Heal the Bay is an advocacy group that supports policies it claims will protect the Santa Monica Bay in Satna Monica, California. It also promotes left-of-center environmental policies including banning certain plastic usage, blocking drilling for oil, and opposing the development of desalination facilities. In addition, the organization runs an aquarium along the Santa Monica Pier as well as local beach clean-up efforts. 1
History
Heal the Bay was founded in 1985 by a group of Los Angeles residents led by environmental activist Dorothy Green. Green would later start several environmental activist groups including the Los Angeles and San Gabriel Rivers Watershed Council and the California Water Impact Network. 2 1
In 1987, Heal the Bay was granted “friend-of-the-court” status after the city of Los Angeles and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reached a settlement over a suit regarding the dumping of pollution into the Santa Monica Bay. Heal the Bay was also assigned the role of overseeing the City’s new environmental regulations mandated by the suit. 1
In 2008, Heal the Bay claimed to have about 15,000 members. 1
Political Activity
In 2024, Heal the Bay, the Sierra Club, the Surfrider Foundation, and San Francisco Baykeeper, filed a lawsuit against energy conglomerate ExxonMobil for allegedly launching a “campaign of deception” to mislead the public about the “recyclability of plastic.” The suit claims that the oil company worked to change public opinion to support the transition from glass to plastic usage for several products. A twin lawsuit was filed and was ongoing as of October 2024. 3
In 2019, Heal the Bay led a campaign that resulted in the passage of a city ordinance in Los Angeles County that banned the use of plastic straws in restaurants unless customers specifically request them. 4 5
In 2018, Heal the Bay led a campaign to support the passage of Measure W in Los Angeles County, which revised the county’s rainwater drainage system. 6
In 2016, Heal the Bay supported the passage of California’s Proposition 67, which banned single-use plastic bags in the state. 7
In 2015, Heal the Bay led a campaign that prevented E&B Natural Resources from drilling underneath the sea floor at Hermosa Beach in Los Angeles County. The campaign was supported by Keep Hermosa Hermosa, the Surfrider Foundation, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and Food and Water Watch. 8
Other Activities
Beach Report Card
Heal the Beach runs the Beach Report Card, a rating system for beaches based on their cleanliness. 9
Heal the Bay Aquarium
Heal the Bay runs the Heal the Bay Aquarium on Santa Monica Pier, exhibiting over 100 species. 10
Leadership
Tracy Quinn has worked as the chief executive officer (CEO) of Health the Bay since May 2022. Quinn previously spent a decade working at the Natural Resources Defense Council and also sat on the board of the Wildwoods Foundation. 11
John Seiber has worked as the chief development officer of Heal the Bay since February 2023. He previously served in the same role for the Make a Wish Foundation from 2019 to 2022. Earlier, Seiber worked for the Alzheimer’s Association, AIDS Project Los Angeles, and Save the Children. 12
Funding
According to its website, as of 2024 Heal the Bay has received funding from several left-of-center “partner” organizations including the California Community Foundation, Coastal Conservancy, the Dwight Stuart Youth Fund, Edison International, Golden Road Brewing, the Johnny Carson Foundation, the Joseph Drown Foundation, KTLA 5, the Ocean Conservancy, the Pacific Life Foundation, the Pisces Foundation, the Resources Legacy Fund, Sony Pictures, Subaru, the Swain Barber Foundation, the Ahmanson Foundation, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the Green Foundation, the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, the Rose Hills Foundation, Warner Media, the Water Foundation, and the World Surf League. 13
References
- Woo, Elaine. “Environmentalist began Heal the Bay.” Los Angeles Times. October 14, 2008. Accessed October 16, 2024. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-oct-14-me-green14-story.html.
- “Frequently Asked Questions.” Heal the Bay. Accessed October 16, 2024. https://healthebay.org/faq/#:~:text=Heal%20the%20Bay%20was%20founded,lives%20on%20in%20our%20work.
- Humes, Edward. “ExxonMobil Lied About Plastics Recycling, Lawsuits Claim.” Sierra. September 24, 2024. Accessed October 16, 2024. https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/exxonmobil-lied-about-plastics-recycling-lawsuits-california-sierra-club-claim.
- Holmes, Mona. “Los Angeles Restaurants Can Now Only Provide Plastic Straws Upon Request.” Eater Los Angeles. October 3, 2019. Accessed October 16, 2024. https://la.eater.com/2019/10/3/20897302/los-angeles-plastic-straw-ordinance-only-upon-request.
- “Our Victories.” Heal the Bay. Accessed October 16, 2024. https://healthebay.org/our-impact/.
- Moe, Annelisa. “Measure W Moving Forward! Safe, Clean Water Program Implementation.” Heal the Bay. July 30, 2019. Accessed October 16, 2024. https://healthebay.org/measure-w-safe-clean-water-program-implementation/.
- Handelman, Tova. “What This Election Means For the Bay.” Heal the Bay. November 10, 2016. Accessed October 16, 2024. https://healthebay.org/what-this-election-means-for-the-bay/.
- Murray, Dana. “Hermosa Voters Reject Drilling for Oil in Bay.” Heal the Bay. March 3, 2015. Accessed October 16, 2024. https://healthebay.org/hermosa-voters-reject-drilling-for-oil-in-bay/.
- “Welcome Beach Lovers.” Beach Report Card. Accessed October 16, 2024. https://beachreportcard.org/33.91029999999999/-118.51929100000001/11.
- “Heal the Bay Aquarium.” Heal the Bay. Accessed October 16, 2024. https://healthebay.org/aquarium/.
- “Tracy Quinn P.E.” LinkedIn. Accessed October 16, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracyquinnpe/.
- “John Seiber.” LinkedIn. Accessed October 16, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-seiber/.
- Our Partner.” Heal the Bay. Accessed October 16, 2024. https://healthebay.org/our-partners/.