Volunteers are set to scour Truckee and North Tahoe this weekend in an effort to remove several tons of cigarette butts, plastic bits, bottle caps, foil, and other trash.

Saturday’s two cleanup events — the 18th annual Truckee Day and North Lake Tahoe’s 26th annual Spring Clean Up Day — are expected to bring in roughly 1,000 volunteers to help pick up refuse across the region.

“We’re full steam ahead,” said Truckee Day Coordinator Erica Mertens.

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A record turnout of more than 1,000 volunteers participated in last year’s cleanup, which resulted in 3.72 tons of litter being removed. The amount collected was a 17% decrease compared to 2019.

“That could be indicative that we’ve done a better job of picking up trash throughout the year,” Mertens said.

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The Truckee Litter Corp volunteer program collects litter the first Saturday of each month.

Mertens attributed a “lighter winter” as a possible factor on the amount of trash found last year, and added that messaging on recreating responsibility may have also had an impact on the amount of litter in Truckee. Overall, the amount of litter being found at the event has been on the decline. The average amount of trash collected at a Truckee Day event is 7.2 tons, which is nearly twice the amount that was collected last year.

As of Wednesday, around 650 volunteers have signed up to participate in Truckee Day, according to Mertens, who added that another 100 people will likely sign up before the event.

On Wednesday, dozens of members of town of Truckee staff, Truckee Tahoe Airport District staff, and Truckee Sanitary District staff participated in their own cleanup.

“It’s a tradition that we get together and pick up the area around Town Hall, the airport, and the surrounding area,” said Mertens.

STARTS AT 8 A.M.

Truckee Day will take place from 8 to 10 a.m. Saturday. Volunteers will meet at neighborhood check-in stations to receive supplies and directions. Organizers are asking volunteers to wear face coverings when around each other. Volunteers are also encouraged to bring their own gloves.

For more information or to register, visit http://www.keeptruckeegreen.org/volunteer/truckee-day-volunteer.

Aside from cleanups and the Truckee Litter Corp, Keep Truckee Green has partnered with several business to offer pick-up supplies to residents and visitors. Participating businesses will have bags available, and upon being filled with litter a discount or prize will be awarded.

“It’s another way to instill in our culture of taking care of the environment,” said Mertens. “It’s something we all take pride in here.”

For more information and a list of participating businesses, visit http://www.keeptruckeegreen.org/volunteer/volunteer-opportunities/#grababag.

TAHOE

For more than two dozen years, visitors and locals have gathered along Tahoe’s shorelines on the first Saturday of June for a cleanup. This year, more than 1,000 volunteers are expected to collect litter from Kings Beach, Tahoe Vista, Carnelian Bay, and Crystal Bay.

Last year, volunteers collected more than 2,500 pounds of trash. Registration for the cleanup will take place from 9 to 11 a.m. at Sierra Community House, 265 Bear St., Kings Beach. Participants will be given bags and gloves. The cleanup ends at 1 p.m.

For more information or to find online liability waivers, visit http://www.northtahoebusiness.org/clean-up-days.

Justin Scacco is a reporter for the Sierra Sun. Contact him at jscacco@sierrasun.com or 530-550-2643