Not buying the Hype: Heal began with mission
During its 20-year lifespan, Heal the Bay has evolved into one of Los Angeles County’s largest environmental organizations, its efforts affecting millions of people.
Mark Gold, executive director of Heal the Bay, attributes part of the success of the organization he leads to the close relationship it strives to maintain with the local and federal government, industry leaders and the public to “educate and evolve” the understanding of Southern California water quality and environmental responsibility.
By advocating for sewage treatment upgrades and better compliance with water quality standards, Heal the Bay boasts there has been a 90-percent decrease in the amount of sewage solids dumped into Santa Monica Bay since the organization was founded in 1985.
Heal the Bay was started that year by Los Angeles resident and environmental activist Dorothy Green, who heard the Hyperion Treatment Plant near El Segundo was applying for a federal waiver to lessen the sewage facility’s treatment responsibilities.
Through community outreach, Heal the Bay began enrolling members and bringing attention to the storm drain system, the biggest source of beach pollution, according to Gold. After two years of advocacy, Heal the Bay helped force the Hyperion Treatment Plant to stop dumping sewage sludge into the ocean.
Gold said Heal the Bay originally consisted of only a handful of volunteers and no paid staff. Today, there’s a volunteer membership of more than 10,000 and 37 Heal the Bay employees. While still involved in pressuring government for water quality improvements, Heal the Bay has expanded its focus to also include educational programs and research efforts.
Among Heal the Bay’s undertakings, the “Beach Report Card” provides water quality information to the public in an “A” to “F” grade format for more than 60 Los Angeles County beaches. More than 430 beaches from Oregon to Mexico are featured in a weekly report card online.
Heal the Bay also coordinates Los Angeles County Coastal Cleanup Day sites, annually picking up tens of thousands of pounds of trash and recyclables, intended to keep trash from entering waterways and injuring people and marine life, Gold said.
Since 2003, Heal the Bay has managed the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium, which provides visitors with a hands-on opportunity to interact with marine life.
Programs like the Heal the Bay “Speakers Bureau” and the elementary school program “Key to the Sea” help educate Californians about the difference one person can make in protecting the environment.
Gold was recently appointed to the Proposition O citizens oversight committee, helping ensure that $500 million of Los Angeles city bond money is spent on projects that will effectively limit water pollution. He also is vice chair of the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission, sits on the State Water Board’s Clean Beach Advisory Group and serves on the California Ocean’s Science Trust.
Gold said the City of Santa Monica and Heal the Bay are also known for partnering to write a groundbreaking municipal storm water ordinance, which requires runoff to be treated or filtered on-site for all new construction and redevelopment.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 4, 2005. Read the original PDF.