This Earth Day, Ditch Plastics and Protect Tahoe

Earth Day in Tahoe is coming fast. Alongside community festivals, litter cleanups, and an atmosphere of doing right by the planet, an important change is coming to fight pollution here at home. Beginning on Earth Day, April 22, the sale and distribution of single-use plastic water bottles under one gallon will be banned in the City of South Lake Tahoe.

What does it mean?
For residents and visitors, this means you will no longer be able to get single-use plastic bottles of water at restaurants, grocery stores, and other businesses throughout the city. However, gallon and larger sizes will continue to be available, and an exemption is triggered during declared emergencies. You can also purchase water bottled in aluminum or paper cartons. But of course, the best option continues to be our world-class Tahoe tap water. Treat yourself: Drink Tahoe Tap©.

Why the change?
Single-use plastics—straws, coffee stir sticks, shopping bags, beverage bottles, and packaging—are some of the most common types of litter found on Tahoe’s beaches, trails, and city streets. From 2014 through 2023, the League and their volunteers picked up 20,100 plastic bottles, 31,300 plastic caps and 163,800 unidentifiable plastic pieces.

Single-use plastics are used for mere moments but can remain in the environment forever if not properly thrown away. They are particularly damaging to water quality as they do not break down or decompose. Instead, they degrade into microplastics—tiny strands and fragments of plastic—that are all but impossible to remove from the Lake. Recent scientific research revealed the presence of microplastics on the vast majority of Tahoe’s beaches (UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center) and in its waters (University of Nevada Reno Global Water Center).

What’s being done?
Understanding the threat Tahoe faces from plastic pollution, the South Lake Tahoe City Council adopted a bold, single-use plastic water bottle ban in fall of 2022. The ordinance was designed to phase in over a year and a half to allow businesses time to adopt cost-effective alternatives and get rid of their existing stock. Since last fall, teams of volunteers led by the League and City have visited 141 local businesses to make sure they are aware of the upcoming change.

What can you do?
You can help protect Tahoe’s health and beauty with small, simple actions. For starters, Refuse, Reduce, and Reuse! Say no to single-use items, especially plastics, to cut down on unnecessary waste, and choose reusables instead. In place of bottled water, Drink Tahoe Tap© and keep your refillable bottle topped up at a fraction of the cost.

Also, and of course, please Leave Tahoe better than you found it. It sounds simple, but don’t litter. And if you see litter, please pick it up and throw it away in a sealed trash can or dumpster.

Where can you learn more?
- Visit the City’s website for more about the single-use plastic bottle ban ordinance: https://cityofslt.us/plasticwaste.
- Check the League’s website for helpful resources about litter prevention: https://www.keeptahoeblue.org/stoplitter
- Learn more about delicious, refreshing Tahoe tap, including where you can fill your bottle: https://takecaretahoe.org/.