Corner to corner within a week on Highway 2. I had occasion to visit Crawford and Toadstool Park, within miles of South Dakota, on a Saturday, then head out early that Thursday for an overnight trip to Nebraska City, near Iowa, for the Keep Nebraska Beautiful (KNB) Conference. That much windshield time was fitting as I thought about the communities on the route and people I would join from throughout the state for two days at the Lied Lodge.
Considering what we do at Keep Alliance Beautiful,and the success stories shared by other Keep America Beautiful affiliates in Nebraska, I thought the conference theme was apt: Small Steps Lead To Big Changes. The opportunity to meet in person did provide “passionate community leaders with a chance to learn about the latest developments in waste reduction, recycling, beautification, and litter reduction” as promised in the conference program. Organizers also asked, “We all work hard each day to meet our community’s needs and sustain our programs, but what will Nebraska look like one year from now, or 10 years from now? How can our programs meet the needs of our changing communities and environment?”
I was not thinking a year or a decade ahead as I pulled into the parking lot Sept. 29 – just a few minutes into the future. My intent is always to be early though in this case I slipped into the room as the opening speaker, Keep America Beautiful President and CEO Jennifer Lawson, began her presentation.
After hearing the former president’s farewell remarks when I attended the national convention in Washington, D.C. this past November, it was impressive to meet the organization’s new leader. Lawson, who started on May 16, addressed the top issues currently facing Keep America Beautiful. “(I am) optimistic we can work through these challenges and get this organization back on track,” she said. A slide titled “a strong and vibrant network,” reinforced that sentiment with the top bullet point: Building a deeper and stronger connection to everyone in the network by learning from each other and executing with consistency and excellence.
Specifically, Lawson cited a disconnect concerning the Great American Cleanup. According to this year’s numbers, she said, there was only a 25-percent reporting rate. The actual impact of the nationwide event may have been greater than ever, however without data it is difficult to quantify success. She described Keep America Beautiful’s commitment to academic-led research, evident in the 2020 National Littler Study.
What is the value in a cleanup? “We need to change the narrative from litter to money,” Lawson said. “Companies cannot make a commitment to 100 percent recycled without bottles back. They are willing to pay to get bottles back. How do we make cleanups about economic opportunity?” She explained that “waste” is not without value, rather it is a resource in the circular economy.
Keep America Beautiful goals look different in practice for every affiliate and the communities they serve. Yet, Lawson asked her audience of a few dozen, “How do we come all the way with answers to ‘now what’?” Key in changing behavior will be the need to invest in a process to educate consumers how not to litter, she said.
Before closing with a question and answer session, Lawson encouraged everyone to prepare for a milestone – the 250th birthday of the United States of America on July 4, 2026. She said Keep America Beautiful is asking to make sure every city and town in Nebraska is a clean place for the nationwide celebration “of our ideals that engages people in a nonpartisan, active and pride-building experience.”
Less than four years is enough time to plan more than a county-wide cleanup. I have no doubt local residents can cooperate to make everything look spiffy. In the months ahead, share your ideas with Keep Alliance Beautiful about how our local communities can collaborate for “the party of the century”.