If two young men in high-visibility vests come to your door in the next few weekends saying they are working for the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District on a survey, they are legitimate, says ACRD waste reduction educator Anna Lewis.
The students will be taking on a community-based social marketing program to Port Alberni homes that participate in curbside recycling.
“The objectives of the survey are to uncover barriers to recycling, to recycling correctly and to raise awareness about recommended actions,” Lewis said. They also hope to obtain a commitment from residents to follow through on recommended actions.
“Statistics indicate that while Port Alberni residents produce more municipal garbage than other Vancouver Island areas, they divert much less from the landfill through recycling,” she said.
“The goal is to increase diversion rates from 20 percent to 50 percent.”