YOUR AD HERE »

Letter: Lake Tahoe’s lack of policy for single-use plastics is shocking (Opinion)

Dear editor:

This letter centers on my disappointment in the Tahoe Basin’s lack of policy concerning single use plastic bags and styrofoam containers.

For an area that is economically dependent on its pristine environment and natural beauty, it’s shocking that there isn’t more being done to keep it safe.



It’s not fair to the people who live here or the future generations to have to deal with plastic pollution of the 20 million visitors we get a year.

According to the center for biological diversity, the average plastic bag is only used for 12 minutes, takes 500 years or more to degrade and only about 1% gets recycled.



It’s flat out ridiculous that there isn’t more prevention happening in our area.

A recent study found micro plastic in our lake and it’s only going to get worse if we don’t implement and enforce strict regulations to ban single-use plastics in our basin communities.

Lake Tahoe is an environmental gem, and has numerous protected areas. Why not add this protection from plastic pollution to our area and become even stronger leaders in the sense of what a community should look like?

Travis Metcalfe,

South Lake Tahoe


Support Local Journalism

Support Local Journalism

Readers around the Lake Tahoe Basin and beyond make the Tahoe Tribune's work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.

Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.

Your donation will help us continue to cover COVID-19 and our other vital local news.