Spotted: New Olympia Oysters in Newport Bay
In April of 2017, more than 150 volunteers hauled shells and sewed bags as a part of our Living Shorelines project to restore native oyster beds in Newport Bay. Only six months later, their efforts may already be paying off. Over the course of four days of sampling, we saw recruitment of the native Olympia oyster and the results look promising.
Challenging For-Profit Desalination
We joined California Coastkeeper Alliance and California Coastal Protection Network to challenge the State Lands Commission’s decision to approve Poseidon’s proposed Huntington Beach desalination plant. Our executive director explains: “When the true costs of this project are examined alongside smart and sustainable solutions, it will become clear why so many Orange County residents oppose this boondoggle.”
Volunteers Making Cleanup History
In December 2017, hundreds of volunteers combed Huntington State Beach for cigarette butts, plastic straws and other debris for Coastal Playground’s 100th beach cleanup. We also reached a bittersweet milestone: 20,000 pounds of trash collected since our regular cleanups began in 2011. Coastkeeper collected 10,000 pounds of trash in our first four years of cleanups, and we reached 20,000 pounds just two years later.
Have You Met These Water Warriors?
From teaching third-graders about marine debris to taking high-schoolers on ecological field trips, we’ve been educating the next generation of water warriors for 12 years. Now, we’re giving our education staff an A+ for a new milestone: Our education programs have reached more than 30,000 students in 81 schools.
Savings for Water-Wise Customers
Commercial, institutional and agricultural water users looking to save water and money can now apply online for financial incentives offered by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California for customized conservation projects. The newly expanded program helps consumers develop customized water-saving projects at the work site.
