Waste Reduction Attitudes & Behaviors

Hi Katy,

At Metro Vancouver, in BC, we have been working on understanding and developing cognitive frames on waste, and we are starting to incorporate this work into our social marketing and communications.

Later this year or early next year we will be testing our drafts with focus groups and surveys. We will also be testing some hypotheses on why people dislike waste--from evolutionary biology to social constructions. Drop me a line and lets talk about what we have so far. Once we have something tested I will be sharing it with the list.

Cheers,

Ruben.


Ruben Anderson
Communications Specialist
Metro Vancouver
Canada

Hi Katy,
I am always curious about the term"waste" as it seems so general. I was hoping you might be a bit more specific. I mean waste in California to me could cover the use of electronic concert tickets to eliminate paper transactions to the use of Solar Energy trailers used in the Entertainment business to eliminate waste of fuels on production sites. There are countless applications but I will follow the thread to see what is produced. You actually lit a fire on one idea I was thinking of recently so thanks for being inquisitive.

Patrick McGinley
Owner
Mingary Agrian
United States

Katy,

I suggest that you post your question on the 'GreenYes' Google Group. You'll findlots of westcoasters there, with lots of info about the subject in question.

Norm Ruttan

Norm Ruttan
President
iWasteNot Systems
Canada
www.iwastenotsystems.com

You might try asking through California Resource Recovery Association (www.CRRA.com). They have a list serv of recycling professionals. Someone might have just the thing.

Wanda Redic
Recycling Specialist
City of Oakland
United States
www.oaklandrecycles.com

You might try looking at http://www.policyinteractive.org/ This is a small research group in Eugene, Oregon studying public attitudes about climate change and consumption. The punchline of their findings: while concern about climate change is low, comes and goes and varies among groups, it is quite different about consumption. Over time and across political boundaries there is high agreement that our level of consumption is bad and needs to be changed.

Matt McRae
Climate and Energy Action Coordinator
City of Eugene
United States
www.sustaineugene.com

That's a very interesting observation. The young are our consumers. The elderly don't consume much. It's best not to deal with global warming potential. Thanks.

Chuck Lohre
President
Green Cincinnati Education Advocacy
United States
http://www.green-cincinnati.com

University of California Santa Cruz has been doing surveying of the student body as well as auditing of the waste stream. We found some interesting perceptions but the project is still ongoing. I'd love to share what we have so far though. I am also going to contact the other posters of this thread; all of these projects would be really helpful to what UCSC is working on.

Gabi Kirk
University of California Santa Cruz
United States

Chuck,
I am interested in your thoughts that it's best not to deal with the global warming potential of consumption and/or waste. Would you be willing to expand on your reasoning? Thanks, Matt

Matt McRae
Climate and Energy Action Coordinator
City of Eugene
United States
www.sustaineugene.com

I've studied global warming and ozone depletion potential through my LEED AP classes and it goes over the general public's head. I'm looking for common sense arguments to use. Recently took the training to be a Cincinnati Zoo Educator at their Go Green Garden. I'm hoping to learn how to engage the general public this season. I'll share my findings with this group. Thanks for asking.

Chuck Lohre
President
Green Cincinnati Education Advocacy
United States
http://www.green-cincinnati.com