SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Throughout April, South Lake Tahoe showed its support for the environment and the planet, with celebrations at the college and South Lake Brewing, plus a cleanup with the League to Save Lake Tahoe.

South Lake Brewing Company

Ten days before Earth Day, South Lake Brewing kicked off Earth Day celebrations with booths from the League to Save Lake Tahoe, South Tahoe Refuse (STR), South Tahoe Public Utility District (STPUD), the UC Master Gardener Program and more. The brewery hosted a few sustainability talks amid music from the Annie Davidson Band.

One notable booth was from Tahoe Composts—it was one of their first times with an official booth since they started out, and they now offer countertop bins and bear-safe curbside 5-gallon bins that they collect for a small subscription fee.

Lake Tahoe Community College

South Lake Tahoe Earth Day hosted their festival at the community college on April 19, planned by a committee including the city, Lake Tahoe Community College, STPUD, California Climate Action Corps, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, the Tahoe Institute for Natural Sciences, Heavenly Lake Tahoe, The Sugar Pine Foundation, and the Forest Service.

Prior to the event, a Day of Action at Lakeview Commons took place, and participants marched to the Earth Day Festival. The action was inspired by the nationwide “Hands Off” protests on April 5, and organizers stated, “We are united in our community to community, our planet, and all who inhabit it.” Continual protests and concerns have been raised regarding cuts to environmental programs and forestry services, especially for Lake Tahoe, which is primarily made up of public lands.

The community college hosted vendors and booths, including representatives from the Washoe Tribe, an Earth Day themed bingo, and performances from Cirque du South Lake and a drum circle. Several booths gave away wildflower seeds, encouraged people to protect pollinators in their gardens for spring, and invited other planet-protecting actions such as packing trash or choosing reusable and recyclable options.

Keep Tahoe Blue’s 10^th Annual Earth Day Cleanup

For a full decade, the League to Save Lake Tahoe has hosted an Earth Day community cleanup. The Marriott Grand Residence Club, Azul Latin Kitchen, Base Camp Pizza Co., and STR were all involved with the event.

Starting at 1001 Heavenly Village Way, volunteers donned their Keep Tahoe Blue shirts and vests to pick up trash at the tourist core. They picked up trash along the hotels and neighborhoods, the beach, and around the casinos, where much of the garbage amasses in storm drains and along the road, helping to reduce the amounts of plastics and debris that make their way into the lake. According to their website, over 111,000 pounds of litter have been removed through League events and programs.

Eli Ramos is a reporter for Tahoe Daily Tribune. They are part of the 2024–26 cohort of California Local News Fellows through UC Berkeley.