Residents Stewardship

About this measure: The King County Environmental Behavior Index (EBI) tracks and reports on the degree selected environmental behaviors are practiced by King County residents. In 2005, 2006, and 2008, approximately 1000 randomly selected residents in King County participated in a telephone survey and reported on their household's behaviors related to:

• Yard Care
• Recycling And Disposal
• Water Quality
• Climate

Understanding residents' behavior guides a more cost-effective targeting of outreach efforts and helps evaluate whether the efforts to improve these behaviors are making a difference.

The 2008 Environmental Behavior Index was conducted in spring of 2008. The findings about recycling and disposal information can be found under the performance measure on solid and hazardous waste management.

Below are details on the findings for the yard care and purchasing areas.

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Residents' Purchasing Recycling And Disposal

2008 results: This year's survey indicates that choosing less-toxic cleaning products and less-toxic paints and giving experiences instead of physical gifts have all improved in recent years.

2008 target: Improving trends in purchasing practices

2009 target: Improving trends in purchasing practices

Influencing factors: Many factors affect the purchasing decisions. Cost, product convenience, and availability are all influential. Public awareness about the impacts of these decisions on the health and environment also plays an important role.

Strategy going forward: King County is advancing efforts to improve purchasing practices in several coordinated ways. The Solid Waste Division is emphasizing public education through the Eco-consumer program and is sponsoring Eco-Deals — a partnership with makers of green products to use coupons and discounts to promote green products.

The King County is also involved nationally, regionally, and locally with product stewardship efforts that require manufacturers to establish product collection programs. The "Take it Back Network" is expanding locations and opportunities to recycle fluorescent bulbs, electronics and other products.

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Residents' Yard Care Practices

2008 results: This year's survey of King County residents confirms that yard care behaviors indicates significantly improving practices regarding:

• composting
• controlling invasive plants, and
• reducing lawn size.

The yard care practices that are steady or only slightly improving include:

• lawn watering
• adding native vegetation, and
• proper treatment of treatment of trees and shrubs for insects/diseases.

2008 target: Improving trends in residents' yard care practices

2009 target: Improving trends in residents' yard care practices

Influencing factors: Recycling yard waste and changes in pesticide use are fairly easy behaviors to change and improve—and there are many voices, messages and incentives to encouraging such change. Reducing lawns, using the right fertilizer, using compost and restoration with native plants, all involve more complex and costly changes and have fewer supporting messages or region wide programs explaining how to do it.

Strategy going forward: Water and Land Resources Division (WLRD) will continue to partner with local cities—reaching 13 neighborhoods in 2009 —using Natural Yard Care classes to help folks transition into smaller lawns, use of native plants and pervious pavements and proper fertilizing and composting. Other counties (Pierce and Snohomish) are beginning to replicate our program.

The new online, "Northwest Native Plant Landscaping Guide" is being promoted in conjunction with the trainings to provide technical assistance to residents.

A Natural Yard Care Web site created by our Online Solutions group in 2008, should be up and running by 2009. The King County TV Yard Talk show will continue to feature information on these topics. Also in 2009, more relevant information about stormwater and best management practices (car washing, pet waste, infiltration and yard care) will be offered through the Natural Yard Care classes, Yard Talk, and via an upcoming series of broadcast ads to be aired in Sept/Oct 2009 on cable networks.

Technical Notes:
Pdf of 2008 environmental Behavior Survey Report

Environmental Behavior Survey Findings

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