6 Community

 6.1          COMMUNITY PROJECT

The final step in the Plastic Free Campus programme is apply the lessons learned in school to the greater local community.  This means taking the communication, organisation and negotiation skills already learned and applying them in a new context.  Expect to run into new problems, objections and barriers to success.  Overcoming these is the masterclass phase of the PFC project.

There are many ways to help the community on plastic-related issues. However, it’s worth noting the ideal approach will be different depending on the local context, timeframe and the availability of resources. Here are some tips on how to make sure the project makes the biggest impact possible.

TOP TIP: Remember that a community project could be adopted as a CAS activity in the International Baccalaureate programme!

A.    Be informed

It’s important to understand the context and to know how to best apply resources and time.

·      Are there any existing plastic-free events or initiatives already?  If so, is collaboration possible? 

·      Have these events or initiatives been successful? Why or why not?

·      Research the history of local plastic-related issues: is there already a plastic ban or legislation that regulates consumption or waste management or is one being proposed?  What is the proposal and where does it stand right now?

·      Does this apply to an item or items - like a plastic bag or a straw ban?

·      Is there already a store that is plastic free or a local community that is plastic free?

·      What are the current local concerns about plastic? Where is the biggest impact?

·      In each case, ensure the additional concerns of where recycling actually goes to, the health and social justice impacts, and the compostable/biodegradability of substitute items have also been addressed.

LINK TO MODULE ONE

What lessons were learned from the on-campus and local waste management survey? Is there something that can be done locally to make improvements?

LINK TO MODULE TWO

Think about the issues highlighted in the awareness campaign – could some of these be tackled in the local community?

Surveys and Interviews

Conduct a survey or interviews to identify the number of people who recycle properly, or to find out how often people consume single-use plastic items like water bottles or straws. The results will help understand the issue in the community and to set targets. For example: currently 40% of people are recycling properly at home, how can this number be increased to 80% by the end of the school year?

Ask consumers and businesses how much plastic packaging they have to deal with each week and how they dispose of it (recycling or trash).  Could they explore changes to either reduce the amount of waste or convert the trash into recycling?

Find out what people are thinking.  Interview ten (or more) people. How many are even aware that plastics are a problem?  Talk to friends, neighbours and family members to find out what they know and are thinking.

What do community officials (local government), or local non-profit groups know and think about plastics? Do they think there is a problem?  If so, what do they think can be done?

Note: When carrying out interviews, consider researching and learning interview techniques.

B.    Gathering resources

Research may reveal there is a lot that could be improved in the community. Although it’s important to aim high and try to bring about significant change, it’s as important to know what is attainable. Consider the following points:

TOP TIP:  Consider what scale to tackle... local, regional, national or international community?

 C.    Brainstorm ideas

Understanding the community needs and resources available, gather the team and start brainstorming project ideas. Be creative!

Here are some ideas to get started:

·      Campaign for policy changes:

o   Call local government representatives and /or start a petition to request legislation or bans on single-use plastics like plastic bags, straws, etc.

o   If some government plastic bans have gone into effect, what else remains to be addressed? What is the next layer down?

·      Can local stores either ban plastic bags or make them “on request”?

·      Inspire changes in the community

o   Try to get the community to go Single-Use-Plastic bottle-free by promoting awareness and getting local stores to stock stainless steel bottles

o   Offer a strategy to help reduce SUPs at local events, by carrying out an audit and helping them find alternatives. Use the audit techniques used in Module 1.

o   Run a plastic-free living workshop and give advice on how to reduce Single Use Plastic consumption. Use the workshop techniques from Module 3.

o   Ask local restaurants if they will accept people bringing their own refillable containers and putting a notice outside to let customers know.

·      Inspire changes to businesses

o   Create a letter writing kit or template letter to encourage people to send letters to brands asking them to remove unnecessary plastic. For example, microbeads.

o   Use the resources of “The Last Plastic Straw”, including a small card to hand out to restaurants to request no single-use straws or plastic stirrers are given.

o   Campaign to make an aisle at your local supermarket plastic-free.

o   Collaborate with A Plastic Planet (APP) on their Plastic Free Aisle campaign – how can you apply their tactics in your region

o   Promote the Oceanic Standard in local hospitality (hotels and restaurants) venues and support them in pursuing their certification.

D.  Preparation

Now plan the roles and responsibilities and draw up an action timeline for the community project. Consider the following:

·      What are the main objectives?

o   Set measurable targets with approximate timelines – to be able to measure value so others can implement similar strategies.

·      Map out the resources needed and how to get them.

·      Start to oversee project roles: consider how many people are needed and what relevant skills and interests they have. This can be used as a basis to decide what responsibilities the volunteers will take on.

·      Create an estimated timeline for action and include regular progress meetings.

·      Consider the possible challenges to be faced and what is needed to overcome them. These might be financial or administrative challenges, for example.

·      Who might be able to help? Consider getting in contact with school alumni, local NGOs or government officials.

 6.2  SHARING THE PROJECT

Congratulations on the completion of the project!  

After the project is finished, or after significant progress has been made (if this is a long-term project) take time to reflect on the successes and failures. Consider, for example:

•     What succeeded and what did not?
•     What was learned? 
• How could the project be improved if it were repeated?

TOP TIP:  Reflect on how this project could link to the academic curriculum. How can the project help gain a deeper understanding of subjects at school?

• Share the outcomes and experiences of the project with the PFC community. Think of all that has been learned. 
• Make a short one-minute video for each topic.  For example, how was procurement changed at your school?  How was resistance overcome to make changes in your local community?  Upload this on YouTube and send the link to: admin@plasticfreecampus.org.  The best videos will be shared on the PFC Academy YouTube Channel for others to learn from.
•  Share online using the hashtag #PlasticFreeCampus in order to connect with other schools and students implementing the program. Sharing these experiences will generate more support and awareness for action against Single Use Plastic in your community, and it will help other students across the world learn how to create a successful project of their own. You could, for example:
  • Write or video a blog post to share with your school community to post on Facebook or Instagram 
  • Create a video to share with other schools on the Plastic Free Campus YouTube channel.  Keep it short – a minute or two just to cover one topic is best.
  • Write an article for your school newspaper or local town/city newsletter
  • Create a temporary exhibition in a busy place at school with the pictures you took throughout the planning and implementation of the project
  • Seek out other schools around the world that are involved in the fight against SUP and get in contact with them: you could both learn from each other’s experiences!

 6.3    CAMPUS WASTE AUDIT

• How long has it been since the Campus Waste Audit was done in Module 1?
• What changes have been made?
• Now is the time to conduct a second Campus Waste Audit and learn just how effective the Plastic Free Campus project has been.

Campus Waste Audit 2

 6.4 MEASURING IMPACT AND LESSONS LEARNED 

Metrics – What was accomplished?  What changes were made?  How big was the impact?  Metrics are the numbers that help define these answers. 

Lessons Learned – Summarise the lessons learned in 6.2 SHARING THE PROJECT above.