO SUPERFUND 🆘 6/24 – ACUARIO Y LIMPIEZA COSTERA 🐙 7/1 – ÁREAS MARINAS PROTEGIDAS (MPAs)🛡 7/15 – TOXICIDAD ACUÁTICA ❌ 7/22 – LOS CABALLITOS DE MAR Y GARIBALDI 🐴
7/29 – SHARKS AND RAYS / TIBURONES Y MANTARRAYAS 🦈
9/9 – MES DE LA LIMPIEZA COSTERA: ARROYOS DE LAS MONTAÑAS DE SANTA MÓNICA
9/16 – MES DE LA LIMPIEZA COSTERA: HEAL THE BAY’S CALIFICACIONES DEL RÍO
9/24 – MES DE LA LIMPIEZA COSTERA: MUELLES DE PESCA VISITADOS POR EL EQUIPO DE ANGLER OUTREACH PROGRAM DE HEAL THE BAY 🐟 10/28 – PESCADO ESCALOFRIANTE DE LA BAHÍA DE SANTA MÓNICA 👻
11/10 – DE DONDE SON LOS PESCADORES? 🗺
12/15 – CONTAMINACIÓN POR DDT EN LA COSTA DE LOS ANGELES ⚠️
If you are a teacher with a topic suggestion, please contact us with your idea.
Resources and Videos/Recursos:
All previously-recorded Gotitas Del Saber webinar videos are posted here as an ongoing marine science education repository for you to access. (To view the webinar recordings please visit the ‘gotowebinar’ links below and enter in your contact information. We will only use your email address to update you about upcoming “Gotitas Del Saber” and you can opt out at any time.)
Todas las grabaciones anteriores de “Gotas de conocimiento” (Knowledge Drops) son publicadas aquí de manera continua para tu consulta a modo de archivo para la educación de las ciencias marinas. (Para ver las grabaciones en la página web por favor visita los enlaces “gotowebinar” ubicados más abajo e ingresa tu información. Usaremos tu dirección de correo electrónico para mantenerte informado de las nuevas “Gotas de conocimiento” (Knowledge Drops) y podrás salir cuando lo desees.)
Gotitas del Saber: La historia del Día de la Tierra
Si quieres hacer olas, tienes que meterte en el agua. Con la temporada de votaciones sobre nosotros, utilice estos prácticos recursos para crear su océano de cambio.
La votación anticipada se lleva a cabo del 5 de octubre al 2 de noviembre. Si vota por correo, el USPS recomienda que lo haga a más tardar el 27 de octubre.
La misión de Heal the Bay, hacer que nuestras aguas y cuencas hidrográficas de la costa de California sean seguras, saludables y limpias, se ve afectada por cuestiones de injusticia ambiental.
Solo podemos mantener limpios y accesibles nuestros ríos y océanos cuando apoyamos e invertamos en todas nuestras comunidades. Es por eso que estamos recomendando votos a favor en iniciativas que promulguen reformas que apoyen a las comunidades más afectadas por las injusticias ambientales. La justicia ambiental está indisolublemente ligada a la justicia social, y mejorar la equidad mejora la salud y el medio ambiente en nuestras comunidades.
Guía de votantes de Heal the Bay:
El equipo de Heal the Bay creó esta breve guía para votantes para las elecciones del 3 de noviembre de 2020 en el condado de Los Ángeles.
SÍ a la Proposición 16: Acción afirmativa / Estado de California
SÍ a las Props 17 y 18: Aumento del acceso a la votación / Estado de California
SÍ a la Medida J: Reformar el condado de Los Ángeles / Condado de Los Ángeles
SÍ a la Medida RR: Bono de $ 7B para LAUSD / Ciudad de Los Ángeles
Proposición 16: Un voto para permitir la consideración de raza, sexo, color, etnia u origen nacional para abordar la diversidad en el empleo público, la contratación y la educación.
Propuestas 17 y 18: Votos para incrementar el acceso al voto.
Medida J (Condado de Los Ángeles): Un voto para desmantelar el racismo sistémico mediante la inversión en salud, vivienda y empleos.
Medida RR (Los Ángeles): Un voto para mejorar las escuelas del LAUSD y aumentar la seguridad escolar
As the sun sets on Coastal Cleanup Month, we are looking back with gratitude and appreciation for everyone who participated in a cleanup, helped us spread the word, raised funds, and joined a virtual event over the course of the month. At a time when it’s easy to feel isolated from one another, it is inspiring to see how we came together across the County, from summit to sea, to protect what we love.
A New Take on 2020
Heal the Bay has been the LA County coordinator for Coastal Cleanup Day for more than 30 years, and 2020 proved to be a completely different cleanup effort than years past. In an effort to prioritize the health and safety of the community, the re-imagined concept was expanded to become an entire month of individualized cleanups close to home and virtual programming to educate about the impacts of trash and pollution and how we can work together towards solutions. Our Heal the Bay Aquarium education team engaged 437 LAUSD students with virtual programming about protecting our watersheds. This was also the first year that we asked for volunteer fundraisers to support our clean water mission. Fundraising teams and individuals raised close to $2,000, and we are grateful for their support.
Each week of Coastal Cleanup Month focused on a different region, starting at the top of our mountains, working through our neighborhoods & waterways, and culminating at our wetlands & beaches. The weekly programming featured a series of panels, webinars, and Instagram Lives with partner organizations that explored the various community and environmental issues facing Los Angeles County.
None of this would have been possible without our Coastal Cleanup Month sponsors, and we would like to thank Water for LA, Blue Shield, K-Swiss, Ford, and West Basin Municipal Water District for their support.
2020 Impact
This year, we set a goal of collecting 31,000 pieces of trash throughout the month of September. Thanks to our dedicated Regional Ambassadors and 2,334 registered cleanup volunteers, we surpassed this goal with a total of 40,101 pieces of trash collected!
The top 10 items found across Los Angeles County in the month of September were:
The Effects of PPE and the Pandemic on Our Environment
Coastal Cleanup Month was the first initiative of this scale to track the impact of the improper disposal of single-use personal protective equipment (PPE) in LA County. In the first year of tracking this item, PPE was one of the top 10 items found by our volunteers, surpassing common items like glass bottles.
Through our data, we can clearly see the effects of the pandemic on our waste stream. Another observation is that people are relying more than ever on takeout, delivery, and outdoor dining at beaches, parks, and other public spaces. Disposable foodware accessories like utensils, straws, and takeout containers were some of the most common items found during cleanups.
The Plastic Problem
Looking at the data collected throughout Coastal Cleanup Month, it’s obvious that single-use plastic is the top offender. From utensils and straws to takeout containers and grocery bags, our lives are filled with plastic – and so is our environment. Unfortunately, the effects of COVID-19 have worsened these single-use habits and curbed a lot of progress that we’ve seen in Los Angeles over the last several years.
Plastic grocery bags were a common item found during cleanups until California became the first state in the nation to impose a statewide bag ban in 2014. Before the pandemic hit, we were making great strides in reducing our single-use plastic waste. We could bring our reusable bags to the grocery store and refill our reusable coffee cups at Starbucks, and our environment and community were all the better for it. Now, plastic producers are using the pandemic to push disposable plastics as a safer option, a position that has no scientific merit. They were able to undo the work of the state bag ban, and grocery stores statewide have not only reintroduced single-use plastic bags, but many have banned reusable bags from entering stores. This year, we saw plastic grocery bags, cups, and lids in the top 10 items found by our volunteers during Coastal Cleanup Month.
We also found that other than cigarette butts and PPE, the top 10 items are all food and drink-related. With the increasing reliance on takeout and delivery, plastic cutlery and other accessories are becoming a bigger and bigger issue. Restaurants often throw these items in takeout bags regardless of whether the customer needs them or not. To put this in perspective, 40 billion plastic utensils are thrown away each year in the United States. Plastic foodware items, like straws, utensils, and condiment packets cannot be recycled, so they are destined to end up in a landfill, incinerator, or polluting our oceans and communities.
How Can You Help?
Plastic pollution may seem like something that is out of your control. However, there are easy ways you can help make waves of change, from using reusable products when you can to supporting environmental legislation. Here are 3 easy ways to make a change:
Go reusable!
From grocery bags and utensils to water bottles and coffee cups, there are reusable replacements for almost all single-use plastics. Check out our Heal the Bay Shop for some ideas! If you’re ordering takeout or delivery, make sure to tell the restaurant “no plastic, please!” and use your own utensils instead. Check out Reusable LA and Habits of Waste for easy ways to help combat this issue, like sending an email to third party delivery companies asking them to make plastic cutlery and accessories optional rather than the default. If you’re unsure where to start, conduct a home waste audit to evaluate your daily habits and see where you can replace single-use items with reusables.
Pack it out.
As a result of limited staff and the increased need to sanitize the bathrooms as a result of COVID-19, Los Angeles County Beaches & Harbors only has the capacity to empty the public trash cans once a day. Combined with the surge of beachgoers picnicking on the sand, this has led to an overwhelming problem of overflowing trash cans and increased beach litter. Similar issues have been observed throughout the County, so if you are enjoying our public spaces, make sure that all trash gets disposed of properly, and pack it out if trash cans are full.
Use your voice.
Every single person has power! You influence the people close to you by voicing your opinion, you influence companies with the purchases you choose to make, and you can influence policy and legislation with your vote. The California bag ban is a good example of local change leading the charge and turning into statewide change, so don’t underestimate the power of advocating at your local City Council or with the County Board of Supervisors. At its core, plastic pollution is not a consumer problem; it’s a producer problem, and you can use your voice to support plastic policies that make plastic producers responsible for the waste they create.
Get Involved with Heal the Bay
We are excited with the results of Coastal Cleanup Month, but protecting our watersheds and coastline is an everyday effort. There are ways you can continue to stay involved and support our clean water mission year-round with different programs like Adopt-a-Beach, Club Heal the Bay, and MPA Watch. If you’re ready for more action to protect our oceans, join our virtual Volunteer Orientation on October 12. And don’t forget to save the date in September 2021 for next year’s Coastal Cleanup efforts!
Heal the Bay’s Angler Outreach Program Manager, Frankie Orrala, highlights the history and significance of Venice Pier.
The Santa Monica Bay, spanning from Point Dume in Malibu to the Palos Verdes Peninsula, offers spectacular beaches and fabulous scenic views, as well as fishing piers. Several piers stretch out into the bay, in Malibu, Santa Monica, Venice, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, and Redondo Beach. Because fishing licenses are not required on piers, they are some of the most popular spots for recreational and subsistence (those who are fishing for food for their family/relatives) anglers.
Venice Pier is one of the oldest, most active piers when it comes to Southern California fishing. Venice Pier, built in 1965, was closed for more than a decade starting in 1986 due to damage and disrepair, but was triumphantly re-opened to the public in 1997 thanks to the vocal advocacy of local residents. The restored pier is fully accessible, with lights, benches, and fish cleaning stations. The surface of the pier is made of concrete and has designated areas for wheelchair accessibility. The pier is managed by the City of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation and is open to the public from 6 a.m. until midnight.
Fishing at the Venice Pier is relaxing and many anglers enjoy this place for its tranquility, for the occasional presence of sea lions, dolphins, a variety of seabirds, and because there are no shops or restaurants that disturb the serious anglers’ focus. Over the years, I have observed a number of different species caught off of this pier, including mackerel, sardines, topsmelt, jacksmelt, corbina, white croakers, surfperch, opaleye, rays, and certain types of sharks.
The Venice Fishing Pier attracts a wide diversity of anglers, and you will often hear a variety of languages such as Spanish, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Russian, among others spoken by the fishermen. Heal the Bay has worked on this pier for 17 years through the Angler Outreach Program (AOP), educating anglers about fish contamination in all 5 of these languages, particularly to help educate them about the dangers of consuming fish which contain high levels of contaminants.
If you’ve been to the Venice Pier, you may have noticed that it, as well as other piers in Santa Monica Bay, has signs posted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to inform anglers about the risks of consuming contaminated fish. Venice is within the red zone established by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), which indicates a higher level of health risk from consuming certain fish in these areas. However, many anglers are still unaware that there are certain fish that should not be consumed due to their high levels of DDT, PCBs, and Mercury. One of the goals of the Angler Outreach Program is to educate anglers about the riskiest fish, which are white croaker, topsmelt, barred sand bass, black croaker, and barracuda. Due to high concentrations of contaminants, these fish should not be consumed.
Heal the Bay’s Angler Outreach Team aims to educate pier anglers about the dangers of consuming high-risk fish species, and make recommendations about the consumption of other fish within the red zone. Any other fish that is not on the list of the most contaminated should be consumed according to the regulations established by the health authorities. The safest way to prepare the fish is to only eat the fillet, discarding head, skin, and innards.
While Heal the Bay’s Angler Outreach Program is observing safety measures due to COVID-19, we are still educating folks about the issue through our blog posts, social media, and educational presentations in English and Spanish— and we are eagerly looking forward to a time when we can get back out and talk directly to anglers.
La bahía de Santa Mónica, que se extiende desde Point Dume en Malibú hasta la península de Palos Verdes, ofrece playas espectaculares y fabulosas vistas panorámicas, así como muelles de pesca que las convierten en destinos deseables para quienes disfrutan de la pesca. Varios muelles se extienden a lo largo de la bahía, en Malibú, Santa Mónica, Venice, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach y Redondo Beach. Debido a que no se requieren licencias de pesca en los muelles, estos son algunos de los lugares más populares para los pescadores recreativos y de subsistencia (aquellos que pescan para alimentar a sus familias).
Venice Pier es uno de los muelles más antiguos y activos en lo que respecta a la pesca en el sur de California. Venice Pier, construido en 1965, estuvo cerrado durante más de una década a partir de 1986 debido a daños y desperfectos, pero fue reabierto triunfalmente al público en 1997 gracias al apoyo de sus residentes locales. El muelle restaurado es totalmente accesible, tiene luces, bancas y estaciones de limpieza para los pescados. La superficie del muelle está hecha de concreto y tiene áreas designadas para personas en sillas de ruedas. El muelle es administrado por el Departamento de Parques y Recreación de la Ciudad de Los Ángeles y está abierto al público desde las 6 a.m. hasta la medianoche.
La pesca en el muelle de Venice es relajante y muchos pescadores disfrutan de este lugar por su tranquilidad, por la presencia ocasional de lobos marinos, delfines, una variedad de aves marinas, y porque no hay tiendas ni restaurantes que perturben la actividad pesquera. A lo largo de los años, he observado varias especies diferentes capturadas en este muelle, incluyendo macarelas, sardinas, topsmelt, jacksmelt, corbina, corvineta blanca, mojarras, opaleye, rayas y ciertos tipos de tiburones.
El muelle de pesca de Venice atrae a una amplia diversidad de pescadores, y a menudo se puede escuchar una variedad de idiomas como español, tagalo, vietnamita, chino y ruso, entre otros que hablan los pescadores. Heal the Bay ha trabajado en este muelle durante 17 años a través del Programa Educaional Pesquero (AOP), por sus siglas en inglés), educando a los pescadores sobre la contaminación de peces en 5 diferentes idiomas, particularmente para ayudarlos a educar sobre los peligros de consumir peces que tienen altos niveles de contaminantes.
Si has estado en el muelle de Venice, es posible que hayas notado que, al igual que otros muelles en la bahía de Santa Mónica, tienen señales colocadas por la Agencia de Protección Ambiental de EE. UU. para informar a los pescadores sobre los riesgos de consumir peces contaminados. Venice se encuentra dentro de la zona roja establecida por la Oficina de Evaluación de Peligros para la Salud Ambiental de California (OEHHA, por sus siglas en inglés), lo que indica un mayor nivel de riesgo para la salud por consumir ciertos peces dentro de esta área. Sin embargo, muchos pescadores desconocen que hay ciertos pescados que no se deben consumir debido a sus altos niveles de DDT, PCB y mercurio. Uno de los objetivos del programa AOP es educar a los pescadores sobre los peces más riesgosos, como son la corvineta blanca, pejerrey, cabrilla, corvineta negra y barracuda. Debido a las altas concentraciones de contaminantes, estos peces no se deben consumir.
El equipo educational de Heal the Bay tiene como objetivo educar a los pescadores de muelles sobre los peligros de consumir especies de peces de alto riesgo y dar recomendaciones sobre el consumo de otros peces dentro de la zona roja. Cualquier otro pez que no esté en la lista de los más contaminados debe consumirse de acuerdo a las normas establecida por las autoridades sanitarias. La forma más segura de preparar el pescado es comer solo el filete, descartando la cabeza, piel y las visceras.
Si bien el Programa Educacional Pesquero de Heal the Bay está observando todo tipo de medida de seguridad debido al COVID-19, todavía continuamos educando a la gente sobre el tema a través de nuestro blog, redes sociales y presentaciones educativas en inglés y español, y esperamos ansiosamente el momento cuando podamos salir y hablar directamente con los pescadores.
The consumption of single-use plastic has surged exponentially during the pandemic. Safety concerns make it more challenging to use a reusable cup at our local coffee shop and many stores have policies that complicate bringing your own bag. With everything else in the world feeling a bit defeating, this is the perfect time to double down on what we can control.
One easy and simple way to make your lifestyle more sustainable is by conducting a quick waste audit. Waste audits are the perfect way to evaluate what we use in our day-to-day lives, see where we can replace single-use items with reusables, and get into the habit of buying fewer things made from non-degradable or non-recyclable materials.
So what exactly is a waste audit, and how do we get started?
A waste audit is an analysis of the trash we produce in our own homes to take note of what is actually being disposed of. This gives us a better understanding of what we’re adding to the waste stream and allows us to get a snapshot of what we use, throw away, and recycle. Waste audits can also help us identify areas we want to improve in terms of consumption and use, and possibly inspire cost saving or upcycling ideas.
Home waste adults are helpful tools that can bring more environmental awareness and change into our lives.
Here’s our 5 step guide to a DIY waste audit:
Audit Prep
Set a time: Ask yourself, “how long do I want to do a trash audit?” Remember you can do a trash audit in one day or over the course of a few days. We recommend a 4-5 day window and choosing a date(s) you won’t have any special events to avoid skewing your audit data. Once you pick your start and end dates, set a reminder on your phone or mark your calendar to start your audit.
Grab a bin: Designate one trash bin in your home to collect waste items you use for your analysis. Make sure to separate out and rinse any containers that have any organic waste materials. Organic waste, like food scraps, won’t be counted in your audit.
Collect trash: let your trash pile up until your designated time to evaluate.
Evaluation
Grab supplies: You’ll need your now very full trash bin, something to take notes with, a tarp, and 15-30 mins of time.
Sort your trash: lay out your tarp and place all your trash on the tarp into categories. Examples include: “paper products,” “recyclables,” “wrappers,” “miscellaneous,” etc. Tally your waste to document your results. If you want to take your waste analysis a step further use this form to help you categorize your home waste and use this guide or video to help you categorize products and attribute it to the brands that produced it.
When looking through your trash, try to answer these questions to understand the type of waste you’re producing:
What is your most commonly thrown out item? Is there anything that surprises you about what you collected? (Maybe you have an excess of packaging material, or a certain type of product. Perhaps a particular brand seems to use excessive packaging.)
What items are necessary and what could be replaced with a reusable or more environmentally-friendly product?
How did you do? What did you discover? Are there any areas of improvements? What are some other alternatives?
Awareness is the first step. Action is power. Once we know more about our own personal consumption habits, we can make the change that best suits our needs and the environment.
If you want to take it a step further after your audit and challenge yourself, try refusing the top five sources of single-use plastic that we find most commonly on our beaches, parks, and streets.
For the first time ever, Coastal Cleanup Day has transformed into Coastal Cleanup Month, a month-long event to celebrate our watersheds and coastline with decentralized cleanups, educational programming, and virtual events.
Every single one of us makes an impact no matter where we are in Los Angeles County. The mission of Coastal Cleanup Month, beyond cleaning up our streets, creeks, trails, and coast, is to show how closely we are all connected by our watershed. What happens in the mountains makes its way through our creeks and rivers, and the litter we see on our streets eventually ends up on our beaches via the storm drain system.
Heal the Bay has coordinated the Coastal Cleanup effort in Los Angeles for more than 30 years, and we are so thankful to our Site Captains for making the program as successful and impactful as it is. This year, our Captains were tasked with a new challenge: to help us encourage countywide cleanups while also making sure our community stays safe and healthy during these turbulent times. With their support, the role of Site Captains transformed into Regional Ambassadors.
Many of our Regional Ambassadors work for partner organizations that focus on environmental stewardship, conservation, and education throughout LA County, from summit to sea. Today, we are spotlighting some of our amazing Regional Ambassadors from each region!
Mountains
Dave Weeshoff, San Fernando Valley Audubon Society
Dave has been a site captain for 6 years. Not only is he this year’s Mountains Ambassador, he is also an avid bird watcher and works on conservation efforts for the San Fernando Valley Audubon Society. He even starred in our 2020 Coastal Cleanup Month video!
“In Los Angeles County alone, we can see well over 270 species of birds each year. Bird watchers enjoy sharing their observations, and so I learn each week where unusual sightings occur, including our seashores, lagoons, harbors, parks, marshes and of course our magnificent San Gabriel Mountains. The additional biodiversity of this high elevation watershed and its forests is easily accessed by way of the Angeles Crest Highway, which begins not far from my home, and is inviting to many resident and migratory birds throughout the year.”
Dave’s favorite cleanup site and happy place, the San Gabriel Mountains, has unfortunately been affected by the Bobcat Fire. While this put a hold on his cleanup efforts throughout Coastal Cleanup Month, he has been enjoying the local parks and cleaning his neighborhood when he can.
Kelsey Reckling, Pasadena Audubon Society
Kelsey and Pasadena Audubon Society are using Coastal Cleanup Month to highlight the Arroyo, the natural watershed that starts in the San Gabriel Mountains and comes all the way down into our neighborhoods. It is home to many species of wildlife, but also a spot where trash often accumulates. Pasadena Audubon Society is encouraging members and anyone else in the area to help clean our mountain areas, the Arroyo, and our neighborhoods.
“I love driving up to the San Gabriels here in Los Angeles because it is so close to us, but it feels like you’re entering a new world. You get to see different plant species and different bird species at higher elevations and also get to have a new perspective,” said Kelsey. “On a clear day, you can look out and see downtown Los Angeles and all the way to the ocean, highlighting our different natural communities.”
Neighborhoods & Waterways
Keyla Treitman, Oak Park Unified School District
Keyla has been a resident of Oak Park for 27 years and chaired the Oak Park Unified School District’s Environmental Education and Awareness Committee for 11 years.
“I feel we all have an obligation to leave a place cleaner than when we got there, a motto the Girl Scouts taught me long ago. Sustainability is a key concept that is important for children to learn so they can do their part to help. By educating them, it can become a natural extension of their daily lives.”
Keyla shared about Coastal Cleanup Month with the school district to encourage families to go out and clean their happy place. They are also working with the County of Ventura and volunteers to refresh the curb signs that read, “Don’t dump. Drains to creek.” at all of the storm drain inlets within Oak Park.
Mika Perron, Audubon Center at Debs Park
Mika is spearheading the Coastal Cleanup Month efforts for the Audubon Center at Debs Park. To help protect bird habitat around the LA River, Mika and her team are participating in cleanups along the LA River in the Elysian Valley and Atwater Village area. They are also cleaning up and maintaining the various habitat enhancement sites along the river, in order to continue building sustainable habitat for birds and other wildlife.
“Our neighborhoods and waterways provide valuable habitat for local and migrating birds, while also providing a gateway for people to learn more about our urban ecosystem. Even if it’s just observing a few crows outside your window, or catching a glimpse of the rushing LA River when it rains, our neighborhoods and waterways provide a place where people can interact with nature in their everyday lives. Local waterways like the LA River are especially important to us because they connect many different neighborhoods and communities – they are not only an important resource for connecting people to nature, but also for connecting people to each other.”
Wetlands & Beaches
Patrick Tyrrell, Friends of Ballona Wetlands
Patrick grew up in Playa del Rey with the Ballona Wetlands as his backyard, inspiring a life-long passion for wetlands and wildlife. He turned that passion into a career by joining the team at Friends of Ballona Wetlands, and is our Wetlands Ambassador for Coastal Cleanup Month.
“Wetlands provide habitat to an amazing array of plants and animals – they are the world’s biological hotspots. They provide food and shelter that are critical to the survival of many species. Every time I travel, I always look up the local wetlands in the area I am visiting, as I know that I will get to see some amazing birds and wildlife.”
Patrick and the Friends of Ballona Wetlands staff are spending the month of September picking up trash along the Ballona Creek levees and Del Rey Lagoon. They are also cleaning up near the Least Tern colony on Venice Beach to ensure that they are not disturbed by the beach groomers that would normally rake the beach every morning.
Brittney Olaes, Roundhouse Aquarium
Brittney joined us as a Beaches Ambassador from the Roundhouse Aquarium in Manhattan Beach, where she gets to share her passion for the ocean and marine life with her local community.
“When imagining the beautiful vast ocean, it’s hard to narrow down its importance. The ocean is home to countless marine life and habitats. It provides comfort and relaxation to those who visit, jobs and security for those who depend on it, and food and supplies for those who survive off it. Even for those who do not directly interact with the ocean, the ocean is making an impact in our lives. From climate regulation to oxygen production, the ocean affects all life around the world.”
The Roundhouse Aquarium is celebrating Coastal Cleanup Month by virtually educating the community about where trash comes from and where it ends up, and encouraging environmental and community stewardship. They are also running a #TrashChallenge to challenge everyone to pick up trash every day in September.
Carl Carranza, Cabrillo Marine Aquarium
Carl’s lifelong passion for the ocean and marine life led him to become an Educator with
Cabrillo Marine Aquarium. He has been involved with Coastal Cleanup Day for 15 years, and this year, he is one of our Beach Ambassadors.
“Ever since I was a child, I was in love with the ocean, especially tidepools. They have always been a source of joy and wonder for me, and ultimately led me to my degree in marine biology. The ocean is a place I can always reconnect to nature and frees my imagination,” said Carl.
A big thank you to all of our Regional Ambassadors for helping make Coastal Cleanup Month a success! If you’re interested in getting involved and helping protect our watershed and coastline from wherever you live, visit healthebay.org/coastalcleanupmonth.
More Ways to Get Involved this Coastal Cleanup Month:
Are your favorite beach and freshwater spots safe to swim?
Heal the Bay’s annual Beach Report Card and River Report Card grade breakdown includes a full year of water quality data across California beaches and LA’s river recreation spots, so you can better understand the pollution trends shaping the places you swim, surf, and visit most.
