April 13, 2009 Written by Tracy Hepler
Long ago the pristine California coastline lured thousands of settlers to our shores. Needless to say that trend has yet to change. What has changed is the quality of our ocean and beaches — and for this, we have no one to blame but ourselves. Littering at the beach isn’t the only cause of the problem. Through our vast and networked storm drain systems, trash that is discarded in Pasadena can make its way all the way to the beaches in Santa Monica. In fact the city of Santa Monica has outlawed the use of Styrofoam (and other non-recyclable plastics) but the beaches are still filled with Styrofoam waste that has been broken down into hundreds of tiny pieces.
..
Why Should You Care?
Pollution levels are so bad that at the Santa Monica Municipal Pier the beach gets an F grade from Heal the Bay’s Beach Report Card. This beach is not only enjoyed by our citizens but by thousands of tourists who visit the beach daily. We owe it to ourselves to improve the quality of our beaches so that we can all enjoy them the way they were meant to be enjoyed.
How Can You Make a Difference?
-
Keep littering under control. If you live in parts of the city that allow Styrofoam, refuse to take it. Ask the store if they will consider new (biodegradable) to go plates or BYOTG (Bring Your Own To-Go Ware) from home. Write your local council representative and ask them to work
towards banning these non-recyclable plastics too.
-
If you see Styrofoam, plastics or other trash on the street try to pick it up and throw it away. Just use caution – i.e. don’t pick up rusty metals, needles or other hazardous objects.
-
Most importantly, get involved and give back. Join in the monthly rotating clean ups happening with Heal the Bay on the third Saturdays of each month. Perks for you include sunshine, fresh air, mild exercise and endorphins from doing good work and giving back to the community.
There is an Earth Day clean up happening this Saturday at the Santa Monica Pier. As noted by its current report card grade, the Pier really needs our help and Heal the Bay needs as many volunteers as they can get. If you’re interested in attending, just show up (MAP). The clean up starts at 10 a.m.
Continue the Conversation on the *NEW* Forum:
Why Are There No Recycling Bins on L.A. Beaches?
How Can We Help Cut Down the Trash that Gets to the Beach?
Related Articles
If you’re not able to make it to the clean up this week but still want to volunteer, check out the volunteer opportunities happening from April 17th through 19th with the green apple music festival at http://www.greenapplemusicfestival.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=116&Itemid=9
We’ll be there this Saturday! Hope to see you there.