TRUCKEE, Calif. – The Shane McConkey Foundation’s latest collection and sorting of plastic bottle caps and lids is keeping another 2,000-plus pounds of plastic out of landfills. The foundation gathered with 120 volunteers at Truckee Elementary earlier this month to sort the 1,945 pounds of tops that had been dropped in collection bins throughout the region.

“Ashley and I want to give a huge thanks to our community, which dropped off their lids and showed up for our Don’t Drop the Top sort,” said McConkey Foundation founder Sherry McConkey, who spent an evening sorting some late arriving tops that pushed the total over 2,000 pounds. “We can only do this with them.”

The Ashley to whom McConkey refers is Ashley Perkins, whose Tahoe Truckee Unified School District fifth-grade class won the inaugural Shane McConkey EcoChallenge with its entry of the Don’t Drop the Top program. While the type of plastic that most bottle caps are made of is indeed recyclable, copious amounts of caps typically find their way into landfills, as most municipal programs do not recycle those classifications.

“Ashley is a TTUSD teacher and a super mama of twins, and she always enters the Shane McConkey EcoChallenge with the most creative projects every year,” McConkey said. “She won our EcoChallenge in 2020 with the Don’t Drop the Top program, and we partnered with her to grow this project.”

So what happens to all of those plastic caps once they’re sorted? Well, those that are dirty or are not recyclable — of which there were 400 pounds separated from the bunch this year alone — regrettably end up at the landfill. The bulk of the caps, however, have been upcycled into benches.

“To date, we have saved over 5,445 pounds of lids from our landfill — a small mountain,” McConkey said, adding that, new this year, those who wish to support the program can also purchase raised garden beds made from the lids.

Don’t Drop the Top is funded by the North Tahoe Community Alliance’s TOT-TBID Dollars at Work program, which aims to enhance community vitality and environmental stewardship and promote economic health in the stunning North Lake Tahoe region.

“The program educates our local community and tourists on the simplicity of adopting conscious practices and the region’s commitment to creative solutions. With collective effort from our community, we can prevent thousands of pounds of plastic from accumulating in our landfills,” McConkey said. “Our program aims to prompt individuals to reflect on their plastic consumption and make conscious choices about how to recycle the plastics they use. The sorting process consistently reveals the substantial impact a small group of conscientious individuals can have.”

To date, 35 benches have been sold and donated by the Shane McConkey Foundation since the start of Don’t Drop the Top, and each year the volume of caps collected continues to grow. This time around, enough caps were upcycled to create a total of approximately 20 benches and garden boxes. Upcycled benches or raised garden beds are available in a variety of colors and can be preordered online at shanemcconkey.org.

Locations that host a drop box for tops include Truckee Town Hall, New Moon Natural Foods in Tahoe City and Truckee, and the Truckee-Donner Community Swimming Pool. Don’t Drop the Top will also be adding new locations for collection bins in the coming weeks at Truckee Elementary School, Tahoe Lake Elementary, Sugar Pine Cakery and Cafe, the Tahoe City Visitor Center, and the Kings Beach Visitors Center.

While folks can be well-intentioned when they drop certain items in the collection bins, please note that only certain types of caps can be upcycled.

Caps and lids that CANNOT be accepted: metal, cardboard, drink bottles (the bottles themselves), cardboard liners, plastic Ziplock-type bags, grocery bags, soap pumps, lotion pumps, trigger sprayers, containers of any kind, plastic that is not a cap or lid such as pull tabs or bread ties, human or animal medical supplies, needle or syringe caps. Caps or lids marked as recyclable numbers 1, 3, 6, or 7, as well as K-Cups, straws, or plastic toys also cannot be accepted.

Caps and lids from the following items CAN be accepted: medicine pill bottle, drink bottle caps (soda, water, juice, sports drinks), milk jugs, creamer, flip-top caps (condiments), detergent caps, spout caps (hair spray, spray paint), squeeze tubes (toothpaste, ointment), deodorant, baby food, apple sauce pouches, shampoo and conditioner, cottage cheese, whipped cream, Pringles can, mayonnaise jar, yogurt, cream cheese, spice bottles, coffee can, butter lids, peanut butter, ice cream lids under 8 inches in diameter. Clear fast-food lids must have recycle numbers 2, 4, or 5 on them.

The Shane McConkey Foundation was founded to recognize the worldwide community of skiers, adventurers, and everyday people who share a passion for life. In Shane’s honor, the foundation supports epic causes that protect kids, wildlife, and our planet, and proudly sustains two ongoing programs, the EcoChallenge and Don’t Drop the Top. The annual EcoChallenge was launched nine years ago to empower young individuals to address environmental issues through critical thinking and carrying out environmentally focused initiatives. Learn more at shanemcconkey.org.

The North Tahoe Community Alliance collaborates with regional stakeholders to make the TOT-TBID Dollars At Work program support a vibrant, year-round economy that benefits residents, businesses, and visitors of North Lake Tahoe. The organization also advocates for and funds local transportation and workforce housing solutions visitor services and promotes responsible and off-peak season travel with a focus on stewardship education. Governed by a volunteer Board of Directors and committees comprised of local business owners and their representatives, the NTCA is funded by a Tourism Business Improvement District (TBID) in contract with Placer County. Formerly known as the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association, the organization was renamed the NTCA in 2023 to align with its new mission. Learn more at http://www.northtahoecommunityalliance.com.