Last Saturday, students from Palms
Elementary teamed up with Heal the Bay to organize a beach clean-up for their service learning project this season. The kids took a bus from school and spent the morning walking along the beach and picking up trash at Dockweiler Beach. Heal the Bay provided trash bags and gloves, and the kids provided the time. The kids had a blast while making a difference.
One the biggest problems that LA's beaches face is pollution from urban runoff. Urban runoff is the result of rain water washing pollutants like motor oil, gasoline, pesticides, and litter into the ocean via storm drains. According to Santa Monica Baykeeper, an organization dedicated to protecting LA's beaches, many local industries have significantly "reduced their input," however, pollution from urban runoff is continuing to increase.Here are nine simple things everyone can do to protect the bay:
- Cover outdoor trashcans at home and work so that litter doesn't blow into storm drains
- Recycle at home and work as much as possible
- Pick up after pets, and encourage others to do so also.
- Do not release balloons into the air: they can injure marine animals who think they are food
- Do not rake or blow leaves into the storm drains, bacteria grow on this organic matter.
- Do not use pesticides on lawns and gardens
- Maintain the family car so that it doesn't drip oil into the streets or release excess air pollution.
- Do not wash your car on impervious services such as driveways, which allow runoff to streets.
- Do not hose down gutters or drive ways - sweep up and put debris in the trash.
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