"When we heal the earth, we heal ourselves"

Who has heard the soothing sound of crashing surf, smelled the crisp salty sea air, basked in the warmth of the sun overhead and sand under foot, relished the joy of catching the perfect wave, felt an angler's excitement from the tug of the fishing line, returned from an invigorating shore swim, delighted in the sighting of a passing pod of dolphins, or watched in quiet awe the beauty of an ocean sunset, and not been inspired to hold and keep these experiences dear?

Our rivers, our beaches and our ocean are incredible natural resources that serve as special spiritual sanctuaries.  But our coast provides not only intangible, emotional value, a healthy marine ecosystem also serves as a critical source of real economic wealth in southern California, from the bounty of seafood, recreation and tourism it provides.  When we protect the watersheds in which we all live, from the most inland neighborhood streets to the furthest edge of the sea, we protect our own well being.

Since 1985, people like you who care about our rivers, beaches and oceans have been a part of Heal the Bay's fight to make Southern California coastal waters and watersheds, including Santa Monica Bay, safe, healthy and clean.

As far back as our first fight to end the dumping of untreated wastewater from the Hyperion Sewage Treatment Plant, we've worked from a base of science to educate you, the media and government agencies about the causes and effects of pollution on our Bay.

Today, the greatest threats to our coastal waters and watersheds, and to all of us - both human and animal - that rely on the ocean for pleasure, income or sustenance, come from urban and stormwater runoff, plastic pollution, and the ever-increasing stresses to our marine environment from over-fishing and climate change. 

To meet these challenges, Heal the Bay continues to partner with you and thousands of your neighbors in southern California through community action programs such as Nothin' But Sand and Coastal Cleanup Day and through advocacy efforts to move municipal, state and Federal government and regulatory agencies to act in our collective interests.  We couldn't meet our challenges without the help of local businesses, community leaders, grassroots activists, and our dedicated volunteers and supporters across Los Angeles County and beyond.

Working together, we can protect and save one of our most precious, natural resources – with your help, we can heal the bay.