In this episode of “Do Beautiful Things,” host Jenny Lawson, President and CEO of Keep America Beautiful, shines a spotlight on the extraordinary impact of local action and environmental stewardship along Florida’s vibrant reef-lined coast.

Joining Jenny is Anna Bennett, founder of Reel it in for the Reefs, an annual underwater cleanup initiative inspired by her compassion for sea turtles like Bella, a hawksbill rescued from a life-threatening fishing line entanglement. Anna shares how a single act of care ignited South Florida’s largest reef cleanup in history, rallying divers, charter boats, and volunteers to remove hundreds of pounds of fishing line, plastic, and marine debris from vital habitats.

Together, Jenny and Anna discuss the preventable dangers marine life face, the power of community-driven change, and how every individual—whether a fisher, diver, or coastal resident—can make a meaningful difference for our oceans and wildlife. As part of the Greatest American Cleanup, Reel it in for the Reefs exemplifies what can happen when people come together to protect the places and creatures they love.

Tune in to this inspiring episode to hear Anna’s journey from local diver to community leader, discover tips for responsible fishing and underwater stewardship, and find out how you can support reef cleanups in your area.

Episode Links:

• Keep America Beautiful: https://kab.org/
• Greatest American Cleanup: https://kab.org/greatest-american-cleanup/
• Reel it in for the Reefs: https://reelitinforthereefs.org/
• National Save the Sea Turtle Foundation: https://savetheseaturtle.org/

Show Notes:

• 00:00 Reel it in for Reefs
• 04:24 Turtles Endangered by Fishing Line
• 07:46 Underwater Reef Cleanup Initiative
• 12:57 Protecting Reefs and Sea Turtles
• 14:00 Responsible Fishing: Reel in Your Line
• 17:14 "Americans Unite for a Greener Future"

In this episode of Do Beautiful Things, Jenny Lawson talks with Missy Marshall, the Executive Director of Keep Tennessee Beautiful, a Keep America Beautiful state affiliate, to explore the impactful efforts happening across Tennessee in the fight against litter. They discuss the Greatest American Cleanup™️ campaign, innovative programs like Trashercize, and the power of education and community engagement in fostering a cleaner, more sustainable future. Tune in to hear how Tennesseans are uniting to make a real difference, one small action at a time.

Show Links

Greatest American Cleanup: https://kab.org/greatest-american-cleanup/

Keep America Beautiful: https://kab.org/

Keep Tennessee Beautiful: https://www.keeptnbeautiful.org/

Trashercise: https://www.keeptnbeautiful.org/trashercise

Show Notes:

00:00 Unifying Tennessee Through Environmental Stewardship

04:33 Tennessee River Flood Debris Impact

07:29 History of Keep Tennessee Beautiful

11:43 Inspiring Future Leaders Through Education

14:50 Youth Innovation in Environmental Action

18:10 "Keep Tennessee Beautiful Campaign Launch"

22:24 "Leadership Through Active Participation"

25:07 Celebrating to Change Behavior

28:33 "Do Beautiful Things: Inspired Action"

In this thrilling episode of "Do Beautiful Things," hosts Jenny Lawson and Jennifer Edmunson take listeners on a journey beyond our planet, exploring the innovative LunaRecycle Challenge spearheaded by NASA. This groundbreaking competition is set to revolutionize recycling by challenging inventors to design systems that maximize resource utilization during space missions—transforming waste into valuable assets for future exploration.

Jenny Lawson, the President and CEO of Keep America Beautiful, sits down with Jennifer Edmunson, Acting Program Manager for NASA Centennial Challenges, who brings her expertise in Earth and Planetary Sciences to the table. Together, they delve into the intricacies of sustaining human life on the lunar surface through recycling innovations, tackling unique challenges such as extreme vacuums and thermal swings on the Moon.

From the digital designs to hardware prototypes, discover how these lunar projects could inspire and enhance our recycling efforts here on Earth. Could the solutions forged in the vacuum of space lead to more sustainable communities and potentially revolutionize waste management on our own planet? Listen to this podcast episode to find out!

Stay tuned for insights into the future of recycling, both in space and in our backyards. To dive even deeper into how innovation is shaping a more sustainable future, visit lunarecyclechallenge.ua.edu. Join us on our mission to keep our planet and beyond, clean and vibrant.

Show Notes:

00:00 "Lunar Recycling Challenge"

04:44 Lunar Recycling Challenge

07:08 Innovative Food Packaging Recycling Solutions

10:36 "Break the Ice Lunar Challenge"

15:21 Sustainable Off-Planet Living Costs

19:18 NASA's Moon to Mars Strategy

21:24 "Inspiring Space and Earth Cleanup"