Energy and Environment

Sustainability starts in the community: A look at Reno-Tahoe efforts to reduce environmental impact

KUNR Public Radio | By Zoe Malen

Published May 19, 2023 at 10:37 AM PDT

A jet skier rides along in Lake Tahoe in the foreground. A shore is in the background, along with snow-capped mountains with greenery. — Clean Up The Lake’s director of operations, Brad Flora, jet skis through Lake Tahoe, Nev., during a clean-up day on April 28, 2023. A team is there to collect litter from under the water’s surface.

With Earth Day’s recent passing, communities came together to celebrate Earth’s beauty and focus on what they can do to help the planet. But several groups in the Reno-Tahoe area make it their year-round mission to reduce environmental impact. These are just a few of the dynamic ways different individuals and organizations around the Reno-Tahoe area are caring for the planet.

Clean Up The Lake

Three people are loading oxygen tanks for scuba diving onto a small boat parked on a shore.

1 of 6 — Clean Up The Lake Clean-up Day (042923), Boat at dock, Zoe Malen, KUNR

Clean Up The Lake’s equipment manager and operations assistant, Hayden Farris (left, on boat), loads a boat with oxygen tanks with the help of volunteers on April 28, 2023, at Ski Beach in Lake Tahoe, Nev.

Zoe Malen / KUNR Public Radio

A woman is standing on the shore and passing out a yellow, mesh-like bag to someone out of frame.

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Clean Up The Lake’s director of programs, Sadye Easler, hands off yellow trash bags that divers will use to collect found trash.

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A close-up of a person putting on scuba gear from the back.

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Clean Up The Lake’s equipment manager and operations assistant, Hayden Farris, prepares his scuba gear to jump in the water for round one of collecting trash.

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An underwater image of a scuba diver swimming.

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A Clean Up The Lake scuba diver swims beneath the clear Lake Tahoe waters, searching for trash that has made its way past the shore and into the deep end.

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Two scuba divers are swimming above water. Mountains can be seen in the background.

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Clean Up The Lake’s founder and executive director, Colin West (left), and a scuba diving volunteer arrive at the water surface after diving for trash in Lake Tahoe, reaching 80 feet below the surface.

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A boat is stationary on a lake. Several people are standing on the boat. There are two people sitting on a jet ski or kayak in the water.

6 of 6 — Clean Up The Lake Clean-up Day (042923), Boat on water, Zoe Malen, KUNR

The Clean Up The Lake team consists of kayakers, jet skiers, free divers, scuba divers and boat drivers to work together and get the trash out of the lake.

Zoe Malen / KUNR Public Radio

As the days become warmer, many people will make their way to Lake Tahoe to enjoy the waters, but trash can often be found left behind. Clean Up The Lake (CUTL) makes it their mission to keep trash out of the lake — both onshore and underwater as deep as 80 feet. The organization stresses to guests that the lake is not a trash can and should not be treated as such.

CUTL Founder and Executive Director Colin West scuba dives underwater to collect litter that has made its way to the lake bottom with the gracious help of various members and volunteers on his team. The trash found in the lake is placed into yellow bags, which are then carried up to the water surface where kayakers and jet skiers will bring it to a raft to be later weighed and collected for data.

An assortment of trash found on a beach or in the surrounding water is placed on a table.

1 of 4 — Clean Up The Lake Youth Program Craft Day (031723), Collected trash, Zoe Malen, KUNR

Collected trash from various Clean Up The Lake clean-up days and scuba dives is scattered on a table on March 17, 2023, at the Bijou Community School in South Lake Tahoe, Calif. This was the organization's first recycled art session.

Zoe Malen / KUNR Public Radio

Two art pieces made of found trash resemble people. They are placed on a table where students are sitting and crafting.

2 of 4 — Clean Up The Lake Youth Program Craft Day (031723), Completed crafts, Zoe Malen, KUNR

Two finished artworks created by Bijou Community School students sit on the table as the children start to wrap up their projects.

Zoe Malen / KUNR Public Radio

A student is holding an art piece made of found trash that resembles a person with glasses and a smiley face. Other students are in the background.

3 of 4 — Clean Up The Lake Youth Program Craft Day (031723), Student with completed craft, Zoe Malen, KUNR

A student shows off the artwork she made with a Gatorade bottle, sunglasses and other pieces of trash gathered from Lake Tahoe.

Zoe Malen / KUNR Public Radio

A close-up of artwork made of found trash with the Earth at the center.

4 of 4 — Clean Up The Lake Youth Program Craft Day (031723), Close-up of a craft, Zoe Malen, KUNR

Artwork made from litter collected in Lake Tahoe with “save our world” written in glue.

Zoe Malen / KUNR Public Radio

After this collaborative effort, the trash doesn’t get thrown away; it is organized and recycled for different purposes. One destination is in the hands of fifth-grade students who will turn it into art.

Cara Hollis, CUTL’s youth programs coordinator, ran the first recycled art session of the youth program at Bijou Community School on March 17, 2023. The CUTL team spoke to the fifth-grade class about the problem of trash entering the lake. They also brought litter collected from their various scuba dive trips and gave the kids the opportunity to make it into art.

The hope is that the kids, as the next generation, will be inspired to take action early on and redirect the issue toward a better path for their future.

Soulful Seeds

A close-up of a man’s legs as he walks through a dirt-like terrain with car tracks imprinted into the ground.

1 of 5 — Soulful Seeds, Earstin Whitten and tracks, Zoe Malen, KUNR

Soulful Seeds co-founder Earstin Whitten walks through the garden space on April 13, 2023, in Reno, Nev.

Zoe Malen / KUNR Public Radio

A man is standing in front of a compost pile as tall as he is.

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Soulful Seeds co-founder Earstin Whitten stands in front of his compost pile.

Zoe Malen / KUNR Public Radio

A man is preparing to insert a thermometer into a compost pile.

3 of 5 — Soulful Seeds, Earstin Whitten checking temperature, Zoe Malen, KUNR

Soulful Seeds co-founder Earstin Whitten uses a thermometer to check the temperature of his compost pile, showing how hot it gets.

Zoe Malen / KUNR Public Radio

A thermometer placed into a compost pile reads 130 degrees Fahrenheit.

4 of 5 — Soulful Seeds, temperature gauge, Zoe Malen, KUNR

The thermometer sits in the compost pile, reaching a temperature over 130 degrees Fahrenheit.

Zoe Malen / KUNR Public Radio

A close-up of new blossoms on a fruit tree.

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Soulful Seeds planted new fruit trees last year that are starting to blossom in Spring 2023.

Zoe Malen / KUNR Public Radio

Earstin Whitten has been a gardener for over 60 years, starting back in Arkansas. He and his wife and co-founder Dee Schafer-Whitten created Soulful Seeds as a chance to give back to the community and supply food to those who may need it. With the help of over 250 volunteers, Soulful Seeds strives to reduce food insecurity in the Reno-Sparks area and offer fresh and healthy food to food pantries.

Not only does Soulful Seeds give back to the community, but it also contributes to reducing the community’s waste. The organization partners with the kitchen at Saint Mary’s and the Grand Sierra Resort to collect their food waste and turn it into compost. Because of its work, Soulful Seeds recently won a Golden Pinecone award from greenUP! for its sustainability efforts as a non-profit organization.

Urban Roots

A row of people seated and facing forward. There is a table with a sign toward the front that reads, “What is... food waste?”

1 of 5 — Urban Roots Composting Workshop (041623), Signage, Zoe Malen, KUNR

As part of Urban Roots’ composting workshop on April 16, 2023, in Reno, Nev., participants gather for a food waste presentation by Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful.

Zoe Malen / KUNR Public Radio

A close-up of a woman holding a chihuahua. The dog is wearing a harness and sweater while closing its eyes.

2 of 5 — Urban Roots Composting Workshop (041623), Chihuahua Close-up, Zoe Malen, KUNR

Oz from Down to Earth Composting discusses how to compost while holding her dog who came along for the workshop.

Zoe Malen / KUNR Public Radio

A close-up of a pile of compost with a person standing next to it.

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Tanner Petrilla from Down to Earth Composting demonstrates how to turn a compost pile as the steam from the heat rises from the soil.

Zoe Malen / KUNR Public Radio

4 of 5 — Urban Roots Composting Workshop (041623), Tanner Petrilla, Zoe Malen, KUNR

Tanner Petrilla from Down to Earth Composting checks the temperature of a compost pile.

Zoe Malen / KUNR Public Radio

A sign that says, “Welcome to the Urban Roots teaching farm!” A list of events, programs and volunteer opportunities are included.

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An Urban Roots sign with upcoming events and programs outside of the site’s entrance.

Zoe Malen / KUNR Public Radio

Urban Roots, a non-profit organization in Reno, has a mission to change the way communities eat and become educated through garden-based learning. They provide various programs and workshops throughout the year for anyone who has an interest in garden education.

The composting workshop on April 16 was an opportunity for participants to learn how to start a personal compost and work through finding solutions for differing lifestyles. The workshop was led by Urban Roots Farm Manager Deborah Hug and local environmental organizations Down to Earth Composting and Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful. They discussed several issues, including the problems of food waste, the patience and science involved in composting, and how environmental movements affect the Reno community.

Great Full Gardens

A close-up of a kitchen prep table with a person cutting a sandwich in half.

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An employee cuts a sandwich for a customer at Great Full Gardens on April 25, 2023, in Midtown Reno, Nev.

Zoe Malen / KUNR Public Radio

One person is holding a cardboard box with food in it while another is loading food into a parked car.

2 of 5 — Great Full Gardens, Food Drop-off, Zoe Malen, KUNR

Wilson Wood (right), marketing manager, picks up lasagna and salad on April 26, 2023, from Great Full Gardens’ kitchen in Reno, Nev., to transport to the Eddy House.

Zoe Malen / KUNR Public Radio

A stack of to-go containers on a table. A person is standing behind it while putting on an apron.

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A Great Full Gardens employee ties their apron as they pack to-go meals for a customer using compostable containers and utensils on April 25, 2023, in Midtown Reno, Nev.

Zoe Malen / KUNR Public Radio

An illustration on a paper napkin is taped to a wall with a wolf seated and holding a beverage while saying, “Thank you for the meal!”

4 of 5 — Great Full Gardens, Indoor Signage, Zoe Malen, KUNR

A customer-drawn thank you note on a napkin hangs on April 25, 2023, inside Great Full Gardens’ Midtown Reno, Nev., location.

Zoe Malen / KUNR Public Radio

A woman is standing in a commercial kitchen while looking toward the camera and smiling. She is holding an award that says “2023 Golden Pinecone Sustainability Award. Green Dining Establishment. Great Full Gardens Café and Eatery.”

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Cyndi Wallis, co-owner and vice president of marketing, holds up Great Full Gardens’ 2023 Golden Pinecone Sustainability Award from greenUP! for its Green Dining establishment on April 25, 2023, in Midtown Reno, Nev.

Zoe Malen / KUNR Public Radio

Local restaurant Great Full Gardens provides sustainable and organic options from local vendors, farmers and gardens. But they also provide cooked meals to The Third Meal and Eddy House. In addition to helping feed the community, Great Full Gardens partners with RootEd to donate greenhouses to local schools. Their work to help the community both socially and environmentally resulted in greenUP! and the Reno + Sparks Chamber of Commerce designating them as a Green Dining establishment in 2022.

Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful

A woman is looking for a box of tea while standing in a grocery store aisle with a shopping cart.

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Kimberly Rios walks down a grocery aisle on April 15, 2023, in Reno, Nev., looking for her favorite tea, Harney & Sons, which includes a 1% for the Planet membership label.

Zoe Malen / KUNR Public Radio

A person is holding three tomatoes in one hand while picking up a reusable produce bag with the other.

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Gotzon Mujika Zumeta uses a reusable produce bag rather than the plastic bags provided to put their vegetables in.

Zoe Malen / KUNR Public Radio

3 of 5 — KTMB Kim Rios Grocery Trip (041523), Soap with Safer Choice label, Zoe Malen, KUNR

Kimberly Rios points to a Safer Choice label, an identifier that the product uses safer chemicals for customers and the environment.

Zoe Malen / KUNR Public Radio

A woman is holding up a credit card with a design featuring the Earth surrounded by a recycling symbol.

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Kimberly Rios proudly shows her credit card with the Earth inside a recycling symbol.

Zoe Malen / KUNR Public Radio

A woman and a man are standing together and smiling in front of a grocery store. They both have their hands rested on a shopping cart in front of them.

5 of 5 — KTMB Kim Rios, Grocery Trip (041523), Portrait with Gotzon Mujika Zumeta, Zoe Malen, KUNR

Kimberly Rios (right) and Gotzon Mujika Zumeta stand together after a successful grocery trip where they were able to minimize their waste to the environment.

Zoe Malen / KUNR Public Radio

Kimberly Rios, sustainability education manager and green business advisor at Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful, and her husband, Gotzon Mujika Zumeta, reduce as much waste as possible when grocery shopping. They use reusable bags, purchase plastic-free products, and share tips on things they look for when choosing products.

They both make an effort to understand what the labels on their products mean and how they affect the environment. Recommended labels Rios mentioned were “Safer Choice” labels, recycling limit information, and the “1% for the planet” label, which is a larger organization that partners with products and companies to create positive change for the planet.

KUNR’s Zoe Malen is a student at the Reynolds School of Journalism.

Corrected: May 19, 2023 at 4:22 PM PDT

Editor’s note: Soulful Seeds partners with the kitchen at Saint Mary’s and the Grand Sierra Resort. An earlier version of this story included an incorrect partner.