CasestudiesonZeroWasteOutreachandCommunication:SanFrancisco,CA

Seattle,WAAustin,TX

Cambridge,MA

Task7

ReporttotheCityofBostonaspartoftheZeroWastePlan

September25,2018

PerlmutterAssociates

with

ZeroWasteAssociatesand

TheCenterforEcoTechnology

TableofContents

I.Overview:Boston’sKeyChallengesandAssets .................................................................... 1

II.GeneralApproachtoOutreachandCommunication........................................................... 2Austin.............................................................................................................................................. 2Seattle............................................................................................................................................. 3SanFrancisco................................................................................................................................... 4

III.ManagingCommunicationaboutNewPrograms ............................................................... 7ResidentialOrganicsCollectioninCambridge,MA........................................................................... 7PilotingNewProgramsinAustin...................................................................................................... 8

IV.Enforcement..................................................................................................................... 9Seattle............................................................................................................................................. 9SanFrancisco..................................................................................................................................10Austin.............................................................................................................................................10

V.Conclusion....................................................................................................................... 10

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I.Overview:Boston’sKeyChallengesandAssetsAsBostonembarksonanambitiouspathtowardsZeroWasteitmustgrapplewithsomekeychallengesingettingresidents,businesses,andworkersonboard.TheCityhasadiversepopulationrepresentingnumerouslanguages,cultures,andhouseholdtypes.TheCityalsomustconsideravarietyofhousingtypes,businesstypes,andlargeinstitutions.Intheresidentialsector,theCityhasahighproportionofrentersandstudents.Accordingtoresearch,youngpeopleandshort-termresidentsarelesslikelythanhomeowners,long-termresidents,andolderindividualstorecycleorparticipateinotherwastediversionprograms.1Studentsalsotendtomoveeveryyearandcontributeahighvolumeofbulkyitemstothewastestreamwitheveryrelocation.ThedemographicchallengesinBostonarepairedwithahistoryofahands-offapproachtothecommercialsectorandlimitedoutreachandcommunicationtowastegeneratorsincommercial,industrial,andresidentialsectors.Bostonhasbetterresourcesforcommunicationnowthaniteverhas.Forexample,theGreenovateteamusesemailandsocialmediatokeepmanyinterestedBostonresidentsinformedaboutenvironmentalissues,programs,andeventsinthecity.ButalookathowpeercitieshandlecommunicationsuggeststhattheseresourcesmaystillneedenhancementtobuildaZeroWastecultureinBoston.Luckily,therearemanytoolstomakethiscommunicationpossible,includingsocialmediaandapps,alongsidecommunity-basedsocialmarketing(CBSM),printmedia,traditionalpublicserviceannouncements(PSAs)andface-to-facecommunication.Inthisproject,theCity’spopulationofstudents—creative,networked,andsmart—couldprovetobeanasset!BostonalsohasanadditionalcrucialassetasitembarksonZeroWaste:buy-infromcriticalstakeholdersacrossCitygovernmentandfromthebroadercommunity.Everyindicationisthatagrowingnumberofresidents,businesses,andinstitutionsarereadytodowhatisnecessarytoreducerelianceonincineratorsandlandfills.Thisreportshowshowfourcities—SanFrancisco,Seattle,Austin,andCambridge—approachZeroWastecommunicationandoutreachtochangethecultureofwastingintheircommunities.Boston’sZeroWasteAdvisoryCommitteeprovidedinputintotopicsofinquiryforthesecasestudies.

1Jean-DanielM.SaphoresandHilaryNixon,“HowEffectiveAreCurrentHouseholdRecyclingPolicies?ResultsfromaNationalSurveyofU.S.Households,”Resources,ConservationandRecycling92(November2014):1–10;HilaryNixonandJean-DanielM.Saphores,“InformationandtheDecisiontoRecycle:ResultsfromaSurveyofUSHouseholds,”JournalofEnvironmentalPlanningandManagement52,no.2(2009):257–77;DanielScott,“EqualOpportunity,UnequalResults:DeterminantsofHouseholdRecyclingIntensity,”EnvironmentandBehavior31,no.2(March1,1999):267–90.

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II.GeneralApproachtoOutreachandCommunicationAmongthecitiesmostwell-knownforsuccessfulZeroWasteprograms,thereisacorerecognitionthatthegoalislong-termcultureandbehaviorchangearoundconsumptionandwastegeneration.TheZeroWasteconsultantteamspokewithofficialsfromAustin,Seattle,andSanFrancisco;theyallviewcommunicationandoutreachacrosssectorsasacentralstrategyformakingthosechanges.Thethreecitiesalldevotesubstantialstaffingresourcestocomprehensiveoutreachandcommunicationactivities.Thisallowsthemtodevelopcreative,targeted,andeffectivemessagingthatmeetspeoplewheretheyareandbringsthemalongontheZeroWastejourney.

AustinThecityofAustinviewsZeroWasteasabehaviorchangechallengeforindividuals,households,andbusinesses.Behaviorchangeisaboutpersuasion.AustinResourceRecovery(ARR)thereforedevotesconsiderableresourcestoexperimentingwithcommunication,education,andoutreachtopersuadeAustinitestorecycle,compost,andconsiderwhattheybuy(consumption).ARRemploys11staffforresidentialoutreachandeducation,12staffforbusinessoutreach,and7staffformedia,advertisements,andbrochuredevelopment(includingvideo,print,pressreleases,andsocialmedia).Allgraphicandartworkisdonein-house,butAustinalsoregularlycontractswithconsultantstosupplementstaff,andmanageoutreachcampaigns.Thecitymaintainsa$2millionbudgetforresidentialoutreachanda$3millionannualbudgetforbusinessoutreach,whichcoversstaff,consultants,mediabuys,ads,andotherassociatedexpenses.Theseresourceshaveallowedthecitytopioneermanycreativeoutreachtechniquesintheresidentialandcommercialsectors.Thecityutilizesafullpaletteofcommunicationstrategiesincludingarobustsocialmediapresence,directmailings,publicschoolcurricula,andoutreachthroughaneighborhoodblockleaderprogram.Thecityalsopartnerswithnon-profitandcommunityorganizationstoreachbroaderaudiences.Forinstance,theithaspartneredwithalocalaffiliateofKeepAmericaBeautifultodeveloprecyclingcurriculaforpublicschools.OneespeciallyinnovativecommunicationexperimentinAustinwasarealityTVprogramcalled“DaretogoZero,”whichisavailableonthecityofAustin’swebsite(http://www.austintexas.gov/daretogozero).Overthesix-episodeseries,Austinfamiliescompetedtoseewhocouldreducetheirhouseholdwastethemost.TheprogramshowcasedthecreativesolutionsofrealAustinfamiliestoallmannerofhouseholdwastefromleftoversoapcakestoemptypropanetanks.

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Anothercreativeendeavorwasanelectronic"TownHallMeeting"thatARRranwiththesupportofAustin’sITstaff.The“meeting”includedwebinarandcall-instreamsandwasdesignedtogathercitizeninputintohowtoprioritizenewprograms.Specifically,ARRwantedknowwhichtodofirst:movefromevery-other-weektoweeklyrecyclingcollectionorimplementfoodwastecollection.Themeetingwasstructuredtoincludeinteractivepolling.Themorethan1,000Austincitizensthatparticipatedvotedforfoodwastecollection.Inadditiontonovelmediaproductionandfeedbacktechniques,thecityhasalsoexperimentedwithneighborhoodandblockcompetitionstoencouragewastereductionanddiversionatthehouseholdlevel.Recently,theCitydidacouncildistrictcompetition,measuringrecyclingsetoutsandvolumecollectedineachofthe11councildistricts.Thecouncilpersonforeachdistrictwasthechampionandcoach.ThecompetitionranfromAmericaRecyclesDay(Nov15)toEarthDay(April22).Thewinningdistrictreceivedalocalcommunityenhancementprojectwithrecycledcontentbenchesandnewparklandscapingfrommadefromcompostedmaterial.

SeattleSeattle’ssolidwastedepartmenthas6full-timestaffwhofocusoncommunicationsandoutreachtoresidents,propertymanagers,andthecommercialsector.Thecityalsoreliesoninterns,consultants,andahostof“communityliaisons”tomaintainasteadystreamofinformationandcommunicationbetweenthecityandwastegenerators.Fundamentally,Seattleapproachescommunicationasakeycomponentofsustainedbehaviorchange.Asaresult,theymaintainhighlevelsofcommunicationevenaboutprogramsthathavebeenrunningforyears.AsBeccaFong,thecity’sleadoncommunicationintheresidentialsectorputsit:“we’vebeenrecyclingfor30years,andwestilltalktopeopleaboutrecyclingallthetime!”Thisapproachensuresthatresidentsandbusinessesbuildandmaintainnewbehaviors,learncontinuouslyaboutSeattle’sprogresstowardsitsZeroWastegoal,andthatnewcomershaveampleopportunitiestolearnaboutthecity’sprograms.Seattledoesatleastonedirectmailingtosingle-familyresidences,multi-familyresidences,andbusinesseseveryyear.Thecityalsoincludesinformationinsolidwastebills.Thisensuresthateveryhouseholdandbusinessisreachedatleastonce.Inaddition,thecityusessocialmediaandavarietyofdirect,person-to-personoutreachtechniques.Forexample,citystaffworkwithpropertymanagersoflargeresidentialcomplexestosolveproblemsandtrainresidents.Citystaffsetuptablesinbuildinglobbiesorworkwithbuildingmanagerstocreatetargetedplanstomanagediscardedfurnitureinhigh-turnoverbuildings.WhenSeattlerollsoutnewprograms,itrampsupcommunicationsbybringinginconsultants,andinvestinginmainstreammediaoutreach.Thecityviewsthiscommunicationtobeessential,butitalsoworkstodevelopconsistentservicesandinfrastructuresothatpeoplecanpracticethatsamebehaviornomatterwheretheyare.Bins,signage,andcolorshavetobeconsistentandavailableeverywheresothatnewbehaviorslikecompostingcanbecomesecondnature.Youshouldn’thavetothinkaboutwhatbintothrowsomethingin—itshouldbecomeinstinctive!

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ExampleofanimagetweetedoutbySeattlePublicUtilities;thisposterisnotaffiliatedwithanynewprogramming,butisjustareminderforresidents.

SanFranciscoSanFranciscohasbuiltarobusteducationandcommunicationeffort.Thebackboneofthecity’scommunicationprogramisface-to-faceengagementwithresidents,landlords,propertymanagers,andbusinessowners.Thecityhasfoundthisdirect,in-personcontacttobethemosteffectivestrategytoprovideinformation,buildtrust,andchangebehavior.Thisisalotofwork.Intotal,SanFranciscohas24full-timestaffdevotedtooutreach,whichincludesagrassrootsteamthatdoestheface-to-faceoutreachtobusinessesandresidents,aschooleducationteam,andanoutreachteamfocusedonbroadermessaging.Thisstaffisresponsibleforeducationaroundseveralenvironmentalissues,buttheyarefundedthroughthecity’ssolidwasterates,andthebulkoftheirworkrelatestoZeroWasteandtoxicsreduction.Asidefromthefull-timeoutreachstaff,almosthalfoftheDepartmentofEnvironment’s100-110staffmembersareinvolvedinsomeformofoutreach,communications,ormarketing—includingwebdesign,graphicdesign,socialmedia,press,CBSM,communitypartnershipsandengagement,in-schoolandcommunitybasededucation,etc.Thecityalsoworkscloselywiththeirfranchisedhauler,Recologyonmessagingandrollout,althoughthecityandhaulerhaveseparatematerials.Outreachactivitiesincludemarketing,advertising,socialmedia,andgrassrootscampaigns.Thegrassrootsefforts,whichishowthecitydescribesface-to-facecommunicationwithstakeholders,isthelargestcomponentoftheoutreachprogram.Ateamof11peoplespendmostoftheirtimeonthegroundgoingtoevents,knockingondoors,andmeetingwith

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propertyandbusinessowners.Cityemployeesidentifybusinessesthatarestrugglingtorecycleandworkwiththemone-on-onetoresolvebarrierstocompliance.Cityoutreachstaffalsoroutinelymakecoldcallsandvisitstobusinessesthroughoutthecitytoofferassistanceandanswerquestions.Ingeneral,thecitymakesanefforttobuildrelationshipswithindividuals,organizations,andneighborhoodsacrossthecityandacrosssectorssothatproblem-solvingbecomeseasierandsothateveryonebecomesapartofsolvingtheproblemofwasting.AsCaraGurney,headofthecity’soutreachteamexplainsit,themorestaffshowupplaces,themoretheyareinvited.Whentheyareinvited,theyhavethebiggestimpact.Socitystaffconstantlyshowupatcommunityevents,libraries,meetings,andbusinessestobuildtrustandrelationshipssothattheyaretheninvitedtoattendmoreeventsinthefuture.Thegrassrootsteamalsodoesoutreachtofamiliesandhomeowners,andtendstomakedoor-to-doorhousecallsintheevening.Butnotallresidentsareeasilyreachableinperson.Short-termresidentsandyoungerresidentsareeasiertoreach“throughtheirphones”—i.e.throughsocialmediaanddigitalmarketingcampaigns,andsothecityinvestsconsiderableresourcesintothesetypesofoutreach.BecauseSanFrancisco,likeBoston,isdiverse,thecitydoesallprintanddigitalmarketinginatleastthreelanguages.Theywillalsodesignuniquecampaignsforspecificneighborhoods,anddesignmaterialsthatrelyonimagesratherthantext.Forinstance,duringarecentexpansionoftherecyclingprogram,thecitydesignedacampaignspecificallyforChinatown.MaterialsweredesignedbyaChinatown-basedmarketingcompany,andwereexclusivelyinChinesewithnoEnglishtranslations.

Tri-lingualandimage-basedrecyclingandcompostingposter.

Forthemostpart,SanFranciscodesignsprintandsocialmediacampaignstoeducatepeopleaboutwhattoputinwhichbin.Theytakeacreativeapproachthatistailoredtospecificgroupsandneighborhoods.LikeSeattle,thecityconstantlycommunicatesaboutrecyclingand

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compostingprograms,eventhoughtheprogramshavebeenoperationalformanyyears.AsGurneyexplainsit,cityoutreachstaffarealwaysasking,“whataretheirwhys?”Gurney’steamspendsalotoftimegettingtoknowdifferentindividuals,groupsandbusiness,andtryingtounderstandwhatmightmotivatethemtorecycleandcompost.Forsomegroups,likeseniors,thecityhasfoundthattheyneedalotofinformation.Iftheyunderstandthesystem,theydotherightthing.Millennialsneeddifferentkindsofmotivationandexplanations,andrespondbettertohumorouscampaigns.Onerecentcampaigninvolvedadvertisementsthatthreatened:“Recycle,orwe’readdingmorehills.”Belowaresomeadditionalexamples.

SanFranciscotendstoavoidbillboards,astheyhaven’tfoundthemtobethemosteffectiveformofcommunication,buttheseimagesfromarecentcampaignshowaparticulartoneandapproachtargetingyoungercityresidents.

ThecityalsodesignsoccasionalcampaignsthatareintendedtoraiselargerissuesandshiftthinkingtowardsaZeroWastemindset.Arecentcampaigninthisveinwasdesignedtoencouragemillennialsandtechworkerstocompost.Butratherthantakeaneducationalapproach,thecityinsteadfocusedoncorevalues.Understandingthatthesegroupsappreciategoodfood,thecampaignwascalled“realfoodies.”Thecampaignwasintendedtotransformtheimageofcompostingfromsomethingickyintosomethingintegraltothecreationofbeautiful,wholefood.Thecampaignincludedsocialmediawithattractivephotographsoffreshvegetablesatoppilesofrich,darkdirt,andscrollingtextreading:“realfoodiescompost.Realfoodiesusethegreenbin.”

Imagefromthe“RealFoodiesCompost”campaign.

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The“realfoodiescompost”campaignprovidesinformationabouthowtoproperlydisposeofdifferentmaterials,butitalsoseekstochangetheculturearoundconsumptionandwastingoffood.SanFranciscotreatscommunicationasacentralpartofitsZeroWasteprogramming.Itusesoutreachtomaintainparticipationinlong-standingprograms,andtogarnerattentionforprogrammaticchanges.Ituseshumorandcommunity-specificmessagingtoreachthebroadestpossiblerangeofwastegenerators,andinvestsheavilyinbuildingrelationshipsthroughface-to-facecommunicationwithindividualsacrosssectors.

III.ManagingCommunicationaboutNewPrograms

ResidentialOrganicsCollectioninCambridge,MAIn2014Cambridgelaunchedasmall,opt-incurbsideorganicscollectionpilotinonesmallsectionofoneneighborhood.Afterabrieftestingperiod,thecityexpandedtotheentirecollectionarea,providingcurbsideorganicscontainersandpick-uponceperweek.InAprilof2018,Cambridgeexpandedtheprogramcity-wide.Torampupfortheexpansion,Cambridgeusedanumberoftechniques.First,thecitymailedapost-cardtoeveryeligiblehousehold,whichincludedeveryresidentialunitinbuildingswith12orfewerunits.Thisensuredthateveryhouseholdwasreachedatleastonce.Inaddition,foramonthleadinguptotheroll-out,anotificationwaspostedonCambridge’shomepage,andPublicWorkspostedbroadly,andfrequentlyacrosssocialmediaplatforms.

NoticepostedacrosstheCityofCambridge’swebsiteleadinguptothecity-wideroll-outofcurbsidecomposting.

Inadditiontohouseholdmailingsanddigitalmarketing,thecitymadeanefforttogetthewordoutinpublicspacesandoncitystreets.CambridgepurchasedadsonBlueBikes,andused

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donatedadspaceonbusshelterstoinformresidentsabouttheprogram.TheyworkedwithMassRecyletoputadsonrecyclingbinsinsubwaystations.Localbusinesseshungpostersabouttheprogramprominentlyinshopwindowsaroundthecity.Theseadshadtheeffectofbringingtheprogramoutintotheopen,andalsoprovidedanotheropportunitytoreachpeoplewhomighthavemissedthemailing,orwhodon’tfollowsocialmedia.Recognizingthatmessagingneedstobepairedwithconvenientandreliableservice,Cambridgealsodistributedkitchencollectionbinstoeveryeligiblehouseholdinthecity.Becauseorganicsseparationrequiresnewbehaviorsinthehome,distributingthekitchenbinsisawaytohelpindividualandfamiliescreatenewhabits.PublicWorkshasalsobeenworkingwithretailerstoensurethatthebiodegradablebagsforthekitchenbinsarewidelyavailable,andisevenconsideringdistributingthebags,atcost,themselves.Thegoalwithbinsandbagsistoremovepotentialbarrierstoparticipation,andtoprovideavisibleremindertoparticipate.Whentheprogramlaunchedcity-wideitgarneredaboutthesameamountofparticipationastheinitialpilot,suggestingthatthecommunicationwaseffective.Thoughthereisstillawaytogobeforethecitycapturesall,orevenmostoftheorganicstream,publicworksofficialsfeelconfidentthattheprogramwillgrownaturallyaspeopleseetheirneighborsparticipatingandgetusedtothenewprogram.Cambridge,likeBoston,struggleswithcommunicationtostudentsandshort-termtenants.OnethingthecitywilldotoaddressthechallengeofhighturnoverwillbetomakekitchenbinsavailableeverySeptembertonewcityresidents,orresidentswhohaverelocated.ItshouldbenotedthatCambridgehaspromotedthisprogramasacompostingprogram,yettheorganicsmaterialsarenotcomposted.Rather,theyaremixedwithsludgeandanaerobicallydigested,withenergycapturedandthedigestatedriedandusedasfertilizer.Cambridgemostlikelyusedthe“compost”languagebecauseitwasfamiliartoresidentsandeasytounderstand.However,someresidentshaveraisedconcernswiththecitybecausetheirfoodscrapsarenotinfactcomposted.Itisunknownwhetherthisimpactsparticipation,butitillustratestheimportanceofbeingclearwithresidentsinanymarketing.Austin’scasehighlightsasimilarconclusion,below.

PilotingNewProgramsinAustinAustintestseverynewprogramwithapilot,andusesthepilottotestdifferenteducationaltechniques.WhentheCityisreadytoexpandthepilotcity-wide,theCityoutreachstaffhasselectedtheeducationaltechniquesthatweremostsuccessfulinthepilot.Forexample,whenAustintest-pilotedmattresscollection,theylearnedthattherewasamisconception:residentsthoughttheCitywouldreusethemattresses.Becauseresidentswereresistanttotheideaofmattressreuse,theywerenotparticipatingintheprogram.Instead,theCitycontractedwithGoodwillIndustriestodisassemblethemattressesandboxsprings,andrecyclethecomponents.Afterdiscoveringthepublicmisconception,thecitydesigned

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educationalmaterialsthatoutlinedtheenduseofthemattresscomponents.Thisnewmaterialeasedpublicconcernandhelpedtorampupparticipationintheprogram.WhenAustinpilotedresidentialfoodscrapcollection,theytestedavariousmeansofcommunicatingwhatisorganicandcompostable,andcouldbeincludedinthecurbsidebin.Thecitylearnedthatbinlidlabelsneededtoincludepictorials.Theyalsolearnedthatface-to-facecommunication,whichthecitydidthroughdoorknocking,wascrucial.

IV.EnforcementSanFranciscoandSeattlehavewell-developedenforcementprogramstoaccompanyconvenientserviceandrobustoutreachandeducationprograms.Interestinglythough,neithercityreliesheavilyonenforcement(withtheexceptionoflargecommercialgenerators).Enforcementiscostlyandcomplex.So,instead,bothcitieshavedevelopedmulti-stepprogramstoinformresidentsandbusinesseswhentheymakemistakesorareoutofcompliance,makingeveryefforttohelpwastegeneratorsacrosssectorstodotherightthingbeforelevyingfinesorfees.

SeattleThemostrecentprogramthatSeattlerolledoutwasthecurbsidecollectionoforganicsin2011.Thecitythenbannedorganicsfromthetrashin2015.Aspartoftheban,thecityisempoweredtolevyfinesonhouseholds,properties,orbusinessesthatcontinuetodiscardcompostableorganicwaste.Therewasanimmediatebumpinorganicscollectionafterthebanwentintoeffect.Butparticipationleveledout.Althoughthecityisnotcapturingnearlyallorganics,ithasnotyetusedfinesintheresidentialsector.Itiscomplicatedandexpensivetoestablishaprocedureforcollectingfinesatthehouseholdscale,andthecitymaintainsthatmostpeoplewillcomplyiftheyunderstandtherulesandhavetheservicesavailable.Soinstead,thecityhasfocusedonunderstandingwhereandwhycomplianceisn’thappening.Theyconductregularsurveysofhouseholdsandbusinesses,andpaycloseattentiontotheareaswhereviolationstendtooccur.Theyusethisinformationtostructureoutreachandcommunication.Inafewinstances,thecityhasfinedmulti-familypropertiesandbusinesses;atthatscalethefinesseemtobemoreeffective.Becausethevolumesarelarge,thefinesarelarge,andtheyworktogettheattentionofpropertyorbusinessowners.Oncethepropertyorbusinessmanagersarepayingattention,thecity’sstaffworkscloselywiththemtofigureouthowtomakecompostinghappen.

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SanFranciscoSanFranciscoplacesmostemphasisoneducation,and,likeSeattle,doessomeenforcementforbusinessesandresidenceswithoverfiveunits.Thecityhasrecentlyadoptedanewenforcementprocess.Inspectionsareconductedbythecity’shauler,Recology,duringcollection.Ifaviolationisspotted,Recologydriverswillfirsttagthebinandprovidesomeinfoaboutwhatwentwrongandhowtocorrecttheproblem.Iftheviolationcontinues,therewillthenbeafirmletterwithanexplanationoftheviolation.Thiswillbefollowedbyawarning,thenaformalnotice,andthenacharge.Chargesareexecutedthroughthesolidwastebill,soitistechnicallyafeetopayforliquidateddamagesincurredbytheCityandRecologyratherthanafine.Theideabehindthisprocessistoprovidebusinessesandresidentswithmultipleopportunitiestolearnprocessesandcorrectpracticesbeforeapplyingthestickofanextrafee.Thetags,letters,andfeesareallprocessedbyRecology.Thewarning,notice,andfeecomefromthecity,butarestillprocessedbythecontractorsincetheyhaveanautomaticprocessestablishedthatwouldbedifficultandexpensiveforthecitytoreplicate.Atthemomentthecitydoesnotdoenforcementforsmallresidenceswithuptofiveunits.Forthissector,thecityinsteadfocusesoncommunicationandeducation.

AustinUnlikeSeattleandSanFrancisco,theAustinCityCouncilhasnot,todate,authorizeddirectenforcementactionsfornon-compliancetotheUniversalRecyclingOrdinance.Therefore,theCitystaffuseavarietyofdifferenttacticstogainvoluntarycompliance.TheCityMRFcontractorwillnotifystaffofhighlycontaminatedloadsofrecyclablesbytrucknumber.Citystafftheninspectthatparticularroutetonarrowtheproblemtoasmallneighborhood,andfollowsupwithdoor-to-doorRecycleRightcampaign.Citystaffalsoattendneighborhoodblockpartieswherecontaminationisidentifiedtoofferadditionaloutreachtotheresidents.Toincreaserecyclingparticipation,staffofferavarietyofcompetitions,includingacouncilsupporteddistrictcompetitionaswellaswebpostingofneighborhoodset-outrates.

V.ConclusionLeadingZeroWastecitiesviewcommunicationandoutreachasessentialcomponentsincultivatingnewculturesofconsumptionandwasting.TheyrecognizethatserviceprovisionalonecannotmoveacitytoZeroWaste,andthereforeexpendconsiderableresources—intermsofbudget,stafftime,capacity,andexpertise—onnurturingrelationshipswithresidents,businesses,andcommunityleaders,developingmarketingmessagesforeveryconstituency,andengagingconstantlywithstakeholdersaboutmaterialsmanagementprogramsnewandold.