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.
You’ve heard us say it time and time again: plastic pollution is a HUGE problem for both people and the planet. This one fact says it all: By 2050, there may well be more plastic in the sea by mass than fish if we don’t curb our addiction to single-use plastics. Heal the Bay is dedicated to combatting plastics and their associated impacts to our health and the environment. As the year comes to a close, we’re excited to share some significant wins in the fight against plastic pollution from 2024. We will also outline our vision for continuing the fight next year and invite you to support our work and get involved.
2024: A Year of Action
Heal the Bay Sues Big Plastic
In case you missed the major news – we sued ExxonMobil this year. In a historic move, Heal the Bay joined a coalition of environmental groups in filing a lawsuit against the world’s largest producer of single-use plastic polymers for their role in fueling the plastic pollution crisis.
Closing the Loopholes in CA’s Plastic Bag Ban
Are you sick of those thicker “reusable” plastic bags at the checkout counter? We are, too. That’s why we are celebrating a monumental win for state-level plastics regulation with the passage of Senate Bill 1053 (Blakespear), signed into law by Gov. Newsom in September. This new legislation closes critical loopholes in California’s historic 2016 bag ban by removing ALL plastic film bags from checkout counters at grocery and convenience stores statewide by 2026, finally doing away with those thicker bags. Additionally, the law increases the minimum recycled content in paper bags to 50%, ensuring a more sustainable alternative. For Angelenos, where the bag ban extends to all retail facilities, the phrase “paper or plastic?” will finally become a relic of the past. Goodbye plastic bags!
For a deep dive into the history of the bag ban and our work, check out our No Bag November campaign.
LA’s Comprehensive Plastics Reduction Program Advances
Los Angeles is taking bold strides toward a plastic-free future with the Comprehensive Plastics Reduction Program, and Heal the Bay is proud to play a pivotal role in advancing this City program. In October, the LA City Council unanimously approved the Programmatic Environmental Impact Report (PEIR). This crucial step lays the foundation for sweeping plastics legislation in the city. This forward-thinking program will bring transformative measures in the coming years that promise to make LA a leader in reducing plastic pollution at its source and become a model for other cities to follow.
2025: A Year of Promise
New Local Laws: Leading the Way for Reuse
Thanks to the Programmatic Environmental Impact Report (PEIR ) passed by the City Council this year, Los Angeles is poised to pass new plastic reduction laws. Heal the Bay, in partnership with the Reusable LA coalition, will advocate for regulations requiring reusable foodware at eateries and refill systems for to-go food. These laws, potentially in effect by 2026, will reduce single-use plastics and help prevent waste at major events like the Super Bowl, FIFA World Cup, and 2028 Olympics.
SB 54 Implementation
SB 54, the California Plastic Pollution Producer Responsibility Act, requires producers to reduce single-use plastic packaging and products by 25% by 2032 and transition to recyclable or compostable alternatives. The law also establishes a framework for extended producer responsibility (EPR), where companies must fund recycling programs, meet waste reduction targets, and comply with regulations enforced by the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle), with the goal of reducing plastic pollution and increasing recycling rates. The regulations will kick in January 1, 2025 and Heal will be keeping a close eye on implementation and advocating for reuse!
Beyond the Bay
State, Nation, and Beyond! Finalizing the Global Plastics Treaty
While Heal the Bay drives local change, we also stay engaged with global efforts like the UN’s Global Plastics Treaty, which aims to reduce plastic pollution worldwide. Despite progress being slow and political roadblocks, over 100 countries support limiting plastic production to address the crisis. This treaty offers hope for a global solution that can ease local pollution and protect ecosystems, including those in our own communities.
You can help us combat plastic pollution
Tell your local restaurants to “Hold the Plastic, Please!”
Plastic reduction laws are crucial, but their effectiveness depends on enforcement, and that’s where you come in. Heal the Bay, a founding member of the Reusable LA Coalition, is proud to support the “Hold the Plastic, Please” campaign, which empowers customers to educate businesses on complying with local plastic laws. By downloading or picking up free tip cards, you can help create a culture of reuse by observing violations, sharing a tip card, and starting conversations to reduce plastic pollution.
Support Heal the Bay
There are many challenges that lie ahead for our coastal waters: climate change is intensifying, Big Oil is making plans to ramp up production of single-use plastics, and our incoming federal administration has a history of taking steps backward on environmental protection.
No matter what happens in D.C. or at the UN, we’re going to use science and policy to drive meaningful change in our backyard. You can count on it!
Nearly 40-years ago, Heal the Bay’s founding president, Dorothy Green, began this organization built on hope for a healthier Santa Monica Bay and a brighter future for Angelenos. We invite you to take action with us by volunteering or making a Year-End tax-deductible gift. Whatever your interests or talents, there’s a place for you at Heal the Bay.
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.
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.
