Preparing for the environmental decade: A field experiment on recycling behavior

Abstract

This paper examines the impact of a communication campaign designed to encourage recycling participation in a community curbside pickup program. Residents in the experimental treatments were contacted in one of three ways—an interpersonal reminder about the scheduled pickup for the neighborhood, a flier noting the scheduled pickup and detailing how to prepare materials for curbside pickup, or a flier noting the scheduled pickup and providing examples of the economic advantages of recycling efforts. Results of the field experiment are based on population data comparing the total number of households in each treatment group that participated in the recycling program prior to and following the campaign. Analyses indicated that mean participation in all experimental treatments exceeded the goal of one‐third of all households participating. Participation in the control neighborhoods lagged behind the experimental groups. The authors attribute the similar level of success of interpersonal and printed communication to the salience of recycling and environmental issues rather than to channel impact.