Breaking Down Barriers: What Holds Us Back from Picking Up Litter?

In this episode of the “Do Beautiful Things podcast,” Jenny Lawson, President and CEO of Keep America Beautiful speaks with Wendy Salomon from The Harris Poll about their latest research on litter—commissioned by Keep America Beautiful. They explore key insights, including why people avoid picking up litter (hint: the ‘gross factor’ tops the list), what motivates people to join cleanup events, and surprising findings on how litter compares to other unpleasant tasks—like cleaning the bathroom. Tune in to discover what drives people to take action and what could encourage even more participation in keeping our communities clean and beautiful. Show Notes: 00:00 "Exploring Litter Responsibility" 03:54 "Strategic Insights for Effective Action" 06:24 Picking Up Litter Mostly Tolerable 10:15 Litter Clean-Up Divide 16:24 Engaging Gen Z in Community 18:12 "Litter Cleanup: A Unifying Act" 22:44 "Motivation Through Community for Gen Z" 26:39 "Preventing and Addressing Littering" 27:21 Litter Responsibility Debate 31:05 Join the Greatest American Cleanup Show Links: The Harris Poll: www.theharrispoll.comKeep America Beautiful: kab.orgGreatest American Cleanup: kab.org/greatest