MALIBU—Heal the Bay announced their annual Coastal Cleanup event for Saturday, September 17, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Volunteers will meet to clean the coastline of more than 35 coastal areas including the Los Angeles River underwater sites including the Malibu Lagoon State Beach, Corral Canyon, and Dan Blocker County Beaches.

Heal the Bay is devoted to the protection and cleanliness of the California waterways and watersheds since 1985. According to their website, there are over 20,000 people involved. There are educational opportunities offered through field trips, exhibits, and clean-up events.

The Beach Report Card and the River Report Cards are provided by Heal the Bay to inform the public on which California rivers are safe to swim in.

In 2021, nearly 5,000 volunteers came out to support the cause, removing 156 pounds of recyclable materials and thousands of pounds of trash from the waterways along the California coastline.

The 2021 report may be found here.

The organization works to present legislation that will ban water bottles and plastic bags that litter beaches and threaten the sea creatures that live in California’s coastal areas.

The President and CEO of Heal the Bay, Shelley Luce gave the following statement:

“Heal the Bay has weathered many challenges in 36 years, yet none on the scale of what we face today. These challenges mean we need to rethink our strategies and priorities, but they never stop us or derail us from our mission of safe, clean, and healthy waters. We are inspired to broaden our coalitions, expand our goals, and commit our hearts and minds to protecting people today and making a better future.”

Heal the Bay encourages individuals to get their organizations involved in this year’s Coastal Clean-Up.