Local environmental group Heal the Bay on Wednesday concluded its most aggressive 30 days of community outreach to date, having educated nearly 30,000 citizens at more than 150 Earth Month events held throughout Los Angeles County.
Responding to community groups’ requests from Watts to Pacific Palisades, 75 staff members and volunteers supported 29 tablings, 72 beach cleanups and 54 Speakers Bureau presentations, Heal the Bay representatives said.
Heal the Bay also educated thousands of kids at weekend events held at its Santa Monica Pier Aquarium. Attendees received instruction from Heal the Bay about steps they can take in their daily lives to beautify their neighborhoods and reduce pollution from reaching local watersheds and oceans.
During the month, Heal the Bay served as an official sponsor of the Splash Festival at UCLA’s Fowler Museum, as well as providing real-world tips to thousands of music fans gathered at the Green Apple Earth Day Festival at the pier. It partnered with students at Compton High School to lead more than 100 community members on a cleanup of Compton Creek, a unique soft-bottomed habitat in a highly urbanized setting.
“Earth Month gets a lot of attention, but it’s important to remember that the fight to protect our local environment is an ongoing effort throughout the year,” said Mark Gold, president of Heal the Bay. “Our staff and volunteers should be proud of all the hard work they put into raise awareness across the Southland.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 3, 2008. Read the original PDF.