Barriers/Motivators Study on Curbing Plastic Bag Usage

I just tried to email Monique and my message came back as undeliverable. Monique, are you still on the site?

I am working with a university in my area that wants to incorporate reusable bags into their farmer's market and I am hoping to find research to help gear how we implement this in a way that will result in long term behavior change.

Thanks,


Angela Ziobro
Environmental Educator
Hennepin County
United States

I am also interested in the results of your study. We are imposing a ban on single-use plastic bags. The most resistance we have received has been from the American Chemical Society in defense of plastic. We are imposing a charge for paper bags at stores, banning the plastic bags, and holefully this will encourage people to bring their own bags. But I too would be interested in the results of your study. I'm just curious too if behavior has an relation to location in US or world for that matter. Thanks

Heidi Niggemeyer
Monterey Regional Storm Water Program Manager
www.MontereySEA.org

Hi Monique,

I am wondering if the results from yours and Jennifer's study (on barriers and motivators to plastic bag and re-usable bag use) is available to the public? I am in the beginning phases of working towards a plastic-bag ban in a small community and would love to read your results.

Thank you,

Hailey Ross
environmental educator
North Columbia Environmental Society
Canada

Erica:

We are coding the data that we have and we are collecting more. We'll have it all in and analyzed this spring. E-mail me directly at [email protected] and I can keep in contact with you about it.
mo

Monique Turner
Associate Professor, U of Maryland
President, Mpact Communication
United States
http://www.riskcenter.umd.edu

Hi Monique:

I am so excited to see that you are working on a study of this nature! Do you have a sense of when you would have the results available? I'm trying to plan the timeline for this plastic bag abatement program, but in order to follow CBSM I really don't want to get started until there's some concrete data to go off of. Thanks in advance for all of your help!!

Erica Hooper
S. Groner Associates, Inc
United States
www.sga-inc.net

Erica:
One of my graduate students (Jennifer Kane) and I have just completed a survey on this very issue. We've measured costs/rewards (barriers, consequences), stages of change, perceived severity etc. We collected data with lay people as well as committed people (i.e., those who work or volunteer for enviromental agencies) in Panama and the US. We will be collecting data in St Vincent and the Grenadines next. We've not fully analyzed the data yet; and, we are collecting more data. But, I'd be happy to share the results when we have more.

Monique Turner
Associate Professor, U of Maryland
President, Mpact Communication
United States
http://www.riskcenter.umd.edu

I lived in France thirty-five years ago when grocery stores did not give out bags or boxes. After forgetting twice to bring string bags for my purchases, I always remembered to bring them with me. Eliminating the availability of bags at stores will encourage customers to quickly form the new habit of bringing their own bags.

Mary O'Brien
Recycling Coordinator
Southern Windsor/Windham Counties Solid Waste Management District
United States