Kirsten James Water Quality Director Heal the Bay

Heal the Bay is a nonprofit environmental organization dedicated to making Southern California coastal waters and watersheds, including Santa Monica Bay, safe, healthy and clean.

The Changing Face of Water Pollution

Malibu Coastline After Rain Event

Marine Debris

Extent of the Problem

 60-80% of all marine debris is plastic, and 90% of floating marine debris is plastic  3.5 million tons of plastics off CA 

5 million mi 2

garbage patch  6x the amount of plastic than plankton Photo: Algalita Foundation Sources: CA Coastal Commission; AMRF; AMRF; C.J. Moore et al (2001) Photo: Algalita Foundation

Marine Life Impacts

Photo: CA Coastal Commission Photo: Vanderlip Photo: Whale Rescue Team

Economic Impacts

 Tourism largest industry in CA  Ocean Economy valued at $46 billion  Ocean-dependent industries add over $17 billion and 370,000 jobs to California’s economy Sources: National Ocean Economics Program (2005); The Plastic and Marine Debris Waste Reduction, Recycling and Composting Act

Clean-up costs add up…

 Los Angeles County: $4,157,388 (annual clean-up cost of 31 miles of beach)  City of Santa Monica: $541,000 (annual cost of clean-up of plastic waste on the beach)  City of Long Beach :$878,262 (1998-99 cost of gathering and disposing of trash a the mouth of the LA River during the rainy season) Sources: LA River Trash TMDL; City of Santa Monica

Solutions….

REGULATION

Trash TMDLs

 East Fork San Gabriel  Ballona Creek and Wetlands  Los Angeles River  Legg Lake, Machado Lake, Ventur a River Estuary, Lake Elizabeth, Munz Lake, Lake Hugh es, Revolon Slough and Beardsley Wash  Malibu Creek

LEGISLATION

OPC Resolution on Marine Debris  Reduce sources of plastic marine debris  Reduce single-use plastic packaging  Remove derelict fishing gear  Ban toxic plastic packaging  Increase enforcement of laws to eliminate pollution by nurdles

Statewide Legislation

 “Nurdles” – AB 258  Derelict Fishing Gear – AB 899  Plastic Bags – AB 2058 Photo: Algalita Foundation Photo: CA Coastal Commission

Clean Seas Coalition

Local/County Ordinances

Polystyrene and bags

 City of Los Angeles – PS ban in city facilities; bags 2010  Santa Monica – PS ban adopted 11/06; bags 2008  Malibu – EPS ban adopted 2/05; bags 2008  Manhattan Beach – Bags 2008  County of LA – Bag reduction targets 2008

EDUCATION

Clean-ups

Outreach

A Day Without A Bag

2007 Partnerships Bags Donated By: LA County, City of LA, Ralphs, 1Bagatatime.com, Earthwise, BYORB.com, Ecobags.com, West 19th Reusable Bag Coalition

Bring Your Own Earth Resource Foundation Environment California Mujeres de la Tierra Palisades Cares Palisades Green Initiative

Corporate Sponsors

Overview of Day Without A Bag 2007  22 cities in Los Angeles County signed resolutions designating the day as A Day Without a Bag  Over 10,000 reusable bags were handed out to Los Angeles County residents  17 reusable bag giveaways took place throughout Los Angeles County

Save the Date

December 18th

 Business partnerships  Volunteer at giveaway locations  Spread the word