EDUCATION & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT The Bankstown Council Experience ‘RECYCLE RIGHT’ Today I will talk you through the Bankstown Council Recycle Right program This is a program has designed to reduce contamination rates in the recycling bin. Bankstown Council had contamination rates as high as 30%. As we have a diverse community we knew we need to do something to address the contamination rates Whilst this program focuses on removing items from the recycling bin to place in the garbage bin. It’s the strategy that we used that is important. It can be applied to assist with programs to engage your community– that aim to engage a community to get them to do what we want to do. We have spend almost two years researching, trialling and focus testing – and this has proved invaluable

It all commenced with Research We looked at what we were doing. And we were providing information to residents about recycling. Brochures, stickers, newspaper articles/ads. And we all do this. This is based on the assumption that if we give people information they will do what we ask them to do. They will carry out the behaviour that we want However research shows that this is wrong. People act for a reason and need to be motivated to make a change So we went searching… We started at The Government Report This looked at the barriers that prevent people from recycling correctly or at all – such as The location of bins/bin areas, convenience to use the facilities, poor or insufficient facilities and the fact that recycling is now recognised as a routine behaviour – not an urgent environmental issue. We heard about Cr Doug Mckenzie-Mohr, so we did more research on Community Based Social Marketing This looks at identifying the barriers that prevent people from changing their behaviour and removing those barriers one at a time, using tools such as: Asking for a commitment Fostering a social norm Using prompts as reminders Providing effective communication Making the behaviour convenient But we wanted more – we wanted to find out about the psychology of people and what motivates them (beyond environmental issues)

The Magnetic Middle Feedback Power of the Smiley Face We were inspired by reading a book called ‘Yes! 50 secrets from the science of persuasion’ by Goldstein, Martin and Cialdini. From this book we learnt 6 key principles that were invaluable to us: The Magnetic Middle People just want to be like everyone else And they want to be just like their neighbours – especially if it seen to be doing the right thing. This is about us creating a social norm. This links to Feedback How do you know you’re doing the wrong or right thing if you’re not told? People like feedback, especially when you tell them how they are doing in comparison to their neighbours – again creating a social norm. And the universal language that people relate to is the Smiley and Frown Face It takes us back to primary school days perhaps where a simple smiley face stamp would give us a grand feeling of self satisfaction People know instantly if they have done the right or wrong thing and there is a strong personal feeling associated with that. The Magnetic Middle Feedback Power of the Smiley Face

BECAUSE Use of the word Power of thinking big A simple question We also learnt the power of asking a Simple question Once people verbalise their answer a question they feel the need to commit in order to remain consistent with what they said People also need a reason to act so The word 'BECAUSE‘ is very powerful in letting people know why you’re asking that question. Example: photocopier line – stranger asks to jump queue “Can I go ahead of you?” – 60% allowed them “Can I go ahead of you BECAUSE I’m in a rush for a meeting?” – 94% allowed them THEN wanted to test the validity of the because “Can I go ahead of you BECAUSE I have to make copies?” – 93%!! Shows that if the request is small, the reason does not need to be valid but there must be a reason. For a large request (ie. making a copy of a large document) the reason was found to still be necessary but the validity more important. And the power of thinking big is going small hints that to make any big change you need to ask a simple request first. Once that’s achieved, then you can ask for something bigger. This is what’s known as the ‘foot in the door’ technique. From all of this research we learned: We need to provide more than just information alone We need to work on the barriers and behaviours one at a time We need to play with people’s minds to make people Recycle Right! Power of thinking big is going small A simple question

Convenience Strategies RESEARCH developed strategies developed resources Feedback Strategies Tags on bins Postcards in letterboxes Verbal Feedback Door Hangers Poster Convenience Strategies Tubs Bulk Recycling Bins Hole in lid I Pledge

RESEARCH developed strategies developed resources focus tested trials evaluated re-design focus tested RECYCLE RIGHT PROGRAM Focus tested

Feedback Strategies SUDs MUDs 10% - 23% 5% 17% 30% 0% 25% Tags on bins Postcards in letterboxes 23% 5% Verbal Feedback 17% 30% Door Hangers 0% Poster 25%

Convenience Strategies SUDs MUDs Tubs 14% 16% Bulk Recycling Bins - 37% Hole in lid 25% I Pledge 21% 28%

30% 15% Properties inspected: 1,400 START Average contamination rate FINISH Average contamination rate at 30% 15%

PROCESS DEVELOPED BIN REMOVAL FEEDBACK Letterbox (x 3 visits) DOOR KNOCK Take a Pledge WARNING LETTER BIN REMOVAL

WHERE ARE WE NOW Baseline average: 46% On 3rd visit: 22% Pledge: 30% of h’holds > 10% Warning: 18% of h’holds > 10% Removal: 3% of h’holds > 10% 1,400

Most widely accepted He could be from any culture dramatic in kind of a theatrical and non offensive way, but he still communicates that something is wrong…without being offensive IN GENERAL These images are too harsh When we got to the bottom of it – we found out it was people didn’t like children telling them they were doing the wrong thing EXCEPT the Arabic group - they liked the use of kids EVENTAULLY after group discussions Everyone approved a strategy that gives feedback to households if they’re not recycling right; so long as the execution of that strategy is encouraging ‘in tone’, with a ‘warm’ and ‘understanding’ image.

Most widely accepted He could be from any culture dramatic in kind of a theatrical and non offensive way, but he still communicates that something is wrong…without being offensive IN GENERAL These images are too harsh When we got to the bottom of it – we found out it was people didn’t like children telling them they were doing the wrong thing EXCEPT the Arabic group - they liked the use of kids EVENTAULLY after group discussions Everyone approved a strategy that gives feedback to households if they’re not recycling right; so long as the execution of that strategy is encouraging ‘in tone’, with a ‘warm’ and ‘understanding’ image.

Most widely accepted He could be from any culture dramatic in kind of a theatrical and non offensive way, but he still communicates that something is wrong…without being offensive IN GENERAL These images are too harsh When we got to the bottom of it – we found out it was people didn’t like children telling them they were doing the wrong thing EXCEPT the Arabic group - they liked the use of kids EVENTAULLY after group discussions Everyone approved a strategy that gives feedback to households if they’re not recycling right; so long as the execution of that strategy is encouraging ‘in tone’, with a ‘warm’ and ‘understanding’ image.

Most widely accepted He could be from any culture dramatic in kind of a theatrical and non offensive way, but he still communicates that something is wrong…without being offensive IN GENERAL These images are too harsh When we got to the bottom of it – we found out it was people didn’t like children telling them they were doing the wrong thing EXCEPT the Arabic group - they liked the use of kids EVENTAULLY after group discussions Everyone approved a strategy that gives feedback to households if they’re not recycling right; so long as the execution of that strategy is encouraging ‘in tone’, with a ‘warm’ and ‘understanding’ image.

Daniela Santucci daniela.santucci@bankstown.nsw.gov.au Coordinator Resource Recovery Ph: 02 9707 9945 daniela.santucci@bankstown.nsw.gov.au