This Earth Month at Heal the Bay served as a reminder of something simple but powerful: change doesn’t start somewhere else, it starts where we are.
From science to education to volunteering, actions both big and small added up to create real impact.
This month, we said “no more” to the single-use plastic problem.
We uncovered the truth about plastic pollution with the In-Disposable webinar. Heal the Bay’s Senior Marine Scientist Emily Parker dove into the origins of plastic pollution, tracing how it became so deeply embedded in daily life and what it takes to turn the tide.
That momentum was carried into policy and everyday action. The Reusable LA coalition launched the all-new Hold the Plastic guide, giving Angelenos an easy way to take plastic reduction into their own hands and look up the latest local laws for restaurants and businesses across the city. Search up the laws that apply to you and your favorite restaurants and discover tools to help businesses reduce single-use plastic waste.
Volunteer action took over Santa Monica Pier Beach
At the April Nothin’ But Sand Beach Cleanup, more than 800 participants gathered at Santa Monica Pier Beach, one of LA’s most iconic (and most polluted) beaches, and removed over 220 pounds of trash. Each piece collected represents one less threat to marine life and a step toward a healthier coastline. There’s a reason why thousands of people across the region have joined Heal the Bay’s clean ups: they’re as impactful as they are fun.
Join us for our next clean up: Heal the Bay’s annual Nothin’ But Nature inland clean up at Whittier Narrows! Register now.
But clean ups alone can’t tackle every pollution problem.
At the Santa Monica Pier, Heal the Bay’s science team has been hard at work testing ocean water for fecal indicator bacteria, monitoring a serious issue that continues to impact one of Los Angeles’ most visited beaches.
This location regularly earns an F on the Beach Report Card and has appeared on the Beach Bummer’s list year after year due to consistently high bacteria levels, making it unsafe for swimming.
In response, Heal the Bay has partnered with the City of Santa Monica to launch a dedicated Task Force focused on identifying pollution sources and advancing real, long-term solutions.
As testing continues, updates will be shared as new information becomes available.
Stay informed about the water quality of your favorite beach at beachreportcard.org or through the Beach Report Card app. Plus, stay tuned for the reveal of Heal the Bay’s annual Beach and River Report Cards, a comprehensive report of your local watershed and coastal health, coming May 21!
A closer look at local ecosystems revealed opportunities for impact.
Two sold-out BioBlitz events at the Manhattan Beach Dunes and Temescal Canyon Park brought community scientists outdoors to document biodiversity and restore a habitat impacted by the Palisades Fire.
Our Heal the Bay community remained at the center of it all.
During the Earth Month Open House, supporters came together to celebrate, connect, and support Heal the Bay Aquarium following recent flooding. With live performances, dancing, and interactive experiences, the event highlighted how joy and environmental action can exist side by side.
And beneath the waves, there is still hope.
In The Comeback: Saving the Sunflower Sea Star From Extinction webinar, the spotlight turned to a critically endangered species and its vital role in ocean health. Our expert aquarists explored how the decline of the sunflower sea star has harmed local marine ecosystems and how Heal the Bay Aquarium is helping lead efforts to support its recovery.
Earth Month 2026 may be coming to a close, but the work continues.
“Start Where You Are” is more than a saying, it’s a mindset. Because when action begins where we are, meaningful change becomes possible.
Start Here:
Start with a donation: Support Heal the Bay’s work to protect coastal waters and advance a healthier, more resilient future for our ocean and communities. • Start with the health of your favorite beach: Stay tuned for the launch of the Annual Beach and River Report Card on May 21, live on Instagram. • Start by getting involved: Attend an upcoming volunteer orientation to deepen your knowledge and discover new ways to make an impact. • Start with an email you actually look forward to: Subscribe to the newsletter for ongoing updates, advocacy, and ways to take action from anywhere.
Join Heal the Bay Marine Scientist and Circular Economy Fellow, Emily Parker, for In-Disposable – The Webinar, April 15, 2026, 6 PM – 7 PM.
Dive into an eye-opening look at where plastic pollution REALLY begins, its infamous history, and learn about what small, personal choices we can make to STOP IT.
Plastics. A simple word that seems synonymous with everyday life for any Californian. But you may be wondering, how did we find ourselves here? Join Senior Scientist and plastic pollution expert Emily Parker to explore the history and impacts of plastic pollution and learn how you can start where you are to reduce plastics in your own life and help us reshape the system that created this mess in the first place. From miraculous invention to trash, we will explore the real story of plastics and uncover how “single-use” products became so popular, leading to the modern waste crisis. We will also empower attendees with tools and actions they can take immediately to make a big difference.
Senior Marine Scientist and Circular Economy Fellow,Heal the Bay
Emily works to keep our oceans and marine ecosystems healthy and clean by advocating for strong ocean conservation policies both locally and statewide. She focuses primarily on plastic pollution reduction efforts and on co-leading the Reusable LA coalition to promote reuse and refill across the Los Angeles region. Before arriving at Heal the Bay, Emily earned a Master’s of Advanced Studies in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, where she conducted research on sea turtle conservation in El Salvador.
Worried you might miss the webinar? RSVP now, and we can send you the recording later!
Want to support the science, education, and advocacy you rely on?
The future of California’s kelp forests depends on the sunflower sea star, and the future of this species could all depend on her.
Join Heal the Bay Aquarium Associate Director of Operations Laura Rink as she takes you behind the scenes of our urgent work to save the critically endangered sunflower sea star.
That momentum was carried into policy and everyday action. The Reusable LA coalition launched the all-new Hold the Plastic guide, giving Angelenos an easy way to take plastic reduction into their own hands and look up the latest local laws for restaurants and businesses across the city. Search up the laws that apply to you and your favorite restaurants and discover tools to help businesses reduce single-use plastic waste.
At the April Nothin’ But Sand Beach Cleanup, more than 800 participants gathered at Santa Monica Pier Beach, one of LA’s most iconic (and most polluted) beaches, and removed over 220 pounds of trash. Each piece collected represents one less threat to marine life and a step toward a healthier coastline. There’s a reason why thousands of people across the region have joined Heal the Bay’s clean ups: they’re as impactful as they are fun.
