This summer, 653 volunteers removed 1,375 pounds of trash from Lake Tahoe’s beaches — and that’s something to celebrate. But should it be?
In this episode of Sierra Rec Now, host Charlie Pankey sits down with Marilee Movius, longtime stewardship leader at Keep Tahoe Blue, to explore what’s really happening behind the scenes of Tahoe’s largest cleanup event — and why a 27% drop in post-Fourth of July litter is more than just a statistic.
We talk about:
How families and visitors are turning beach cleanup into a Tahoe tradition
The rise of the Tahoe Blue Crew — and how you can adopt your favorite beach or trail
New tools like beach-cleaning robots and smart signage that are reshaping visitor behavior
What the Tahoe Blue Beach Program is doing to make "the right choice the easy choice"
And how a simple water bottle ban in South Lake Tahoe sparked a nationwide conversation
Whether you're a local, a weekend paddler, or a summer visitor, this conversation will open your eyes to the grassroots magic keeping Lake Tahoe clean, blue, and beloved.
Learn more or get involved: https://www.keeptahoeblue.org
Brought to you by Sierra Rec Magazine | https://sierrarecmagazine.com
00:00 – Intro: Can 1,300 pounds of trash be good news?
01:15 – A 12-Year Cleanup Legacy: Celebrating 27% less litter
02:50 – 665 Volunteers and Growing: Tahoe shows up
04:20 – Strange finds and single-use plastics: What we’re still picking up
06:00 – Families making cleanup part of their Tahoe tradition
07:30 – The art of messaging: Behavioral signage and testing awareness
09:30 – Introducing the Tahoe Blue Crew: Adopt your beach or trail
11:45 – The power of data: How litter leads to policy change
13:00 – Zephyr Shoals transformation: TRPA's Blue Crew impact
15:30 – The Tahoe Blue Beach Program: Engineering clean habits
18:15 – Education, infrastructure, and enforcement: The 3 E’s of Blue Beaches
20:00 – Responding to extreme weather and environmental events
22:00 – Invasive species: Keeping Tahoe waters safe and clean
24:00 – Stewardship for paddlers, hikers, and backcountry explorers
26:30 – Marilee’s favorite place in the Sierra: Desolation Wilderness
27:30 – Post-hike hunger: Burritos over burgers?
28:15 – Must-have gear: Why she never hikes without a solar light
29:00 – Final thoughts: Protect where you play