PRESS RELEASE

August 2024

Sierra Nevada Alliance, Keep Tahoe Blue, UC Davis Environmental Research Center, Tahoe Rim Trail Association, Tahoe Water Suppliers Association, Crystal Bay Casino

From July 26-28 the Crystal Bay Club (CBC) in Crystal Bay, NV hosted the second annual Gambler’s Run music festival. The venue is pleased to announce that during the festival, it also rolled out a new plastic free initiative supported by six area nonprofit organizations: Sierra Nevada Alliance, The Tahoe Rim Trail Association, Tahoe Water Suppliers Association, League to Save Lake Tahoe, UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center, and Take Care Tahoe. 

Over the past several months the CBC purchased and implemented items to eliminate single-use plastics at the venue, with guidance from the nonprofits. These include new two-stream waste bins, single use aluminum recyclable cups, and commemorative aluminum reusable cups. The organizations were on hand during the event running interactive sustainability exhibits to teach the public about microplastics, trash, the plant species of Tahoe, and more. 

During the festival the CBC estimates that nearly 4,500 plastic cups were saved from the landfill. 4 refillable water stations were placed on site to encourage the use of refillable bottles. Bands at the event joined the sustainability movement by strictly using canned water, displacing 288 plastic water bottles. To date, in lieu of plastic water bottles the CBC has served 1,272 aluminum cans of water. 

Moving forward the CBC has permanently implemented the use of single-use aluminum cups and sale of commemorative aluminum cups. With an average 65 shows per year at the popular North Lake Tahoe music venue, 97,000 plastic cups will be prevented from entering landfills.