Recycling Guide

REcycling vs. Upcycling: Recycling, Down-cycling and Upcycling are three different things.

REcycling is complicated because there are so many types of plastics and materials to consider. Recycling is like making new aluminum or glass containers into new ones.
Down-cycling is making something of a lesser quality, like making plant containers out of use plastic. A plastic bottle can never be made into another plastic bottle. Read more about recycling plastics here.

Upcycling is making something better than it was. REmake damaged clothing into something new or REpurpose glass jars for storage, crafts or gifting. Find uses for Obtainium, used materials that can be obtained for REpurposing.

One-time-use Plastics:
In North Tahoe, we’re fortunate to have clean mountain air and pure drinking water. Worldwide, 3 out of 4 people live in water-insecure countries, according to the UNU Institute for Water, Environment and Health. A 2022 study published in Environment International, revealed that we have microplastics in our blood. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) from single-use water bottles, was found in about 50% of the study’s subjects. 

We simply need to do better; think globally and act locally. Reducing our trash production will help and keep trash out of our rivers and lakes. Tahoe local Colin West, started a 72-mile scuba clean-up project called CleanUpTheLake.org. In 2022, Volunteer divers removed 25,281 pounds of trash from Lake Tahoe, including PET plastic. Here in Tahoe, we can’t control the behavior of visitors, but we can be influencers. We like to offer reusable water bottles to our guests.

Recycling Plastics:
There are 7 types of plastic, but only plastic types #1 and #2 are accepted for recycling in our community.

The rest are all trash. Worse yet, only 5% of all plastics are actually made into something new, according to a report published by Beyond Plastics in 2022.