Lake Coeur d'Alene is no place for garbage

One might think people are well aware that Lake Coeur d'Alene is a priceless treasure that must be protected. You might even assume people no longer toss trash into this beautiful natural resource that is part of all our lives and one of the reasons so many call North Idaho home. We could assume people know better today.

But that would be wrong.

Tuesday's cleanup at Tubbs Hill and in Lake Coeur d'Alene sadly yielded a large amount of garbage. The usual bottles, cans and tires were removed from the waters, along with an appliance and what appeared to be a discarded toilet, which was left alone to avoid disturbing the sediment. And this waste in the water wasn't from decades ago. It was likely from last year or even months ago. 

Some simply don't care about litter fouling our waterways. They think it's fine and, in fact, contribute to it.

It brought to mind a 1970s commercial, "Keep America Beautiful." It showed a Native American paddling a canoe through waters near a city, amid floating trash, billowing smoke and a shoreline stained with paper and plastic. 

The voiceover says, "Some people have a deep abiding respect for the natural beauty that was once this country. And some people don't."

Then, as the man stands on the shoulder of a busy road, someone throws a trash-filled sack out the window, and it spills at his feet. A tear rolls down his face.

"People start pollution. People can stop it," the voice says.

More than a half-century later, we're still trying to stop it. 

Tuesday's cleanup was part of that effort. We thank Marine Rescue CDA, in partnership with Visit Idaho through its Travel With Care initiative and Hagadone Marine Group, with support from Diversified Dive Shop, for coming together to remove debris from both the shoreline and underwater areas. Professional dive teams assisted underwater, while volunteers focused on land cleanup.

And earlier this month, a similar cleanup of Lake Pend Oreille took place in Bayview. Bottles, tires, household products, cars, boats and drums of gasoline had made the bay's bottom hazardous for recreation and eliminated vital spawning locations for kokanee. The cleanup aimed to increase the number of spawning beds.

Crazy, right? Why would so much stuff be discarded into a lake, the very lake that is key to North Idaho's recreation and economy?

It's not just about aesthetics.

According to biologyinsights.com, "Trash in lakes presents a significant environmental challenge, impacting freshwater ecosystems important for nature and human communities. The issue affects water quality and threatens wildlife."

It goes on to state that "Beyond ecological harm, trash presents recreational hazards, such as cuts from broken glass or swimming in polluted waters. The problem also carries economic consequences, affecting tourism and recreational fishing industries that rely on clean lake environments. Cleanup efforts can also incur substantial costs for communities.

The good news is the vast majority of people have good intentions and care about the lakes, rivers and mountains that make up our natural resources. 

The bad news is there are still too many who don't care and, in fact, want to harm our waters and lands.

As the commercial of 50 years ago said, it's up to us to stop it.