Beach-cleaning robots will join an army of volunteers in picking up trash along Lake Tahoe's shoreline following Fourth of July celebrations this year.
The robots used during Wednesday's 10th annual post-July Fourth cleanup organized by the League to Save Lake Tahoe will sift through the sand in search of cigarette butts, pieces of plastic and other litter.
"It is a tracked vehicle that tows behind a trailer that has, effectively, a giant sifter," League to Save Lake Tahoe Communications Director Chris Joseph said. "It will sift the sand down to four inches and it will move that material into a hopper. There's little grates where the sand grains fall through. Whatever's left over, be it organic material or little pieces of plastics, cigarettes butts, all kinds of gross stuff, food wrappers, gets left behind, and then it can get thrown away."
Last year, the group collected 3,450 pounds of litter during the July 5 cleanup.
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"That's why we have organized a July 5 cleanup for the last 10 years – to try to prevent that kind of impact and from seeing that scene at the lake," Joseph said. "That's not why people come to Lake Tahoe. Nobody wants to see that. It's terrible for the environment and it's terrible for the beauty that we all enjoy up here."
Even with the high-tech help, the group is still asking the public to do its part.
"A lot of people who come up here, they assume that there's someone to clean up after them like national park staff, but Lake Tahoe's not a national park and there are not those resources and that kind of staffing to help keep the beaches clean, help keep the trails clean," Joseph said. "It really is up to individuals to do their best. Nobody really wants to harm Lake Tahoe or leave their trash on the beach – most people. It's just kind of unintentional...We want people to be very, very intentional about packing out everything they packed in to the beach. That means leaving it in a sealed trash can or dumpster. If those are full, bringing it back in your car and throwing it away at home just to make sure that it doesn't end up in the lake. Inevitably, if it's on the sand, over time it will end up in the water where it's almost impossible to get rid of."
Those wishing to learn more about and participate in the Keep Tahoe Red, White and Blue Beach Cleanup are encouraged to visit the Keep Tahoe Blue website.
