beach cleanups

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. – The "Take Care Bear" spent the recent holiday weekend helping spread the message of keeping Lake Tahoe sled hills clear of trash and sled debris.

While hundred of visitors snapped selfies with the bear, others mingled with him as he reminded all to throw away their broken sleds, rather than leaving them littered on the snow.

To coincide with the bear visits, a new billboard went up in Folsom, California with the same message.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Kind Traveler and the Lake Tahoe Visitor's Authority (LTVA) have teamed up to empower travelers to make a positive community and environmental impacts when they stay in hotels and motels on the South Shore of Lake Tahoe.

LAKE TAHOE, Nevada – Five people were recognized at the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) meeting Wednesday for their commitment to protecting and enhancing Lake Tahoe’s unique natural environment.

Since 2011, TRPA has awarded the Lake Spirit Awards to individuals from both the North and South Shores who are either citizens or agency representatives/environmental scientists.

Building trails, promoting climate change awareness, organizing beach cleanups, and preserving cultural resources are some of the ways this year’s award winners show their dedication to Lake Tahoe.

5:00 p.m. update: The beach cleanups for July 5 have concluded, and according to the League to Save Lake Tahoe, 1,678.25 pounds were picked up by their 321 volunteers at 5.64 miles of beaches. And that to the 4,000 pounds collected at El Dorado area beaches and there was 2.84 tons of trash picked up in one day.

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As the sun came up over Lake Tahoe the day after the July 4 celebrations, scores of volunteers were headed to the beaches to help clean up the trash left behind on local beaches.

As we celebrate Earth Day this April, let’s remember how important environmental stewardship is to the health of Lake Tahoe, and how important our individual actions are.

Over the last two decades, public, private, and nonprofit partners have made significant progress conserving and restoring Lake Tahoe’s environment through the Environmental Improvement Program.

South Lake Tahoe-based Tahoe Blue Vodka has donated $5,000 to the League to Save Lake Tahoe, with encouragement to community members to match their contribution to support the League’s beach cleanups. League supporters surpassed the match, raising over $10,000.

Its becoming a concern at beaches and venues around the country: increased trash left behind. Lake Tahoe sees massive amounts of trash on beaches after big weekends, especially the 4th of July, but the basin is not alone.

Headline in North Carolina: Residents upset with beach equipment and other trash left behind on shores.

Headline in Los Angeles: Trash left behind from the Made in America festival in downtown Los Angeles.

Headline in Indianapolis: Trail of trash left behind at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

What began two years ago as an organized response to firework debris found on South Lake Tahoe beaches has turned into a major community wide trash pick up effort, gathering what beach goers left behind after the 4th of July activities.

But cleaning up beaches on the South Shore isn't anything new for long-time local Kenny Curtzwiler. One could call him the 'Godfather of Tahoe Beach Clean Ups."

After the July 4th festivities, our beaches are thrashed with trash. This trash can hurt wildlife and lake clarity. Be a part of the solution and help us this day to keep our beaches clean.

We will provide refreshments, cleanup bags, gloves, and hand sanitizer. Please bring your reusable water bottle, gloves if you have them, sunscreen, your friends and family, and a smile!

Each attendee will receive a raffle ticket for great prizes from Keep Tahoe Blue and our partners.

Join us at one of the following sites:

Kiva/Tallac Historic Site - South Shore Sponsored by BakPocket Products

Thousands flocked to Lake Tahoe beaches for the 4th of July and left behind thousands of pounds of trash. Several groups have been participating in the Adopt a Beach cleanup program that is getting volunteers out to clean up the mess, both trash and fireworks debris.

The League to Save Lake Tahoe had over 120 volunteers participate in their annual Keep Tahoe Red, White & Blue Beach Cleanup. They cleaned at Commons Beach in Tahoe City, Nevada Beach and Zephyr Shoals on the East Shore, and Kiva, Regan and El Dorado beaches on the South Shore for a total of about 3 miles of shoreline.

Looking for an enjoyable way to contribute to the Lake Tahoe community, either as a local or as a visitor?

Adopt-a-Beach is one of the nicest and easiest ways to protect this valuable and beautiful treasure and they're looking for several volunteers to help this summer. This program is sponsored by the City of South Lake Tahoe, Lake Tahoe Visitor's Authority, U.S. Forest Service, League to Save Lake Tahoe, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency and South Tahoe Refuse.