Episode Description:

This week, Karissa and Arielle explore creative sustainability in action—from biodegradable, seed-filled Mardi Gras beads developed by LSU students to Mexico City’s bold move toward bloodless bullfighting. Join in for a hopeful conversation about how traditions can evolve, and discover more solutions that are reshaping our world for the better.

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Transcript:

Theme music

Karissa

Hello and welcome to The Optimist Daily’s Weekly Round-up. I’m Karissa.

Arielle

And I’m Arielle, and we’re working hard to put solutions in view and optimism in movement.

Karissa

Well, hello everybody! We’re back with another episode of the pod to share the solutions from Optimist Daily this week. How are you doing today, Arielle?

Arielle

I’m actually doing really well. I just refuse to be put down by anything. (laughs)

Karissa

Yeah!

Arielle

Spring is in the air, the sun is shining, I’m working out more regularly and…

Karissa

Mhm, uh-huh.

Arielle

Yes, that means that for my “I’m an optimist, but…”—I don’t really have anything!

Karissa

Uh-huh.

Arielle

Yeah, I’ve just felt like the last few episodes have been really heavy, and honestly, I’ve been feeling so down about everything going on in the world.

Karissa

Yeah.

Arielle

So today, I’m taking a break. This week I’ve just been trying to be more positive.

Karissa

Mhm.

Arielle

That’s my stance.

Karissa

I love that! I’m in the same boat today. I’m just an optimist—there is no “but.” I think it’s just ’cause that spring weather is in the air. Things are changing, and I’ve just been trying to step away from what’s going on in the world. I feel like I’ve been really tapping into trying to fill my own cup. I’ve been working out and doing yoga more lately, been a little more consistent than I’ve been the past couple of months, so that’s been feeling nice. And I’ve been doing a lot of paint-by-numbers.

Arielle

Oh, fun!

Karissa

And that takes a lot of patience, which is always great to exercise. I’m almost done with one that has a very nice scene of some lemons and a waterfront, and then I’m going to move on to one of my cat that I got as a birthday present—a custom one! (laughs)

Arielle

Ah, lovely! (laughs) Yeah, it can be very meditative.

Karissa

Yeah! And the creativity aspect kind of brings me to my solution, if you don’t mind me jumping in.

Arielle

Yeah! Let’s go for it.

Karissa

It’s a little bit different—it’s creative in the name of science. The title of this solution is LSU’s “PlantMe Beads” could make future Mardi Gras more sustainable. Mardi Gras was earlier this month, but that didn’t stop us from being amazed at this solution that I saw after the fact. I’ve always wanted to take part in a Mardi Gras celebration because it looks very fun—lots of colors.

Arielle

Lots of music.

Karissa

Yes! And that’s definitely on my bucket list to experience one day, but I really can’t help but think of all the waste that goes along with such a huge celebration like this.

Arielle

Yeah, right? I’m picturing all the vibrant parades and dazzling floats. And with that, of course, comes the plastic beads that rain down from balconies—and the shimmery outfits and everything.

Karissa

Yeah, exactly. Which is definitely a cool sight to see, but for years, the aftermath of these celebrations has left the streets and storm drains of Louisiana clogged with non-biodegradable waste.

Arielle

Hmm.

Karissa

But now, a team of Louisiana State University (LSU) researchers is on a mission to change that—with a sustainable twist on this beloved tradition of throwing beads around everywhere.

Enter PlantMe Beads: the biodegradable Mardi Gras beads embedded with plant seeds that sprout wherever they land.

Arielle

I love that.

Karissa

Yeah! This innovation is the brainchild of LSU Biological Sciences professor Naohiro Kato, who first explored sustainable beads in 2021. His initial prototype was made from microscopic algae, which decomposed within months—but it was really costly to produce, about $5 per strand.

Arielle

Oh wow—$5 to produce just one strand is pretty expensive. Were they able to find a way to bring that cost down?

Karissa

Yeah! So, determined to create a more practical solution, Kato’s team turned to 3D printing last year, which drastically reduced production costs to just $0.50 per strand. The result is beads designed not only to degrade quickly but also to promote plant growth and aid in plastic breakdown, thanks to an intricate design that encourages bacterial activity in the soil.

Arielle

This is so fascinating. What exactly is the science behind the whole process?

Karissa

Yeah, so the secret to PlantMe Beads’ biodegradability lies in… a very hard-to-pronounce science word (laughs). And it is… I’m probably messing this up, so sorry… but it’s polyhydroxyalkanoates. We’ll refer to it as PHA.

Arielle

Yeah, let’s just go with PHA! (laughs)

Karissa

Yeah. It’s a polymer made from bacteria—so that’s all we need to know. But while it’s highly effective, PHA is very scarce, with only a handful of companies producing it as a 3D printer filament. Color variety is also very limited, which presents another challenge for large-scale production—and we all know Mardi Gras is all about color.

Arielle

Will they be able to take this product to large-scale production if the main ingredient is so scarce?

Karissa

Yeah, so to address this, the team is also researching polylactic acid (PLA), a plant-based plastic derived from corn byproducts. While PLA can break down within months in industrial composting conditions, it takes at least 80 years to degrade in nature, so it’s less ideal for the team’s vision of beads that naturally decompose in festival environments. But I mean—it’s still better than the materials they’re using right now.

Arielle

Mm-hmm. And yeah, I’m sure they’re still doing ongoing research, so who knows what other new solution might come up. But either way, this is really, really interesting stuff.

Karissa

Yeah, exactly. And I think the best part, in my opinion, is that this is all a student-led initiative at LSU—which, of course, is right in the heart of major Mardi Gras celebrations. LSU biology senior Lauren Rogers and graduate student Alexis Strain have played pivotal roles in PlantMe Beads’ development. Rogers focused on researching plant growth and biodegradability, while Strain led the bead design and 3D printing process.

Arielle

Well, it’s really great to see that these young minds are witnessing a problem in front of them and coming up with a solution. When will these sustainable beads actually be available?

Karissa

Well, the team’s goal is to roll out PlantMe Beads by Mardi Gras 2026, and they’re already working with organizations like Krewe de Freret, which has pledged to stop throwing plastic beads starting in 2025. To generate excitement, students have already been wearing the beads at celebrations, which is helping spread the word about the project. Also, one of the most exciting aspects of PlantMe Beads is that it’s taking an open-source approach to the design. Once the team finalizes it, anyone with a 3D printer will be able to download and produce the beads themselves.

Arielle

That’s really awesome. I can see this bead design having the potential to really improve the sustainability of vibrant celebrations—even beyond Mardi Gras.

Karissa

Yeah, exactly. Me too. I can see these beads being used for New Year’s or…

Arielle

Yeah—or Pride!

Karissa

Yeah! Exactly. There’s so much potential for this. I’m really excited to see where it goes. But there will certainly be hurdles to overcome before it becomes widespread. For instance, the team is facing funding challenges. Their current 3D printer was donated, and Rogers received funding from LSU’s Honors College for printing materials. With only one printer available, production is slow, requiring researchers to constantly rotate in and out of the lab to keep the process moving. Kato hopes to secure more 3D printers and hire additional students, but expanding the project is going to depend on obtaining financial support.

Arielle

Well, I will definitely be thinking about this solution and checking back in on it a year from now when Mardi Gras rolls around again. Even if they can’t roll it out as big as they hope to next year, they are certainly on the right track. I’m impressed with their creative thinking and wish them the best in bringing more sustainability into the festivities. And who knows—maybe some of our listeners might have a connection for further funding or something!

Karissa

Yeah, absolutely. If this is something you’re interested in, you could help them out. As New Orleans and other cities grapple with festival waste, the LSU team’s efforts could represent a game-changer for sustainable celebrations. With affordable, biodegradable, and plant-friendly alternatives, Mardi Gras might soon become not just a spectacle of joy, but also a force for environmental good.

Arielle

Thank you for sharing that! It’s always nice when we can celebrate guilt-free—especially when it comes to the environment. My solution is kind of somewhat related. It’s also a bit of a spectacle, and it also has to do with cutting down on how we’re harming nature.

Karissa

Hmm, okay.

Arielle

It’s a bit of a stretch, but that was my segue! (laughs) The story that caught my eye this week is about how Mexico City, home to the biggest bullfighting ring in the world, is saying adiós to traditional bullfighting.

Karissa

Oh, okay—so no more bulls being stabbed and killed in the ring?

Arielle

Exactly. The city is moving to a quote-unquote “bloodless” version of bullfighting. Matadors will still do their dramatic cape-waving thing, but this time—no weapons. No spears, no swords, no slow-motion gore. The bulls’ horns will even be protected, and after about 15 minutes in the ring, they’re sent back to the ranch. So they’re still alive. They’re still kicking.

Karissa

Ah, well that’s a really huge shift from the traditional practice of bullfighting. Animal rights groups must be celebrating, right?

Arielle

Sort of. Anton Aguilar—he’s with Humane World for Animals Mexico—called it progress, saying it’s a relief that bulls won’t be brutally stabbed anymore, of course. But he also warned that bloodless doesn’t mean suffering-free. I mean, a huge stadium crowd and all the stress of the event will still take a toll on the animals.

Karissa

Yeah, I can imagine. I mean, even I would panic if 42,000 people were yelling at me while someone waved a cape in my face!

Arielle

Same. It’s totally understandable. Now, this whole reform actually started with a push for an outright ban on bullfighting. But the head of the Mexico City government, Clara Brugada, softened the proposal into this compromise. Her thinking was: keep the cultural part, ditch the violence.

Karissa

That makes sense. And this is such a huge tradition—it’s not easy to just get rid of. A lot of people are traditionalists, and I can imagine they’re not too thrilled about this.

Arielle

They’re definitely not. The bullfighting industry is furious. One lawyer said they weren’t even consulted, and he pointed to a similar bloodless experiment in Spain’s Balearic Islands that totally flopped. Apparently, when there’s no blood, the fans stop showing up.

Karissa

Sounds like it’s kind of like turning a horror movie into a rom-com halfway through.

Arielle

Yeah, kind of the same idea. Even some animal rights groups, like Culture Without Torture, are doubtful that this new version will catch on. They’re like, “Let’s be real—bullfighting fans want to see blood.” Which is unsettling in many ways… but probably true.

Karissa

Sounds like this is kind of just a stepping stone to a full ban.

Arielle

It could be. It’s a partial win, and maybe if the bloodless shows don’t bring in the crowds, it’ll make it easier to push for a full ban down the road. But even now, it sends a strong message: traditions can change when ethics catch up.

Karissa

And it honestly feels like it’s part of a bigger conversation. Like, how do we preserve culture without causing harm? Because there is that delicate balance.

Arielle

Yes. It’s such a… such a fine line to walk. And this is also part of a broader global trend—reexamining long-standing traditions that involve animals and asking: do we really need this? Can we evolve past it?

Karissa

You know, these have been part of people’s traditions for hundreds of years, so it’s definitely something we’ll have to move through slowly. But I like this—bullfighting without the blood. It sounds like baby steps, but steps in the right direction.

Arielle

If it ends with fewer animals being hurt, then I think that’s worth talking about. And actually, if listeners want to read the article on our website, it’s called Mexico City keeps bullfighting… but without the blood. Totally forgot to mention the title at the top!

Karissa

We definitely have to keep our eye on the development of this, because it could lead to an outright ban—which would be great. But yeah, as we’re saying, traditions don’t die that easy.

Arielle

I guess both of our solutions this week are ongoing solutions. And I think it’s also important to be able to celebrate the small wins, the partial wins, and all the steps we take along the way.

Karissa

Yeah, absolutely. That’s such a good reminder. I’m really optimistic about a lot of the other solutions we shared on The Optimist Daily this week too, Arielle.

Arielle

Yes! And they include How collective healing helps us thrive in uncertain times… Super sniffers: how dogs could help detect dangerous bacteria in cystic fibrosis patients… Should you mix your friend groups? Here’s how to do it right… and Ancient fish fossils reveal 15-million-year-old secrets in stunning detail.

Karissa

We also have Back from orbit: NASA astronauts return home after unexpected nine-month mission—welcome home, astronauts!—Why decluttering is so hard—and how to start when you’re overwhelmed, AI-powered system helps ships avoid deadly whale collisions, and Harvard’s new free tuition policy is a game-changer for middle-income families.

Arielle

If you want to start your day off right, make sure to subscribe to our free daily newsletter to get our solutions straight to your inbox.

Karissa

We also have more on our social channels. You can find us at @OptimistDaily on all platforms—including Threads, Pinterest, and Bluesky. The only difference is on X, where we’re @OdeToOptimism.

Arielle

We’re a small team of optimists working hard to bring you positive news. If you want to support our mission of putting optimism out into the world, click the link in the show notes to find out how.

Karissa

And support doesn’t always have to be financial! Even just recommending our podcast to a friend, leaving a positive review on Apple or Spotify, forwarding a link, or sharing a solution on your socials—anything helps support our mission of spreading optimism.

Arielle

Thank you so much, Karissa, for sharing your positivity and the solution you found interesting this week. I’m looking forward to next week, where we’ll be sharing even more solutions.

Karissa

Alrighty! Well, as always, great to be here with you, Arielle—and we’ll be back next week with more solutions.

Both

Bye!