South Lake Tahoe locals and visitors encouraged to ditch the car for Earth Day
Submitted by paula on Wed, 04/14/2021 - 12:54pm
With "Restore our Earth" as the official them for 2021 Earth Day, residents and visitors to South Lake Tahoe are being encouraged to use sustainable transit options. Getting out of our scars improves air and water quality and improves physical and community health.
Transportation is the second-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in South Lake Tahoe. The leading threat to the lake’s famous clarity is fine sediment pollution running off paved surfaces, especially roads. Vehicle traffic worsens fine sediment pollution by damaging our roads and crushing plow sand into finer pieces. Gas powered vehicles also emit nitrogen oxides, which deposit on the lake and spur algae growth.
The South Shore Transportation Management Association (SSTMA) is spearheading the use of alternative transportation options and getting out of cars as being central to the effort of reducing our carbon footprint.
“Tahoe is a beautiful place – carpooling, biking, walking, and taking transit allow you to enjoy and protect the environment. You also save money and improve your health and mental well-being by ditching your car,” says Ryan Smith, SSTMA Board Member.
The SSTMA created a trip planning page to make it easier to find ways to get around
the South Shore without a car: ss-tma.org/transit-info-and-route-planning/. The SSTMA also provides current traffic, road, and weather conditions at www.tahoetraffic.org.
If biking and walking everywhere is not practical, consider parking centrally and running errands, going to the beach or for a hike, or meeting friends without moving your car around. As spring weather improves, it’s a good time to remember that the distance from the Y to Stateline is only five miles, and most auto trips are less than three miles.
The SSTMA reminds residents and visitors that the Tahoe Transportation District offers “Zero Fare” transit throughout the South Shore during COVID-19.
For more information, contact info@ss-tma.org or 775.588.2488.