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