People, technology, and good management are key ingredients to beach protection
LAKE TAHOE, Nev./Calif., August 7, 2024 – Celebrating the Fourth of July on Tahoe’s beaches is an annual event for tens of thousands. The day after the holiday has become a tradition too. Every July 5th since 2014, hundreds of volunteers from inside and outside the Tahoe Basin take part in the League to Save Lake Tahoe’s annual “Keep Tahoe Red, White & Blue” Beach Cleanup.
Families, coworkers, and friends meet up at half a dozen sites around the Lake to refresh, revitalize, and beautify the shoreline and surrounding areas. On July 5, 2024, nearly 800 people took part – a participation record. As volunteers remove food wrappers, beach toys, and other assorted items, they also record data on what they find and how much. Those statistics and stories are now available in a new interactive StoryMap at keeptahoeblue.org.
“July 5 is a date we look forward to every year,” said Marilee Movius, senior community engagement manager for the League to Save Lake Tahoe (League). “The vibes are always positive and the stoke is high because people feel the effect of giving back to the Lake. The new StoryMap illustrates the truly amazing impact they’ve made to keep Tahoe beautiful and blue.”
The data collected over 11 years has revealed trends, including that 60% of the trash items found are plastic. The data also points the League to litter solutions, such as beach-cleaning robots, local bans on frequently littered plastic products, and new this summer, a fresh approach to beach management that was piloted first at Zephyr Cove and Shoals. This approach, the Tahoe Blue Beaches program, was developed in coordination with the USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (Forest Service) and made a positive impact in its debut.
Management actions at Zephyr Cove and Shoals—including more trash receptacles and bathrooms, managed parking, extra staff and educational signage, and a prohibition on outside alcohol—resulted in a 97% decrease in litter collected by weight on July 5, 2024 compared to 2023. Aramark Corporation, the Forest Service’s concessionaire at Zephyr, was an invaluable partner in implementing the Tahoe Blue Beaches model to great effect.
The added trash facilities wouldn’t have made a difference if people didn’t use them. Yet, they did, after hearing weeks of encouraging messages on social media, TV, and newspapers from the League, partners from the Lake Tahoe Destination Stewardship Council, and many others. The message was simple: leave the beach better than you found it. That widespread spirit of community, combined with elevated beach management, showed it can work to preserve Tahoe.
While the Fourth of July may be Tahoe’s biggest beach day of the summer, it’s not the only time the shoreline gets crowded, and Zephyr Cove and Shoals is not the only busy beach. To Keep Tahoe Blue all summer-long, the Tahoe Blue Beaches program—and good stewardship from beachgoers—needs to be in action on every stretch of Tahoe’s shore. In addition to Zephyr, the League is piloting Tahoe Blue Beaches at several other locations this year with even more in the works for 2025.
“The Tahoe Blue Beaches model has shown it works,” said Laura Patten, the League’s natural resource director. “The League and Forest Service are growing the program and transforming more beaches into Tahoe Blue Beaches.”
Explore the outcome from the most recent July 5th cleanup and the ten prior years in the new StoryMap at keeptahoeblue.org. More insights, stories, and analyses are still to come.
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Media Resources: keeptahoeblue.org/july5storymap
Media Contacts:
Chris Joseph, Communications Director, League to Save Lake Tahoe
cjoseph@keeptahoeblue.org, 530.541.5388 ext.206
The League to Save Lake Tahoe is the donor-funded, science-based organization of environmental experts and Tahoe-lovers behind Keep Tahoe Blue. The League has led the protection and regeneration of the Lake since 1957 and remain the central environmental body in the Basin. The Tahoe Basin sits at the nexus of two states, five counties, and dozens of agencies and nonprofits. We are the one organization making sure everyone works together towards the same goal – to Keep Tahoe Blue. Our work is made possible through the generosity of our donors and volunteers. Learn more at keeptahoeblue.org.
The League to Save Lake Tahoe is aligned with and taking action to implement the Lake Tahoe Destination Stewardship Plan in collaboration with over 20 regional organizations. The award-winning plan, developed with the participation of over 3,000 residents, visitors, and businesses, establishes a shared vision for the region’s outdoor recreation and tourism and encourages everyone to help take care of Tahoe’s cherished communities and environment. Visit www.stewardshiptahoe.org to learn more and read the plan.