People might be more inclined to keep their community clean if they believe it benefits them personally, according to new research from the University of Georgia
The study found that focusing on how volunteering can benefit participants, such as by providing a new way to meet people or stay active, may encourage people to grab a trash bag and get to work
“When we think about messaging, sometimes we think we’re going to get attention if we tell people they’ll lose something, right? But the messages we generate might have a broader impact if they’re positive,” said <a href="https://publichealth.uga.edu/faculty-member/jennifer-l-gay/” rel=”nofollow noopener” target=”_blank”>Jennifer Gay, corresponding author of the study and an associate professor in the UGA College of Public Health. “When messages and themes related to future environmental behaviors are positively framed, people see benefits about the environment but also their own health.”
The study’s findings could be especially relevant in coastal regions that need to curb littering before it becomes marine debris and pollutes the ocean, the researchers said
Environmental cleanup more enticing for those who are already fit
Researchers conducted two surveys with more than 1,000 U.S. adults living in coastal regions ranging from Georgia to California
Individuals were first asked to consider both personal barriers to volunteering to help clean up the environment and possible positive outcomes with participating. They were asked to finish the sentence: “If I pick up trash while being active outdoors, I am likely to…” to gauge those feelings. People answered these questions with responses like: “I am likely to meet new people” or “I am likely to feel more fit afterwards.”
The second survey asked the same coastal residents about present and future pro-environmental actions and beliefs, as well as their physical activity levels. For example, participants were asked how likely they would be to pick up litter in response to messages about protecting marine life or cleaning up beaches, as well as gaining physical and mental health benefits (like heart health and lower stress)
We can … help promote environmental stewardship by showing the personal satisfaction gained in protecting the outdoor spaces we care about
Katy Smith, Marine Extension & Georgia Sea Grant
Across both surveys, connecting coastal cleanup to something positive like improved physical fitness resonated with the participants
People said they would be more eager to help clean up their coastal community if the message language was less focused on problems associated with marine debris and its negative impacts on the environment and more focused on human reward: social, mental and physical well-being benefits. When those benefits were spelled out, people said they would be more likely to pick up litter in the future
“There is potential to engage new audiences in litter prevention through campaign messages focused on these positive benefits,” said Katy Smith, co-author of the study and a public service associate with UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant. “We can use this to help promote environmental stewardship by showing the personal satisfaction gained in protecting the outdoor spaces we care about.”
The framing was particularly effective on those who said they were already physically active. People who believed combining cleanup efforts with exercise would lead to a better workout or even help them lose weight were more likely to add picking up litter when outdoors over the next few months
Respondents who said they regularly participate in moderate-to-vigorous intensity exercise especially considered bending over, lifting and any other action involved in cleanup as a win-win for both themselves and the environment
“Picking up litter can have immediate physical health benefits because you’re walking, bending, reaching and using fine motor control. It’s a form of functional fitness,” Gay said. “Whether you’re out and you see a water bottle to pick up, or you’re going out for an hour or two and picking up trash, considering that physical activity component can prioritize those behaviors in the thinking process.”
Less active individuals prefer community, efficiency-oriented language
Those who identified as less active found different benefits involved with cleanup appealing
They were still enticed by positive outcomes but were more likely to commit to cleanup efforts if they saw perks in aspects of community or efficiency, not just physical activity. These participants viewed picking up litter as an opportunity to meet new people
People who reported being less physically active saw feelings of belonging and pride as positive effects of litter cleanup. Knowing their efforts helped make their town more beautiful instilled a feeling of accomplishment
“Being in nature or natural spaces without trash makes people feel less stressed and more connected to nature,” Gay said. “The absence of litter in your environment can build social cohesion and make people feel like they’re more part of a community.”
The study suggests that messaging development can make a key difference in the health of the environment. The more people contribute to clean up, the less likely it is that garbage will make its way into our oceans
“Litter cleanups have direct positive impacts in our communities and the ocean,” Smith said. “They not only improve the aesthetics of our neighborhoods and outdoor spaces, but they also prevent litter from becoming marine debris. Marine debris prevention begins on land, and everyone can play a part with small daily actions, like participating in litter cleanups in the outdoor spaces they enjoy.”The study was published in Environment and Behavior and was co-authored by Devin Land, a program coordinator with UGA’s Archway Partnership and graduate of the UGA School of Social Work and College of Public Health, and Gavin Cloud, a College of Public Health graduate, as well as Jiaying Liu and Yidi Wang of the University of California Santa Barbara.
