The Tahoe Blue Beach Program aims to keep Tahoe's beaches clean and safe, and involves monthly and seasonal community clean-up days.
Rewards for volunteers include free parking passes, local discounts, and raffle prizes.
The BEBOT robot helps in this process.
"The BEBOT is an all-electric beach cleaning robot that is able to clean below the surface of the sand, so it differentiates itself from traditional cleanups by going below the surface, picking up what traditional volunteer cleanups can't see," said JB Harris, CEO and founder of Eco-Clean Solutions. "We found over the course of our cleanups, that for every one piece on the surface, that we're finding 10 below the surface."
The BEBOT collects small debris like cigarette butts, plastics, and wrappers.
Meanwhile, volunteers, local organizations, and businesses focus on other litter and garbage.
"It's so important because everything ends up in the lake, and if we don't do our part, this beach will be awful and dirty," said Valerie Radibal Baker, employee at NTCA. "I just like to participate in things like this, and make sure our town is clean."
Local Tahoe resident Nico Chaves adds, "I think I've been to every Kings Beach event this year, and a few other Keep Tahoe Blue events. You know, Labor Day, 5th of July, is generally the biggest event, post Memorial Day."
The initiative brings people together to preserve and protect Lake Tahoe, while encouraging others to do the same.
