Vienna planing to save the world one fishing line at a time

PERRY, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – One middle Georgia teen is on a mission after winning $1,000 in scholarship money for her efforts in her community. 

16-year-old Jannah Brown has been at it for almost two years. 

The Vienna teen is putting up these PVC pipes at nearby ponds and lakes. 

“I wanted to bring this to my area, get involved and make the project my own and recycle fishing line,” Jannah said. 

She says the amount of fishing lines near bodies of water where fishermen frequent can be overwhelming and harmful to the ecosystem. 

“I think it’s been very successful because I have collected over 30 miles of fishing line into the Berkley Conservation Institute,” Jannah said. 

Her mom, Joy, says it’s been a family commitment.

“We’re going there and collecting the bins, and just going around to different facilities. She covers 1400 square miles in Georgia,” Joy said.

There are currently nine ‘Stow it Don’t Throw it’ posts throughout middle Georgia.

One of the most popular is at the Go Fish Education Center in Perry. 

“They immediately recognized the importance of my project and were really eager to have me volunteer and display my bin here,” Jannah said. 

She is a Kohl’s Cares Scholarship Program winner. She beat out 37,000 nominees and qualifies for $10,000 in scholarships if she makes it to the national level. 

Regardless of is she wins, she’s staying true to her mission, she’s even taking extra steps. 

“This is my personal size recycling bins. I’ve distributed many of these to the general public,” Jannah said. 

It’s a passion she’s holding on to, trying to make the Earth a better place to live. 

“You know where she could be at the mall and hanging out with her friends, she’s in her room studying up on this, and doing anything she can to make a difference,” Joy said. 

Jannah says it takes about 600 years for fishing line to decompose, and asks if you see any plastic near any body of water to please recycle it.