Project Overview
The purpose of this Anti-Littering campaign is to decrease the amount of litter found in the Journalism & Mass Communications trailer and parking lot area. Stop The Litter was created as a student-focused effort to involve Savannah State University students in picking up their trash. Students on campus will know the negative effects of litter in hopes to take better care for their campus.
Introduction
The purpose of conducting this research is to decrease the issue of litter in the trailer area parking lot for Journalism & Mass Communications at Savannah State University. I want to raise awareness to this issue and hopes that students will begin to realize that this sort of behavior does not reflect well on the university as a whole. With about 2 trash and recycling units in the parking lot for the JMC trailers, many assume that students don’t have a problem throwing away their trash. However, some students believe that’s not the case. While some feel that the number of trash cans is sufficient, others have a different perspective.
The most common sources of contamination are chip bags, sushi containers and outside trash that doesn’t come in compostable packaging. The target audience of this research includes all enrolled students of Savannah State University. This form of study focuses on college students who attend Savannah State University because these are the individuals that use access to the trailers and parking lot area. By connecting with outside organizations off campus. Savannah State's dining services depends on students to do the right thing and correctly sort their trash so that the campus can make a great and positive impact. Some students believe that if more garbage bins were to be added to JMC area near the trailers and parking lots outside, people would be more likely to dispose of their trash in the bins instead of on the ground.
If students were more aware of ABC's goals they would be more inclined to support the efforts that are being made. Through primary and secondary research on the factors and reasoning of students at Savannah State University project objectives and goals will be formulated.
Background Research
Secondary research suggests that common qualities in most common litter offenders includes Men aged between 18-34, smokers, people who eat at Fast Food places at least 2x per week or drives more than 50 miles per day, and people who go out for entertainment at least once per week. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) estimates that 75% of the American waste stream is recyclable, but individuals only recycle about 30% of it.
The average college student produces 640 pounds of solid waste each year, including 500 disposable cups and 320 pounds of paper.
In a lifetime, the average American will throw away 600 times his or her adult weight in garbage. This means that each adult will leave a legacy of 90,000 pounds of trash for his or her (or other people's) children. Americans comprise about 5% of the world's population and annually produce 27% of the world's garbage. (Boston College July 2016)
In Georgia, it is illegal to: leave litter or dump waste on any public or private property, including highways, streets, alleys, parks, lawns, fields and forests;(Keep Georgia Beautiful,2006). 33% of all litter in the US is fast food waste, it is probably more than that on a a campus.
The City of Savannah is teaming up with local businesses to launch a new anti-litter campaign to reduce garbage on city streets. During an Earth Day news conference at Forsyth Park on Wednesday, civic and business leaders announced the plan aimed at reducing litter by 50 percent within the next year.
Mayor Edna Jackson says the Keep Savannah Clean Campaign is important because “litter is ugly, trashy, and it gives our city a bad name.” The initiative will focus on public education through advertising and stepped-up enforcement of anti-littering rules. The city is partnering with media organizations and businesses, including Parker’s convenience stores.
This campaign will rely on social pressure to discourage litter through what organizers up are calling a “litter crew” that will use traditional and social media to spread the message. They’re encouraging residents and visitors to Savannah to use the hashtag #littercrew to draw attention to people littering. Television station WTOC will accept videos of people littering and air them on the nightly news. The Savannah Morning News will publish pictures of people caught in the act.
Parker’s CEO Greg Parker says the campaign to expose littering “is sort of the big brother effect; it’s using social media at its best to affect behavior.” Parker says he believes Savannah could become a national model for litter reduction. (R.Tucker, 2015 GPBNews.org)
How can you help? Become part of Savannah’s growing anti-litter brigade. This grassroots effort uses social media strategically to shine a spotlight on negative behavior and to reward positive choices in our own community.
Approximately 80 percent of U.S. waterways include trash that was originally dropped on land. U.S. taxpayers spent nearly $11 billion cleaning up litter across the country. That’s more than 10 times the cost of trash disposal.
Client from JMC office, Ms Brown stated that the issue is a combination of lack of concern for the parking lot and lack of responsibility from employees on SSU’s campus. When she made a complaint to the campus police, they stated that the trash was not their responsibility and they could not deal with it. The trash cans near the parking lot get full and when no one comes to change them out in a timely manner, then instead of holding their trash, people decide to litter. She mentioned that there is the most litter in the morning, from her assumption it is what students leaving the Tiger Express, which is right next to the parking lot, have left behind from eating the previous night.
Methodology
Sample Selection
The sample selection used was a snowball and non-random survey. Participants were chosen to be surveyed by qualifications, such as being a students at Savannah State University.
Data Collection
The survey was given out online through Google Forms in order to get a broader and variety of the students who attend Savannah State University. The survey was made available on Saturday, February 18, 2017 around 11 p.m. and submissions were closed on Wednesday, February 22nd, around 10:00 a.m. The survey link was sent out via Group Me, I message, and email; students who received the link were told to inform others about the survey so that the results would end up credible.
Procedures
ABC Communications Agency surveyed 27 individuals by a non-random, snowball, and volunteer sample survey in hopes of gaining vital information so that ABC Communications firm can seek ways in improving the issue of littering in the Journalism & Mass Communications trailers and parking lot.
In order to achieve these results, ABC Communications Agency surveyed 27 Savannah State University students with 15 questions on their knowledge on the issue of litter and its harmful impacts on the campus community. The survey was given to non-random males and females aged between 18 and 55 and the survey included questions that ranged from multiple choice, range, and checkboxes
Ethical Considerations
A consent form was given alongside with the survey so that surveyors would fully understand and feel more comfortable that there answers would be confidential and that they did not have to take it if they did not want to.
Data Analysis
Data was collected using Google Forms excel sheet. The excel sheet was used to help analyze the data.
Findings
When studying the ways students litter on college campuses many factors were found and discovered. Students were surveyed on their thoughts and concerns on littering in the Journalism & Mass Communications trailer parking lot in order to find the underlying problems of the reason littering is prevalent in the JMC parking lot. After the data was analyzed, research showed that 81.5% of surveyors were enrolled Savannah State University students who were aged between 18 and 24 while the remaining 7.4% who were likely staff, aged from 55 and up.
Another statistic of the survey showed that majority of the surveyors were of students who attended the institution which means that of that 81.5% of students are potential litterers. Students are the driving cause to the reasoning behind the messy trash that has been left around, so it is my ultimate goal to find ways for students to stop littering.
Another factor that was found that 70.4% of the surveyors said 'Yes' to being aware of where the JMC parking lot and trailer area was located while the other 7.4% portion of individuals answered 'maybe' . 22.2% of surveyors answered 'No' in being aware of the location.
Other statistics show more of a personal issue students have with the littering that has been going on in the JMC area and how they feel. Statistics show that more than half of the surveyors and or student body feels that litter in the JMC trailers and parking lot bothers them 63% answered 'yes' while 22.2% stated 'No' and the other remainder admitted to 'sort of' feeling bothered by the litter.
Also after analyzing the data showed that amongst these surveyors over 80% of them were in agreement that litter would and can cause great environmental issues. Litter can consists of trash and household toxic substances, or food that comes from the Tiger Express Diner that is neighboring the JMC area. Whether the litter is intentional or not, big or small, it can drastically affect the School's environment for years to come.
Another shocking statistic that was taken into consideration was the fact that surveyors had different opinions when asked what they would do if they were to see trash on the ground. 44.4% stated that they would pick the trash up and throw it away, but a shocking 29.6% would ignore while 22.2% would just 'talk about' This a obvious issue and it my duty and obligation to change these percentages to better help the campus as a whole.
Planning
Campaign Goal
The goal of ABC communications, which also can be considered an Anti-Littering campaign, is to create and educate litter awareness in the Journalism & Mass Communications area located at Savannah State University. Increasing litter consciousness will encourage proper garbage disposal and reduce the amount of litter found on campus. The goal of the campaign is to raise awareness about littering and its harmful impacts on living things.
Target Audience
The audience that will be targeted during the campaign period will be Savannah State University students and staff, between the ages of 18 and 55.
Objectives
Objective #1: The first objective of this campaign is to influence students of Savannah State University to change their behaviors and refrain from littering by disposing their litter properly.
A. According to primary research 48.1% of surveyors noticed a problem with litter in the JMC trailer and parking lot area. With that being said, the informational objective of this campaign is to raise awareness about littering on campus and its other harmful impacts.
Objective #2: To Create awareness by having informationals' to show how littering can cause environmental issues on campus.
Key Messages
Litter, It Just Isn't Earthly!
Litter causes injury and accidents to people.
Litter Isn't Natural, It's Illegal!
Themes
Dispose of Your Litter Properly
Don't Splash Your Trash
Channels and Themes
The strategy is to inform students at Savannah State University by using different deliverables through different traditional media platforms, and non-media platforms. These Channels include:
Non-Media
1. Brochure
2. Poster
3. Class Presentation
4. Print Advertisement
These non-media channels were specifically chosen and strategically picked because they will help in the success of Stop The Litter campaign. Posters were chosen because this will benefit in helping to promote events and will generate awareness and create a buzz. A brochure was chosen because it will contain vital information for the target audience to know about the business and its services that they provide. A class presentation will be held during a Mass Communications class (Mr. Hawkins) with students of Savannah State University to help promote and inform students about litter and the harmful effects it can have on campus.
Media
1. Factsheet
2. Anti-littering commercial
3. News Release
These media channels were specifically and strategically picked because they will help bring student’s awareness about Litter in the JMC area and its harmful environmental effects. A Fact sheet was chosen because it is a presentation of data that emphasizes key and vital points that individuals should know about litter. A commercial was chosen because it will help inform students on the problem and how to solve it. A news release was chosen because one can get to a mass audience and also was as a form of mass media communication.
Campaign Timeline
List of Skills
Adobe Software skills- I can create Print Advertisements and create and edit audio and video commercials
Microsoft Word Skills- I can write in depth research papers and create charts.
Excel Skills- I can create charts in Excel about my in survey results.
Google Forms- Fully understanding on how to manage and export a survey out to the public.
I know how to create an Integrated Marketing Communications Plan and also implement other deliverables.
Campaign Budget
Implementation
Deliverables
Poster
Factsheet
Print Advertisement
Backgrounder
News Release
Brochure
Class Presentation
Commercial
Campaign Evaluation
Campaign Goal & Objectives
A. The target audience for Stop The Litter was surveyed a second time to ensure the effectiveness of the campaign. This was also a way ensure that the amount of students who were more aware of the issue of litter and sought change. There were two goals that was previously recorded in the campaign to be achieved:
Campaign Goal
To influence students of Savannah State University to change their behaviors and refrain from littering by disposing of their litter.
Target Audience
Savannah State University students
Objective 1
To influence students of Savannah State University to change their behaviors and refrain from littering by disposing their litter properly.
Objective 2
To inform students on how litter causes environmental issues for the campus as a whole.
According to primary research 48.1% of surveyors noticed a problem with litter in the JMC trailer and parking lot area. With that being said, the informational objective of this campaign is to raise awareness about littering on campus and its other harmful impacts.
Implementation efforts
Brochure: A brochure was made in order to be passed out to students and posted around at Savannah State University's Student Union and King Frazier's event boards. This was done so in a way in order to inform students about litter and how it is harmful and bad for the campus community.
Posters: Posters was used as an advertisement tactic to to show information like the important facts needed for a mass audience. Posters were posted on the event section-board located in the Student Union and King Frazier on campus at Savannah State University.
Print Advertisement: Print Advertisements were used as an advertisement tactic in hopes that students at Savannah State University would be interested about the Nappy Hutt and their services. Print Ads were also posted in the Student Union and in King Frazier; due to that being where the mass amount of students hangout.
Fact Sheet: A Fact sheet was passed out during mini informational meeting to students for Mr. Hawkins' Mass Communications class, and announced important developments such as new ways to prevent, its harmful effects, laws, and other key facts.
Class Presentation: A class presentation was conducted through powerpoint and presented to Mr. Hawkins' class. Important information was given out to the audience such as a short overview commercial, then an after-presentation survey was given through a google forms live link.
Methodology
A survey of fifteen questions was open and available to 27 surveyors to take through a google forms link. This survey was a non-random and snowball survey that was given due to the convenience after the in-class presentation. The snowball sampling was chosen because I told others through the GroupMe app to encourage others to take the survey also. Questions within the survey were all multiple choice questions. After the the submissions were finalized the proper data was conducted and analyzed through google forms spreadsheet.
After the data was analyzed, research showed that 92.6% of surveyors would dispose of their trash after the implementation. The remaining 7.4% of surveyors stated 'maybe' and none of the surveyors answered 'no'.
Surveys were left open from April 7th, 2017 around 10:30 a.m. to April 24th ,2017 at 2:00 p.m. Participants were given a consent form alongside with each survey so that participants were aware that their answers would confidential and anonymous for the purposes of the campaign. The survey was distributed online through Google Docs link in order to get a mass audience of students who attended Savannah State University.
Findings Comparison
Conclusion
This marks the conclusion of Stop The Litter Anti-littering awareness campaign at Savannah State University. ABC Communications Agency visited the schools campus as part of the initiative. The campaign aimed to help to reduce the amount of litter generated in The Journalism & Mass Communications trailer and parking lot area.
After the development of the deliverables, students found their schools transformed with posters, Print Advertisements, Brochures, and even mini pop up informationals in the Student Union and King Frazier. The campaign's artwork bearing the slogans ‘Do Not Litter’ and ‘Litter, It Just Isn't Earthly’. These eye-catching campaign materials have been in place on Savannah State University's campus for approximately 3 weeks.
Administrator assistant for the JMC department, Tina Brown, said “in line with ABC Communications strategy ‘Stop The Litter’ I believe that the effective information is essential in motivating young college students to change their attitude towards littering." The materials that have been made available throughout this campaign will allow the Keep Savannah Clean to successfully engage with young people and increase the number of those demonstrating positive littering behaviour in the area.
ABC Communications has also worked closely Keep Savannah Clean to identify waste hotspots and to target littering out with school grounds by using these materials in the local areas as well. Campaign posters have been displayed by many common waste areas throughout the school during this campaign period. In this way, it is hoped that the wider campus- community can also engage with the anti-littering message.
Stop The Litter campaign showed me that timing is very important and that everything is time consuming. It took time to gain results from in class and as well as the proper use adobe software to create and conduct the proper deliverable s that would reach out to the mass audience at Savannah State University. Also throughout this campaign I noticed that everyone won't comply with your campaign or will want to take the time to listen to your campaign, just depending on the individual. Also getting students to take the survey on time was a minor hassle but overall the campaign is progressing successfully.