California Senate Bill 1383 (colloquially known as the Organic Waste Bill) is appearing in new media contracts, scopes of work, and just now (as of 1/14/22) on social media outlets via geo-targeted messaging.
A big push was seen from CalRecycle in 2019, but local activists and environmental-leaning firms in the trenches knew about this effort, pre-legislation, back in 2018 (and maybe even earlier).
According to the Brown County Waste Advisory Group, there are clear steps to follow to ensure maximum success when pushing out recycling campaigns (Source). They even recommend certain verbiage around messaging:
- Preferred words were “easy”, “natural resources”, “smart”, “natural”, “future”, “benefits”, conscientious”, “simple”, “convenient”, and “responsible”.
- Strong, resonating motivators center on saving resources and benefiting future generations.
- Public recognition for participation should be an important aspect of outreach.
- Explain end uses for recyclables.
A combination of strategies has been proven successful, including using volunteers to spread messaging, when possible. A study in Milwaukee found that people took away more information (and were more likely to change their behavior) if they saw that the person speaking was unpaid or from their local community/city government.
Video collateral showing off volunteerism has a powerful effect on psychology and mirroring behavior. The CTA or “next step” for audiences is almost immediately understood, not requiring a lengthy opus on the purpose of the video, ways to contribute, etc. Spotlighting volunteers in special segments has the added benefit of letting them tell their story of how they found the organization, how they grew into the organization, and what’s in store for them.
People will see value and trust in the underlining mission because of the social proof evident in the volunteer videos.
Now, if a public agency can capture youthful excitement around organic waste recycling and tie this into a SB1383 PSA, then that’s a win. We see the need for the following video modules, addressing different segments of CA’s audience for this program:
- Video modules made for large producers of organic waste (e.g., grocery stores and factories)
- Video modules for medium-sized contributors of organic waste (hotels, hospitals, etc.)
- Video modules for easy-to-reach demographics with broadband
- Video modules for harder-to-reach population groups
While recycling campaigns have an abundance of benefits, they are not without challenges.
A lack of education about recycling has loomed over communities over the years. Many adults are unsure about what kinds of materials can actually be recycled, whether materials need to be rinsed prior to being placed in collection bins, and how materials should be sorted into the appropriate bins. Miseducation can lessen participation in recycling programs simply due to confusion and also by eroding participants’ faith that materials will actually be recycled.
Another area of need lies in the piecemeal nature of recycling programs in the United States. Recycling programs can vary widely among localities and some of them depend almost exclusively on voluntary participation from communities. In November 2021, the EPA released the National Recycling Strategy to provide a framework for a “stronger, more resilient, and cost-effective municipal solid waste recycling system” by addressing the above challenges as well as contamination of materials and outdated infrastructure for collecting and processing materials for recycling.
Solutions to these challenges are actively in progress within legislative chambers and for the more local government agencies, there is a plethora of opportunities for furthering this progress.
Here’s where Goodsides steps in–picture a video production company that can do it all: work with your organization to create a script, help scout locations, coordinate a productive and smooth shoot, engage with community members to ensure final product represents the project and its community accurately, and complete all post-production with an artful touch. All the while, you can count on Goodsides to stick to the project’s mission by shooting without any plastic waste and making sure to pick up any waste before leaving a location.
Have a question or video concept you want to explore with the experts? Contact us at info@government.media!
Sources:
https://www.packaging-gateway.com/features/a-poor-state-of-recycling-challenges-in-the-us/
https://www.epa.gov/recyclingstrategy/us-recycling-system
https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-releases-bold-national-strategy-transform-recycling-america
https://www.theverge.com/2021/11/15/22783450/recycling-united-states-epa-plastic-pollution-waste
