South Lake Tahoe, CA- The City of South Lake Tahoe is partnering with South Tahoe Refuse, STR, to fight back against the growing problem of trash on public beaches, parks, and in other public areas.
“We have been seeing higher than normal traffic in town as the weather outside of the basin heats up,” said City Manager Joe Irvin, “This means more people are being reckless with their trash and that is not acceptable.”
Both the City and STR have increased collections but during peak times that hasn’t been enough.
“We’re seeing people leaving their trash next to bins, on our beaches, in our parks, even on our trails and bike paths,” said Irvin, “People have to take responsibility for their trash so it doesn’t become someone else’s problem.”
The City has launched a new PSA that will underscore this message. It focuses on small steps we can take to keep Tahoe clean, safe, and leave no trace. The PSA can be viewed here.
“It can be challenging but there are things we can still do to work toward maintaining equitable conditions that support a healthy balance between the special needs of people during this pandemic, the environment, and the wildlife that share our home,” said Jeanette Tillman, Sustainability Coordinator for South Tahoe Refuse.
Tillman says there are little things you can do to make a big difference:
- Create defensible space around your home by cleaning up yard waste.
- Choose re-usable masks whenever possible.
- Drink Award Winning Tahoe Tap, Opt for No-Plastic items
- Reduce the use of single use anything.
- Re-start your recycle habit.
- If a garbage can or dumpster is full, or locked, take your garbage with you.
- Use bear boxes correctly.
"At some point, we will have to face the effects of how we manage non-biodegradable waste filling our communities, landfills, and waterways,” said Tillman, “Even small efforts can have big impact.”