summer 2012 the magazine of Heal the Bay volume 27 number 2 healthebay.org I N S I D E Take L.A. by Storm • Is the Bay Healed Yet? • Back to School Eco Tips A Summer the E.D. a letter from currentsthe magazine of Heal the Bay volume 27 number 2 healthebay.org BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chairman: Stephanie Medina Rodriguez Immediate Past Chairman: Matthew J. Hart Chairs: Todd Flora, Barry Gribbon, Don Kinsey, Brian O’Malley, Craig Perkins, Erin Selleck, Luann Laval Williams to Remember Secretary, Nominations Chair: Cliff Gladstein Treasurer, Finance Chair: Paul Stimpfl Sunny days at the beach can be powerful reminders. Founding President: Dorothy Green (1929-2008) Founding President, Los Angeles & San Gabriel Rivers Watershed Past President: Mark Gold Board Members: Peter Abraham , Mark Attanasio, he exuberance of summer is here. You can feel it Dayna Bochco, Lisa Boyle, Samuel Culbert, Robert Davenport, as you walk the beach, soak in the salt air, play in Jorge Delgado, Ernie Dunn, Ian Eddleston , Susan Grossinger, Sofie Howard, Jean Kaplan, Richard Katz, Sharon Lawrence, the water with your kids, catch a wave, balance on a Adi Liberman, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Suja Lowenthal, T paddle board, or glide through the ocean in your boat. We Oralia Michel, Ted Miller, H. David Nahai, John Perenchio, Russ Pillar, Hylda Queally, Jennifer Regan, Gordon Seabury, can all celebrate that our water is swimmable and safe and Michael Segal, Amy Smart, Shane Smith, John J. Strauss, our beaches are clean in these beautiful summer months. Michael Sullivan, Thomas Unterman, Scott Zolke k Heal the Bay exists and thrives because of your direct in- C BOARD OF GOVERNORS volvement and support. It’s not an exaggeration to say that isto George Akers, Jeff Ayeroff, Jack Baylis, Michael Caggiano, Ph.D., Laurie Coots, Don Corsini, Paula Daniels, Dr. Sylvia Earle, you are directly responsible for cleaner watersheds from 4 Brad Hall, Gale Anne Hurd, Dr. Aliza Lifshitz, Felicia Marcus, Tijuana to the Canadian border. Generations to come will Kelly Meyer, Fran Pavley, Tony Pritzker, Bob Talbot, Art Torres, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Bob Williams benefit from what we do today to safeguard our shorelines. summer Our successes in the past, today and in our future, cannot Chair: Adi Liberman happen without your generosity. HEAL THE BAY STAFF 2012 Executive Director: Karin Hall Associate Director: Alix Hobbs Advancement Director: Marc Dragul 1 From the Executive Director Angler Outreach Team: Maria Larsen, As faithfully supportive Stephen Mejia, Diana Ramirez, Benmin Sun Angler Outreach Coordinator: Frankie Orrala Beach Programs Manager/Coastal Cleanup Day Manager: as you’ve been in the past, 2 Mixed Greens Eveline Bravo Beach Report Card Program Manager: Mike Grimmer k Beach Water Quality Scientist: Amanda Griesbach, M.S. C Coastal Cleanup Day Coordinator: Cara Young we know we can count on you isto 4 Back to School Eco Tips Coastal Resources Director: Sarah Abramson Sikich, M.E.S.M. H Communications Director: Matthew King k fas C 8 Communications Manager: Anne Bergman to further our work in the future. ni Controller: Marc Amaral 6 Coastal Cleanup Day Data Manager: Lee Myers moment is being threatened here in Los Angeles County! Development Manager: Katherine Nevels We truly appreciate your Digital Content Manager: Bobby Feingold Stormwater is the No. 1 source of coastal pollution in Education Director: Tara Treiber California and right now, the permits that regulate this 8 Is the Bay Healed Yet? Environmental Engineer: Susie Santilena, M.S., E.I.T. Executive Assistant: Sylvie Makara continued support… urban runoff are being attacked and weakened by powerful Foundation Grants Manager: Sheila McSherry Interactive Campaigns Manager: Ana Luisa Ahern lobbying interests. As summer winds down, we will be 10 Meet Heather Doyle Marine and Coastal Scientist: Dana Roeber Murray, M.E.S.M. urging you to join Heal the Bay’s “Take L.A. by Storm” Network Administrator: Antonio Carrera Programs Director: Meredith McCarthy Without you, we could not have created local Marine campaign and tell the Regional Water Quality Board to Receptionist: Gabriele Morgan Protected Areas — “Yosemites of the Sea”— that preserve stand strong against polluters and continue to keep our 11 Corporate Healer Secondary Education Manager: Edward Murphy vital ecosystems off Palos Verdes and Point Dume. As of ocean safe. Speakers Bureau Manager: Melissa Aguayo Stream Team Assistant: Stefen Partelow January 1, these areas were set aside for conservation and Yes, there is still vital and impactful work to do this year. Urban Programs Manager: James Alamillo And while budgets are down everywhere and donors are 12 Thank Yous Volunteer and Intern Coordinator: Saira Gandhi protected for our children and grandchildren, our nieces Water Quality Director: Kirsten James, M.E.S.M. and nephews. spread thin, we need you more than ever. As faithfully sup- 10 Watershed Scientist: Katherine Pease Without you, we would not have succeeded in pushing portive as you’ve been in the past, we know we can count Cover images: istoCk Santa Monica Pier Aquarium Staff single-use plastic bag bans in L.A. County and cities like on you to further our work in the future. We truly appreci- Aquarium Director: Heather Doyle Aquarist: Jackie Cannata Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Long Beach, and Malibu. Now ate your continued support, thank you for being a mem- Looking for a meaningful way to commemorate a wedding, birthday or holiday? Education Specialists: Nick Fash, Amanda Jones we need your help to continue the momentum to ban them ber of Heal the Bay and continuing to donate. The ocean Dedicate a gift to Heal the Bay on behalf of a couple, or an individual. Operations Manager: José Bacallao Outreach Manager: Randi Parent in the entire state of California this fall. As of today, one in belongs to everyone. It’s up to all of us to protect it! For more information, visit healthebay.org/dedicate. Public Educator: Wyatt Miller six Californians live in cities that have said “no” to the plas- Programs Manager: Tara Crow Volunteer Coordinator: Jenna Segal tic pollution created by single-use plastic bags. Soon all of Heal the Bay is a nonprofit environmental organization making Southern California California will be rid of this wasteful blight. Currents Staff coastal waters and watersheds, including Santa Monica Bay, safe, healthy and clean. Creative Director: Michael Kellner Without you, we would not be able to galvanize support We use science, education, community action and advocacy to pursue our mission. Editors: Anne Bergman, Matthew King for the 40-year-old Clean Water Act, which, at this very —Karin Hall, Heal the Bay Executive Director Contributors: Ana Luisa Ahern, Kathryn Benz, © 2012 Heal the Bay. All rights reserved. Reproduction of editorial content only is authorized with appropriate Nick Fash, Kirsten James, Randi Parent, credits and acknowledgement. Heal the Bay, Beach Report Card and the fishbones logo are registered trademarks Frankie Orrala, Susie Santilena, Sarah Sikich of Heal the Bay. Printed on 100% recycled chlorine-free paper—What If ? Inc., Irvine, Calif. 1 Mixed Greens Storm advocacy k C to s i the eaching kids about water—how to conserve it and not ttrash it—is a key component to Heal the Bay’s mission. to outreach engage students in grades k-5, we’ve published an Aqua Ex- Barricades! plorer guide full of tips, facts and games about why the ocean Drawing is so important. sponsored by a grant from grocery retailer Polluters are trying ralphs, the fun, brightly illustrated guide will be to weaken L.A. available in english and spanish at our Coastal Cleanup Day stormwater regulations. sites and also as a download from our website. to get Power copies for your child or classroom, call (800) HEAL BaY, x146. Now is the time to speak up. By Susie SantilEna Up a Creek cean lovers have a major fight on their hands TMDLs and ensure that they are enforceable. Including elicans dive for food, a giant water bug hatches her nymphs, this summer in Los Angeles County: Protecting these TMDLs in the permit is critical to ensure that water P much to the delight of the groups of high school students OAngelenos from weakened stormwater regulations. quality standards designed to protect human health and who trekked down the L.a. river to the Pacific ocean this summer Municipal storm water permits regulate all urban runoff aquatic life are being met. as part of Creek Week 2012. discharge from storm drain systems. Because storm water is In this time of tight budgets, some cities argue that approximately 40 students followed the watershed from the the No. 1 source of coastal pollution in California, having a they do not have the resources to expand environmental mountains into downtown L.a. and out to the sea as part of the strong permit is important for protecting all who depend on protections. Heal the Bay contends that preventing program, which focuses on teaching teens the fundamentals of clean waterways—from the people who recreate in our local environmental pollution is actually good for the Los Angeles a L hands-on field science, community health, and environmental waters to the species who live in in it. Having a strong permit economy. Coastal tourism is a huge part of California’s rra o stewardship in a fun and engaging way. every day began at a dif- will also limit trash and other pollution that blights our neigh- economy. California’s ocean economy is valued at $43 billion ferent location along the watershed, and the students evaluated borhood. This is why we are asking our supporters to join the with an estimated 408,000 jobs, mostly in the tourism and rankie f 1 each site by completing daily assessments on the water chemis- fight by “Taking L.A.