Public tell dirty lies over recycling habits

By ANNE BESTON

People lie about how much recycling they do but scaring them into environmentally responsible behaviour does not work, research shows.

A study by Auckland University senior lecturer Dr Linda Cameron, used by the Ministry for the Environment for this year's $300,000 nationwide "reduce your rubbish" campaign, found people tended to "over-report" their recycling efforts.

The problem with most waste surveys, she found, was that they were "self-reporting" and people over-estimated behaviour.

Reviewing more than 50 national and international research papers on recycling and environmental behaviour, Dr Cameron found getting people to change their wasteful ways was "a significant social challenge".

"In the past we've hoped that just putting together an ad campaign would work but we really need to step up from there and look at how environmental programmes mesh with people's motivations," she said.

The ministry campaign, which included a website, 0800 number and television and newspaper ads, finished this month and would be evaluated, said project manager Steve Menzies.

He said when it came to recycling: "Twenty per cent don't care, 20 per cent would be 'dark greens' who might produce one sack of rubbish a year, and 60 per cent want to do something but don't know what."

Auckland University lecturer in psychology Dr Niki Harre said lying about recycling was not necessarily a bad thing.

"People tend to over-report all socially desirable behaviour but the good thing about that is it shows they think they should recycle, which may be the first step in bringing about behaviour change," she said.

Scaring people with doomsday messages about the imminent demise of the planet would only make them feel helpless, Dr Cameron's report said.

"Messages need to present information in a manner that prompts concern but not extreme fear, and offers a plan of action to alleviate the threatened consequences."

More than 2000 questionnaires returned as part of the ARC's "Big Clean-Up" last year showed Aucklanders worried more about waste than the rest of the country (71 per cent compared to a national average of 60 per cent).

A majority of Auckland households, 67 per cent, said they used recycling services but just 7 per cent said they hardly ever, or never did.

But it appeared recycling was still a low priority for many households, even when free washing Machines and shopping vouchers were on offer, as in the ministry's campaign.

With unlimited resources, campaigns would be easy, Mr Menzies said. For this campaign, the ministry had tried to personalise the issue and give people step-by-step information on how to reduce their rubbish.

"The key message behind the campaign was that 65 per cent of what people are throwing out can be recycled or composted."


Digging deep into our rubbish mountains


Bottles and paper put out for collection, scraps in the compost and clothing shoved into the plastic bag for charity - New Zealanders are used to doing their bit for recycling.

But what is the point? Where do our cast-offs end up, and, by dutifully recycling, are we really helping to reduce the rubbish mountain which each of us adds to at the rate of nearly half a tonne of residential waste every year?

Throw in that much junk again in industrial waste per person and it's no wonder the Government and councils are urging households to cut rubbish output.

To get to grips with recycling - including the reality that sometimes just a fraction of the tins and bottles sorted for kerbside collection ends up being recycled - the Herald is running a one-week series on recycling.