Photo: Patrick Nouhailler | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 2.0
They found no trace of a mythical sea monster, no mobsters in concrete shoes or long-lost treasure chests, but divers who spent a year cleaning up Lake Tahoe's 72-mile (115-kilometer) shoreline have come away with what they hope will prove much more valuable. As they removed 25,000 pounds (11,339 kilograms) of litter, divers and volunteers sorted and logged the types and GPS locations of the waste so scientists can learn more about the source and potential harm caused by plastics and other pollutants. It's shocking to see how much trash has accumulated under what appears to be such a pristine lake, said Matt Levitt, founder and CEO of Tahoe Blue Vodka, which is among the many hotels, casinos and ski resorts that depend on the 15 million-plus visitors. The non-profit Tahoe Fund is commissioning artists to create a sculpture made from the trash in hopes it "will remind those who love Lake Tahoe that it's up to all of us to take care of it, Tahoe Fund CEO Amy Berry said.
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