The League to Save Lake Tahoe has been leading litter clean-up efforts for the area's beaches and water for years. Volunteers can easily pick up large pieces of trash, but smaller pieces of plastic can eventually still find their way into the water after sinking into the sand. That's a problem the league is looking to solve with help from a new robot.It's called "BEBOT."It's fully electric, solar-powered and remote-controlled by someone walking behind it. BEBOT's job? Comb through the top few inches of sand to sift out otherwise unseen litter.“This robot is really getting the plastics and the litter just out of our view that could end up in our lake and really cause some damage," said Jesse Patterson, Chief Strategy Officer for the League, which operates under the slogan "Keep Tahoe Blue."Patterson said the robot has been compared to a giant Roomba or a Zamboni. But the rover-like machine is far smaller than that."It's very compact, no emissions, very light pressure on the ground so it's not going to disturb things like our native Tahoe Yellow Cress," Patterson said. A company called Eco Clean Solutions, which is based in France, built BEBOT along with several other robots like it. BEBOT made its U.S. debut in Florida. This week's test event at Lake Tahoe was the first run for the robot on the West Coast. In ideal conditions, the robot can crawl along at 3,000 meters (just under 2 miles) per hour. As it moves along, it sweeps and sifts the top 1 to 4 inches of sand, removing pieces of trash. "We really see the robot as the last line of defense for the lake for keeping small pollution and litter, plastics in particular from getting in the water in the first place," Patterson said.After that, volunteers sort the trash and log what they've found. BEBOT is in a pilot phase this year while the League determines the most effective way to utilize it. Patterson said that Keep Tahoe Blue will still organize regular clean-up events. He also urges all visitors to prioritize being responsible stewards of the environment."Leave it better than you found it," Patterson said. "Come enjoy this place, but pack it in, pack it out. It sounds silly and simple but it really matters here in Tahoe."
The League to Save Lake Tahoe has been leading litter clean-up efforts for the area's beaches and water for years.
Volunteers can easily pick up large pieces of trash, but smaller pieces of plastic can eventually still find their way into the water after sinking into the sand.
That's a problem the league is looking to solve with help from a new robot.
It's called "BEBOT."
It's fully electric, solar-powered and remote-controlled by someone walking behind it.
BEBOT's job? Comb through the top few inches of sand to sift out otherwise unseen litter.
“This robot is really getting the plastics and the litter just out of our view that could end up in our lake and really cause some damage," said Jesse Patterson, Chief Strategy Officer for the League, which operates under the slogan "Keep Tahoe Blue."
Patterson said the robot has been compared to a giant Roomba or a Zamboni. But the rover-like machine is far smaller than that.
"It's very compact, no emissions, very light pressure on the ground so it's not going to disturb things like our native Tahoe Yellow Cress," Patterson said.
A company called Eco Clean Solutions, which is based in France, built BEBOT along with several other robots like it.
BEBOT made its U.S. debut in Florida. This week's test event at Lake Tahoe was the first run for the robot on the West Coast.
In ideal conditions, the robot can crawl along at 3,000 meters (just under 2 miles) per hour. As it moves along, it sweeps and sifts the top 1 to 4 inches of sand, removing pieces of trash.
"We really see the robot as the last line of defense for the lake for keeping small pollution and litter, plastics in particular from getting in the water in the first place," Patterson said.
After that, volunteers sort the trash and log what they've found.
BEBOT is in a pilot phase this year while the League determines the most effective way to utilize it.
Patterson said that Keep Tahoe Blue will still organize regular clean-up events. He also urges all visitors to prioritize being responsible stewards of the environment.
"Leave it better than you found it," Patterson said. "Come enjoy this place, but pack it in, pack it out. It sounds silly and simple but it really matters here in Tahoe."
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