More than 8,500 pounds of trash left at Lake Tahoe following 4th of July
TAHOE -- After celebrating the Fourth of July, thousands of pounds of trash were left behind and more than 400 volunteers cleaned up 8,559 pounds of litter in just over three hours.
According to "Keep Tahoe Blue", the trash removed this year was the most it's ever seen, making it an all-time high on the 10th anniversary of Tahoe's largest litter cleanup event.
Several areas were cleaned, including six popular beach sites, parking lots, and streets, and trash such as cigarette butts, plastic food wrappers, beach toys, and even barbecues were collected.
There were, however, some sites that did not have much litter, namely Commons Beach in Tahoe City and Kings Beach State Recreation Area.
Dr. Darcie Goodman Collins, CEO of the League to Save Lake Tahoe who organized the cleanup, said, "This morning, one of Tahoe's beaches looked like a landfill. Thanks to passionate volunteers and community partners, it started to look like Tahoe again after some hard work. To Keep Tahoe Blue, everyone who enjoys this place must act more like our volunteers and partners by doing their part. Unless each of us shares in the responsibility for protecting this place, it could be ruined."
The area that was impacted the most was Zephyr Shoals, a stretch of beach on Tahoe's east shore. 6,279 pounds of litter was collected from the strip of sand to the bushes and trees in the nearby forest.
Different tools were used to clean up each location. This included:
- the BEBOT, an electric beach-cleaning robot that sifts the sand to remove tiny plastic bits and other trash
- a mobile watercraft cleaning station
- divers who picked up trash from below the water
Residents also helped to clean up the mess.
John Ruiz, a South Lake Tahoe resident, said, "I've lived here for 36 years and volunteered with Keep Tahoe Blue every July 5th for the past seven years. I love it here and hate to see it get trashed, so I donate my time to keep it clean."