Framing the Problem
- The USA's recycling rate has been hovering just over 34%, meaning that American are only recycling 1/3 of the waste that could be recycled.
- Of the 5 largest categories that make up out landfills is paper and plastics accounting for over 1/3 of the total landfill makeup.
- A phenomenon called wish-cycling has only increased. According to Rumpke, the local waste collection provider for Hamilton County, reports that of the 1 billion pounds of recyclables they collected in 2016, 134 million pounds of those recyclables were non-recyclable materials that had to be sorted out.
Looking at Generation Z
As Generation Zers grow into adulthood they are becoming an influential buying power and therefore the rising waste generating population.
But what if we could harness their preferred learning methods to teach and encourage them to recycle correctly?
We know the Gen Z demographic to be highly active and interested in environmental issues, but particularly the Midwestern Gen Zers are falling behind other generations when it come to performing environmentally sustainable actions within their daily lives.
Methods
Research
Within the research phase a stakeholder map was produced to understand the key players and services available to residents as well as resident's impact on the larger waste economy. This was followed by four local expert interviews to gain quick insights from their extensive experiences, and finally a SWOT analysis combined all of the learned information to identify areas of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats within Cincy's recycling landscape.
Insights
- A recycling tour is the most effective way to help residents get on board with recycling
- Everyone, regardless of their generation, is confused about plastics recycling
- Hamilton County Solid Waste and Recycling has successfully altered recycling rates through focused campaigns either targeting specific waste items or targeting specific neighborhoods
Define
A user survey was sent out to understand resident's current recycling knowledge, the issues they face and their need within the current system. From the survey results, personas were identified to understand the different experiences Gen Zers face when faced with recycling within their everyday.
Insights
- Equally participants felt they were somewhat aware of the items they could include in the recycling and somewhat aware of the items they could not include in the recycling.
- Most answered that they were confused about plastic and electronic recycling.
- 1/3 of participants answered that they would put an item into the recycling even if they did not know if it was or was not recyclable. Proving that wish-cycling is a problem.
- Many Gen Zers live within the apartment complexes that do not provide them with recycling services.
- Participants said they felt they needed more consistent updates and information on recycling to learn it and keep it at the forefront of their minds.
Design Proposal
Cincy Recycles Right is a four piece educational toolkit build with Gen Z's preferred learning methods of physical and digital experiences to help make recycling education more digestible, accessible and visually fun.
Magnet and Sticker Graphic
The Cincy Recycles Right magnet and sticker are formatted to appeal to the Gen Z population taking color cues from current influential brands. The ombre blue to green represent acceptable items for recycling and the pink to red ombre represent non-recyclable items. This color split was also done so residents can easily and visually determine an items recyclability without having to read the graphic.
Non-recyclable items are given precedence within this graphic because the hypothesis is that by Including non-recyclable items alongside recyclables will help residents equally identify which items go where, and reducing the wish-cycling of incorrect items.
The inclusion of store and public drop-off locations is an important addition to the graphic because most Gen Z residents are not provided with recycling services at their homes. A QR code easily links them to other recycling locations and information easing the hurdle of searching for this information.
Informational Posters
The posters are more ideally situated for public spaces such as schools or organization teaching and advocating for recycling by either hanging them in school hallways, being put up as billboards, or at bus-stops.
The posters are meant to be a simple and quick read to catch an audience’s attention, and hopefully to spur a moment’s thought about our waste as well as connect them to the larger campaign on social media.
Matching Card Game
The Card Matching Game is an image-to-text matching game intended to teach and educate participants on the more difficult or questionable items that are commonly placed in the recycling as wish-cycled items.
This tool is offered as a digital download for offline interaction, as well as provided as a digital game
Social Media Account
Social media outlets are likely the first access points Gen Z residents will have with the toolkit. The intent of employing social media is to easily gain access to Gen Z residents but to use it as a referencing tool. Residents will have 24/7 access to instructional posts that collectively create informational databases to be utilized for if and when they have questions about the recyclability of their waste.
This tool is ideally located on a social media platform like Instagram since it is easily updatable and routinely checked by GenZers. Utilizing it as an outreach option provides access and engagement with residents continually and efficiently. Effectively dispensing timely and consistent information is the key to successfully keeping residents engaged with recycling knowledge.
Find more of my work at sebradebrecht.com
