!!!
These great ideas are from Patricia Barnes, Senior Partner of Barnes and Jeffreys, Sustainable Business Solutions in Vancouver.
I have had some success with the following at different events:
- A ‘Who wants to be a millionaire” type game where people come up onto a small stage and are quizzed, game-show style. In one event we ran, the theme was ‘waste’ and all of the questions were linked to the three R’s, local waste facilities and statistics on local household waste. Prizes ranged from pencils made from recycled banknotes up to a reusable shopping bag full of recycled goodies for the ‘million dollar’ prize. In another event the theme was energy use and another had a general environmental theme. This really engaged the audience, especially when contestants were able to ‘phone a friend’ and ask the audience. We ran the quiz every half hour. If you have an engaging host, all the better!
- For another event, aimed at teens, we had huge tarps with piles of garbage (cleaned cans & bottles & paper mache food waste, assorted plastics, etc.). The piles represented a typical local household waste output for a month. Teams then had 3 minutes to race from the tarps with articles from the piles and sort them into the correct recycling containers, a compost bin etc. Those who got the most right won a prize.
- On a smaller scale we have run stands using items like milk cartons to build bird houses and other similar crafts for kids. They get to take something home and their parents read displays and chat for sometime while their little ones are engaged.
- Each event we have held has been supported by displays (interactive if possible), take home materials and a point of contact (usually a web address & a ‘phone number) where attendees can find out more & ask questions at their leisure. If possible you can also run a raffle or draw which is drawn at the end of the day but that requires participants to provide an e-mail address. You can ask on the ballot if they would mind e-mails and this can be used to build up a database for follow-up information.
www.BarnesandJeffreys.com
Fostering Sustainable Behavior
Community Based Social Marketing
http://www.cbsm.com/
To search the Fostering Sustainable Behavior Listserv online archives go to http://www.cbsm.com/forums/search.lasso
===–===–===–===–===–===
GAIA GRAPHICS & ASSOCIATES
…creative by nature
===–===–===–===–===–===