Partners in Plastic Reduction: Working with the public to reduce their plastic consumption Jill Bartolotta and Sue Bixler Educators Ohio Sea Grant College Program October 23, 2018

Cleanups are a great tool to get trash out of the environment but ultimately the behavior we need to change is the use of plastics, especially single-use plastics.

Outline NEO Plastics Project Put-in-Bay Tourist Awareness Project Results of previous work Upcoming plastic bag project Methodology for behavior change information Barriers to implementation Status of project Barriers to implementation Project reception

NEO Plastics Project The three items were chosen by the City of Cleveland Office of Sustainability because they are items of concern for the Cleveland area.

Findings Found: People forget to bring their bags into the store. Next Step: How do we remind them to bring the reusable bags with them into the store? Found: People do not have a place to fill their reusable water bottle. Next Step: Where can we place water refill stations to remove this barrier? Found: Specific user group that may be difficult to reach. Next Step: Gather more information on the process of smoking cigar tips.

Next Steps vs Received a grant from the NOAA MD program to continue this work and we will determine actual bag use at the store and then test the pilot strategies to see which is most effective at spurring proenvironmental behavior. Also gather baseline data in case a bag levy is put in place.

Will behavior change? Intercept Surveys Ask customers if reminder strategies encourage them to bring their own bags Bag Use Determine use of single-use plastic bags before and after project Recycling Practices What do stores do with the bags they get for recycling? Will recycling of bags increase or decrease with project?

  Project Challenges Plastic Bag Ban Memo: http://nsglc.olemiss.edu/Advisory/pdfs/plasticbag.pdf

Talking with Our Tourists: A Marine Debris Awareness Initiative Map Credit: Google Maps, 2017. Project locations added by Jill Bartolotta. Take place on PIB, targeted to tourists and recreational boaters. The island sees over 750,00 tourists a year. Items of focus are beverage containers, cigarettes, and straws since theses are commonly found on beach cleanups but also items of common use given the bar and restaurant scene on the island. Has not been attempted in the Ohio area Seeks to work with tourists during their entire stay on the island and follow up with tourists on return home Messaging will focus on what people can do about single use plastics than why they are a problem Purpose to encourage behavior change to reduce use and dispose of properly

Support for the Project Transportation Partners Education Partners Boating Partners Island Taxi Services Put-in-Bay Tour Train Put-in-Bay Yacht Club Lake Erie Island Nature and Wildlife Center Restaurant Partners State Partners Other Island Partners

Will behavior change? Coastal Litter Restaurants Recreational Boaters Pre and post cleanups to look at litter profile Surveys to volunteers when they return home Restaurants Focus group with restaurant staff Straw purchase information from restaurants Recreational Boaters Surveys to boaters Tourists Online surveys to people leaving the island while on the ferry Postcard sent to AVC visitors to remind them to take online survey

Project Challenges Hard to get to island in inclement weather. We are seeing more big storm events and flooding making transport to the island impossible on the ferry. Talking with tourist population On vacation may not be interested in our message Maybe drunk Away from home and may not want to carry reusables with them Island open seasons is only April – October Lots of restaurants using single use plastics of various kinds Habits are difficult to change No recycling on the island is available right now Addressing Barriers Strong support from island community Multiple opportunities to educate visitors when the come to island and control of most visitors as they come to and leave since there are only a few ways to get on and off the island. Several methods for measuring behaviour change.

Questions? Needs Assessment Report: https://ohioseagrant.osu.edu/products/e0c7t/barriers-amp-benefits-to-desired-behaviors-for-single-use-plastic-items-in-northeast-ohio-s-lake-erie-basin Marine Pollution Bulletin Article: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X17310706 Plastic Bag Ban Memo: http://nsglc.olemiss.edu/Advisory/pdfs/plasticbag.pdf Sea Grant put out a needs assessment report about the whole project, the research on plastic bags and water bottles was published in marine pollution bulletin, and the plastic bag ban memo is also shown. Jill Bartolotta bartolotta.2@osu.edu 440-350-2267 Sue Bixler bixler.42@osu.edu