We will promote water conservation and waste reduction among users of municipal services. Based on research in applied conservation, we will use a combination of awareness messaging, personalized usage data, and comparative feedback to encourage households to use less water, particularly during times of water shortage, and produce less garbage. Initial efforts will be tested on heavy consumers of services, and a university partnership will be sought to determine effectiveness.
We will foster a culture of environmental stewardship in Oklahoma City. We will solicit partners to participate in a large-scale community initiative, similar to that used by wellness campaigns and safety councils, with emphasis on the goals of greenokc. This partnership will be recognized as a continuing effort, just as campaigns like traffic safety also require continuity. This program will be based on sound market research and demonstrated techniques to affect specific environmental outcomes. Research will include focus groups in Oklahoma City to determine what topics are of greatest interest and effect, and techniques will go beyond education, awareness, and crisis response to promote a culture of environmental stewardship. The program’s effectiveness will be monitored regularly and strategies continually refined for maximum impact.
Educational and awareness programs targeted to all age levels can be effective in changing behavior and addressing environmental problems created by our daily routines. The content of these campaigns could address such topics as:
- Awareness of Oklahoma City’s natural features and resources
- Water and energy conservation
- Promoting walking and bicycling in lieu of automobile trips
- Effective actions for high ozone days
- Environmental, social, and economic impacts of local food
- Proper use of pesticides and fertilizers
- Minimizing household pollutants and safe disposal of household contaminants
- Support for neighborhood-based disposal efforts and cleanups
- Proper disposal of trash, debris, and organic material
- Land management practices that address fire suppression, invasive species, appropriate use of herbicides and pesticides, and overgrazing
- Agricultural benefits of crop diversification, grass-fed livestock, raising bison, nature-friendly mowing practices