HARNESSING THE POWER OF SOCIAL MARKETING:

Transcription

1 HARNESSING THE POWER OF SOCIAL MARKETING: Fd Scrap Diversin BECC Nvember 2013 Sacrament CA Lisa A. Skumatz, Ph.D. & Dana D Suza Skumatz Ecnmic Research Assciates SERA Inc., Superir CO skumatz@serainc.cm 1 SERA 2013, All Rights reserved Infrmatin may be used nly if prperly Cited

2 WHY ORGANICS & FOOD SCRAPS BEING CONSIDERED? Citizens want recycling and diversin ptins Jbs 10:1 recycling; 4:1 cmpst* Envirnmental impacts Largest item remaining in stream *(Estimates ILSR)

3 Surce: SERA 2008 BACKGROUND ABOUT FOOD SCRAPS EPA says fd is 12.5% f waste stream Only 3% is recvered (cmpsted and hg fuel); 5.4M tns generated in Regin 5 per year (est.) 141K tns recvered, 5.3M sent t landfill GHG Impacts Landfills are ne f the largest CH 4 emitters Aerbic vs. Anaerbic decmpsitin Gas CO 2 1 CH 4 21 EPA estimates cmpsting avids.25 MTCE/Tn f fd scraps (lwer fr yard trimmings and rganics) GWP N 2 O 310 Cmpsting cuncil estimates 25M Tns f fd scraps sent t landfill in 2005=7.8M passenger cars f emissins Surce f statistics: Presentatin by EPA / Chris Newman Regin 5 3

4 RESULTS OF THE NATIONAL SURVEY 4

5 THREE MAIN TYPES OF PROGRAMS After reuse / dnatin prgrams On-site cmpsting Variatins in up-take Back Yard Cmpsting, Cmmercial tubs (incl. farm-t-table), grant prgrams Cllectin (fr cmpsting) Residential & cmmercial In-sink dispsers Free r discunted; encuraged / educatin 5

6 SURVEY OF EXISTING FOODSCRAPS COLL N PROGRAMS q Over 200 prgrams identified in US q WA, MN, CA, OH, VT, IA, MA, OR, ME, etc q Mstly suburban, then urban, rural; als cllege & turist; sme nly at schls / university campus; islated, q Mst curbside; Sme drp-ff q Mst c-cllect streams (sme fd nly) q Sizes range frm 170 t nearly 900K q States with YW bans represent gd ptential Surce: SERA 2011

7 PROGRAM GROWTH TODAY Blue line recycling 1973 (1); 1993 (5400) 2009 (9000), 2012 (10K+) Green line fd/rganics 1988 (0); 1992 (~10); 2009 (~170); 2012 (>200) Surce: SERA 2011 (excludes BYC) 7

8 RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM ATTRIBUTES - VARIES Drp-ff nly r C/S Materials in stream Include fdwaste with YW Includes meat and dairy Cntainers carts, sme bags Payments and enrllment Vluntary added fee mst cmmn (many embedded) Cllectin Frequency and Cntainers Weekly in mst, EOW available Presence f PAYT Majrity have PAYT ( next steps ) Diversin Overall avg. 52% Natinal avg. (EPA) 34% Avg. lbs per participating HH/week Fd Waste nly lbs 7-10 lbs Avg. Participatin 35-40% Surce: SERA 2011 Each prgram is mdified / adapted t fit cmmunity resurces and needs 8

9 COMMERCIAL ATTRIBUTES Typical cmmercial Only targets a prtin f the businesses Vluntary participatin fr an added fee Rates are lwer than MSW rates Cmmnly 64-galln ply carts Optins fr cllectin at least 3x/week Includes staff educatin and utreach (ften by the hauler) Prgrams NOT always in places with high tip fees Surce: SERA 2011 Mst single hauler cntract 9 Surce: SERA 2011

10 MOVING FOOD PROGRAMS FORWARD BARRIERS RESEARCH 10

11 SURVEY & FOCUS GROUPS BARRIERS COLLECTION Cmmunity-level Plitical will** Facility / certificatin issues** Csts Generatrs n cll n Csts Cntaminatin Yuck factr, pests & vectrs DISPOSER PROGRAMS Cmmunity Public wrks** Cst** Generatrs n dispsers Skepticism f prgram / catch, cheap mdel? Cncern abut plumbing upgrades & strangers in hme Smell Renters / permissin 11

12 ADDRESSING COLL N COSTS - EOW COLLECTION Getting the mst fr least 3 stps / week Trash weekly & Recycling weekly & Organics (rg) weekly 2 stps / week è Save ~1/3 verall, ~40-50% prgram $ Trash weekly & Recycling weekly 2 stps / week è BETTER (mre diverted tns, ~same $) Trash weekly, alternate Recy &Org è OR BEST, Org weekly, Alternate Recy & Trash Integrated Decisinmaking (Surce: Skumatz et.al, in Resurce Recycling, 11/13)

13 COLL N BARRIERS CONTAMINATION & YUCK Cntaminatin Bags in stream (bi and plastic); lcal decisin; sme allw but dn t advertise t reduce Custmer educatin; n prcessing side, staff training, what lcal system can handle Yuck & pests BMPs suggestins; mstly perceptin prblem Smell Remind NOT new material/just a change in cntainers(!); Educatin, persistent message, clarify meat/dairy helps (freeze, layers, paper twels, bxes, etc.) Regardless, peple WON T put all fd scraps in can (srts) Able t stp freezing with dispser / immediate dispsal Mre best practices in design, rates, cntainers, educatin at 13

14 CASE STUDIES IN FOOD AND SOCIAL MARKETING 14

15 TACOMA, WA CURBSIDE FOOD COLLECTION Prgram Gal: Fd scraps in curbside yard waste. Prgram Steps: Custmer service staff infrmed f all prgram changes and utreach Multiple mediums, print, tv, utility bills, events, YuTube Use Cmmunity representatives t prvide credibility Anticipate cmmn barriers and prvide slutins (yuck factr) Make prgram cnvenient/ current yard waste cart 15

16 TACOMA, WA CURBSIDE FOOD COLLECTION Have prgram star- the little brwn bucket, advance advertising They re cming; They re here; They re hungry!! Delivered in huse buckets t 54,000 residents 16

17 TACOMA, WA CURBSIDE FOOD COLLECTION Evaluatin: Phne survey halfway thrugh prgram Walk and Talk Results: 48% participatin Almst duble the 10% diversin gal f 1400 tns 17

18 NORTH SHORE RECYCLING BYC PROGRAM, CANADA Sme level f existing Back Yard Cmpsting (BYC), but amunt unknwn set up prgram; small sample BYC HHs Asked HH t recrd vlumes & behavirs, and gave caching n BY cmpsting methds ( ) Tracked rganics & yard waste Evaluated results 18

19 NORTH SHORE RECYCLING BYC PROGRAM, CANADA 2011 wrap-up visits and survey / data / reward Pre/pst surveys n cmfrt with cmpsting (fd / yard) 79% said they diverted mre material. 68% rated caching as very successful (100% recmmend) Tnnage changes Organics diverted with caching is 994 lbs; 794 lbs withut caching (25% increase) Garbage decreased 55%. $35/hh/yr savings in trash, YW cllectin fees 1500 avided truck trips avided. 19

20 IN-SINK FOOD DISPOSAL PROGRAM Prgram Gal: Prgram Assess t what extent fd waste dispsers culd reduce the amunt f fd scraps dispsed in the landfill Installed 173 free dispsals in tw distinct neighbrhds Prvided utreach fr prper usage asked t change behavir and n lnger put fd scraps in trash, but t put all dwn dispsal Several runds f utreach including dr t dr, neighbrhd meetings, flyers Wrked with neighbrhd cmmunity actin agencies 20

21 IN-SINK FOOD DISPOSAL PROGRAM Evaluatin 75 Pst surveys assessing self-reprted activities and behaviral changes Fcus grups Waste cmp and cmparisn in prgress Results ~75% put all fd scraps dwn dispsal 88% put mre than half dwn dispsal (86%) reprted a decrease in the amunt f trash they thrw away; Average reprted 33% decrease in bags Bags f trash decreased frm 2.4 t 1.5 per husehld per week. 32% said they increased their recycling 21

22 IN-SINK - REPORTED BENEFITS TO BEHAVIOR CHANGE I used t put ut trash every day and nw I nly put it ut every ther day. It was a blessing t me Once yu have a dispser yu can t live withut ne. They are beautiful. Reduced trash Easier kitchen clean up, Reduced drs and smells in the huse and neighbrhd Limited pests assciated with trash cllectin. 22

23 IN-SINK - MESSAGING & OUTREACH Successful 75% said persnal dr-tdr utreach mst effective 66% said flyers 39% said neighbrhd meetings Cntact frm assciated neighbrhd rganizatins essential Wrking clsely with neighbrhd rganizatins and blck captains is recmmended. Less Successful Only 16% said rb calls were mtivatinal Messages frm City, unknwn third parties, r crpratins viewed with skepticism/ evke what is the catch? Envirnmental benefits nt a mtivatr 23

24 IN-SINK - REASONS FOR HH PARTICIPATION Thught that they culd reduce trash The prgram was free Help reduce drs in the trash / kitchen / huse Stp freezing fd befre setting it ut fr trash day Buy less bleach fr the trash cans Reduce issues with pests and rdents Waste cmp under way fr tnnage impacts Wrap-up dispsers left in place 24

25 FOOD SCRAPS COLLECTION PROGRAM - COLORADO Existing fd / YW cllectin prgram Wrking with hauler / city Test / cntrl rutes t test effects f scial marketing particularly dr-t-dr cmpnent 300+ husehlds each rute; carefully chsen Fcus grups, pre-pst srt, surveys Prject delayed-flds (srry!) Keep Watching! 25

26 SUMMARY 26

27 SUMMARY Fd a significant stream (ne f last duble digits) Organics diversin grwing (20% mre than last year cmmn, but capacity shrtfalls a prblem!) Can be pulled efficiently IF YW already, IF prcessing available Very cst-effective; cmb helps frmula Cnsider EOW tradeffs in cllectins fr C/E Barriers can be addressed by prgrams Scial marketing a pwerful tl fr fd can address yuck, ther persnal barriers Cllectin Back yard cmpsting In-sink dispsal prgram examples. Try it! 27

28 THANK YOU!! Questins? Dana D Suza & Lisa Skumatz Ph.D. Skumatz Ecnmic Research Assciates (SERA), Phne: 303/ skumatz@serainc.cm Thanks fr filling ut surveys; reprts at