regional litter prevention: a campaign that works hannah...

Environmental Education

on the Potomac

Regional Litter Prevention: A Campaign that Works

Hannah Seligmann6th International Marine Debris Conference

March 13, 2018

Alice Ferguson Foundation

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Mission: To connect people to the natural world, sustainable agricultural practices, and the cultural heritage of their local watershed through education, stewardship, and advocacy.


Living Building Challenge Certification

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Cafritz Environmental Education Center, Accokeek Maryland


Trash Free Potomac Watershed Initiative

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Straw Count, Maryland


Community Based Social Marketing

1. Select Behavior

2. Identify Barriers and Benefits

3. Develop Strategies

4. Pilot and Evaluate

5. Broad Scale Implementation

5Alice Ferguson Foundation

1. Select a Behavior


2. Identify Barriers and Benefits

• 77% of the public do not know what happens to trash on the street.

• Though all survey respondents live within the Potomac River Watershed, 57% of them do not know that.

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Potomac River Watershed


Know the Audience

• 8% admit to littering

• 20% know someone who litters

• 39% see someone litter sometimes or often

• 17% of admitted litterers are under age thirty.

• 25% of all men under 30 litter food wrappers.


Rationale for Littering

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If there is no trash can nearby, or the trash can is full, then leaving trash on the ground is not littering.

Once trash is on the ground, even if it just fell out of their hands, admitted litterers do not want to touch it again because they find it dirty.

People litter more in areas that have existing litter, or where they do not sense neighborhood pride or self worth.

There are places they would not litter or stop and think before littering, like the National Mall, a worship house, or school.


Listen to the Community

Images must feel authentic to the local audience.

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North Point High School Students, NOAA Ocean Guardian School


Listen to the Community


3. Develop Strategies

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Steve Raabe (2014) Findings and Recommendations from Littering Focus Groups. Opinion Works.


Community-Based Organizing


4. Pilot and Evaluate


A Campaign that Works

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0.0%

0.4%

0.8%

1.2%

1.6%

PreCampaign

PostCampaign

40%

0.0%

0.4%

0.8%

1.2%

30%Litt

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ate

Litt

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ate


Community Based Social Marketing

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Develop Strategies

Pilot and Evaluate

Broad-scale ImplementationSelect Behavior

Identify Barriers and Benefits

McKenzie-Mohr, D. (2014). Fostering

sustainable behavior: an introduction to

community-based social marketing.

Gabriola Island, BC: New Society .




People Engaged in 2017:

5,430 adults

3,468 youth (less than 18)

Material Distribution in 2017:

379 yard signs

815 reusable bags

43 litter cans

414 campaign posters


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BehavioralObservationSitesinWards1- 8

LegendObservationSite

0 2 4miles


Conclusion: Building a Movement


Thank you!

Hannah Seligmann

[email protected]

301-292-5665

regional litter prevention: a campaign that works hannah...

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