PESTICIDE PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGN … · audience, message, strategy and materi-als utilized...

1

Overall Planning and Training

IntroductionA Public Education Campaign............................................................. 5

The “Pros” of a Public Education Campaign ..................................... 6

Using the Workbook as Your Guide ................................................... 7

Organizing Your Public Education Campaign ................................... 8

POTW Research as a Guideline ........................................................... 9

Using the H2O Home to Ocean Theme ............................................ 10

Needs AssessmentReviewing Pesticide Issues ................................................................ 11

Review Your Previous Campaigns or Educational Efforts ............. 13

Review of Other Programs................................................................. 14

A Note About Copyright Laws ........................................................... 15

Building a PlanElements of a Public Education Campaign...................................... 16

Goals and Objectives .......................................................................... 17

A Look at the Communication Process ............................................ 18

Target Audiences for the Public Education Campaign ................... 19

Profile of the Target Audience .......................................................... 20

Pesticide Use and the Target Audience ............................................ 23

Strategies ............................................................................................. 24

Budget Development for a Public Education Campaign ................ 25

Basics of Public EducationPersuasion’s Role in the Public Education Campaign .................... 27

Gaining the Support of Key Community Leaders ............................ 28

Key Months for Conducting a Campaign.......................................... 29

Gaining Employee Support and ParticipationInvolving Employees in the Public Education Campaign............... 30

Public Education Campaign Checklist ............................................. 32

Evaluation ToolsEvaluating the Progress of the Campaign ........................................ 33

PESTICIDE PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGN

Planning Guide

2

Program Implementation

Media RelationsDefinition and Analysis of Media ...................................................... 35

Explanation of Media Opportunities ................................................ 40

Media Tools ......................................................................................... 42

Guidelines for Writing Press Releases .............................................. 44

Sample Press Release ......................................................................... 46

Tips for Writing Media Advisories and Alerts .................................. 47

Sample Media Advisory ...................................................................... 48

Selecting the Best Spokesperson ...................................................... 49

Tips for Dealing with the Media ........................................................ 50

Message Delivery — Basic Means and Methods ............................. 53

AdvertisingUsing Advertising to Supplement the Campaign ............................. 57

Advertising Opportunities .................................................................. 57

Co-Operative and No-Cost Advertising Possibilities ....................... 63

Types of Advertising Vendors............................................................ 64

Benefit of PartnershipsBenefit of Partnerships ...................................................................... 65

Ideas for Partnership Programs ........................................................ 68

Maintaining Successful Partnerships ................................................ 70

Special EventsParticipating in Special Events .......................................................... 71

Exhibits at Environmental Fairs or Other Events ........................... 72

Neighborhood Clean-up Days............................................................ 73

Education Days at Local Retailers .................................................... 74

Calendar of Major Events .................................................................. 75

Speakers BureauEstablishing a Speakers Bureau ........................................................ 78

Recruitment of Volunteer Speakers .................................................. 79

Training Speakers with a Consistent Message ................................ 80

3

Development of Audiovisual Materials ............................................ 81

Finding Presentation Opportunities ................................................. 84

Sample Presentation Pitch Letter ..................................................... 85

Point-of-Sale ProgramExplanation of Point-of-Sale Programs ............................................ 86

Working with Retailers....................................................................... 87

Steps to Approaching Retailers ......................................................... 87

Sample Retail Pitch Letter ................................................................. 88

In-Store Signage and Promotion ....................................................... 89

Potential Major Retail Partners ......................................................... 89

Youth EducationWorking with Youth Education Programs ....................................... 90

School Garden Projects ..................................................................... 90

Supplementing Recycling Programs ................................................. 91

Poster Contest ..................................................................................... 92

Internet EducationIntroduction to Web Sites .................................................................. 93

Benefits and Drawbacks of Having Your Own Web Site ................ 94

How to Set Up Your Own Web Site................................................... 95

Telephone HotlinesReaching Out with Telephone Hotlines ............................................ 98

Share a Hotline or Establish Your Own ............................................ 98

Script and Hotline Tip Suggestions ................................................... 99

4

Appendix

Working with Ethnic PopulationsOutreach to the Hispanic Population ............................................. 100

Effective Use of Collateral MaterialsEstimates for Printing and Distribution ......................................... 101

Working with Printers ...................................................................... 102

Glossary of Common Printing Terms ............................................. 102

Camera-ready ArtworkPromotional Materials ...................................................................... 105

Bill Inserts ......................................................................................... 105

Bookmark .......................................................................................... 105

Brochures .......................................................................................... 105

Fact Sheet .......................................................................................... 106

Flyers ................................................................................................. 106

P-O-P and P-O-S Materials ............................................................... 106

Poster ................................................................................................. 106

Executive Summary for POTW SurveyExecutive Summary ......................................................................... 107

Case Study of Exemplary ProgramCase Study ......................................................................................... 109

Media Coverage of IssueMedia Coverage of Pesticides in Water .......................................... 110

Resource GuideComponents of an IPM Program ..................................................... 111

Key Contacts for Pesticide Information ......................................... 116

Additional Web Site Information .................................................... 117

IndexIndex of topics .................................................................................. 119

5

A Public Education Campaign

INTRODUCTION

Public education campaignsare a series of effortsdesigned to inform anaudience about a specificissue. Campaigns vary in

complexity depending upon theirmessages and the amount of time,resources and materials an agency hasto commit to the effort. This workbookwill help in the design and developmentof a number of different documentsand events that, when combined, canform a cohesive public educationcampaign regarding the wise purchase,use and disposal of pesticides.

Always Ask “So What?”

The main purpose of a public educationcampaign is to change behavior. To dothat is a significant challenge, especiallyto entities such as yours that are oftenlimited in funds and staffing. As youproceed with the concept of an outreachprogram, you should always test theelements by asking yourself “so what?”Ask yourself if you think the informationthat you are distributing, the partnersyou are enlisting, the speakers you areoffering can make a clear, simplestatement about what the consumershould change in his or her life, and why.The answer to the “why” is what willcompel people to change habits. Perhapsthe answer is, “because if you don’t, ourwater may not be safe.”

If you’ve never created a publiceducation campaign, this workbookwill serve as a comprehensive guide.It will assist in determining your bestaudiences, help you to understand thebest and most efficient elements of acampaign, guide you through workingwith the media, and help evaluateyour efforts when they are complete.(Throughout the workbook, keysummaries are highlighted in thismanner.)

If you have created a campaign in thepast, or are currently involved in one,this workbook offers ideas to strengthenyour efforts, including media relations,partnership building, youth education,and establishing a presence on theInternet. Consider enlisting partnersfor a program using bill inserts thatreach your customers. Take the sameinformation with the objective of sourcereduction (reducing the amount ofpotential hazardous wastes entering theenvironment) and partner with a localgarden club that will extend the messageto a more specific audience — one thatis using garden products. This workbookwill add to communications efforts youalready employ.

There is no single formula for creatinga public education campaign. Eachprogram is unique based upon theaudience, message, strategy and materi-als utilized during the campaign. Thisworkbook will assist you in selectingthese elements, and will help develop aprogram that fits both your needs andresources.

6

The “Pros” of a Public EducationCampaign

INTRODUCTION

You have a wide variety of duties toperform at your facility and creating apublic education campaign would meanmore responsibility that you would haveto take on. It is true that creating andimplementing a campaign will take acertain amount of time and possiblymoney on your part. But these effortshave a number of benefits, both finan-cially and in terms of how your POTW isviewed by customers and the community.

Proper Disposal and SourceReduction

A pesticide public education campaignaims to educate consumers about theproper purchase, use and disposal ofpesticide products. The campaign is anattempt to change consumers’ attitudesand behaviors when dealing with pesti-cide products around their homes. Asuccessful campaign would result in adecrease in the amount of pesticides aconsumer is using or disposing of im-properly and may result in a decrease inthe amount of pesticide residues that areshowing up in your water samples.

Reputation Management

Another benefit to conducting a publiceducation campaign is the perceptionthat your customers may have of yourPOTW. Implementing a public safetyprogram is a proactive effort on yourpart, and your customers will recognizethis fact. By administering this publiceducation campaign you’re helping toinform customers how they can increasesafety around their homes. Customersappreciate being informed on issues thatdirectly contribute to their health andwell-being. This kind of goodwill andcommunity relations can serve you wellin times of controversy.

Agencies at the local, state and nationallevel have created public outreachcampaigns that have shown measurableresults in changing consumers’ attitudesand behaviors. This workbook shouldreduce the amount of time and start-upeffort required to develop and adminis-ter a public education campaign. Thematerials here have been created tospecifically target consumers who usepesticide products. With all of thisinformation available to you, thequestion becomes, how will you createyour public education campaign?

7

Using the Workbook as Your Guide

INTRODUCTION

This workbook has been designed to assist you in all levels ofcreating and maintaining your public education campaign. It willhelp you understand the elements of a public education campaign.

The workbook has been separated into three main parts:

Focuses on the planning portion of the campaign.This includes information on how to determine what you need toconduct a campaign, explanations of the target audiences, and aguide to gaining your employees’ support for the program.

Guides you through the various tactics you can use toimplement a public education campaign. This section assists indealing with the media, creating programs for youth, establishinga speakers bureau, and participating in special events.

Supplies explanations of the printed materials youcan use during your campaign. Also available in this sectionare camera-ready materials for reproduction.

Within each section are sub sections marked for easy identification. The binderhas been constructed in a way that allows you to easily select elements for yourpublic education campaign. Each aspect of the campaign, from assessment throughevaluation, is covered in this workbook. An index has also been provided to giveyou another resource for looking up specific elements of the campaign.

8

Organizing Your Public EducationCampaign

INTRODUCTION

An effective campaign is one that hasbeen well thought out and planned topresent clear and consistent messages.From an organizational standpoint, apublic education campaign can bedivided into four essential parts:

Assessment:looking at what has been doneand what you want to do in thefuture.

Creation:putting together all of theelements that you will useduring your campaign.

Implementation:actually conducting thecampaign.

Evaluation:looking back over what has beendone and analyzing the results.

By planning the campaign in multiplephases, you will better understand howthe overall process works. It is importantto remember that each of these sectionscontributes to the overall campaign. Theparts do not operate separately; they areintertwined to create the entire publiceducation campaign. As an example of acomplete program, consider the BlueThumb program that was created by the

U.S. Environmental Protection Agencyand the American WaterworksAssociation, and which has been usedby agencies such as the OklahomaConservation Commission.

The Blue Thumb program is aneducational program addressing pollu-tion prevention and water quality.The program’s extensive Web site(www.awwa.org/bluethum.htm) housesthe various parts of the program.The program includes a large selectionof information sheets on integrated pestmanagement (IPM) and proper pesticideuse. The Blue Thumb Web site includes a“tip of the month” section, a “bloopers”page of unwise water use, and children’sgames that reinforce the campaign’sthemes. The program has its own pressmaterials, fact sheets, an extensiveselection of giveaway items, and camera-ready artwork for special events such asDrinking Water Week.

Every aspect of the Blue Thumbcampaign features its distinctive logoand consistent messages. The campaignhas a variety of materials and informa-tion, but it is all unified under thelarger campaign. In creating your owncampaign, you should work toward thesame type of effort with a variety ofmaterials that promote an overall themeand key messages.

9

POTW Research as a Guideline

INTRODUCTION

The California Department of PesticideRegulation (DPR) commissioned asurvey of the state’s POTWs to evaluatehow best to conduct an expanded publicoutreach program targeted to residentsand businesses to reduce improperhandling and disposal of pesticides. Thesurvey results have guided the creationof this workbook.

It is interesting to note that one-third ofthe respondents to the survey hadconducted public outreach programs inthe past. These districts had used theiroutreach programs to educate the publicwithin the two years preceding thesurvey. The most common elementsutilized were exhibits and bill inserts.Public service announcements (PSAs),brochures for reprinting and point-of-purchase materials were perceived to bethe most valuable informational materi-als for outreach programs.

When asked about the most effectiveprogram a POTW had administered, themessage focused on proper disposal ofpesticides (followed by environmentalprotection). Besides the popular billinserts, radio and television weredeemed to be the most effective meth-ods for communicating with the generalpublic. Even though exhibits andpresentations were used extensively,they were infrequently cited as the bestmethods.

A somewhat greater number ofrespondents indicated that a genericoutreach program created by DPR foruse by service areas was preferable to astatewide program conducted by DPR.Of the respondents, nearly 80 percentbelieved that an outreach campaignwould be either “very valuable” or“somewhat valuable.” This workbookwill serve as a useful aid in self-administration of regional/districtefforts.

This research helped shape our recom-mendations on materials used in anoutreach program, while we tempered agood dose of “reality” on methods toreach an audience. Radio and televisionadvertising might be very effective, but itis often out of reach for a typical POTWbudget. A more detailed discussion ofthe findings of the survey is in theAppendix.

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Using the H2O Home to Ocean Theme

INTRODUCTION

Public education campaigns are strength-ened when they contain a unified mes-sage that becomes easily identifiablewith the project. The message, or theme,of the campaign will help tie the variouselements together and will allow peopleto easily recognize and remember theprogram. With the addition of a simpleand easily identifiable logo, the programbegins to build a consistent identitythroughout the campaign.

This workbook contains various printmaterials that contain the theme H2OHome to Ocean. This theme, and itscorresponding logo, has been created togive you camera-ready materials that youcan use as part of your own campaign.The H2O Home to Ocean theme intendsto get consumers thinking about the factthat their homes have a connection tothe water system extending all the wayto the ocean.

Consumers may think that oncethey pour pesticides down the drain, theproducts cease to be harmful and haveno other impact on the environment.They may also think that because it islegal to purchase and use pesticides,then they must be safe to dump in thedrain. For many of these consumers, outof sight is out of mind. The goal of theH2O Home to Ocean theme is to getconsumers to recognize the potentiallyharmful impact pesticides can havewhen they are not used correctly ordisposed of properly.

The theme aims to get consumersthinking about the link between whatthey use in their home and how itimpacts the rest of the environment.

The H2O Hometo Ocean logoand materialswere createdspecifically forthis project.Space has beenleft on allcamera-readymaterials foryou to include

your organization’s name and contactinformation. The logo can be used on avariety of materials in different sizes, butit should not be altered from its originalformat (that is, you may print it larger orsmaller, but we ask you not to changethe proportions, the graphics, or the typefont). If you’d like to print the logo incolor, we request that it be produced inPMS (Pantone Matching System) 322C.

If you decide to use the H2O Hometo Ocean materials as part of yourcampaign, we would encourage you touse the logo on all of the materials youcreate and distribute. This helps give thepublic education project a cohesive look,and one that builds consumer awarenessthrough repetition and consistency.

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Reviewing Pesticide Issues

NEEDS ASSESSMENT

Historically, agriculturalactivities have been thefocus of investigationsinto pesticide impactson water bodies. In

recent years, however, pesticide use inurban areas is increasingly being exam-ined as a potential source of aquaticpollutants. Although applications ofpesticides in urban areas are typically ona small scale, the wide variety of chemi-cals used and the frequency of applica-tions can result in a substantial amountof pesticides used. Urban-use pesticidescan move off application sites and enterstorm drains which route surface runoffsinto urban creeks. These pesticides canalso end up in urban sewage which thentravels to wastewater treatment plants.

A recent example of media coverage onthis topic is The San FranciscoExaminer’s article (March 29, 1998)titled “New Threat to the Bay — Poisonsfrom Home.” The article quotes KellyMoran, manager of Palo Alto’s waterpollution prevention program. “It’s scary.We’re not worried about what’s comingfrom farmers in the fields. It’s comingfrom houses.” Bart Brandenburg,engineer at the Central Contra CostaSanitary District indicated, “We’re tryingto make people aware of the connectionbetween pesticide use in homes andgardens and the impact on water quality.”

The San Diego Business Journaloutlined the new challenge to the SanDiego Bay as non-point source pollution,“particularly storm water runoff, some-thing that’s a national crisis.” The SanDiego Port Authority’s director ofplanning indicates, “It’s not just up to thegovernment to solve this problem. It’sgoing to take everybody’s effort. And itstarts with the pesticides at our homesand where we change our oil.” Severalexamples of newspaper articles onpesticide issues are provided in theAppendix.

The source of the problem may begetting larger as more and more consum-ers discover the joys of home gardening.According to Home ImprovementMarket magazine, consumers spentalmost $26 billion on lawn and gardengoods in 1994, up more than $4 billionfrom the 1993 survey. The four areas thatsaw the largest increase were flowergardening, landscaping, vegetablegardening and lawn care — all practicesthat employ pest management.

The growth is being attributed to thebaby boomers. The study defined theaverage target consumers as college-educated, with professional or businessoccupations and annual householdincomes exceeding $30,000. Studiesshow that these 30- to 49-year-olds areinterested in environmental stewardship,and may help make some social andenvironmental issues mainstream topicsof interest.

12

So, the issues related to pesticide use,whether correctly defined by the mediaor not, increase in urgency as govern-ment and civic organizations focusattention on the dangers of improperresidential pesticide use and disposal.The opportunity for POTWs to take thelead in public education is tremendous.As professionals who have a stake inwater quality, and as a prime connectionwith consumers, POTWs have thechance to play a large role in pesticidepublic education campaigns.

According to the DPR survey of POTWs,a large percentage indicated that theywere uncertain as to how significant aproblem is posed by various pesticideuses. It is interesting to note that theperception of the pesticides problemamong those surveyed. When queried asto the source of the pesticide problem intheir service area, POTWs respondedthat the following chemicals were “verysignificant” or “somewhat significant.”

NEEDS ASSESSMENT

The difference between all respondents and those who arelocated in the San Francisco Bay Area are:

All Bay Area

Copper-containing pesticides 20.9% 39.4%

Diazinon 16.2% 27.3%

Tributyltin (TBT) 13.6% 30.0%

Chlorpyrifos (Dursban) 9.0% 12.1%

Other 23.5% 26.7%

13

Review Your Previous Campaigns orEducational Efforts

NEEDS ASSESSMENT

The first part of the assessment processis reviewing what types of public educa-tion activities your facility has com-pleted. The review should focus on bothyour successes and failures. Often youlearn a great deal about programs whenthey don’t succeed. Look at these as animportant part of the learning processand incorporate them in your review.

Set aside time to review past materials.Select a place where you can spread outthe materials and have room to viewthem. Choose a date when you candevote uninterrupted time to the reviewprocess. Invite other people to be partof the process, especially if they knowabout past campaigns or educationalefforts. (See the section entitled“Gaining Employee Support.”) Havingother people take part in the reviewprocess may allow you to see thingsfrom new angles.

First, look at what typesof materials you’ve

used in the past.Have there

been flyers,brochures,pamphlets,

or bill inserts?Who did you send the

materials to? What did thematerials look like and how did youidentify your agency (logo, address orphone number)? Once you’ve analyzedthe materials, determine what hasworked well for you in the past. Listtactics that you haven’t tried but would

like to try in the near future. Keepthese things in mind as you work atcreating your pesticide public educationcampaign.

Next, look at the messages that wereused in the campaign. Did you have anoverall slogan or unifying theme? Wasthere a clear and consistent messageused throughout the materials? Whichmessages do you think were well re-ceived or successful, and why? List thosecharacteristics of messages you thoughtwere successful. Keep this list handy asyou develop messages for your newcampaign.

For future reference, keep all of yourpublic education materials in one place.You can compile them in a folder,envelope or binder, as long as they allare kept together. Make sure there is adate and an explanation of use on allmaterials. Doing this will eliminate theguesswork involved in determiningwhere and when the materials wereused. This will make it easier to plan forall future campaigns.

After reviewing all of your previousmaterials and efforts, look at what stillneeds to be done. Have you created agreat partnership program with a retailerbut haven’t done any media relations?Have you used bill inserts to informconsumers but been out in the commu-nity to educate homeowners? Try todetermine not only what has been done,but also what elements are deficient, orwhat you’d like to do in the future.

14

Review of Other Programs

NEEDS ASSESSMENT

In the process of developing your ownpublic education campaign, you willundoubtedly come across informationand materials from other campaigns thatyou would like to incorporate into yourprogram. We have even used some ofthese programs such as Central ContraCosta Sanitary District’s project asexamples of successful programs.An overview of Central Contra CostaSanitary District’s campaign is includedin the Appendix.

Reviewing other campaignson pesticide use and environmentalprograms will give you the opportunityto see the variety of ways in which acampaign can be constructed.

Keep a file of flyers, pamphlets andfact sheets that you like.

Determine what elements you find mostappealing, and keep these in mind asyou construct your own campaign.

While it is advantageous to gatherinformation from similar campaigns,it is wise to use caution when attempt-ing to pattern your program after thoseconducted by others. Don’t assumejust because a program has beenimplemented in the past that it was1) successful and 2) based on goodscience. Great graphics and catchyslogans should never be a substitutefor valid and important information.

Simplicity in conveying a fewvery specific messages is a mark of agood campaign. Remember, yourcustomers will probably be reluctant tochange long-standing household orbusiness practices, and they certainlydon’t want to wade through a complexscientific lecture to find out howimportant their actions are to theenvironment. Short and to-the-pointstatements related to the “bottom line”will make the case.

DPR conducted an extensive review ofother programs and while they are usedthroughout the workbook as examplesof various elements, we have designedthe themes, logos and written materialsaround the most important messages forCalifornia residents.

15

A Note about Copyright Laws

NEEDS ASSESSMENT

Copyright is the right of authors tocontrol the reproduction and use oftheir creative expressions, which havebeen fixed in tangible form. The types ofcreative expression eligible for copy-right protection include literary,graphic, photographic, audiovisual, andmusical works. Ideas and facts arenever protected by a copyright. Rather,the copyright pertains only to theliterary, musical, graphical or artisticform in which an author expressesintellectual concepts. You are alwaysfree to report the facts contained in anycopyrighted material. However, you maynot employ the same or essentially thesame combination of words, structure,and tone, which comprises the expres-sion of those facts.

(Source: Associated Press Stylebook)

Work that is copyrighted is typicallyidentified by the symbol © with theword copyright adjacent to it. You mayuse copyrighted material if you showthe copyright and do not use it for yourfinancial gain without permission. If youare considering whether you can usecopyrighted materials for your cam-paign, you should always consult thedistrict’s general counsel. Materialsproduced by the U.S. government is freeof copyright restrictions. Many state andlocal government also allow free use ofmaterials they produce, usually askingonly that you credit the source. Again,check with your general counsel to besure, and it is always best to ask permis-sion from the originating agency beforeusing their material.

(For more information on copyrightlaws, see the U.S. Copyright Office’sWeb site at http://lcweb.loc.gov/copy-right.)

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BUILDING A PLAN

Public Education Campaign GoalGenerate awareness for program or issue

Situation AnalysisNeeds assessment/the opportunities and the challenges

GoalWhat is the bottom line result? Is it measurable?

Target AudienceWho do you want to influence?Understand the characteristics and habits of your audience

Evaluate

Public Education Tools

Employee CommunicationsWeb SitePoint-of-Sale ProgramSpeakers Bureau

Develop a BudgetMap out your entire project from beginning to end

StrategiesHow do you plan to achieve the goal?

Key MessagesWhat are the messages you want the audience to remember?

AdvertisingMedia Relations

Direct MailPromotions

Special EventsTelephone Hotline

Youth Education ProgramsCommunity Relations

Elements of a Public Education Campaign

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Goals and Objectives

he key to an effectiveconsumer educationprogram is to organizethe components into acomplete, logical and

persuasive plan. The plan should detailthe procedures that will help meetcertain objectives and explain how theirprogress will be measured. A completesituational analysis should be includedto guide the selection of goals andobjectives. A situational analysis issimilar to information presented in theneeds assessment section of this work-book and reviews the opportunities formarketing action. It also takes intoaccount the “what if” scenarios. Forexample, what if detection of pesticidescontinues to increase and residentialmisuse is identified as a point source?

GoalsA consumer education program muststart with a clear understanding of yourgoals. Think of the goal or goals as thebottom-line result that you hope toachieve in the campaign. It’s not neces-sarily changing the ways homeownersuse and dispose of pesticides; it’s quitepossibly a reduction or containment ofdetectable pesticide residues in thepublic water system.

You need to consider measurability ofthe goals. For instance, if one of yourgoals is to reduce detected residues ofspecific pesticides in your influent, youmust have baseline data that you can

later compare with results of testsconducted after your education cam-paign. Be realistic when setting goals.Perhaps a goal of increasing consumerawareness of their responsibility inprotecting California’s water is moreachievable than an immediate reductionin detectable pesticide levels.

For instance, the goals of a POTW publiceducation campaign could be to:

• Encourage proper disposal ofpesticides among residential users

• Increase awareness of responsiblehome pesticide use

These might seem simplistic, but cam-paign goals are designed to be focusedon the end result. It is how you willaccomplish the goals that determines asuccessful campaign. Typically, throughstrategies that are applied to a specifictarget audience, communication andeducation will achieve the goal.

We know that there are two distinctpaths toward the end result:

1. Educate consumers about properpurchase, use and disposal of home-use pesticides; and

2. Educate consumers about integratedpest management as a way of usingpesticides more wisely and reducingoverall pesticide use.

T

BUILDING A PLAN

18

A Look at the Communication Process

BUILDING A PLAN

There is a critical path you must take tocomplete the process of communicatingwith an audience. Whether it’s writtenor verbal communication, you mustreach the audience with a specificmessage, make the audience listen, then

make them believe what you are saying,and compel them to act on the message.

In building an education outreach plan,analyze the process of communicationthrough the following points:

Analyze your target audience

Who are they?

What do they perceive about you, your district and the issues?

What are their primary concerns?

What will make them listen?

Encourage them to listen

Start with a powerful opening or a compelling headline.

Relate quickly how the information is relevant to them.

Help them believe your messages

Establish credibility through endorsements, scientific evidence or other alliedassociation.

Demonstrate your shared concerns.

Encourage them to act on that belief

Close the loop by offering specific “action items” you want them to consider based onyour key messages — keep items clear and simple.

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Target Audiences for thePublic Education Campaign

BUILDING A PLAN

Once you understand the situation andthe “environment” in which you areoperating, and you’ve designed specific,measurable goals, you need to definethe target audience that you wish toinfluence in order to achieve the goals.

It is ineffective (if not impossible) tocreate a campaign and relevant mes-sages/materials that will reach everyone.For this reason it is important to deter-mine a specific target audience for thepublic education campaign.

Results from DPR’s survey of POTWswill shed some light on defining possiblebroad target audiences. When queried asto the source of the pesticide problem intheir service area, POTWs respondedthat the following were “very significant”or “somewhat significant”:

Landscape maintenance androadside weed control ..................... 33.3%

Agriculture ......................................... 27.9%

Residential ......................................... 27.0%

Parks and golf courses .................... 21.3%

Business/commercial ....................... 18.0%

Industrial ............................................ 12.7%

The Department of Pesticide Regulationand others have studied sewage inflowsin urban areas to determine sources ofcontamination. These studies indicatethat although much higher concentra-tions of pesticides are sometimes seenfrom commercial sources, the residentialareas contribute much larger flows,

which translates into a greater residen-tial contribution. Therefore, a sourcereduction strategy that focuses onreducing loads from residential sourceswould be the most effective strategy. Ifsuch a source reduction program cansuccessfully increase the pollutionprevention awareness of service arearesidents, inputs from commercial andother sources may also decrease.

Moreover, if you wish to target some ofyour educational efforts to commercialoperations, there are several profes-sional associations which communicateon a regular basis to their members.For example, the Pest Control Operatorsof California represents structural pestcontrol businesses. The CaliforniaLandscape Contractors Associationeducates its member landscapecompanies about relevant issues.

Targeting ConsumersThe most obvious audience to targetfor a pesticide public educationcampaign is consumers who are buyingand using pesticide products. People usethese products for a variety of tasks,from killing insects in their flower andvegetable gardens, to eliminating antsand fleas inside their homes. Manycleaning and disinfectant supplies arealso classified as pesticides. As varied asthese products are, and the people thatuse them, there are some commoncharacteristics that allow us to developa target audience.

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Profile of the Target Audience

BUILDING A PLAN

For a residential outreachcampaign, the primary target is:

Homeowners who actively participate ingardening activities and home improve-ment — the consumers most likely topurchase and use pesticide products.

Most pesticide use by homeowners is forthe control of indoor and garden pestsand for cleaning. Residents who usepesticides are often engaged in homeimprovement or gardening projectsaround their homes. The improper useand disposal of these products may leadto increased pesticide residues incommunity waterways and municipalwater supplies.

According to an April 1997 article inAmerican Demographics, “One in fourAmericans says that gardening is a realhobby or interest of theirs.” The samearticle notes that home ownership isone of the most likely predictors ofsomeone’s interest in gardening. A1994 survey for the National GardeningAssociation estimated that 75 percentof U.S. households had at least oneresident who gardened.

Data indicates that consumers are morelikely to consider environmental impact

when purchasing gardening and house-hold products. The Green Gauge study,conducted by Roper Starch Worldwide,found that, “Environmental concernsmatter more in some industries than theydo in others... that people pay moreattention to environmental factors whenbuying things that have an obvious anddirect impact on the environment, suchas lawn-and-garden products andhousehold cleaners.” People want to beeducated about pesticide purchases, useand disposal, through the efforts of apublic education campaign.

Communications Base

Before you begin, your messages mustbe clearly defined and understood. Sincethe goal of this education outreachcampaign is to encourage proper pesti-cide use and disposal, the strategies andtactics involved should be turned into acommunication strategy guideline.

21

BUILDING A PLAN

1. General pesticide purchase, use and disposal:

■ Proper identification of the pestproblem.Consumers tend to generalize andlump categories of pests. They needto ask nursery personnel, or consulta how-to book or magazine gardensection. Consumers should beencouraged to seek the least-toxic,most pest-specific treatment.

■ Consumers need to read labels beforepurchase.Many tend to select products basedon sales promotion, pull it off theshelf, put it in their basket and movealong. They won’t realize until laterthat they bought enough concentrateto last many years. However, con-cerned about shelf life, consumerswill probably want to dispose ofit much sooner. Byreading the labelbefore purchase,consumers willunderstand that alittle concentrategoes a long way.

■ Using pesticides safely meansresponsible use.Encouraging consumers to usepesticides according to label instruc-tions with safety measures in mind(for example, remember children andpets) will encourage them to treatpesticides with respect. Overuse ormisuse of pesticides can causeproblems.

■ The “don’ts”of disposal.The risks of improperpesticide disposalare great enough towarrant a listing ofdon’ts for consumers.Such a list wouldinclude “don’t flush pesticides downthe drain or toilet” for example, anda reminder about local and federaldisposal restrictions.

2. Integrated Pest Management (IPM):

Convincing consumers to adopt IPM maybe a challenge because IPM is not a rotemethod that produces quick results. IPMis a decision-making process whichinvolves working with nature to createconditions that make it difficult for peststo survive, while encouraging beneficialorganisms to flourish. It is a problem-solving approach to pest control thatemploys the least-toxic methods. IPMemphasizes preventing and reducing thesource of pest problems rather thantreating the symptoms. It encourages usto realize that living organisms onlybecome pests when their populationsexceed certain threshold levels. Thoughnot strictly a non-chemical approach, anIPM program will generally result in areduction in the use of pesticides. Byworking with nature rather than againstit, there are usually more effective waysto manage pest problems.

To summarize the two most importantareas to cover:

22

BUILDING A PLAN

Components of an IPM program:

■ Initial information gathering.Identify the pest problem. This is thefirst and most important step —figuring out exactly what you’re upagainst. Some pests (or signs of them)are unmistakable. Other signs thatmake you think “pest” can be mislead-ing. For example, what may look like aplant disease may be, in fact, a sign ofpoor soil or lack of water. Use freesources in your area to help identifyyour pest problem and learn the mosteffective methods to control it. Thesesources include library referencebooks (such as field guides or garden-ing books), pest specialists in yourcounty’s office of the University ofCalifornia Cooperative ExtensionService, and local plant nurseries.These sources are usually listed inthe telephone book.

■ Monitoring.Observe sites at regular intervals forpotential pest problems.

■ Establishing injury levels.Determine when the pest problem willwarrant corrective action. Decide howmuch pest control is necessary andappropriate.

■ Recordkeeping.Maintain an accurate recordkeepingsystem to document observations,decisions made, actions taken, andresults.

■ Selection of reduced-riskalternatives.Use the following objectives whenselecting pest managementapproaches and specific methods:least disruptive of natural controls,least hazardous to human health,least toxic to non-target organisms,least damaging to the environment,most likely to produce a permanentreduction in the supportive environ-ment for the target pest(s), andmost cost-effective considering bothshort- and long-term objectives.

■ Evaluation.Evaluate the effectiveness of theIPM program and make adjustmentsas needed.

For more information on integrated pestmanagement, see the Resource Guide.

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BUILDING A PLAN

Pesticide Use and the Target AudienceOnce you are familiar with the profile ofthe target audience, you can look at itsuse of pesticide products. It is importantto understand the characteristics andhabits of consumers as you formulateyour public education campaign.

The largest concern, because of itspopularity and the room for user error, ispesticide use by home gardeners. Gardenproducts are sold in both ready-to-usecontainers and in concentrate. Themeasuring and mixing of concentratedgarden products means that home-owners are responsible for carefullyreading directions and accuratelypreparing the mixtures. This is the firstpotential problem, since higher concen-trations of pesticides may find their wayinto the water system.

Another major concern involvesapplication of pesticides. Homeownersneed to be aware of factors, such asspraying on or near concrete, which canlead to runoff. The user may not beeducated on the proper use of theproducts, and potential risks that maycome as a result of specific conditions.

Another potential problem ariseswhen it is time to dispose of gardenpesticide products. Users may disposeof the excess product down the drain,or pour it on a paved surface. Home-owners may not understand that thesepractices can severely harm waterquality and aquatic life.

Indoor pest management is another areaof concern. Most household pesticideproducts that are designed for in-homeuse are sold in ready-to-use containers.The bottle or can will probably be storedin a cabinet and used periodically tocontrol pests. While it is likely thathomeowners may use more of theproduct than is called for, the residualeffects usually remain on the surfacethat is sprayed (e.g., the kitchen floor orlaundry room counter). The potentialproblem for these products is mainly intheir disposal.

It is important to note that while thereare literally hundreds of messages goingout to consumers regarding safety andthe environment, there is still room for astrategic campaign aimed at the safe andresponsible use of pesticides. As pointedout in an August 1997 AmericanDemographics feature article:

“Americans are also aware there’smuch to be done. Almost three-fourths think they should be doingmore for the environment, accordingto Roper [Starch Worldwide]. Yetjust 6 percent of consumers considera product’s environmental impact asa primary factor in their decision tobuy it. This potential guilt gapindicates fertile ground for uppingthe ante on America’s environmentalconscience. If our concern is closeenough to the surface, it might not bedifficult to stir it into action.”

With this information in mind, it is nowpossible to continue the creation of yourpublic education campaign.

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BUILDING A PLAN

Strategies • Bill inserts in mailings other than

your own billing (sorted by zip)

• Retail point-of-sale program at localgarden center

Mapping out your plan involves outlin-ing your goals and messages, and thecommunications methods you will useto reach your audience. For instance:

• Place a series of columns with thelocal newspaper garden editor andwriter

• Conduct regional spokesperson tourin conjunction with Earth Dayactivities

These become two strategies with theactual execution of each definedthrough the plan. You should alsoconsider localizing story angles —making sure that if you have statewidestatistics, you relate them to your“backyard” and make them morenewsworthy and compelling to thelocal/regional audience.

These goals and strategies becomecritical in evaluating your programs.However, to adequately discern if youhave achieved your goals, you needto conduct pre- and post-programresearch or somehow set a benchmarkto measure success. Evaluationprograms will be discussed further inthis workbook.

The strategies in your communicationplan are based on your goals and themethods used to reach your targetaudience. For example, take the broadaudience of homeowners ages 25 to 54and consider ways to rationally build ahost of opportunities to reach them.For instance:

Homeowners (25 – 54) whoactively garden

We can build an opportunity profile bymaking some general assumptions:

■ They may be more likely to havefinancial resources given the fact thatthey are homeowners and they haveenough land to garden.

■ Because they are gardeners, theyprobably read the gardening sectionof their local newspaper and theymight be interested in the weekendgarden program on the local radiostation.

■ They purchase pesticides at gardencenters and independent nurseries.They might even enroll in a classthere regarding a specific area ofinterest.

Reach this defined audience with thecommunications methods available to“move” your message:

• Newspaper garden sections

• Radio or television feature programs

• Direct mail opportunities via thepurchasing of mailing lists

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Budget Development for aPublic Education Campaign

BUILDING A PLAN

Any public or semi-private entity under-stands the nature and reality of limitedbudgets. We can consider the budgetcrunch an everyday dilemma. Whenbudgeting for a campaign, be sure tobuild in efficiencies such as partnershipopportunities and “free publicity”venues. It is also important to carefullyconstruct and manage the budget.

The following provides a checklist in thedevelopment of a budget for a campaign.This assumes that you need to keeptrack of staff time as part of the budgetplanning process.

Where to Start

❑ Take time to map out the projectbefore it begins

❑ Outline all expected staff time andout-of-pocket expenses line by line

❑ Research and request bids for allexpenses, getting several for anylarge items such as printing

❑ Discuss/review the budget with asupervisor or coworker as a realitycheck

❑ Estimate ballpark figures whenpossible

❑ Include tax on all hard costs asappropriate — this can be quite asurprise

❑ Include a 5 to 10 percent contingencyif possible

❑ Formally write up budget and provideto all appropriate parties

How to Implement

❑ Provide all management/communica-tions team members with detailedbudget for each project

❑ Provide staff members with esti-mated time they can spend on aproject, along with the estimatedexpenses for specific hard costs

❑ Have team members alert a supervi-sor immediately if time or out-of-pocket expenses are getting “out ofcontrol”

❑ Review detailed budget status eachmonth and have major vendorsprovide the same

❑ Maintain monthly budget trackersand estimated remaining budget

❑ Designate a member of the manage-ment team as a budget point person

❑ Keep copies of all signed estimatesand invoices to help track expenses

❑ Create an invoice binder for easyreference

Budgeting Tips

❑ Use previous similar programs asbudget guidelines

❑ Always call vendors for estimates —don’t “guesstimate”

❑ Document discussions that mightimpact budget

❑ Include miscellaneous expenses suchas administrative costs

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BUILDING A PLAN

Typical Event Out-of-Pocket List

❑ Venue costs (e.g., hotel conferenceroom rental)

❑ Audio visual equipment/stage/podium

❑ Insurance

❑ Food and beverage

❑ Flowers/centerpieces

❑ Photographer, videographer

❑ Invitations

❑ Guest book, media leave-behind gift(e.g., T-shirts, keychains), press kits

❑ Speaker honorariums

❑ Travel and lodging (complete detailedlist)

❑ Shipping, freight, postage, messenger,FedEx, UPS

❑ Phone, fax, cell phone, copying

Typical Time-Consuming Servicesfor Event

❑ Develop event concept

❑ Research/contact speakers

❑ Write invitation copy

❑ Coordinate design, proofing, printing

❑ Coordinate mailing

❑ Development invitation list/media list(qualify by phone)

Event and Services ChecklistThe following provides some standard items to consider for out-of-pocket expensesand possible services/staffing time requirements

❑ On-going internal communications

❑ Planning and update meetings

❑ Site research/site check

❑ Speaker contact and coordination

❑ Write/review speaker and/or clientremarks

❑ Coordinate AV needs, food andbeverage, stage/podium, flowers,photographer

❑ Develop event time line and eventflow

❑ Coordinate travel/lodging arrange-ments

❑ Coordinate press materials

❑ Coordinate gifts for participants/speakers (e.g., garden aprons withlogo, t-shirts)

❑ Event run-through or rehearsal

❑ Coordinate broadcast and printmonitoring

❑ Travel to and from event

❑ Attend event

❑ Management correspondence andstatus reports

❑ Follow-up: thank you letters, follow-up on vendor invoices and billing

❑ Coordinate monthly budget status

❑ Results reporting (clip reports,broadcast placements)

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Persuasion’s Role in thePublic Education Campaign

BASICS OF PUBLIC EDUCATION

Your mission in a publiceducation campaign isto change the behaviorsof those people who arelikely to misuse and

improperly dispose of pesticides. Tochange attitudes and behaviors theremust be an element of persuasionincluded in the campaign. Persuasioncan be defined as the act of influencinga person to make a desirable choice. Forthe purpose of your public educationcampaign, you are attempting to influ-ence homeowners to use and disposeof pesticides properly.

Throughout the public education effort,most of the communications shouldserve the purpose of influencingpeople’s behavior. Whether thecampaign’s goal is to encourage peopleto conserve energy, stop littering oruse and dispose of pesticides wisely,the goal is to influence their behavior.The communication tools — such asbill inserts, brochures, advertisements,special events etc., should persuadepeople to take action with specificsuggestions for taking action. Forexample, when describing to consumershow to properly dispose of pesticides,suggest the following:

Dispose of all empty pesticidecontainers by placing them in thegarbage for shipment to a landfill.For unused dry pesticides, wrapindividual packages in severallayers of newspapers and tape or

tie the package closed. Place thesewrapped packages in the garbage.

The persuasive power of amessage or a campaign is dependentupon several factors. People will takeinto account the evidence presented,the source of the information, and theimpact the issue has on them. Theevidence is the factual informationavailable that describes the problem.Evidence about the impact of pesticideson water quality is not difficult to find.Make the evidence compelling for yourtarget audience. The source of theinformation is your agency, and anypartners you choose to include on yourmaterials. The impact is how pesticideuse directly affects the target audience.Homeowners must understand why theyshould care about how use and disposalof pesticides. For example, you mayappeal to your customers’ environmen-tal concerns. Or you may point out thatas ratepayers, they could face highercosts if water quality declines.

Persuasion in a public educationcampaign should never attempt tomanipulate people or propagandizeissues. Persuasion is based on truthfulinformation and the presentation ofmessages through various forms ofcommunication.

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The goal of any public education cam-paign is to generate greater awarenessfor your program and issue. One way toincrease the visibility of your campaignis to solicit the involvement of keycommunity leaders. These people mayhold a variety of positions within thecommunity, but they are all individualswho are easily recognizable to citizens.

Key community leaders may include, butare not limited to:

• Mayors

• City council members

• County supervisors

• Assembly members

• State senators

• City/county governmentdepartment heads

• Professors at local universitiesand colleges

• Prominent business leaders

• Community activists

• Executive directors of relevantnon-profit organizations

• Civic leaders

• Media personalities

Having a community leader associatedwith your program can help you in manyways. It helps get the word out aboutwhat you are trying to do. A communityleader who knows about your programmay be more likely to bring it up in

Gaining Support from Community Leadersconversation with other people.Endorsements from community leadersgive your program a heightened senseof credibility, as long as the leader is atrustworthy source.

Before you approach a communityleader, formulate a specific request forhelp. Do you want an endorsement?Would you like the leader to publicizeyour program during a meeting orconference? Would you like them tomention it to other key communitycontacts? Be very clear about theleader’s role. It may help to write yourobjectives for each person you wantto approach.

Before you contact any communityleaders, make sure you have the backupand support material needed to convincethem that they should take notice ofyour program. Your first approachshould be in writing. Many communityleaders receive dozens of phone callsand requests each day, so writtenmaterials will give them the opportunityto review the program at their conve-nience. Include a brief cover letter withone or two pages of information at-tached. Don’t overload the letter with alot of details. In the letter, state that youwill follow up within the next week, anddo so promptly. Don’t be discouraged ifyour call is not returned right away. Bepersistent without being pushy.

Gaining support from community leadersis just the first step. Once these peopleare part of your program, work tomaintain a relationship with them. Stay

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in contact with the leaders on a regularbasis. This can be done via e-mail, fax orphone. Do not interrupt them with callsunless it is very important. Even if youdon’t need help right away, keep yourcontacts updated. Send regular progressreports and ask for support along theway. Invite your key community leadersto any special event. This not only makesthem feel important, but gives them

Key Months for Conducting a CampaignEvery issue has its season. Therefore, itmakes sense that some times are betterthan others for a public educationcampaign on pesticides. In a 1996 surveyof POTWs, the most common monthsfor campaigns were April, May andJune. The least desirable dates wereNovember, December and January.Taking into account that a key targetaudience is home gardeners, it stands toreason that the campaigns were carriedout when growing season begins.

It is logical that a pesticide-orientedcampaign would occur and have thegreatest chance for success during thegrowing season. California’s weatherprovides for a longer-than-averageseason, and the exact times for thegrowing season will vary dependingon your area.

Avoid campaign dates that coincide withmajor holidays or other special events

that may distract public attention. Checkfor significant dates in your communitywith your convention visitors bureau orchamber of commerce. They usually havemaster calendars of upcoming events.Also remember that many people go onvacations in June, July and August. Acampaign during this time may not beas effective as one that runs in Marchor April. In addition, people tend topurchase more gardening supplies at thebeginning of the spring growing season.

Also keep in mind that no matter whenyou schedule your campaign, it is essen-tial to begin planning several months inadvance. If you plan to conduct yourcampaign in March, it is wise to beginplanning at least the previous summeror sooner. You will need this lead timeto create partnerships, set up specialevents, and prepare materials.

additional opportunities to becomeinvolved with your program.

Once you establish key communitycontacts, keep the relationship going.Even when your campaign ends, dropnotes to your community leaders to keepthem up to date on your facility andany other news you may have. Thesecontacts will prove valuable.

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GAINING EMPLOYEE SUPPORT AND PARTICIPATION

Involving Employees in thePublic Education Campaign

Your employees can bea valuable part of thepublic educationprocess. Often, theiropinions and ideas can

become an integral part of a campaign.Include your employees in the entireprocess. When trying to figure outwhere employees fit into the campaign,remember three important steps:educate, involve, and reward.

Educate Employees

■ Bring employees on from the begin-ning. By including employees fromthe initial formation of your campaignto its conclusion, you will form adedicated team willing to put forththe effort necessary for success.

■ Explain the challenge to employees.It is important for everyone to fullyunderstand the need for action. Theywill be able to use this backgroundinformation to more effectivelypromote the campaign. Consumers’lack of knowledge about pesticide usemay affect the environment, theirpersonal health, and their families andfriends. Illustrate the importance ofthe campaign by explaining how itwill directly affect consumers’ lives.

■ Specify the employee role. Part ofdeveloping a team to work on thecampaign is establishing roles foreach member. Employees need to feela sense of ownership in projects.

Whether it is a simple task or acomplex assignment, employeeswill feel important to the success ofthe program if they have a specificresponsibility.

■ Avoid being redundant or overloadingpeople with messages. Do not makeyour employees feel incompetent byrepeatedly feeding them the samemessages and information. Employ-ees also may become frustrated ifthey feel overloaded.

■ Communicate actively with employ-ees. Relay messages in face-to-facemeetings. Whenever possible providewritten materials as backup. Letemployees know that you have an open door and that they can approachyou at any time with questions,concerns, or new ideas.

Involve Employees

■ Allow employees to take part in thecreation of the campaign and cam-paign elements. Involving employeesfrom all levels of the district in thecreation and planning of the cam-paign will increase overall support.Through direct involvement, employ-ees will feel they are contributingvaluable input into the program.This in turn will positively affect theamount of dedication and effort thateach employee gives to the campaign.

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■ Assigning tasks (no matter how small)to employees gives them ownership.Making employees realize that theyare valuable to the district and thecampaign can easily be achieved byassigning each a specific task. Anyamount of responsibility will let themknow that their contribution is valuedand respected, and this will give eachperson more reason to believe in theprogram.

■ Give frequent updates. Don’t justunveil a program and then let commu-nications drop. Keep employees “inthe loop” to maintain the initial levelsof excitement and involvement.Provide weekly or monthly district-wide updates on overall status andprogress. It may be a good idea to seta schedule of regular meetings withemployees.

■ Post a bulletin board that showscampaign progress. Tell employeesthe number of brochures distributedor the number of presentations made.Everyone will be interested to learnhow their individual contributionsaffected the overall results.

■ Encourage employees to share ideas.Employees at all levels can makecontributions that will enhance thecampaign. One new idea may generatemore ideas. Encourage teamwork.

■ Remember to set a good example foremployees. Be enthusiastic about theprogram. Management bears theresponsibility to “sell” the program to

employees. Share positive experi-ences you have encountered on thecampaign with your employees tomake them curious and interested.

Reward Employees

Recognize employee contributions tothe campaign. This can be done inseveral ways:

■ Identify employees who madeexceptional efforts or successfullycompleted their tasks. This can beincluded in regular updates, such asdistrict memos or newsletters.

■ Acknowledge employees’ specialachievements at staff meetings orother district meetings that aren’trelated to the campaign.

■ Present small gifts or awards toemployees who contributed ideas andsuggestions that were implementedas part of the campaign.

■ Set goals for the program that can beachieved through the combined effortof all employees, and host a barbecuefor employees and their families whenthat goal is achieved.

■ Provide food at your campaignmeetings. Serving sweet rolls at abreakfast meeting, sandwiches duringlunchtime gatherings, or cookiesand soda for an afternoon planningsession can boost the morale ofemployees and may make them morewilling to participate.

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Public Education Campaign Checklist for Employees

❑ Involve employees ininitial planning

❑ Explain backgroundproblems to employ-ees

❑ Include employeesin problem-solvingplanning

❑ Show employeeswhy they shouldcare about thenew campaign

❑ Provide employeeswith a completeunderstanding ofthe program andinformation tocomplete theirspecified role

❑ Convey clear andconcise messagepoints to employees

❑ Relay messages inface-to-face meetingswhenever possible

❑ Provide writtenmaterials toemployees whenmeetings are notpossible

❑ Keep an open-doorpolicy

1. Educate Employees 2. Involve Employees 3. Reward Employees

Before beginning any new campaign, make sure to include employeesin each step of the planning and execution. Use this checklist toincorporate the three-step philosophy described in the workbook.

❑ Allow employees totake part in thecreation of campaignand campaignelements

❑ Assign tasks toemployees, no matterhow small, to givethem ownership

❑ Schedule regularmeetings to keepemployees updated

❑ Provide employeesfrequent statusreports

❑ Post a progress orstatus report

❑ Have a party orbarbecue when goalsare achieved

❑ Encourage employ-ees to share ideasthroughout thecampaign

❑ Reinforce teamworkwith participationfrom everyone

❑ Set a good example:remain enthusiasticand motivated


❑ Highlight employeeswho have put inexceptional effort inmeetings, memos orin the newsletter

❑ Acknowledgeemployees’ specialachievements atstaff meetings thataren’t related to thecampaign

❑ Present small gifts/awards to thoseemployees whoseideas were includedin the campaign

❑ Offer a few hoursof time off whenemployeesvolunteer forextra activities

❑ Arrange for foodto be served atcampaign meetings

❑ Create an employeeappreciation eventat the end of thecampaign

❑ Acknowledgeemployees’contributions withpersonalizedcertificates


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valuating the campaign should be an integral part of the campaignplanning process. An organized, measurement-oriented evaluationprocess becomes a valuable assessment tool for the continuation andexpansion of communication efforts.

Measurements will vary, depending on the communication vehicles employedthroughout the campaign. Some standard measurement practices include:

Evaluating the Progress of the Campaign

Advertising Thousands reached in target audience

Frequency of messages received by target audience

Cost per thousand for an efficiency factor

Public Relations Thousands reached through circulation of publications

Thousands reached by estimated broadcast audience for the timeframe of a certain airing

Advertising equivalency value (it would have cost $xx.xx to havepaid for an ad the equivalent size and placement of an article)

Number of people in a direct audience at an event or speech

Number of people who call a published 800#

Number of people who request a brochure

Number of people who ask a retailer a specified question givenout in a campaign message

Direct Mail Thousands reached through direct mail list

Number of people who request publication or respond to survey

Promotions Number of people requesting premium items

Number of brochures taken from retail racks

Number of flyers distributed at a retail event

Internal Number of employees volunteering for spokesperson training

Communications Poll of managers on morale

EVALUATION TOOLS

E

34

EVALUATION TOOLS

These measurement techniques are notas qualitative as those that gauge con-sumer actions and attitudes before andafter the outreach effort. However,publicly-funded campaigns rarely havethe budgets to conduct extensivesurveys. It should also be understoodthat changing public sentiments andhabits requires a long period of timeand repetitive efforts.

Bottom line measurable signs of successfor a POTW public education campaignmight include:

■ A decrease in the percentage oftoxins in water after the campaigncompared to before a campaign.

■ An increase in public awareness asdetermined through pre- and post-campaign consumer attitude surveys.

Assuming no professional, large-scale measurement survey can becommissioned, a POTW can conductits own survey as a bill insert. Byregularly polling its customers, adistrict can track progress toward itsprogram goals. At the same time, thisapproach supports the educationalelement of the outreach campaign.Public awareness increases whenconsumers are periodically queriedabout their purchase, use and disposalof pesticides.

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Definition and Analysis of Media

MEDIA RELATIONS

To develop an up-to-datemedia directory for yourregion, there are manysources available. Checkthe local Yellow Pages

for general information on local newspa-pers and broadcasters. At your locallibrary, you can ask for a media direc-tory such as that published by Editorand Publisher magazine. Anotherpublication, California Metro Media,covers all print and broadcast organiza-tions in the state and includes specificcontacts for subject categories. Onceyou have the names and contact informa-tion, call the newspapers, television andradio stations to make sure the informa-tion is current, especially the name ofthe producer or reporter/editor you haveas a contact. Media people tend to movearound frequently.

Newspapers

There were 98 daily newspapers and593 weeklies in California in mid-1998.Dailies typically have larger circulationsand more specialized staff reporters. Forinstance, reporters who cover onlyenvironmental issues might be found atthe larger daily papers. Weeklies andsmaller daily papers have smaller staffs.Reporters there tend to be generalistswho cover a wide variety of issues. Theymay have little experience in environ-mental coverage. These smaller papersrely heavily on news releases and mightprint them verbatim from crediblesources. Larger newspapers will viewreleases as ideas for stories but willinvestigate and write original copybefore a story is run.

Deadlines

Deadlines depend on many factors, mostimportantly publishing cycle. Morningpapers have deadlines starting late in theafternoon the day before publication.Only breaking news (usually sportingevents) can be completed in the lateevening and still make the morning run.Afternoon newspapers typically haveearly morning deadlines. Deadlines forweeklies depend on day of publicationand printing press schedules.

Specialty sections within any paper(such as the gardening section) havevarious deadlines. However, the deadlineis generally at least two days beforepublication. Call to check.

36

MEDIA RELATIONS

Coverage

Daily newspapers cover international,national, regional and local news, soyou can tailor your press materials tointerest the state, regional or local angle.Weekly newspapers are usually inter-ested in regional or, more specifically,local news, so news releases should bevery specific to local interest.

Placement

Decision-making varies depending onnewspaper size. The larger dailies havesubject-matter editors. Most key editorsmeet daily to share story ideas forfeature pages.

To place a story in a newspaper, youshould be familiar with the staff struc-ture and how it applies to your storyangle. If a story needs to reach gardenersand there is a gardening or outdooreditor at a paper, that is your best start.First send a letter or release that out-lines the story ideas and specific facts.Then follow up by phone. However,DO NOT call just to ask if they receivedthe letter or release. Follow up with aspecific offer of an interview or otherinformation not contained in the writtencommunications. Explain the impor-tance of the issue to their readership.This is part of grooming relationshipswith publications that will be of valuein the future.

Category opportunities

Major dailies typically offer the follow-ing sections and opportunities. Someexamples of appropriate story angles:

Garden section

You can approach the editor about aneducation campaign, especially if thereis an event scheduled with a retailer.Make sure you let them know that thisis a statewide “situation” with localprograms that will impact the qualityof life for everyone.

Lifestyle section

You can approach this editor aboutinformation that shows our changinglifestyle and our more environment-friendly habits. As part of this broaderstory, you can translate importantinformation about the purchase, use andproper disposal of home pesticides.

Business section

If you have a retailer involved in apartnership program, you can invitethe business editor to explore howbusinesses are doing more and more“community relations” activities withyour program as a prime example.

Metro section

This is typically reserved for breakingnews that affects the local region and isappropriate for news conferences orother important and timely stories thatdon’t have the “shelf life” of the previousfeature ideas.

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MEDIA RELATIONS

Magazines

Many regional and special interestmagazines are circulated to Californiaaudiences. Keep in mind, magazinesdon’t have to be published in Californiato be of interest to California residents.Regional magazines include such titlesas Diablo Magazine (Contra CostaCounty), The East Bay Monthly andLos Angeles Magazine. Local magazinesand newsletters from community garden-ing clubs and nurseries offer excellentopportunities to place pesticide featurestories.

Special interest magazines that maycover specific educational efforts thatprotect California’s environment includeCalifornia Flyfisher, California Game& Fish, California Landscaping,California Wild and national publica-tions such as Gardening Life, Outdoorsand Home, Lawn and Leisure.

Deadlines

Magazines have long lead times fordeadlines, usually needing materials atleast a month, if not several months,before publication date. They are not forbreaking news items, but can do greatfeature work in the environmental arena.

Placement

Due to their long lead time beforepublication, magazines are more feature-oriented and tend not to cover pressconferences and events. However, youcan call the editor of the most appropri-ate section (lifestyles, business and

outdoor are typical general magazinesections) to discuss an in-depth story.To have a positive outcome, positionboth the problem and the potentialsolutions of which you are a part. Again,start with a letter and follow-up byphone with a specific plan to give theeditor a complete story. Maybe it’s a tourof your facility and an example of yourinspection process and what it means topublic health and safety.

Category opportunities

Within the print publication industry,focus your efforts on special-interestmagazines to reach the specific audienceyou want to reach. For instance:

Gardening

Knowing that readers of gardeningmagazines are more knowledgeable thanothers about the use of home pesticides,your story angles and materials can bemore advanced and to the point.

Outdoor

Magazines that reach people who lovethe outdoors, especially water sports,will be interested to know that theymight have an inadvertent hand in waterpollution problems.

Regional publications

These magazine editors are alwayslooking for topics within the region thatmake them stand out. You might wantto tailor the materials to show how thecommunity has progressed towardhalting pollution in its lakes and streams.

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MEDIA RELATIONS

Radio

There were 243 commercial AM stationsand 346 commercial FM stations inCalifornia in mid-1998, many withouttheir own news departments or newseditors. News-talk stations are on theAM dial and FM stations tend to bemusic-oriented. Many of the larger FMstations also have news departments.

Deadlines and placement

Radio is an immediate medium. Evenfaster than television, radio will reporton stories as they are happening. How-ever, for a normal news cycle with afeature angle to it, you should considerapproaching an assignment editor (theperson who assigns reporters to covernews stories) or a specific reporter whohas covered the subject area, about aweek in advance of the interview or“event.” The first approach is in writing,and typically faxed as an “advisory.”Keep in mind that radio reporters will bemore interested in stories that have keyinterview or sound opportunities.

After an advisory, you can start follow-ing up with phone calls and thencomplete the cycle by sending a media“alert” to them the day before an eventor interview opportunity.

If you are placing a guest ona radio talk show, you should start“booking” the segment about threeweeks in advance although you mightnot get confirmation until a few daysout. Keep in mind that news talk showsare always looking for fresh subjectsand those that originate locally offeran excellent opportunity to placea story.

Radio news prides itself on being ableto deliver the news first. Send breakingnews releases to assignment editors atthe larger news stations or to reportersinterested in the environment andcommunity activities.

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Television

In mid-1998, there were 86 commercialtelevision stations, 20 public broadcast-ing stations, and another 115 cablesystems in the state. The number ofcable systems illustrates the incrediblefragmentation of the media via cable andInternet players. Although fragmentationmakes it more difficult to place advertis-ing dollars with efficiency, it sometimesmakes it easy to direct public relationsefforts to a specific audience. For in-stance, if there are regional TV programstargeted to the California gardener, youcan be sure this audience is interestedin gardening and has at least a casualknowledge of pesticide use.

Most commercial television stationshave a local news department. Manysmaller community stations have localprogramming during the weekends thatdeal with specific interests and can be atarget for a spokesperson or programannouncement.

Deadlines and placement

Television news stations require time toedit video tape to put together a story fora later newscast. That can take any-where from one to three hours, depend-ing on the complexity of the story. Thisshould be a factor in timing a press eventor conference. Try to schedule it formid-morning or mid-afternoon soreporters have time to prepare tape fornoon newscasts or evening news.

In approaching the station, try theassignment editor for stories that willrequire a remote camera assignment.

Again, the first contact is in writing viafax. Then follow up with the editor viaphone. The first communications shouldhappen no more than two weeks inadvance of the event or interviewopportunity. Television operates on ashort fuse. Assignment editors attendearly morning editorial meetings, so tryto reach them after 9 a.m. They typicallyhave an afternoon assignment meetingas well, so be aware of their “busyhours.” If you are having trouble gettingthrough to the assignment editor or havenot received a positive response, shiftyour efforts to a likely reporter — onewho has covered the subject matter andyou know could be interested. Veteranreporters often submit their ownstory ideas.

The news department wantsstories that affect the majority of theirviewers and have a visual component.Unlike radio and newspapers, visualopportunities are a dominant factor indetermining coverage. For instance, apress conference staged at the edge ofa stream with large graphic examplesof point source pollution and demon-strations of the “do’s and don’ts ofhome pesticide use” will receive greaterattention than a press conferencestaged in a central office with aspokesperson trying to describe theproblem and efforts towards a solution.

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Explanation of Media OpportunitiesJust as the various types of media arevaried, the opportunities with each arebroad. Depending on the “immediacy” ofthe news value — breaking news wherea certain study is being unveiled thatshows how residential pesticide usecontributes to water pollution or anon-going educational effort to get

consumers to use home pesticidesresponsibly — different media contactopportunities are possible.

Keep in mind that the news media isinterested in stories concerning contro-versy/conflict, change and human drama.

Print and Broadcast Story Opportunities

Breaking news Immediate events, activities, and stories that are newsworthy.

Feature story A story that reflects human nature, lifestyle, and currenttrends.

Investigative An in-depth story that uncovers, chronicles and details a person,reports place or thing.

Personality/profile An in-depth story about a person or organization that reflectsits culture, personality, successes, failures.

Point/counterpoint Interviews where two sides of an issue are discussed ordebated. CNN’s Crossfire is an example of a point/counterpointshow.

Side bar A shorter story that relates to a larger story and is usuallypositioned to the side of the larger story.

Editorial A media outlet’s position on regional, state and national events,issues, trends.

Guest Editorial A submission reflecting an organization’s position on local,state or national events and trends.

Community A listing of community events, shows, and public meetingsCalendar Listing occurring in a region.

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Print Interview Formats

Telephone Telephone interviews are most common. The spokespersonprovides reporter with the sound bites and information neededto prepare a story.

Desk-side briefing Involves a face-to-face meeting with a reporter, usually at theoffices of the media outlet. Used frequently in media tours todemonstrate new products/offerings.

On-location Interviews that occur when the media come to an organization’slocation/event to conduct one-on-one interviews and gather anyvisuals to enhance a story.

Editorial board A face-to-face or telephone interview with an editorial writer(s)to gain the media outlet’s support for an organization’s position.

News conference A news conference is called to make a major announcement or,in crisis cases, to provide answers to many press inquiries atone time.

Broadcast Interview Formats

Live or taped An interview with a spokesperson(s) live at a scene or tapedfor airing at a later time.

Edited or unedited An interview can be live or unedited, or taped and edited forairing at a specified time.

In-studio talk show These are live or taped interviews also where aor call-in show spokesperson is able to voice a position on an issue/trend.

On-location An interviews which happen at a site of a staged event, crisis orstand-up relevant subject area; they can be either taped or live.

Remote interview Interviewer and spokesperson are in two completely differentlocations

Solo interview A solo interview uses an expert to provide perspectiveversus panel or analysis for the story; a panel involves two or more experts.

News conference A news conference can be called to make a major announcementor, in crisis cases, to provide answers to many press inquiries atone time.

Ambush interview: A 60-Minutes- or Dateline-style interview where an entire crewshows up to cover a story, generally with very little warning.

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News release This is a brief information sheet that tells the news story and iswritten in a news format. A news release must contain news or itwon’t get printed. It should also be well-written and free fromtypographical errors or other blunders. You can prepare a newsrelease in the same form and style as a reporter working for anewspaper and should therefore become familiar with journalismstyle including punctuation and spelling rules. An AssociatedPress Stylebook is highly recommended (available at your localbookstore).

Media advisory This is a summary of an upcoming event that you want the mediato cover or to announce to its audience. See example on page 48.

News conference A news conference can be called to make a major announcementor, in crisis cases, to provide answers to many press inquiries atone time. We recommend not utilizing this public relationsvehicle unless absolutely necessary. These types of events can bevery difficult to control. Reporters tend to not show up at pressconferences unless it’s for breaking news or a crisis. Press toursor other gatherings of journalists on a more casual, interactivebasis are preferred. If you have to call a conference, you can do itby phone and media advisory. Have background materials readyfor journalists on site and to deliver to those not able to attend.

Media tour This combines the use of a spokesperson (third party or trainedemployee) who goes to the media outlet to provide an interviewor appear as a guest on an appropriate program. The media tourstarts with a story idea that is provided to the newspaper editoror broadcast assignment editor via a one-page letter, also knownas a pitch letter, that captures immediate attention. This isfollowed by contact phone calls to schedule the appointments.The spokesperson should be trained to deliver the importantmessages in each and every interview opportunity.

Additional Tools to Explore

Public Service A PSA is a written or taped message that provides importantAnnouncements information to the public and is absent of commercialism. A(PSA) PSA to promote responsible pesticide handling would focus on

very simple things that the public can do, and should clearlydefine why this action is needed. PSAs are typically delivered tothe community relations or public affairs director of the media

Media Tools

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organization and are ready for direct reading, printing orplaying. Getting a PSA aired or broadcast may take a numberof phone calls and letters, but the end result will be worththe effort.

Press Kits A press kit delivers many angles of a story. A comprehensivepress kit for the source reduction outreach program couldinclude the following:

• “Backgrounder” on the problem of pesticide residues insurface and ground water

• Summary of scientific resources or sources (e.g., books,universities, other organizations)

• News release on POTW efforts to reduce pesticide residues

• Biography of available spokesperson

• Information fact sheet on the operating statistics of thePOTW

• Cover letter letting the reporter know how important thematerial is and asking for interview or other participation.

Letter to the editor Letters to the editor appear in the editorial section of a newspa-per. They are generally written by citizens with a point of viewon current issues. You may wish to write a letter to the editorwhen an issue of concern to your district was the subject of anews story. You may wish to highlight aspects of the story youfeel were underplayed, correct factual items that were in error,or present a point of view you feel was misrepresented. Keepletters under 250 words and relevant to current stories oreditorials that have been covered in a newspaper. There will beinstructions in the paper telling you how to submit a letter. If anelectronic address is provided, that is typically the preferredmethod since it makes production easier.

Opinion editorial Op-ed is short for “opinion editorial,” and refers to a page ofspecial features usually placed opposite the editorial page of anewspaper. Different papers have different policies regardingop-eds. An op-ed is an opportunity to communicate the perspec-tive of the POTW at greater length than a letter to the editor.Contact your newspaper and find out who handles op-ed pieces,and their length requirements. Submit your op-ed with a coverletter explaining the importance of this opinion being expressed.Personal follow-up to the submission is appropriate. Don’texpect to see anything for another four weeks for “normal”processing and editing unless it is a “hot” issue.

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Guidelines for Writing Press Releases

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If professional public relations counsel will not be used to write public communica-tions materials, use these guidelines in drafting and distributing basic press materialsand notifications.

Press Release Guidelines

Write a news release from the perspec-tive of a reporter writing for a paper. Itshould be written exactly the way you’dwant it to appear.

■ Identify the key message of the storyand present it in the lead. The leaddefines the purpose of the release.

• The lead should clearly state whatthe story is about and why it’simportant.

• The lead should be attention-grabbing and interesting for boththe editor reviewing the release andthe reader. Identify a local angle.

• The lead should be no more thantwo or three sentences in length.Use the body of the release toexplain the details.

■ Write in news style, short and simple.Write concise sentences, shortparagraphs, and use easily under-stood and specific words.

■ Don’t make any assumptions whenwriting a release. You know moreabout the subject than the editor orreader.

■ Include a quote (written in conversa-tional style) in the first three of fourparagraphs of the release. It buildscredibility for the story.

Press Release Checklist

❑ Is the lead direct and to the point?Does it contain the most importantand most interesting aspects ofthe story?

❑ Has the local angle beenemphasized?

❑ Have who, what, when, where, whyand how been answered?

❑ Are sentences short, concise?Paragraphs short? Words easilyunderstood and to the point?

❑ Has editorial comment been placedin quotation marks and attributed tothe appropriate person?

❑ Are quotations natural? Do theysound as though they could havebeen spoken?

❑ Has newspaper style (AP, forexample) been followed faithfullythroughout the release?

❑ Are spelling and punctuationcorrect?

❑ Have all statements of fact beendouble-checked for accuracy?

❑ Is the release dated and release timeindicated?

❑ Are there contact persons and phonenumbers if reporters want moreinformation?

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■ Build the release around the lead.Amplify the elements introducedin the lead, providing details andexplanation.

■ Do NOT make the release too long(two pages maximum). If you thinkmore information is essential, attachfact sheets or background materialsto the release.

■ Always have at least one other personedit and proofread the release beforeit is distributed. Accuracy is essentialand mistakes are unforgivable in thenews business.

■ Make sure the release covers who,what, when, where, why and how.Answer all of the questions.

■ Always provide the names and phonenumbers of two people that can becontacted for more information. If theprimary contact is not available, thesecondary contact can be reached.

■ Always spell out acronyms in the firstreference so the reader knows whatyou’re talking about.

Example:“The California Department ofPesticide Regulation (DPR) ismoving ahead with its publiceducation program.”

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Sample Press ReleaseUse Agency Letterhead

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: (Primary Contact Name)

(Date of release) (Phone Number)

(Secondary Contact Name)

(Phone Number)

Anytown Water District Launches Campaignon Proper Pesticide Use and Pest Management

(Anytown, Calif.) — The Anytown Water District today launched a campaign toeducate consumers about proper pesticide use and disposal, and integrated pestmanagement. The campaign’s theme, “H2O Home to Ocean”, focuses on informingthe public about the wise use and disposal of pesticides from homes and gardens.

(Integrated pest management, or IPM, is an approach that uses biological,cultural, physical, and chemical tools in various combinations that minimize effectson the environment while maximizing control of pests.)

Research has shown that improper use and disposal of pesticides — includinghousehold cleaning and gardening products — may contaminate local waterways.By educating consumers about proper use and disposal of pesticides, the districtwants to reduce the amount of pesticide runoff that flows to the ocean.

“We must make people aware of the connection between pesticide use in homesand gardens and the impact on water quality,” said John Smith, manager at theAnytown Water District.

(NOTE: If your district has information such as the amount of water treatedmonthly or annually, or statistics on pesticide detections in your treatment plants,add some details here to give the press release stronger “news value.”)

The H2O Home to Ocean campaign will run through the spring and summergrowing season. For more information on how local residents can help, call _______or write __________________.

###

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Tips for Writing Media Advisoriesand Alerts■ Media advisories and alerts are used

to notify the media regarding an eventor press conference.

■ If notifying the media a week ahead oftime, use the “media advisory”heading.

■ If reminding media the day before anevent or the day of an event, use the“media alert” heading.

■ Advisories and alerts are not writtenlike a press release. They do not tellthe story; they simply provide basicinformation to generate mediainterest.

■ Media advisories provide the basicsof who, what, when, why, and infor-mation such as directions to an eventsite, interview opportunities, orvisuals for television cameras.

■ Always provide information at the topof the page for two contact peoplewith phone numbers and location(city) if applicable.

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Sample Media Advisory/Alert

(Date) Contact: (Primary Contact Name)

(Phone Number)

(Secondary Contact Name)

(Phone Number)

Land Park Cleans Up the Neighborhood on October 29

Who: The residents of the Land Park neighborhood association, theAnytown Water District and the county hazardous waste departmentannounce a neighborhood clean-up day.

What: The residents of Land Park will clean out their cupboards andclean up their streets during a one-day neighborhood clean-up day.In conjunction with the county’s hazardous waste department,residents may dispose of pesticides and other hazardous materialsleft over from gardening and home improvement projects.

Why: This event allows residents to rid their houses of unwanted pesti-cides and keep their streets and storm drains clean by properlydisposing of pesticides and other toxins.

When: Saturday, October 29, 1998 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Where: Land Park Community Center, 1000 Main Street

Visuals: Neighbors will take part in stenciling prevention messages on curbsnear storm drains.

Directions: From I-5, take the First Street Exit and take a left on Main Street.The community center is located on the right side of the street.

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Selecting the Best Spokesperson

Selecting the appropriate spokespersonto represent your efforts to the mediacan be very challenging. For backup, it’sbest to have two spokespersons trainedand available for interviews. The choiceof who will represent you in this out-reach program should be based primarilyon their knowledge of pesticide issues,their credibility in representing thedistrict, and on their skill and comfortlevel in dealing with the media and thepublic. For example, two appropriatespokespersons might be the executivedirector and an environmental engineer.Many executive directors are either notnaturally media-savvy or are too busy tofit interviews into a schedule.

Weigh these factors carefullybefore making the choice:

Credibility/knowledge

Schedule/availability

Willingness

Speaking qualities

Physical presence

Media training is absolutely essential,given the potentially charged nature ofthe subject matter. The interviewer maydwell on the harmful aspects of pesti-cides if someone is not trained to make asmooth transition into an answer explor-ing responsible use and disposal ofproducts. Media training is availablefrom some public relations firms andmany professional associations andgovernment agencies. It is also impor-tant that your spokesperson is trained inthe subject matter and is comfortablespeaking about pesticides and IPM.Local nurseries, libraries, universities,master gardeners and DPR can provideyou with information on pesticidesand IPM.

Another credible spokesperson is asubject matter expert who does notnecessarily work for you. Someoneoutside the POTW district whopossesses scientific credentials canmake a compelling case in the call forgreater awareness of responsiblehandling of pesticides. This can besomeone from a university or a govern-ment agency. A recent study amongconsumers shows that the most crediblesources of information come from thosedirectly in the business of managing thesubject area. After that comes universityrepresentatives and then governmentofficials. Environmental groups hadcredibility in environmental issues,but significantly less than universityrepresentatives.

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Tips for Dealing with the Media

Here are some tips for successfulprint media interviews:

■ Know who you’re talking to — thereporter’s track record and style.

■ There is no such thing as “off therecord.”

■ It is common for a reporter to use atape recorder. Don’t let it unnerveyou; it increases your chances ofbeing quoted correctly.

■ Be sure the reporter knows where toreach you or a designated alternatespokesperson for additionalinformation.

■ Never ask to read the reporter’scopy or request changes beforepublication.

■ If a reporter writes a story thatseriously misrepresents the facts,contact the publication’s editor andask for a correction. Be prepared toexplain in detail why a correction isneeded.

■ Don’t complain about minor slipsin an otherwise accurate story.Complaining about minor mattersor perspective can antagonize thereporter.

■ Reporters often make a telephone callto ask for a source or a quick note tobalance a story. If you are called,remember that you are under noobligation to answer immediately.Ask for the reporter’s deadline and

promise to get back with a response.Return the call only after you feelconfident of your position and thefacts. However, it is imperative torespect the reporter’s deadline.

■ If you are asked a question thatshould be answered from a differentperspective, refer the reporter to theappropriate source.

Some additional pointers forgeneral media interaction:

■ Speak in “headlines.” Offer conclu-sion first, briefly and directly, andback it with facts.

■ Don’t over-answer. Short answers arebetter than long ones.

■ Don’t be fixated by the question. Finda way to get from the question to apoint you want to make and thenmove on.

■ Asked about a problem?Talk about a solution.

■ Don’t let false charges, facts orfigures offered by a reporter standuncorrected.

■ Don’t repeat a reporter’s negativestatements. Reply with a positive.

■ Speak clearly.Avoid jargon, “bureaucratese”or “environmentalese.”

■ Be engaging, likable.

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■ Don’t know the answer? Don’t fake it.If appropriate, assure the reporteryou will find and provide the neededfacts in a timely manner, or offer toassist the reporter in finding thatother source.

■ Don’t overlap the interviewer’squestion: begin when the reporter isfinished.

■ Keep cool. Don’t be provoked.

■ Never lie to a reporter.

General communications guidelineswhether giving a speech ordiscussing a program opportunity:

■ Talk from the viewpoint of youraudience’s interest.

• Know your audience.

• Don’t use jargon.

■ Don’t mistake a reporter for youraudience.

• A reporter is the conduit to getyour message to the audience —the reporter’s readers or listeners.

■ Speak in personal terms wheneverpossible to enhance credibility.

■ If you do not want a statementquoted, do not make it.

• There is no such thing as an “off therecord” or “ not for attribution”statement.

• Off-the-cuff statements made in thestudio, in the elevator, or on theway to lunch run the risk of makingheadlines the next day.

• Statements made forbackgrounding or briefing purposesare always subject to being quoted.

• If an inaccurate statement is madeby a reporter or by you, correct itimmediately.

■ Do not argue or lose your cool.

• Gracefully get around an argumentby “bridging” back to your keymessages. (See explanation later inthis section.)

• Defensiveness generates a hostilefeeling.

• Reporters and competitors can bedeliberately argumentative to elicita response. Remember that you arein a public environment.

■ If a question contains negativelanguage or words you don’t like, donot repeat the reporter’s negativewords.

• You run the risk of having thereporter’s negative languageattributed to you.

• Find a neutral “agreement” wordand build a bridge to the point youwant to make.

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■ A direct question deserves a directanswer.

• Answer the question, then bridge toa message.

■ If you don’t know an answer, say so.

• Don’t speculate.

• Refer the person to someone whocan answer the question or tell theperson you will get back to himlater — and do so.

■ If you cannot answer a question,never say the words, “no comment.”

• Always give a valid reason for notbeing able to answer. For example,a legal case is pending or theinformation requested is of aproprietary nature.

■ Listen to the question.

• Be sensitive to the reporter’s intent.

• If you miss the point of a question,you may appear to be evasive.

• If you are unsure of the question,rephrase it before answering.

■ Always answer questions honestly.

• Tell the truth, even if it hurts.

• Avoid any temptation to exaggeratethe positive.

■ Provide good, solid information, butdon’t be overwhelming.

• Provide summaries.

■ Give all audiences — the media,analysts, industry representatives,employees, regulatory officials —the same message.

• Speaking with “one voice”enhances credibility.

■ Expect the media to get things wrong,but quickly correct misinformationin writing, if a significant errorwas made.

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Message Delivery —Basic Means and MethodsA vital component of any communica-tions effort is setting objectives. Yourobjectives are the action(s) you wantyour audience to take. Without a clearidea of these goals, you cannot commu-nicate effectively.

Ask yourself what action you’d like thepeople to take as a result of hearing youspeak. For instance, you are speaking toa gardening publication that reachespesticide users. Do you want them to:

• think that they have no control overtheir environment and that to beenvironmentally responsible takes alot of time and effort? (No!)

• think that they just need to planahead and be aware of disposaloptions for home pesticide use to begood environmental citizens. (Better.)

The goal for any mediaencounter is to be in control andpresent positive information on howyour customers can be part of anenvironmental solution.

People tend to listen selectively — totune out much of what they hear. Onaverage, people retain less than 10percent of the verbal information theyreceive. Therefore, to meet your commu-nications objectives, develop concisemessages for your target consumer viamedia interviews.

Message points will assist you in focus-ing on the aspects of your story beforeevery interview. Brief attention-gettingand memorable messages punch throughthe clutter of competing messages.

To add credibility and therefore believ-ability, messages must be supported withvarious kinds of information. There aremany ways to build support. Commontechniques include:

Facts. Statements that are unlikely to bedisputed, or that can be verifiedquantitatively.

Statistics. Statistics should be usedsparingly and are most effective whenthey can be put into easy-to-under-stand terms. For example, saying “oneout of three” paints a more memo-rable image than saying “33 percent.”

Third-party endorsement. Quoting anobjective third party adds credibilityto any statement. This could be ascientist, environmental expert orcommunity activist.

Analogy or comparison. Using ananalogy or comparison makes yourstatements more memorable.

Personal experience. Employingpersonal experience to illustrate yourpoint enables your audience to relateto and comprehend your message.

Story or anecdote. A short, interestingstory that illustrates your point can bevery effective.

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Delivering the Message

It’s OK to be repetitious. During adiscussion, it is to your advantage to useyour messages as many times as pos-sible, using different kinds of support togive variety. The questions you are askedwill not always lead you directly to yourprepared messages, however. Usingsome simple control techniques, you willbe able to deal with a question and directthe focus of the answer to successfullycommunicate your message. You willalso be able to influence the types offollow-up questions that are used duringthe discussion.

Bridging

This is a technique used to move fromone topic to another or to make asmooth transition from a difficult subjectto something you feel is more important.It involves responding to the questions,then promptly following with yourmessage.

Simple examples of bridging phrases are:

“Yes . . .” (answer),“and in addition to that . . .”

“No . . .” (answer),“let me explain . . .”

“I don’t know . . .but what I do know is . . .”

“That’s the way it used to be . . .here’s what we do now . . .”

Agreement/Transition

Another way to bridge is to find acommon word agreement within thequestion and use it as a pivot within atransition that points you straight toyour key message and supporting points.For example, faced with this question:

“Why can’t you treat the water sochemicals and pesticides won’t bepassed on to surface or groundwater?”

There doesn’t appear to be much you’dwant to agree with. Instead of taking ithead on with a negative, defensiveanswer, use the word “treat” as youragreement and then make a transition toa positive:

“We use all the latest technologyavailable to treat our water . . . “

Highlighting

Highlighting is a technique used toinfluence the next questions you willbe asked. It calls for you to end yourmessage with a statement that requiresa follow-up question. This technique ismost often used in media interviews.For example:

“ . . . You’d probably be interested insome of the planned activities.”

“ . . . that’s the second-most importantissue.”

Each of the highlighting statementslisted above begs a follow-up question.

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Headlining

This is a simple but very important wayof helping your audience remember yourmessage by emphasizing or flaggingwhat you consider to be most important.Examples:

“... but, the most important point toremember is ...”

“I’ve talked about a lot of thingstoday. It boils down to these threethings .. .”

Using this as a summary technique in adiscussion allows the last impression tobe the most positive and important.

Nervousness

Feeling nervous before or during aninterview is normal and can even workto your advantage. The symptoms ofnervousness — sweaty palms, nervousstomach and perspiration — are causedby increased adrenaline in your system.By learning to control rather thaneliminate nervousness, you can makethe extra energy work for you. Takingcontrol of your nervousness can alsobuild confidence. Following are simplesteps to help control nervousness:

■ Know your subject matter and themajor points you want to make.

■ Arrive early and get a feel for thesurroundings.

■ If you have a few moments in private,practice a few relaxing exercises —rolling you neck, swinging your arms

and stretching. In public settings,isometric exercises (alternatelytensing and relaxing muscles inarms and legs) can be done withoutattracting attention.

■ Take a deep breath, hold it for fourseconds, and then slowly exhale.

■ Before you begin to speak, establisheye contact with the person.

■ Don’t think of the person as hostileor challenging, but merely neutral,waiting for you to interest them.

Body Language

Gestures and facial expressions caneither enhance your message or detractfrom it. To be effective, expressions andgestures must be consistent with yoursubject matter. For instance, excessivesmiling (often a nervous response) whilediscussing a serious subject reducesyour credibility.

The following gestures and expressionsconvey confidence and can increaseyour credibility:

■ Looking people in the eye.

■ Leaning slightly forward, if seated.

■ Making hand movements that occurnaturally to supplement what youare saying.

■ Listening actively when others arespeaking.

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The following gestures and expressionsconvey a negative impression and candetract from your message:

■ Clasping hands tightly.

■ Gripping the sides of chairs, tablesor your knees.

■ Toying with pencils, water glasses,buttons or microphones.

■ Drumming fingertips on a table topor podium.

■ Casting eyes toward the ceiling.

■ Slouching posture.

■ Closing eyes.

■ Backing away from interviewer.

■ Swiveling in a chair or moving legsand feet constantly.

For Televisions Interviews

■ Avoid solid black or white or busypatterns in attire. Bright colors arefine.

■ Don’t wear large, shiny or noisyjewelry.

■ Sit erect, but not ramrod-straight,slightly forward in the chair.Unbutton suit jacket when seated(if you wear one).

■ Resist the urge to shout into themicrophone. Speak and gesturenaturally.

■ Talk to the reporter/interviewer, notthe camera.

■ Keep a pleasant expression; smilewhen appropriate.

• Hold your interview attitude fromthe moment the camera is set upuntil the interview is completelyover, the camera is off and the hostis up or getting the microphone off.

Summary

■ You have a positive story to tell aboutyour efforts to protect the environ-ment. Your message points are yourguideposts. Use them to get you towhere you want to go in the conversa-tion.

■ Don’t repeat a negative or allowsomeone to put you on the defensive.

■ There is no such thing as “off therecord” or “just between you and me.”

■ Be honest. Be proud. Enjoy yourself.

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ADVERTISING

here is a distinct differ-ence between publicrelations and advertising.Simply put, advertising isa way to strategically

place messages (usually at a cost) inspecific locations. Public relations, incontrast, uses various channels todisseminate information to a targetaudience. Advertisements are usuallyplaced for a fee in selected locations.Many of the strategies and tacticsexplained in this workbook do notrequire fees for placement. But somePOTWs have had success with advertis-ing, and they have funds to purchaseadvertising time or space.

The opportunities for advertising areseemingly endless. Some examples ofplaces you might find advertising are ontelevision (including local cable), radio,print, billboards, direct mail pieces, andeven on small giveaway items such aspencils, buttons and magnets. There hasalso been an increase in new forms ofnovelty advertising (e.g., signs located inbathroom stalls). The rise in the numberof places available for advertising offersyou the chance to choose from a varietyof costs and products. It is best toresearch as many advertising opportuni-ties as possible to decide which one fitsboth your needs and your budget.

Evaluating the Method

Pros: Advertising can be an effectiveway to boost the visibility of yourcampaign. Advertising on a regular basisor with multiple products can also lendrepetition to your campaign, which canenhance consumer awareness.

Cons: There are many different formsof advertising within a broad price rangebut for the most part, this methodremains more expensive than some ofthe other tactics described in thisworkbook.

Advertising OpportunitiesIf you have the money to place advertise-ments, there are a number of optionsopen to you for getting out your mes-sage. It is important to remember thatthe cost for advertising is not just aplacement fee, but also the cost involvedin creating the actual advertisement.Especially for the broadcast media, thiscost can add up quickly.

There are organizations that specialize inmedia planning and will plan and pur-chase advertising for you. However, thisis very costly and used primarily by largecompanies which have ongoing advertis-ing campaigns and large budgets. It isbest to contact each medium’s represen-tative — usually an account executiveor sales representative — directly. Anaccount executive will work with you to

Using Advertising to Supplementthe Campaign

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ADVERTISING

determine the most effective and effi-cient advertising schedule. Advertisingrates are often discounted when youpurchase multiple ads, and don’t beafraid to negotiate rates.

Following are some places that you maybe able to advertise messages for yourpesticide public education campaign:

Radio

This advertising is more economical thantelevision advertising. Radio is anexcellent medium that allows you toeffectively reach a large and narrowtarget audience. There are several stepsin developing radio advertisements:

■ Define your target audience andchoose a radio station that serves thatmarket (this information is availabledirectly through the individualstations).

■ Determine the message to be commu-nicated in the advertisement.

■ Design and script the ad — The adshould catch listeners’ attention, usevivid imagery and memorable soundsand should often mention the district/program and its benefits (some radiostations have the capabilities to assistyou in developing the ad).

■ Find people to act out the script forthe ad either through recommenda-tions from local radio stations or bylooking in the phone book undertalent agencies or radio advertisingfor creative services companies.Another place to look would belocal chapters of communicationprofessionals such as the Interna-tional Association of BusinessCommunicators.

Radio commercials are produced in 30-and 60- second spots. Once you havedetermined your target market and haveselected your radio station(s), it isrecommended that you purchasemultiple spots as your budget allowsto effectively communicate yourcampaign’s message. Alternatively, youcould purchase single 30- or 60- secondspots. Prices can range from $50-$300per spot, depending on the station’srates and the time in which you purchasethe spot. Additionally, there may beopportunities to cooperatively advertisewith local retailers to share costs.

Television

Typically, the most expensive form ofadvertising is on television, and manyPOTWs will find this medium beyondtheir budgets. The process of creating atelevision ad is much more complicatedthan radio and also more costly. Thefollowing steps must be taken indeveloping television advertisements:

■ Hire a production company, whichis generally expensive but provideshigh-quality work, or go to a localstation for production which wouldbe cheaper and usually much lowerquality.

■ Create a television commercial thatuses audio and visuals to communi-cate your message. (This includeswriting a script, hiring actors,designing a set, etc.)

■ Determine your target audience anddecide when the commercial willbe aired according to televisiondemographics (available from theTV stations).

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■ Purchase air time on specifiedtelevision stations.

Television commercials are produced in15-, 30- and 60- second spots. Once youhave determined your target market andhave selected your television station(s),it is recommended that you purchasemultiple spots. You should budgetbetween $14,000 and $18,000 for a one-week television campaign in a majormetro market. Alternatively, you couldpurchase single 30- or 60- second spots.Prices can range from $100 to $3,000 perspot in smaller markets, depending onthe station’s rates and the time in whichyou purchase the spot. You also mighttry to work with retailers on co-opera-tive advertising opportunities (seepage 65).

Print

There are a number of places that arepossibilities for print advertisements.Examples include newspaper andmagazine ads, as well as written bro-chures and support material. Print isone of the most widely used forms ofadvertising because of the diversity andflexibility associated with it. There arealso countless publications that aredirectly related to your program that willreach your target audience. Print ads canalso be coordinated to run according torelated events and activities in localareas. As with the other mediums, printtakes an extensive amount of time toplan, design and create. The followingare some of the steps in the process:

■ Create an overall theme for the adthat will relay your message. (Youcan use the H2O logo.)

■ Design the ad. (This incorporates allaspects including font style, colors,copy, illustrations, layout, size of thead, etc.)

■ Research printing companies andcosts. (This is only necessary forcertain type of print advertising suchas brochures.)

■ Determine the target audience andlocate publications that reach thatmarket.

■ Develop a time line for the frequencyof the advertisement.

■ Purchase ad space in the designatedpublications.

Newspaper advertising is sold by thecolumn inch. We’ll use a 4" x 5" size asan example. Rates vary significantly andare determined by a publication’scirculation. In mid 1998, USA Today, forexample, charged $589.95 per columninch ($11,799 for a 4" x 5" ad), theOrange County Register $152 percolumn inch ($3,040 for a 4" x 5" ad),and the San Mateo County Times $31.50per column inch ($630 per for a 4" x 5"ad). Similar to television and radio, anaccount executive will work with youto determine the best placement foryour ad.

ADVERTISING

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Billboards

There is generally a high cost involvedwith billboard advertising because youare paying for the space, the creation ofthe actual billboard itself, and anyinstallation charges that may be inaddition to the cost for renting thespace. Billboards are useful in communi-cating a message to a particular geo-graphic region because you choose theexact location for the ad. Outdooradvertisements have limited amounts ofspace because the copy and visuals mustbe large enough to be seen/read from adistance. For this reason, the ads mustbe simple and direct in telling themessage. The following decisions mustbe made when creating a billboard orother outdoor advertisement:

■ Size of the advertisement

■ Location of the advertisement

■ Design and production of the ad,including copy, visuals, colors, etc.(this can be done professionally orby someone within your district)

■ Purchasing the space

Another form of outdoor advertising isthe basic sign. Signs are very importantin portraying the image of the districtand providing information to peoplewhile also communicating a message.Costs vary with size, style, color,copy, etc.

Billboards

(1998 Estimate from Gannett Outdoorfor production and billboard placementsthroughout Sacramento County) Thisdoes not include costs for design andproduction of the ad.

Target Audience: Adult Drivers 18+

Geographical Emphasis:Major Freeways/Highways

Time Period: Four-Eight Weeks

Size: 30-Sheet Poster Panels

Billboards: 20

Daily Effective Circulation: 621,690

Campaign Reach: 87%

Approximate Outdoor Media Buy: $26,088

Direct Mail

This method of advertising involvesmailing information directly to house-holds. The letter, flyer, or brochure youare sending works as an advertisementto inform homeowners about pesticideissues. The following steps may assistyou in your direct mail efforts:

■ Determine who will receive the directmail piece. You can send it to yourentire customer database, or you canconcentrate it to specific neighbor-hoods. The biggest factor in determin-ing this may be your budget, — themore people you send it out to, themore it is going to cost.

ADVERTISING

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■ Decide what you will send out tohouseholds. It could be a letter fromyour POTW accompanied by one orboth of the brochures in this workbook. You may decide to send out thefact sheets or flyers, or you maydecide that you’d like to create a newpiece specifically for this purpose.

■ If you decide to develop a new piece,keep in mind that it is really anotherform of print advertising. The docu-ment should tell a homeowner whythey should care about pesticideissues. The graphics should bevisually appealing, and it shouldn’tbe too copy heavy.

■ Be sure that the outer envelope ormailing panel of the direct mail piececompels the homeowner to open itand see what is inside. Also be sure tohave your contact information onwhatever you send out. This allowsyour customers to get in touch withyou if they have questions or wouldlike more information.

■ Check for postal discounts for largequantities, first-class versus second-class postage, and for sorting intozip codes.

If you are certain you want to try directmail, consult a direct mail company.These firms offer a wide variety ofservices. Some may be able to assist youwith folding and mailing, while otherscan help you with the entire processfrom creating the document to purchas-ing a mailing list and handling themailout.

Premiums

This is an industry term that describesproducts that contain messages or logospromoting a product, event or campaign.For your pesticide public educationcampaign, the H2O Home to Oceantheme and logo could be used on differ-ent types of premiums that could bedistributed at fairs, retail outlets, inclassrooms, and during presentations.Premiums are available in a wide-rangeof prices and are only limited by yourimagination (for example, pencils or keychains). When purchasing premiums,there are several things to keep in mind:

■ Set a budget and write down thequantity of items you’d like beforeyou start to look at what’s available.You’d be surprised how temptedyou’ll be by some of the more expen-sive premiums. Remember that youhave a large audience to reach, andthis calls for smaller, less expensiveitems.

■ The smaller the item is, the smallerthe logo will be and it may end upbeing difficult to see.

■ Purchase enough of the items to lastyou through the campaign. It is muchmore expensive to buy twice than toplace just one large order.

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■ Shop around for a promotioncompany that you trust and one thatlistens to your needs. Find a salesper-son who is willing to talk with youabout one product versus another,or the discount available for largerquantities. You should ask as manyquestions as you need to feel comfort-able about the quality of the productand the company.

Some sample items include:(1998 prices)

Price of each at quantity of:

1,000 5,000 10,000

Pens, in assorted colors, with logo/imprint:.33 .31 .29

Pencils, assorted colors, with logo/imprint:.24 .22 .19

White magnet with one-color imprint,2" x 3 1/2":

.23 .17 .14

Round 2-1/2-inch button with one-colorimprint: .38 .34 .29

Alternative advertising methods

These advertising opportunities aredifferent from “standard” forms ofadvertising. These may include bussigns, signage at home and gardenexpositions, kiosk signs, Internetpostings, movie cinema slides before amovie and even signage in bathroomstalls. Prices for these types of advertis-ing venues vary dramatically. When youare out around your community, look forplaces that you think would be good foradvertisements. Be sure to keep in mindnot only the price, but also the type ofpeople who would be looking at the ads,how many people would walk by thelocation, how long the ads are displayed,and how many other advertisements areposted in the same area.

Below are a few samples.

Transit advertising

Transit advertising includes the exteriorand interior of buses, light rail, bus stopbenches and stations. The unit rate perfour-week period ranges from $200 to$600. To receive maximum exposure, itis recommended that you purchasebetween 85-125 displays (estimated toreach 50 to 75 percent of the market’spopulation).

Restroom stall advertising

This unconventional advertising methodcertainly guarantees a captive audience!This method is also inexpensive, startingat about $10 to $20 per stall, and thestandard-sized ad is 7" x 10".

ADVERTISING

63

Advertising can easily become verycostly. There are a few ways that it maybe possible to get advertising at signifi-cant savings, and sometimes for free.These opportunities don’t happenfrequently, and often you have to beproactive in looking for them. All involvepartnering with other agencies orprograms.

The best way to find these low or no-cost opportunities is to check with cityor county offices. Often, these agencieshave contracts with local billboard, sign,or bus signage companies that allow thegovernment agencies a specific numberof advertising opportunities throughoutthe year. This does not happen on aregular basis, and it should not beexpected that all agencies have freeadvertising opportunities.

Make an initial list of city or countyagencies that deal with issues related topesticide use. These may be recyclingdivisions (source reduction), wateragencies (focusing on quality), orenvironmental agencies. It may also be

helpful to make a list of non-governmentagencies that do similar work. Call theagencies on your list and ask to speak toa public information representative,customer service person, or any otherindividual in charge of these types ofprograms.

Tell your contact person what you aretrying to do with your public educationcampaign. Be ready to mail or fax themsome pesticide background information.Ask if they do any advertising that youmay use to educate consumers onpesticides. You could offer your contactthe chance to do other co-promotionsin return.

ADVERTISING

Co-Operative and No-Cost AdvertisingPossibilities

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Types of Advertising VendorsThere are a wide range of avenues to usefor advertising. The best place to beginlooking for advertising outlets is in yourlocal yellow pages. Following is a guideto finding advertising vendors thatspecialize in various forms of advertising:

Advertising — AerialIncludes sky banners, balloons,helicopters

Advertising Agencies & CounselorsAgencies can design your copy andartwork as well as take care of plan-ning and buying your advertising. Acounselor will generally make recom-mendations for your ad campaign.

Advertising — Direct MailFull-service direct mail services canusually print, fold, label, insert, mailand purchase lists for you. Some havedesign services in-house.

Advertising — Directory and GuideThis sort of advertising includestelephone yellow pages and guidesto local and national advertisingdevelopment and placement services.

Advertising — InternetAdvertising on the Internet is a verynew resource and little quantitativeresearch has been conducted. Serviceproviders may be found under thefollowing headings: Computer Multi-media, Computer On-Line Services,Internet or Video Production Services.

Advertising — Motion PictureThe slides that are shown prior to amovie are paid advertising.

Advertising — Newspaper*You can find local newspapers in thissection.

Advertising — OutdoorOutdoor advertising can includebillboards, signs, transportation,skylights, balloons and blimps.

Advertising — Periodicals*Local magazines and trade journalsare listed under this heading.

Advertising — Radio*Local radio stations are listed underthis heading.

Advertising — SpecialtiesYour message can be imprinted onalmost anything. Premium or specialtyadvertising can help you determinethe most creative means within yourbudget.

Advertising — TelephoneThis form of advertising is playedwhile one is on hold with thetelephone.

Advertising — Television*Local television stations are listedunder this heading.

Advertising — TransitThis form of advertising includes adson the backs, sides and insides ofbuses and light rail trains, as well asbus stop benches and shelters.

*Television, Radio and PrintIt is best to contact the outlets directly and ask tospeak with an account executive or representative.Let them know that you are working on a publiceducation campaign, and ask if you can meet withthem personally. This will help you to develop arelationship and negotiate the best rates.

ADVERTISING

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Sharing responsibility

Partnerships bring the benefit of“economy of scale” with the sharingof both responsibility and fundingrequirements.

Credibility

The addition of civic organizationsbrings increased credibility. The publicperceives the program has more meritif it goes beyond the POTW. Credibilityin the eyes of the public translates tobelievability, which has to be present tomotivate a change in behavior.

More resources and expandedaudience

The involvement of other groups in aproject often brings greater resources tothe table. For instance, the organizationmight have a fax or Web site capabilityto reach its constituents in promoting aseminar or other event. And members ofthe organization immediately become anadditional audience for the project.

List of Potential Partners

Partnerships are a key component topublic education campaigns. Undoubt-edly you have a limited amount of time,resources and money to conduct yourpublic education campaign. Designatingand pairing with community partnerscan help you create and implement yourprogram.

Other water facility owners: This maybe one of the best partnershipsavailable. Other POTWs in your areamay be able to offer you advice orassistance. Look into the possibilityof joining forces to pool time andresources for a campaign.

Special interest groups: Some of thesegroups may only develop one event ayear, and some may be year-roundnonprofit organizations. Focus onorganizations that specialize in waterquality or home safety issues.

Environmental organizations: Thesegroups may be local chapters ofnational organizations. They alreadyare familiar with these types of issues.Be cautious and thoughtful in yourselection of these organizations toassure they are a fit with your cam-paign or issue.

Local nurseries: These are an obviouschoice because they attract such alarge group of the primary targetaudience for your public educationcampaign.

Master Gardeners: The University ofCalifornia Master Gardener programprovides information, expertise andeducational opportunities about homegardening to community residents.The program is sponsored by theUniversity of California CooperativeExtension. Master Gardeners arevolunteers trained in vegetablegardening, small-scale fruit produc-tion and general home horticulture.Part of their education is an agree-

BENEFITS OF PARTNERSHIPS

Benefits of Partnerships

66

ment to give back to the communityonce they have become a MasterGardener.

Retail outlets: There are a number ofpartnership opportunities availablewhen working with a retail establish-ment. A few of these opportunitiesare explored in more depth in thissection of the workbook.

Veterinary clinics and offices: Theuse of flea and tick insecticides forcontrol of pests in the home isanother category of pesticide use.Most veterinary offices sell theseproducts.

Pet superstores: This potential partneris beneficial for the same reason asthe vet clinics and offices. Pet careproducts are also sold in these typesof establishments.

Garden Associations and Societies

Note: These names and addresses werevalid as of mid-1998. You can checkDPR’s H2O Home to Ocean Web site atwww.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/h2o for updated links to these and other sites.

The Internet can also point you to gardenclubs in your area. Good sources of informa-tion on local and state organizations andtheir activities include:

National Council of State Garden Clubswww.gardenclub.org

National Gardening Associationwww2.garden.org/nga

The Bay Area Gardenerwww.gardens.com

Digitalseed: A Southern CaliforniaGardening Resourcewww.digitalseed.com

California Association of Nurserymen(C.A.N.)3947 Lennane Drive, Suite 150Sacramento, CA 95834Phone: (916) 928-3900Fax: (916) 567-0505E-mail: [email protected]

California Native Plant Society1722 J Street, Suite 17Sacramento, CA 95814Phone: (916) 447-2677Fax: (916) 447-2727www.calpoly.edu/~dchippin/society.html

American Horticultural SocietyHeadquarters is located atRiver Farm in Alexandria, VALinda Hallman, President/CEOPhone: (703) 768-5700Fax: (703) 768-8700

Mary Ann Patterson, Director ofMarketing and Public ProgramsPhone: (703) 777-7931 ext.21E-mail: [email protected]

American Rose Society8877 Jefferson Paige RoadShreveport, LA 71119-8817Mike Kromer, Executive Director

San Joaquin Valley Rose Society, Inc.Sheila O’Donnell Nicol, Presidentwww.geocities.com/RainForest/2548


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The American Society for HorticulturalScience600 Cameron StreetAlexandria, VA 22314-2562Phone: (703) 836-4606Fax: (703) 836-2024www.asha.org

John W. Kelly, President

Teresa G. Alfaro,Exec. Mgmt. Team/Director, Meetingsand Educ. Programs (ext 308)

Lisa Preston,Exec. Mgmt. Team/Director ofMembership and Marketing (ext 309)

National Gardening Association180 Flynn AvenueBurlington, VT 05401Phone: (802) 863-1308Fax: (802) 863-5962www2.garden.org/nga

First Steps to Creating Partnerships

Think in terms of the programs youwould produce with a partner’s help.Once you have potential programs inmind, then determine what businesses ororganizations are most appropriate tocontact. Is your program small and mosteffective at a grass-roots level? Perhapsyour best partner is a local society,neighborhood coalition, or local retailer.Are you looking to partner with a “bigname” operator to lend credibility andvisibility to your program? Look atnational chains that offer the types ofprograms you’re hoping to develop.

Now that you have a program andpartner in mind, organize your ideason paper. Create a list of all possible

program elements. Often, your firstthoughts will evolve into new ideas onceyou talk to potential partners. Make a listof responsibilities for the program youhave in mind. Determine how responsi-bilities will be shared between youand your partner. This will assist inapproaching potential partners becauseyou will have a clear idea of their role.

Then do your homework on companiesyou’ll approach. Find out if they dosimilar programs or projects. See if theyare the involved in community relationsand education projects that may offeryou an opportunity to join their currentefforts.

Approaching Potential Partners

Put your proposal in writing. If the targetorganization has a marketing person orpublic relations agency, make them theinitial contact.

When drafting a proposal,answer the following questions:

Why did you choose this organizationas a potential partner?

How will the partner benefit byparticipating in the program?

What will they have to do and how muchwill it cost?

Why should they be interested inworking with you?

What time frame are you proposing?

When will you follow up with a personalcall to determine interest?


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Civic Group Promotions

These partnership programs pair youwith other community interest groupsand increase visibility of pesticide issuesand the impact on water quality. Idealtarget groups could include gardensocieties, ecology foundations, nonprofitorganizations, or environmental clubs.Each group will bring a new opportunityfor promotion of your pesticide publiceducation campaign.

Examples of possible promotions mightinclude:

■ A local environmental club takes oneweekend every year when volunteersclean up debris from streams andrivers. Offer to partner with thisgroup to help publicize the event.Offer to use their flyer as bill inserts,or include their promotional items inyour booth at a local environmentalfair. In return, ask to hold an educa-tional forum on pesticide pollutants inthe water system during their week-end festivities.

■ The local rose society holds an annualspecial flower show and conference.Thousands of people show up for thisweekend event that combines flowerdisplays, product demonstrations andeducational classes. You could ask to

have a special display area at theshow to provide information aboutpesticide use and IPM. Hold an hourlypromotion where you devote a fewminutes to a different presentation onpesticide safety and IPM.

The possibilities for co-promotionsbetween your agency and civic groupsare only limited by your imagination. Ifyou aren’t really certain about how youcould work with local groups, approachofficers of the club or organization andtell them briefly about what you’redoing. Ask if they see any opportunitiesfor you to get involved with what they’redoing.

Evaluation of Method

Pros: These types of projects not onlyincrease the visibility of your publiceducation campaign, but they alsostrengthen your image as a goodcommunity partner.

Cons: There is a time commitment inlocating potential partners andplanning the promotion itself.Depending upon the level of sophisti-cation of the promotion, there mayalso be a significant amount of moneyinvolved.

Ideas for Partnership Programs

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Garden Education Series

Outside the retail environment, thereare a variety of opportunities. An idealpartnership promotion would create agarden education series that couldhighlight the various aspects of yourpublic education campaign. Partnerswho could join in this promotioninclude:

Community colleges or universities

University extension programs

Master gardener programs

Learning centers or exchanges

Local garden projects or parks

Recreation and parks districts

Adult education facilities

This garden education series would be acombination of three or more presenta-tions that focus on gardening issues.Classes could be short but informativeopportunities for both prepared informa-tion and questions from the audience.Partner with other presenters if youdon’t feel comfortable doing multiplepresentations.

The Central Contra CostaSanitary District has developed amanual, “How to Implement an IPMPartnership With Stores.” This guideoffers valuable insights and advice fordistricts that want to develop partner-ship programs with retailers andnursery operations. Based on thedistrict’s own programs (see casestudy in the Appendix), the guidediscusses how to select retail partners,train their salespeople, coordinatethe use of displays and educationalmaterials, and other details.

To obtain a copy of the guide, contact:Tim TullisCentral Contra Costa Sanitary District5019 Imhoff PlaceMartinez, CA 94553-4392or call (925) 229-7329


Pros: Creating your own garden educa-tion series gives you the chance todevelop the themes and direction ofthe presentations. By working withorganizations such as the ones listedabove, you are acting as a communityresource. You also gain more visibilityfor your program.

Cons: The time it takes to create thesetypes of presentations, to find andtrain speakers, and to search forlocations to hold the series could beprohibitive.

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The most successful partnershipsincorporate clear communication andwell-defined roles. When partners agreeto participate in a specific project, hold ameeting to make sure everyone startsout “on the same page.” At this meeting,compare each organization’s goals andobjectives to determine if there is anyconflict or miscommunication. Rolesshould be defined in advance so allrepresentatives know their responsibili-ties. For instance, if printing becomesthe responsibility of one organization,determine if anyone else will be involvedin the process for quality control pur-poses. Tasks such as writing, printing,distribution, reporting and overall teamleadership should be assigned.

At every conference call or meeting,someone should record and distributethe agreements made. This might seem ahardship, but it will help keep everyoneon track and eliminate misinterpretation.


Maintaining Successful Partnerships

Elements of the partnership projectshould be outlined in a detailed timeline/working document that shows allactivities, responsibilities and deadlines.Then make sure the approval process forall creative aspects is formalized so thatcopy and design concepts are routed tothe correct representatives.

Partnerships founded on common goalsand objectives with clear, consistentcommunications among participantsextend value and reach withoutjeopardizing quality and results.

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SPECIAL EVENTS

Participating in Special Events

Another componentof public educationcampaigns is thecreation of specialevents around an issue.

Special events can include participationin fairs or festivals, neighborhoodprograms, or educational classes. Theseevents not only help to educate consum-ers, but they provide an opportunity forthe media to cover the issue beinghighlighted. The types of special eventsthat can be included in a public educa-tion campaign are many and varied.

The best way to get involved is to signup for a local event that has beenongoing for several years. These eventsare usually well planned and draw largercrowds. Ask other people what eventsthey have found valuable and which onesare well organized. These events will bea good opportunity to see how specialevents work, and will give you thechance to get involved. As you partici-pate in more events, you may want to tryto create your own special program.Bringing in partners can give you accessto more resources, and will provide youwith more help.

As you consider participating in specialevents, keep in mind the level of effortthat goes along with this aspect of publiceducation campaigns. Choose eventsthat you feel comfortable doing, given

the amount of time you have to getinvolved. Staff time to plan, attendmeetings, and participate at the event allneed to be considered before committingto an event. If an event requires ainvestment of staff time or cost to thedistrict, make sure it’s appropriate foryour issue or campaign (see next page).


Pros: This effort can bring together thePOTWs, the consumers, and thecommunity while working toward acommon goal. These one-day eventsare also good media opportunities tobring attention to your facility, yourpartners, and pesticide issues.

Cons: It takes a significant amount oftime to prepare and implement thesetypes of events. By planning aheadand working with other communitypartners, the amount of time andresources can be greatly reduced.

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SPECIAL EVENTS

Exhibits at Environmental Fairsor Other EventsOne of the easiest ways to get involvedin community special events is to signup to be an exhibitor at a local fair orfestival. There are year-round opportuni-ties to get out into the community and toeducate residents about pesticide useand the impact on water quality. Askother community organizations aboutannual celebrations and events thatmight be beneficial. Keep a calendar listof these activities so you have plenty oftime to plan for the event. Call agenciesthat organize events and ask to be put ontheir mailing list.

As you begin to take part in the events,keep a master calendar that lists thedate, time, location, and who from yourorganization will be attending. Thismaster calendar will help you schedulepeoples’ time, but will also serve as aquick reference for anyone needinginformation about the event.

When you sign up for the event, you willusually be assigned a table and chairsthat will be your booth or station for theevent. Be sure to ask if these will beprovided for you, or if it is necessary tobring your own table and chairs. Yournext task is to assemble items fordisplay. These can be pictures, diagrams,charts, or any other information impor-tant to educate consumers. Considerbringing visual items such as water-testing kits, fresh plants and anyother materials that may help attractconsumers to the booth.

It is also a good idea to have handoutsand materials that you can give toconsumers. At many of the fairs, attend-ees get bags to gather information toread later. Use the brochures or flyers inthis workbook as handout materials. Besure to include bookmarks for kids.

Decide if you will offer some type ofactivity at your booth. It is important tocatch the interest of consumers. This isan especially good idea if the event istargeted toward youth. Ideas range fromhaving a coloring station related tointegrated pest management (featuring,perhaps, drawings of “good bugs”) toface painting.


Pros: Events give you a chance tomeet directly with consumers andto provide them with very specificinformation.

Cons: There is a time and possiblya significant cost (for example,handouts, promotional material)commitment involved with participat-ing in events. Also, there are othercompeting activities vying forconsumer attention.

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One of the most effective places todistribute public education informationis in the neighborhood environment.Neighbors talk to one another over thefence, share gardening tips, and oftenshare information on where to getproducts and how to dispose of them.Neighborhoods lend themselves to aclean-up day where residents can cleartheir cupboards of pesticide products.

This event, which would take place infall or early winter to coincide with theend of the growing season, would be anexcellent opportunity to educate resi-dents on proactive steps to preventpesticides from harming water quality.The day could be co-sponsored by a cityor county waste collection department/hazardous waste collection facility toeasily facilitate the actual disposal ofmaterials.

Neighbors could undertake activitiessuch as collecting old and unusedpesticide products, stenciling preventionmessages on curbs near storm drains, orscheduling gardening days for the springwhen the neighborhood can share largequantities of pesticide products.

Your district could offer information onhow to conduct a neighborhood clean-upday with the district or a city/countywaste collection department serving asthe disposal agency. The guide could bea one-page flyer that gives residentssuggestions on coordinating their ownneighborhood event. The flyer could beavailable through local stores, civicgroups or by request from your facility.

There are several ways to promote thisevent to residents of the neighborhoodwhere the clean-up will take place.Flyers can be posted in busy locationssuch as banks, post offices, churches,stores, and area schools. Visit gardencenters in the neighborhood and ask ifyou can leave a handful of flyers promot-ing the event on checkout counters or ona community update table.

You can also enlist the help of thegroups that are participating in theneighborhood clean-up to promote theevent. Beginning two to three weeksbefore the clean-up date, ask thesegroups to distribute flyers at communitymeetings and gatherings. The flyers canbe left on porch steps of homes in theneighborhood.

For local newspapers, contact thecalendar editor and ask to have theevent promoted as a public service.Most calendar sections will run a briefdescription of the event and a listing ofwhere to call for more information at nocharge. Be aware that many newspapersneed information two to six weeks priorto the event date.


Pros: This public education tactic issimple to promote, and includesproactive prevention projects.

Cons: Staff time and possible disposalcosts.

Neighborhood Clean-Up Days

SPECIAL EVENTS

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SPECIAL EVENTS

Education Days at Local Retailers

Aside from point-of-purchase programs,there is an opportunity to conductspecial courses at local retailers. Theseoffer consumers the chance to learnabout pesticide use and disposal wherethey are most likely to buy these prod-ucts. Retail outlets for such classesinclude super stores, nurseries, drug anddiscount stores, and hardware/gardensupply stores.

You must first determine what stores inyour area have, or are open to having,consumer education classes or pro-grams. Many of the larger retail chainshave these types of classes to offer aservice to their customers, and to helpget people into the stores on specificdays. Ask the manager of the store if itwould be possible to add a class ongardening and environmental safety. Ifyou don’t feel that you could teach anentire class, ask other relevant organiza-tions, such as the UC Master Gardeners,to join you on the program. If the retailmanager isn’t willing to add an addi-tional class, ask if there is a class thatyou might be able to supplement withinformation about pesticide use. Offer toput the store’s logo on the materials youuse to promote the classes if this mightencourage the store involved in theprogram.

Put together an agenda of what youcould cover in a 20-minute presentation.Write an outline for the presentation

based upon the various aspects ofpesticide selection, use and disposal,and about integrated pest management.As you construct the outline, keep inmind the average consumer viewpoint ofthese types of products. What do theywant to hear about? What facts wouldconcern them? Try to anticipate thequestions you might be asked.

The Central Contra Costa SanitaryDistrict has developed a manual, “Howto Implement an IPM Partnership WithStores,” with information on workingwith retailers. To obtain a copy of theguide, contact: Tim Tullis, CentralContra Costa Sanitary District, 5019Imhoff Place, Martinez, CA 94553-4392,or call (925) 229-7329.


Pros: Education classes help you toreach consumers where they arebuying pesticide products.

Cons: Planning for and teaching a classis a significant commitment. Inaddition, the retail outlet may notwelcome a message focusing on IPM,which retailers may interpret to meanthat less pesticides will be purchased.

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SPECIAL EVENTS

Consider creating promotions surround-ing special days. Following is a list ofdesignated days that are recognizednationally and in California.

California County FairsThis organization represents fairsthroughout California. Its Web site listscounty fair dates throughout the stateand provides links to fairs with homepages.

Western Fairs Association1776 Tribune Road, Suite 210Sacramento, CA 95815Phone: (916) 927-3100www.fairsnet.org

Third week of MarchNational Poison Prevention WeekThis week offers an opportunity tocommunicate a strong message aboutwise use, safe storage, and properdisposal of pesticides.

Poison Prevention Week CouncilP.O. Box 1543Washington, DC 20013Phone: (301) 504-0580Consumer Hotline: 1-800-638-2772Information on poison prevention canbe found on the Web sites of severalorganizations, including:

American Association of PoisonControl Centerwww.aapcc.org/Public.htm

American Academy of Pediatricswww.aap.org/family/poisonwk.htm

Calendar of Major Events

American Pharmaceutical Associationwww.aphanet.org/APhA/relations/poison.html

National Safe Kids Campaignwww.safekids.org

March 22United Nations: World Day for WaterThe UN General Assembly declared thisobservance to promote public awarenessof how water resource developmentcontributes to economic productivityand social well-being.

AprilKeep America Beautiful MonthTo educate Americans about theirpersonal responsibility for litter preven-tion, proper solid waste disposal andenvironmental improvement throughvarious community projects.

Keep America Beautiful Inc.Media Relations Manager9 W. Broad StStamford, CT 06902Phone: (203) 323-8987www.kab.org

AprilNational Lawn and Garden MonthNational celebration of benefits oflandscape and lawn care.

Association of Landscape Contractorsof America (ALCA)Phone: (703) 736-9666Fax: (703) 736-9668

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SPECIAL EVENTS

Mid-AprilNational Garden WeekTo recognize 78 million Americans whoenhance and improve the environmentwith their gardening efforts. Annually,the second full week of April.

National Garden Bureau1311 Butterfield Road, Suite 310Downers Grove, IL 60515Phone: (630) 963-0700

Last Friday in AprilNational Arbor Day Opportunity to learn about the impor-tance of trees in American of life.

Committee for National Arbor DayP.O. Box 333West Orange, NJ 07052Phone: (201) 731-0840

April 22Earth DayAttention to reclaiming the purity of theair, water and living environment. EarthDay activities are held by many groupson various dates, often on the weekendclosest to April 22. Your local SierraClub chapter may be a resource forinformation about activities occurringin your area.

Early MayDrinking Water WeekPart of the American Water WorksAssociation “Blue Thumb Project,”educational events are held to spread theword on how important knowledge andaction are to safeguarding our publicdrinking water supplies

Blue Thumb ProjectAmerican Water Works Association6666 West Quincy AvenueDenver, CO 80235Phone: (303) 794-7711www.awwa.org/bluethum.htm

May 8No Socks DayIf we give up wearing socks for one day,it will mean a little less laundry, therebycontributing to the betterment of theenvironment. Besides, we will all feel abit freer, at least for one day.

Wellness Permission LeagueP.O. Box 1264Lebanon, PA 17042-1264

June 5World Environment DayThe anniversary of the opening of theUnited Nations Conference on theHuman environment held in Stockholmin 1972, which led to establishment ofthe UN Environment Programme. TheUN has urged marking the day withactivities reaffirming concern for thepreservation and enhancement of theenvironment.

United NationsDepartment of Public InformationNew York, NY 10017

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SPECIAL EVENTS

August 1 – July 31President’s Environmental Youth AwardNational CompetitionYoung people in all 50 states are invitedto participate in the President’sEnvironmental Youth Awards Program,which offers them, individually andcollectively, an opportunity to becomean environmental force with theircommunity. The program encouragesindividuals, school classes, schools,summer camps and youth organizationsto promote local environmentalawareness and positive communityinvolvement.

Environmental Education CoordinatorUS Environmental Protection Agency401 M Street, #1707Washington, D.C. 20460Phone: (202) 260-8749Fax: (202) 260-0790

AugustNational Water Quality MonthTo increase the awareness of water as aprecious resource and the importance ofquality water in our everyday lives.

Culligan InternationalOne Culligan PkwyNorthbrook, IL 60062www.culliganman.com

late OctoberLos Angeles Garden ShowHeld on the 127-acre Arboretum ofLos Angeles County.Phone: (626) 447-8207, or look forinformation on the Internet:www.arboretum.org/arboretum/events/

Calendars of other major eventsthat offer promotional opportunitiescan be found on the Internet.Sources of calendar events include:

GardenWebwww.gardenweb.com

Has a “Calendar of Garden Events”that allows searches by date, location,and keyword.

Radio Onlinepromonet.radio-online.com/menu_f4.htm

A private online service offers freeaccess to a “Promotional Planner,”with monthly events, special weeks,and important days, and some linksto sponsors.

U.S. Novelty and Party Supply, Inc.,www.us-novelty.com/bottom/upcoming.html

A private company, offers free accessto a calendar of events.

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SPEAKERS BUREAU

Establishing a Speakers Bureau

Speakers bureaus have longbeen used by corporations,agencies and non-profitgroups to offer presenta-tions to the community. A

speakers bureau is a core group ofspeakers (either staff or volunteers) whoare available for community meetings orgatherings. Creating your own speakersbureau offers another opportunity toeducate the public and act as a commu-nity resource.

Determine who will staff the bureau.Consider employees who are interested,or who possess the appropriate traits.Good speakers are enthusiastic aboutthe public education program, interactwell with people, and have a workingknowledge of the issue. Volunteerspeakers are another option if you areconcerned about employees taking timeaway from work to make presentations.Suggestions on how to generate volun-teer presenters are discussed later inthis section.

Once you have selected the presentersfor your speakers bureau, create anoutline for the presentation. To start theoutline, make a list of information youwant to give the audience. Then put eachpiece of information into a category(e.g., what to consider when buyingpesticides, proper application tech-niques, and integrated pest managementpractices). Next, place the categories in

a logical order. You obviously want totalk about use of the products beforedisposal. Once these elements are inorder, create an opening and a conclu-sion for the presentation.

Once you have a tentative outline for thepresentation and determine whetheremployees or volunteers will staff thebureau, then you are ready to look at thetechnical aspects of the presentations.


Pros: This is an effective way to reachthe specified target audiences whenappearing at community gatherings ormeetings. This option offers thechance to speak to a captive audi-ence, and gives the presenter thechance to explore pesticide use ingreater detail than would be possibleat other special events.

Cons: Sometimes the meetings will havea small number of attendees. Thismay decrease the value of a speakersbureau, given the time and effortrequired. Locating and trainingpresenters to staff the bureau is alsotime-consuming. If district employeesstaff the speakers bureau, they willneed time off from their regularduties.

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Recruitment of Volunteer Speakers

If you do not have employees who areinterested in the program, or cannotspare employee time for presentations,there are a number of other options tostaff your speakers bureau. Thesesources include:

Garden clubs and societies:Members of these groups alreadyhave a good working knowledge ofgardening activities and should have aconcern for the environment. You canobtain a list of these types of organi-zations either through a local nurseryor by searching the Internet foragencies in your area.

Special interest groups:You may be familiar with area groupsthat are proactive on environmentalissues, and sometimes more specifi-cally water quality.

Community colleges and universities:The most appropriate contact point isthe speech or communicationsdepartment. Ask to speak to anadviser or professor in charge ofstudent activities.

Toastmasters International:An international public speaking clubthat puts its members in touch withcommunity groups who are lookingfor speakers. Toastmasters Interna-tional has clubs in virtually every city

in California. In major metropolitanareas, there may be dozens of Toast-masters clubs. They are usually listedin the phone book.

Master Gardeners:The Master Gardener programprovides information, expertise andeducational opportunities about homegardening. The program is sponsoredby the University of CaliforniaCooperative Extension. MasterGardener volunteers provide semi-nars, workshops and clinics through-out their communities. Part of therequirements of becoming a MasterGardener involve an agreement toserve the community.

Call these sources and explain that youare looking for volunteer speakers on anenvironmental topic. Explain that thespeakers bureau is part of a larger effortto inform the public about pesticide useand water quality.

SPEAKERS BUREAU

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SPEAKERS BUREAU

Training Speakers with aConsistent MessageNo matter who is presenting for yourbureau, all speakers must be properlytrained and familiar with the presenta-tion. This is why it helps to create anoutline for the presenters to follow. Theoutline provides consistency and acommon template for your presenters.Bring speakers together in advance forbackground on the public educationcampaign, and to go over basic informa-tion on pesticide issues.

Hold the initial meeting in a relaxedsetting. Provide speakers with refresh-ments. Introduce an agenda and reviewthe entire presentation with your speak-ers. Ask them to contribute ideas orsuggestions. This will help give yourspeakers a sense of ownership. Explainthat the outline is needed to keep thepresentations consistent.

Consider hiring a professional speakeror a speech teacher to discuss basicspeaking skills at this meeting. Optionsfor finding outside sources of instructionand training include:

Public speaking clubs:There are several public speakingorganizations where members notonly practice their own speakingskills, but offer their time and exper-tise to help others. ToastmastersInternational is probably the mostwell known and prevalent publicspeaking organization. Local chapterscan often be found in your phonebook or in the Yellow Pages under“public speaking.”

Colleges and universities:Local colleges and universities mayoffer public speaking or presentationclasses. You can find communicationsor speech departments at many stateuniversities, private campuses, andcommunity colleges. Contact theseoffices and ask to speak to thedepartment chair or activities direc-tor. Consider the possibility ofgraduate students assisting with yourprogram — some of these studentsalready may instruct introductoryspeech classes.

Public speaking consultants andcompanies:This is an option if your budgetallows. Most offer a set format andhandouts for their classes. Costs willvary, depending on whether theinstructor charges hourly or by theclass. You can find these consultants/companies in the Yellow Pages under“public speaking instruction.”

It is important to offer your speakersupdated information on a regular basis.Speakers must be up-to-date in all thetechnical aspects of pesticide use,disposal and IPM. Distribute updatedmaterials with speaking tips, meetregularly to practice presentations, oroffer a refresher course with the instruc-tor who did the initial training.

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SPEAKERS BUREAU

Audiovisual materials will give speakersthe chance to make a more professionaland consistent presentation. Thesematerials can include sound systems,overheads, slides, videotape, or evencomputer-generated presentations.Creating and producing audiovisualpresentations can be costly both interms of money and time. There areseveral things to consider when pursuingthis option:

• How much money you have tocontribute to this project

• How much time you can spendputting together the information

• Your knowledge of what makes aneffective audiovisual presentation

• The presenters’ comfort level withthese types of materials

• Where the presentations will be heldand what audiovisual capabilities areavailable

Once you’ve determined that you want toinclude audiovisual elements into yourpresentation, the next step is to createthe materials. There are several differenttypes of mediums you can use. Follow-ing is a list of audiovisual equipment,brief notes on how to create them andgeneral costs associated with each type.

Charts and graphs on flip charts orboards

These types of visuals are the easiest tocreate and can be prepared for a rela-tively low cost. There are a number ofways to create these types of visual aids,including hand-drawing, stenciling, cut-and-pasting, or mounting computerprintouts on heavy paper stock. It is agood idea to have a portable easel todisplay the materials at the presentation.You can mount your charts and graphson heavy tag board or have it foam-coremounted by a copy or business center.

Type of AV Unit CostTag board: Per sheet $.50-1.00

Foam-coremounting: 4' by 2' $10-15

Wipe boards: 4' by 3' $50-100

Portable easel: One easel $50-150

Wipe board/easel combos: One board/easel $200-300

Development of Audiovisual Materials

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SPEAKERS BUREAU

Overhead transparencies

Overhead transparencies allow you toshow and discuss a wide range ofpreviously prepared transparencies andto write on clear transparencies.

Transparencies are shown using anoverhead projector. The presenter or anassistant must change the transparenciesduring the presentation. Generally,black and white transparencies can bemade from most office copiers; colortransparencies can be made with acolor printer.

Type of AV Unit Cost

Single sheet transparency:One sheet copied $1

Box of transparencies:100 transparencies $20-40

Portable overhead projectors:*One unit $700 - 3,000

*Overhead projectors may be availableat venues where presentations are made.


Pros: Good for groups from 20 to 200people. Overheads are also relativelyinexpensive, versatile, and easy tocreate.

Cons: The quality is lower than thatoffered by a slide projector or laptopcomputer.

Slide show

Slide shows add colorful and visualimages to a presentation. Generally,slide shows are most useful when youwant to use photographs to enhance apresentation.


Single slide: One slide $7.50

Slide projector: One unit $300-700

Portable screen: One screen $200-300


Pros:Slides create a professional,polished image. Photos are easilycaptured on slides. And slide projec-tors only require the push of a buttonrather than flipping overhead trans-parencies.

Cons: The room must be completelydark for the slides to have full impact.Presentations are difficult to edit atthe last minute.

Video tape

Videos can enhance a presentation. Keepvideo presentations brief — two to tenminutes. Keep in mind that audiencescan discern quality production andediting. Home video quality generallywon’t pass muster. The most commonvideo format is Beta tape. Beta can bereproduced in VHS tapes for presenta-tion using a TV and VCR. Videos are thecostliest audiovisual. The general rule ofthumb for video cost is $1,000 perminute. This includes production cost

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only. It does not include such items astravel, talent, specialized graphics andmusic, or duplication.

Type of AV Unit / Cost

Video: 2-10 minute video$2,000-10,000 productiononly

TV and VCR: Combination or separateunits

Can be rented at mostfacilities. Purchasing onecan cost $200-1,000


Pros:Videos grab audience attention andthey can be very persuasive. Videosalso dramatize problems well.

Cons: Expense. Also, for larger audi-ences (50 or more), you need speciallarge-screen projection and soundequipment.

Computer-generated presentations

Computer-generated presentations, suchas Microsoft® PowerPoint, are oftenshown directly from a laptop or desktopcomputer. With computer-generatedpresentations, you can choose from anumber of different templates for easyinput of text or graphics to create aninteresting and visually appealingpresentation.


Computer presentation:50 frames $800

LCD projection panel:One unit $2,000

Notebook computer:One unit $3,000*

Computer-generatedpresentation projector:

One unit $2,000*+

* 1998 costs+ The projector can be rented from mostfacilities.

There is always the option of workingwith a local school or civic group todesign an audiovisual presentation.These groups may guide you through theprocess of selecting relevant materials,and they also may be able to produce thematerials for you at little or no cost.


Pros: Creates a professional, polishedimage. Also, it’s easy to make last-minute changes to a presentation.And it requires only the push of abutton to change slides.

Cons: There is a significant cost outlayfor the laptop and computer-generatedsoftware. Unless you are limited tosmall groups, use of a projector ismandatory.

SPEAKERS BUREAU

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Finding Presentation Opportunities

SPEAKERS BUREAU

When presenters have been trained foryour speakers bureau, it is time to findvenues for them. Active promotionshould result in speaker requests. But itis also important to be proactive aboutfinding venues. These include:

Conferences or seminars

Garden club meetings

Neighborhood meetings

Local schools (elementary, junior high,high school, and college)

Brown bag lunches at businesses ororganizations

Service clubs (Chamber of Commerce,Rotary, Lions, Junior League)

Church service groups

Start by creating a list of places andorganizations that would seem receptiveto your speakers. Reference the commu-nity calendar listing you prepared in theSpecial Events section of this workbook.Call these organizations and ask for thename, address and phone number of theperson responsible for schedulingpresenters. Describe your program andask if you can send information. Followup this phone call with the “pitch letter”(see sample letter that follows) andback-up information on the program(flyers, fact sheets, and brochures in thisworkbook). A week after you mail theletter and materials, call your contactand pursue a date for the presentation.

When speakers go to their engagements,remind them to seek recommendationsfor other presentations. By building yournetwork of speaking opportunities, youcan broaden the reach of your publiceducation campaign.

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Sample Presentation Pitch Letter

(Date)

Jane SmithExecutive DirectorLand Park Garden Club1000 Main StreetSacramento, CA

Dear Ms. Smith:

Thank you for taking the time to discuss our offer to speak before your organization.Anytown Water District would be pleased to make a presentation on the proper useand disposal of pesticides as part of our “H2O Home to Ocean” campaign.

The Anytown Water District is concerned about water contamination from pesticides,including home and garden pest control products. By educating consumers about theproper use and disposal of pesticides, we can reduce pollution in local waterwaysand the ocean. In our presentation, your members would receive useful tips onkeeping their homes and gardens safe while protecting the environment.

Historically, government agencies have focused on the impact of agriculturalpesticides on water quality. However, urban pesticide use has also come underscrutiny in recent years. While urban pesticide applications are often small in scale,their cumulative impact is significant. Pesticide runoff from lawns and gardens, aswell as improper disposal, can pose major problems for wastewater treatment plants.

Enclosed is a packet of materials and an outline of our presentation that can betailored to your organization. We can also supply “H2O Home to Ocean” brochuresand fact sheets for distribution at your meeting.

We are prepared to make this presentation at your earliest convenience, and ourrepresentatives are available for morning, afternoon, or evening dates. Please contactme at (phone number). I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely,

John DoeDirector

Enclosure

SPEAKERS BUREAU

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Explanation of Point-of-Sale Programs

POINT-OF-SALE PROGRAM

Point-of-sale (p-o-s)programs may involve amanufacturer, retailer,media partner, or all of theabove. It is simply a pro-

gram that puts information whereconsumers buy a specific product. Forhome pesticides, the p-o-s may includemass merchandisers, grocery chains, andhardware stores. You may target a retailchain, based on the program you arepresenting and the audience you want toreach. For instance, garden centers atmass merchandise outlets may attractmore female shoppers than neighbor-hood hardware stores.

Point-of-sale program opportunitiesshould be designed around partnershipsand budget constraints. The programmay be as simple as asking retailers tohang posters in their front windowduring peak buying season. Or it may beas complex as initiating a poster contestwith entry forms available in a brandedproduct section at a specific retaillocation and promoted through a radiotie-in. Product use and disposal demon-strations can also be incorporated into ap-o-s promotion. Keep in mind thatfederal pesticide labeling law prohibitsattaching information directly to pesti-cide products.

Standard p-o-s collateral includesbrochures, posters and shelf displays.Costs for printing the materials andresponsibility for distribution willdepend on your agreement with retailers

and other partners. Typically, chainretailers can distribute materials throughtheir internal delivery systems.


As with all public relations programs,there are several ways to evaluate thesuccess of an in-store promotion.Evaluation should be based on theprogram objectives. Success of variousprograms may be measured by thenumber of brochures distributed, thenumber of consumers attending aseminar or the number of comments orletters sent to retailers who displayeducation materials on the property.

Pros: Point-of-sale programs reachconsumers where they are makingpurchasing decisions and can be quiteeffective in providing educationalmaterials. This is an audience thatneeds to be aware of the dangers ofmisuse, as well as advice on how toprotect the environment.

As a public service agency with animportant environmental message,you give the retailer the opportunityto be a “good citizen.”

Cons: Retailers are flooded with re-quests to promote programs, productsand other materials; they often do notwant to make decisions withoutcorporate approval. Finding the rightperson at the right location may betime-consuming.

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Working with RetailersMost retailers value their reputation inthe community and they usually arewilling to listen to promotional propos-als. Approach them through theirmarketing or community relationsdepartments with a letter that explainsthe promotion, what you are hoping theywill contribute (window space or contestassistance), and the benefit in the eyesof the consumer.

As with any marketing program, explainthe nature of the problem and the needfor a solution through consumer educa-

tion. Showing retailers that they canmake a positive difference will help yourcause. Answer the retailer question,“What’s in it for me?”

Once you have set the stage with acontact letter, follow up with a callrequesting a meeting with the decision-makers. If you have product manufac-turer support, it would be wise toinclude the support. For instance, if amanufacturer funds window posters, besure to let the retailer know that brandsupport is available.

Retailers need to be approached indifferent ways. The most importantapproaches are letters and follow-upcalls. (See the sample letter that fol-lows.) Most major chain retailers aredivided into three areas: store manager;district manager; and corporate head-quarters. Your contact depends on thepartnership you are planning to create.

For individual store promotions, contactthe store manager. If you are pursuing apartnership with multiple stores of thesame franchise in a larger area, contactthe district manager. In some cases, thestore and/or district manager may referyou to corporate headquarters.

If you are pursuing a locally ownedbusiness, contact the store manager.After sending a letter, follow up and askto set up a time to speak by phone or inperson. Request only a few minutes ofthe manager’s time. Send a brief thank-you letter following this meeting.

The Central Contra Costa SanitaryDistrict of Martinez has developed amanual, “How to Implement an IPMPartnership With Stores.” See the “CaseStudy” in the Appendix for photos andtext that describe the program.

Steps to Approaching Retailers

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Sample Retail Pitch Letter(Date)

John Smith, ManagerThe Garden Center500 Garden WaySacramento, CA 95814

Dear Mr. Smith:

Anytown Water District wants to make your customers aware that proper use anddisposal of pesticides are important to home and garden safety, as well as the qualityof local waterways and the ocean. We believe that your business can play an impor-tant role in protecting our community’s water quality.

We recently launched a public outreach and education program called “H2O Home toOcean” to help consumers learn about safe use and disposal of pesticides, as well asenvironmentally-friendly tips to maintain their homes and gardens. Since The GardenCenter sells many home and garden products, I urge you to consider participating in apoint-of-sale program for our campaign.

Historically, government agencies have focused on the impact of agricultural pesti-cides on water quality. However, urban pesticide use has also come under scrutiny inrecent years. While residential pesticide applications are often small in scale, theircumulative impact is significant. Pesticide runoff from lawns and gardens, as well asimproper disposal, can pose major problems for wastewater treatment plants.

We need to convey this information in a number of ways, including retail displayswith placards and tear cards near the pesticide products section. Enclosed is asample tear card for your review. These materials convey an important message toconsumers while enhancing your business reputation in our community.

I would be most interested in your ideas on how Anytown Water District can conducta mutually beneficial point-of-sale program. You may call me at (phone number).Or I will call in a few days to discuss this proposal with you.

Thank you for your time and interest.

Sincerely,

John DoeDirector

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TargetP.O. Box 1392Minneapolis, MN 55440-1392(800) 800-8800www.target.com

Rite AidCamp Hill Shopping CenterSouth 32nd StreetCamp Hill, PA 17011(717) 761-9549www.riteaid.com

Longs Drugs141 North Civic DriveWalnut Creek, CA 94596(510) 937-1170www.longs.com

Home Depot2727 Paces Ferry RoadAtlanta, GA 30339(770) 433-8211www.homedepot.com

HomeBase2120 Barranca ParkwayIrvine, CA 92714(949) 442-5000

K-Mart3100 W. Big Beaver RoadTroy, MI 48084-3163www.kmart.com


Potential Major Retail Partners

Message consistency

In-store signage and promotions are agreat way to extend the message of acampaign. As discussed in an earliersection, it is important to provideconsistent themes and logos throughoutthe campaign. If the retail store partnerwants to produce its own materials witha store logo, insist that your theme andlogo also be presented. Explain that theconsumer has seen the theme and logoin other materials and will recognize the

Ace Hardware2200 Kensington CourtOak Brook, IL 60523www.acehardware.com

Orchard Supply HardwareP.O. Box 49027San Jose, CA 95161-9027(408) 281-3500www.osh.com

Wal-Mart702 SW 8th StreetBentonville, AR 72716(800) 925-6278www.wal-mart.com

Following is a list of major retail corpo-rate offices in California. Telephonenumbers and Web site addresses werecurrent as of September, 1998. If youcannot find a store listed in your local

phone book, check with the company’sheadquarters to find the location nearestyou. Do not overlook opportunities toconduct programs with locally-ownedstores.

Store Signage and Promotionsame logo, creating a more effectivecommunication piece.

Maintenance of materials

Reach an agreement with retailers onwho will maintain materials in eachstore. Discuss these details in advanceso that no opportunities are lost. Alsoremember that store signage maybecome worn and should be monitoredfor replacement.

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YOUTH EDUCATION PROGRAMS

chools are an excellentplace to discuss integratedpest management (IPM)practices as part of anoverall program that

teaches children to respect and care fortheir environment. Most children arefascinated by “bugs.” School gardensoffer opportunities for several curricula,including ecology, biology, botany, andenvironmental affairs.

In addition to the educational benefits ofworking with youth, there is an addedbenefit of providing a communityservice. By sending a district representa-tive to local schools, you are providingexpertise to teachers and students. Thiscommunity relations effort enforcespublic perception of your district’sconcern for health and safety issues.

With all youth educationprograms and literature, always includea warning that pesticides should behandled only by adults.

School Garden Projects

Many schools, especially at the elemen-tary level, offer garden projects. Thesegardens are usually on school propertyand give children the chance to experi-ence gardening first hand. Students takean active role in the development andmaintenance of these gardens, eitherduring their class time or as a specialclub or after-school project.

“Hands-on” activities for school gardensmay demonstrate the importance of IPMtechniques such as mulching to preventweeds. Creating an environment for“good bugs” — such as ladybugs thatcontrol pests on plants — is a naturalattraction for children. They can alsolearn about the proper care and feedingof garden plants. Other “hands-on”instruction may include pest preventionby covering household refuse, cleaningup lawn and garden debris, and the careand feeding of pets.

The best way to determine if schools inyour area offer garden projects isthrough direct contact. Start by contact-ing the school district offices nearestyour facility. They may have a record ofschool garden projects. If that doesn’twork, call individual schools. Ask tospeak with the principal, vice principal,or a student activities director. Explainthat you are available as a resource, andthat you would be happy to come to theschool and offer a brief presentationabout IPM as part of biology, ecology orbotany curricula.

You may want to develop youth-orientedmaterials to send the school. Thesematerials can range from color pages tofact sheets, depending on grade levels.Ask the school contact person whattypes of materials would be most useful.Offer to be a resource for other student-centered activities such as science fairs,environmental projects, or curriculumdevelopment. You also could offer yourfacility for a student field trip, if theschool conducts such activities.

Working with Youth Education Programs

S

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Pros: This type of outreach would be anexcellent opportunity for children tolearn about pesticide use in a gardenenvironment. Students have directcontact with a person who canexplain IPM techniques and answertheir questions. Children are likely toshare the information with theirparents.

Cons: The time it would take to locateschools with student gardens, and thetime it would take for a presenter to visitindividual schools are a key drawbacksfor this option.

Also, there may be a negative reactionfrom some parents if schools use pesti-cides around their gardens, or indirectlydiscuss the use of pesticides as part of agardening program.

Supplementing RecyclingPrograms

Environmental topics are often dis-cussed in classrooms. Recycling is oneof the most successful school environ-mental programs. Topics range fromsource reduction to composting, andthey offer excellent opportunities to getstudents involved. One way to increaseawareness of pest control issues is to tapinto school campaigns that focus onrecycling.

Recycling programs often incorporateother environmental elements, such ascomposting and the re-use of items todecrease waste. With IPM, consumerswork with nature to create an environ-

ment where it is difficult for pests tosurvive. Under certain conditions, IPMmay also reduce the amount of pesti-cides used, and therefore decrease thenumber of discarded containers. It isimportant to note that pesticide contain-ers should never be recycled. Recyclingprograms may also include safetyinformation on household hazardouswaste, and how adults should properlydispose of such waste.

Contact the schools directly, introduceyourself and the resources you offer, andask about current recycling programs.Offer to enhance the current programwith information about IPM practices,such as handouts for use by teachers.There is also the opportunity to offerschools a guest speaker on the subject ofusing garden products wisely, employingIPM practices, and how improper useand disposal of pesticides can impactwater quality. Position yourself as asource of information that can beutilized for environmental studies.


Pros: Students are educated about IPMand its relationship to recycling.Children can then relay what they’velearned to their parents, and influencetheir parents’ wise use of pesticides.

Cons: It requires considerable time andeffort to contact schools, find outwhat types of recycling/environmen-tal programs they offer, and getinformation to teachers. This effortcould be greatly reduced by employ-ing other special interest groups toaid in outreach efforts.


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Poster Contest

Another way to educate children aboutIPM is to hold a poster contest. Postercontests have long been used to gainattention for issues, especially thoserelated to health issues. The success ofa poster contest depends on advanceplanning.

Timing is an important factor in an-nouncing and holding the poster contest.To coincide with the gardening season,hold the contest in March as the growingseason begins. Announce the contest atleast a month in advance, to give teach-ers the time to explain the program tochildren. Arrange the contest at thebeginning of the school year, to givestaff time to get the contest on theircalendars.

Separate entries into several age catego-ries. It is best to put the elementarygrades into two categories (kindergartento third grade and fourth to sixth grade).Junior high schools and high schools canbe put in two categories. Create a one-page sheet that lists all of the require-ments for the poster contest. Items suchas the size of the poster, the materials tobe used (pen and crayons are morecolorful than pencil drawings), and theelements that must be included shouldall be clearly outlined in the require-ments. Be sure to include a deadline forsubmission on the form. You can eitherhave the schools mail you their entries,or you can arrange a time to go and pick

them up. Contest judges should includerepresentatives of your district and theschools. Entries should be judged bothon artistic merit and the messagespresented.

For best results, a poster contestneeds prizes for the winners. Ask localmerchants to donate items that you canpromote on the entry form. Gift certifi-cates for ice cream, pizza, or otheryouth-oriented merchandise makepopular prizes. T-shirts, hats, or othersmall give-away items are acceptableprizes if you can’t get donated materials.Announce that you will display thewinning entries for a specified period oftime. Display them at your facility, orbetter yet, work with a local retailestablishment or mall to showcase theprize-winning work.


Pros: Poster contests help studentsbecome better educated about anissue.

Cons: Dozens of organizations approachschools with poster contests. Itdoesn’t take long for the school yearto become saturated with the con-tests. Contacting the schools earlymay help in getting your postercontest on the school calendar.


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INTERNET EDUCATION

Introduction to Web Sites

One way you to enhanceyour public educationefforts is to placeinformation on theWorld Wide Web. It

can provide a dynamic way to reachconsumers with up-to-date pesticideinformation.

The number of people who access theWeb for information is growing at anexponential rate. Although there aremore than 16 million Web sites atpresent, a user should be able to findyour site by searching for it with specifickey words — such as “pesticide,” “waterquality,” or “environment.” Therefore,your site should have references to thekey issues that you want to relate to theWeb audience.

By creating a Web site to correspondwith your public education campaign,you offer customers the opportunity tofind out more about the issue when andwhere it is convenient for them. You canalso stay in closer contact with custom-ers (by e-mail) and give them timelyinformation that is faster than regularmail and cheaper than a fax.

If you lack the budget to create yourown site, another potential option is toseek a partner with an existing site.This means finding an existing site thatfocuses on similar issues and concerns.

Some potential partnerships mightinclude:

■ Local government sites (county andcity offices)

■ Local clubs and garden society siteswhich are usually linked to theirnational organizations and othersimilar groups

■ Special interest group sites thatfocus on water quality, safety orenvironmental issues

■ Professional water industry sites

■ Retailers that have local sites witheducational information

■ Recreation and park districts thatoffer community information

■ Adult education centers that offergardening and home improvementcourses

Most Web sites list a contact person, orat least a general phone number andaddress. Sometimes you’ll have theoption to send an e-mail message to theperson responsible for maintaining thesite. In this case, e-mail your offer toprovide information on pesticide issueson the Web site. Be prepared to send (viae-mail, fax or regular mail) informationon your pesticide issues and whatmaterials you can provide for theWeb site.

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INTERNET EDUCATION


Pros: POTWs can educate the publicabout pesticide issues in a forumthat is increasingly being used byconsumers.

Cons: The time that it takes to seek outpotential sites, or create your ownsite, is a drawback. Creating andmaintaining your own site canbecome extremely costly.

Other Considerations inCreating a Web SiteEstablishing your own site involves aserious commitment in terms of timeand money. You should undertake acost-benefit analysis and examine youravailable budget before deciding tolaunch your own site.

BenefitsControl of information: With your own

Web site, you have total control overthe information and its presentation.If you partner with another site, youwill most likely submit information toa designated person and they will fit itinto their existing format.

Promotion of exclusive site: Havingyour own Web site means that youcan select a name that correspondswith your public education program,and promote it throughout yourcampaign. If you are part of anothersite, some of this visibility will be lost.

Easier to update information: If youmaintain your own site, it is easier toupdate information when convenientfor you to do so. And there is minimalcost — mostly staff time — whenadding new pages to your own site.

DrawbacksExpenses involved: Creating and main-

taining your own Web site can becostly and should not be consideredfor a low-budget campaign. Initialcreation of a site, including registra-tion of the site address, could runfrom $2,000 to $4,000, dependingupon complexity of the job. The costto maintain an average Web site withupdates can cost several hundreddollars per month.

Keeping information updated: If youdon’t have a dedicated staff personresponsible for your Web site, mainte-nance can be burdensome. If you’repartnering with another site, you areusually responsible for getting themnew or updated information on a settime schedule. The partner may alsoupdate the site infrequently, whichcould be a problem if you need toinclude timely information on yourprogram.

www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/h2o

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Creating a Web site is more than justputting a few key messages and texttogether. It requires a significant amountof research and planning. Establishingyour Web site also requires a commit-ment to updating and maintaining thesite on a regular basis.

Unless you are extremely accomplishedat Web site development and Internetlanguage, you will need to contract forservice. Web consultants or designerssometimes are also called webmasters.

To locate individuals or companies thatdevelop Web sites, look in your localYellow Pages under “Internet” or “com-puter consulting/multimedia.” Also lookfor companies that advertise in newspa-pers or magazines. Check the businesssection of your local paper for advertise-ments or ask for recommendations fromother districts or local businesses.Your Chamber of Commerce may havemembers who perform this work.

It is important to find a contractor whoregularly designs sites for clients. Youmay come across companies who “do itall” with computers and the Internet.They may not have all of the expertisethat you need to design and implementyour site. When you have narroweddown your search, ask for referencesand get a list of clients and their Website addresses, so that you can examinesome finished products.

Find out both the cost for creating andmaintaining your site. The estimate isusually given as a set fee for the creationof the site and a per-month cost formaintenance. Be sure to have the

developer specify what is included onthe estimate. Check to see what theinitial fee covers and what is included onthe monthly update charge. Get every-thing in writing. It is also a good ideato offer prospective bidders a writtendescription of what you’re trying todevelop. Keep copies of all correspon-dence between you and the developer.

The cost of creating and maintaining aWeb site may seem high for many POTWbudgets, so look for alternate sources ofsite development. Schools are one lower-cost alternative. Students at both thehigh school and college level are learn-ing programming language needed todevelop sites, and they may offer theirskills at a discount. Proceed cautiouslywith this type of arrangement.

Once you have located a reputable Webdeveloper, then break the process ofcreating the Web site into five steps:

1. Research and Analysis

Objective: Define key messages andreview other Web sites.

Web sites often serve as the primaryintroduction to an organization and itsprograms. It is crucial that sites conveyan organization’s values and centralmission. Determine what key messagesyou would like to display on your site.Make a list of these key messages andmaterials you would like to have on yoursite. An example of such a list would be:

Key messages:

• Pesticides used in homes and gardenscan contaminate waterways.

INTERNET EDUCATION

How to Set Up Your Own Web Site

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• Purchase, use and dispose ofpesticides properly.

• Consider using IPM for pestprevention and pest control.

Materials:

• Explanation and backgroundinformation on the problem.

• A question-and-answer section onpesticide use in the home.

• Fact sheet on pesticide use and IPM(see Appendix).

Once the key messages have beenidentified, review Web sites that high-light campaigns similar to yours. Thesesites can be found by entering a searchfor keywords such as pesticides, waterquality, environmental campaigns, orIPM. It may also be helpful to look atprinted materials you have gathered tosee if they have a corresponding Website. Review other general Web sites thatyou like for their format or design. Keepa master list of the Web sites you’vereviewed and what you think of theircontent and layout. This list will behelpful when working with your Webdeveloper. Based on the key messagesyou want to convey, and the type of Websites you prefer, the developer will haveconcrete ideas on how to proceed withthe creation of your site.

2. Structural Design

Objective:To develop the outline of the site.

The second stage of the design processinvolves developing the structuralfoundation of the site. The list of materi-als that you developed in step one can

now be fleshed out in a detailed outline.Talk to your developer about the struc-ture and design of sites that you prefer.

Once the outline has been finalized, aflowchart is developed. The flowchartprovides a visual structure of the siteand acts as a blueprint for the remainderof the site’s development. This flowchartwill also provide the development teamwith a common working document thateveryone can refer to during the produc-tion process. It also serves as thefoundation from which a time line andfinal budget are created. Early agree-ment on the content structure of the sitewill streamline production work in laterstages of development.

3. Development

Objective:To develop concepts for graphic andcontent elements that effectivelyintroduce and reinforce key messages.

The Web is a communication tool thatrelies on visual impact. Visual appealand design can even override the writteninformation on the screen. Design alsodetermines the ease of navigating thesite. It should be graphically consistentwith all of the other campaign materials.During this stage of the process, thedesign elements of the site will becreated, including home page design,secondary page templates, and specificrecommendations for photography andillustration.

Visitors will tap into the content of asite according to their interests andquestions. Effective sites not onlyprovide in-depth, accessible informationabout programs and services, they also

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allow consumers to pose questions,explore information, and request materi-als online. Content development is acombination of editing and writing.Once the written materials have beencompiled, they can be edited for use inan interactive setting.

Remember to review the H2O Home toOcean logo and other collateral materialsprovided with this workbook. Using thesematerials as the basis for your Web sitedesign could result in significant costsavings. The logo and other materialsmay be downloaded from:

4. Implementation

Objective:To merge copy and graphic elementstogether into a cohesive, effective Webenvironment.

In this step, the written content of thesite is merged with graphic designtemplates. Once the site is constructed,it must be tested and revised until it isfree of defects and typos. Throughoutthis final phase, the focus remains onconsistent delivery of the district’scommunications objectives.

At this stage it is also possible to linkyour site with others that have relevantinformation on pesticide use. This addedfeature of your site would give consum-ers the opportunity to expand theirknowledge of the issue. Once your siteis complete and can be accessed, offeryour Web site address to other relevantorganizations that may provide links toyour site. Search the Web for other sitesthat include information similar to yours.Approach the person listed as the contact

on the site, and ask if it’s possible to linkthe two sites together. These links willallow consumers to transfer from some-one else’s site directly to yours with justa click of the computer mouse.

5. Ongoing Management

Objective:To introduce an active, high-quality,sustainable Web site.

The last phase of the five-step develop-ment process is the site’s introductionand management. Once your Web site isonline (accessible to the public), thenbegin promoting the site on writtenmaterials to your customers. Managinga Web site is a continuous process.Management includes updating the sitewith new data, maintaining the accuracyof the text, and periodically checkinglinks and contact information to makesure they are still in use and active.

It is important to not only update infor-mation on the site, but to also includenew information on a regular basis. Thismotivates consumers to check back,increasing the number of times a personvisits, or “hits.” Set a schedule for addingupdated materials. This can help you toachieve consistency in supplying newinformation.

Consider a mechanism forgauging “traffic” (visitors) on your siteduring a specific period of time. YourWeb developer should be able to adviseyou on how this might be done. You mayalso want to develop an e-mail responsefeature to get consumer feedback onwhat they liked about the site, and otherinformation they would like to see.

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ne way to keep in touchwith your customers isa telephone hotlinewith up-to-dateinformation. This

information line can serve as an easy-access resource for customers who wantinformation about pesticide disposal andintegrated pest management (IPM).

Customers may not always know whereto take pesticides for disposal. This issometimes complicated by the fact thatcollection centers are only open onspecific dates. In addition to suchinformation, the hotline could announcespecial events or promotions involvingyour facility. A recording can be updatedon a regular basis, and the phonenumber should be included on printmaterials used by your public educationcampaign.

The cost of a hotline varies, dependingupon whether you want a local numberor a toll-free number. A local numberwould cost about $70 to set up andapproximately $15 per month to main-tain. A toll-free number costs approxi-mately $30 to establish and $15 a monthto maintain. (With a toll-free number,you will also be charged for incominglong-distance calls.)

The costs cited above are for telephonelines only. The equipment needed tooperate a hotline may range in cost from$50 for a simple answering machine tothousands of dollars for specializedequipment that allows an unlimited

TELEPHONE HOTLINES

Reaching Out with Telephone Hotlines

number of messages played consecu-tively. Toll-free service can track thenumber of incoming calls to your hotlineto measure its usefulness.


Pros: Easy resource for people to obtaininformation on pesticide use anddisposal. The hotline could be publi-cized with all public educationmaterials.

Cons: Cost for setting up and managingeither a single toll-free number or aseries of numbers can be prohibitive.Costs can be reduced by partneringwith other agencies that have similarhotlines. You could add your messageto an existing number for a fraction ofwhat it may cost to operate a numberyourself.

Share a Hotline orEstablish Your OwnBoth options have distinct advantages.You may want to consider the pros andcons of both before making your finaldecision.

Investigate community-service numbers.These phone lines may be promoted incity/county directories, on Web sites,and in the community section in thephone book. Several local numbers maybe operated by the city or county, local

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phone companies, or other agencies andcorporations. Many of these phone num-bers provide multiple lines for differenttopics. Pesticide information could beclassified under health and safety, garden-ing, or environmental issues.

The other option is to create your ownhotline, either by modifying an existingline or establishing a dedicated number.

This option could be more costly if youchoose to create a new number for theprogram. With your own line, you candedicate messages to other districtprograms as well as the H2O Home toOcean program. You also have the abilityto make quick changes to the messages,whereas sharing with others may limitchanges to once or twice a month.

TELEPHONE HOTLINES

Script and Hotline Tip SuggestionsThere are two things to keep in mindwhen creating the recordings on yourhotline:

■ Messages must be consistent and theyshould be updated on a regular basis.For consistency, use similar messagesand tips.

■ Messages should be updated weekly,and even more frequently whenspecific dates are highlighted.

Some examples of short messages toinclude on␣ your hotline:

“It’s springtime and your thoughts areturning to gardening and homeimprovement projects. When usingpesticides, purchase only what youneed, read all directions carefully,and don’t dump pesticides downdrains or on sidewalks and drive-ways where they might run off andcontaminate our water.”

“Keep your home clean and yourgarden green while protecting theenvironment. Read the labels on allpesticide products, follow instruc-tions carefully and never dumpexcess products down your sink orinto storm drains. Dispose accordingto the label directions and protectour water, from home to ocean.”

“Are the bugs in your garden buggingyou? Prevent unwanted pests in andaround your home by following a feweasy tips... Protect beneficial insectsthat control destructive pests... Cleanup debris around your home andgarden... and eliminate food sourcessuch as leftover pet food and opengarbage containers.”

“As spring begins and you turn togarden activities, remember threesteps to pesticide safety: Buy onlywhat you need... Use every productaccording to label directions...dispose of all pesticides accordingto label directions.”

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or the purposes of ethnicoutreach, we focus on theHispanic market for thefollowing reasons:

■ Some 28 percent of Californians areHispanic, and the percentage israpidly increasing.

■ Between 1990 and 2010, California’sHispanic population will double.

■ Imperial County’s Hispanic popula-tion in 1990 accounted for 66 percentof the total population and San BenitoCounty posted a 46 percent Hispanicpopulation.

■ More than 41 percent of Los AngelesCounty’s population is Hispanic.

■ U.S. cities with over 1 million inHispanics include, Los Angeles(6 million), and San Francisco(1.2 million).

The following factors might influencehow and where you reach this audience:

■ More than one-half (58 percent) of allHispanics in California rented theirdwellings in 1995.

■ Hispanics typically are a youngeraudience.

■ Reaching the Hispanic audience byusing Spanish language literature isfar more effective than using English.

A recent advertising study of Spanish-language commercials found theywere:

• 40 percent more effective atincreasing awareness;

• 56 percent more effective atincreasing comprehension

• and they were judged to be fivetimes more persuasive even amongbilingual audiences.

Spanish language broadcast and printmedia are the most reliable and effectivemethod for reaching this audience.

Reaching an Ethnic Audience

Start with sources as simple as thephone book (Hispanic Yellow Pageswould be preferable) under such head-ings as “Clubs” and “Hispanic Chamberof Commerce.”

Spanish-language newspaper andbroadcast outlets are very popular inmajor metropolitan areas. Editors lookfavorably upon materials translated intoSpanish, and broadcasters are morelikely to accept interviews and stories ifa Spanish-speaking spokesperson isavailable. Check Spanish-language mediain directories, on the Web, or in yourlocal library. See page 35 for mediarelations and contact information.

Outreach to the Hispanic Population

WORKING WITH ETHNIC POPULATIONS

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Estimates for Printing and Distribution

EFFECTIVE USE OF COLLATERAL MATERIALS

Before you print materialsfor your public educationcampaign, first estimatewhat items you will needand in what quantities.

If you are conducting a retail partnershipprogram, retail staff should have experi-ence in estimating needs for individualstores. If brochure racks are availableand hold 25 brochures each, the numberneeded for initial distribution becomesobvious. For posters, simply start withthe number of participating stores;remember to provide a couple extrasfor each store so they can be replacedwhen worn.

If you are sponsoring a retail seminar,you will want to provide flyers in ad-vance and brochures during the seminar.If you estimate that 50 customers maypick up flyers each day for two weeksbefore the program, then you will needto print 700 flyers. Estimate the numberof brochures needed for the seminarbased on maximum seating capacity.Also take into consideration whetheryou plan to hold multiple seminars; if so,you can save on printing costs by placinga bulk order, rather than re-ordering foreach event.

ChecklistAn event or program checklist willassist in gaining close estimates of whatmaterials will be needed and in whatquantities. If the media is invited to theevent, have press materials available atthe same time you have brochures forthe public. Each checklist will vary,depending on the event.

To generate a comprehensive checklist,visualize the event from beginning to endfor each type of participant.

• For instance, visualize yourself as aspeaker — you will need to refer tomaterials in your talk and you willwant to hand them out. Make surethose materials are listed.

• Then visualize yourself as a memberof the audience.

Will you see materials on the chairs asyou walk in, or will they be placed ona table?

Will the event require brochures orflyers, or materials such as magnets,pens or other premiums?

If members of the news media are inattendance, think through their needsand make sure all materials, includingany promotional items (T-shirts,keychains, and the like), are on thechecklist.

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Print materials in this workbook arecamera-ready, which means they are ina format suitable for reproduction.Even though these materials have beenprovided, it is helpful to have a workingknowledge of dealing with printers andcopy centers.

Write out orders for printed materialsfirst. Create a specification sheet thatoutlines all elements of your project. Thelist should include the size of the item(both the initial paper size and the sizeof the finished product), the type ofpaper to be used for printing, ink colordesired, quantity you need, and thedeadline for the materials. If you arecreating a brochure, be sure to specifythe number of folds.

Most customer-oriented print shops willbe happy to assist you in selecting paperand ink samples. They should also bewilling to explain different parts of theprinting process. It’s a highly competi-tive business; find a printer who willhelp you understand the process.

Also consider working with a printbroker; they are listed in the YellowPages. Print brokers may be able to findthe best deal for your print project,based on your specifications. They candefinitely save the time it would take tocall print houses for estimates. It mayalso save you money in that the brokersmay receive an additional discount as afrequent customer of print shops. Often,the fee for the print broker’s servicesare offset by the savings. A print brokermay also know when printers are lessbusy, which could mean more costsavings to you.

Working with Printers


There are literally hundreds of termsand definitions unique to the printingindustry. Following are some of themost common terms.

Glossary ofCommon PrintingTermsAccordion fold: Bindery term, two or

more parallel folds which open likean accordion.

Alteration: Change in copy of specifica-tions after production has begun.

Author’s corrections: Also know as“AC’s.” Changes and additions in copyafter it has been typeset.

Bind: To fasten sheets with wire, thread,glue or by other means.

Bleed: Printing that goes to the edge ofthe sheet after trimming.

Blind embossing: An image pressed intoa sheet without ink or foil.

Blueline: A blue photographic proofused to check position of all imageelements.

Butt: Joining images withoutoverlapping.

Camera-ready copy: Print-readymechanical art.

Coated paper: A clay-coated printingpaper with a smooth finish.

Collate: A finishing term for gatheringpaper in a precise order.

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Galley proof: Text copy before it is putinto a mechanical layout or desktoplayout.

Ghosting: A faint printed image thatappears on a printed sheet where itwas not intended. More often thannot, this problem is a function ofgraphical design. It is hard to tellwhen or where ghosting will occur.Sometimes you can see the problemdeveloping immediately after printingthe sheet, other times the problemoccurs while drying. However, if theproblem occurs, it is costly to fix, if itcan be fixed. Occasionally it can beeliminated by changing the colorsequence, the inks, the paper, chang-ing to a press with a drier, printingthe problem area in a separate passthrough the press or changing theracking (reducing the number ofsheets on the drying racks). Since itis a function of graphical design, thebuyer pays for the increased cost.

Gloss: A shiny look reflecting light.

Hairline: A very thin line or gap aboutthe width of a hair or 1/100 inch.

Halftone: Converting a continuous toneto dots for printing.

Hard copy: The output of a computerprinter, or typed text sent fortypesetting.

Indicia: Postal information place on aprinted product.

Keylines: Lines on mechanical art thatshow position of photographs orillustrations.

Knock out: To mask out an image.


Color key: Color proofs in layers ofacetate.

Color separations: The process ofpreparing artwork, photographs,transparencies, or computer gener-ated art for printing by separating intothe four primary printing colors.

Contrast: The tonal change in color fromlight to dark.

Copy: All furnished material or discused in the production of a printedproduct.

Crop: To cut off parts of a picture orimage.

Crop marks: Printed lines showingwhere to trim a printed sheet.

Density: The degree of color or darknessof an image or photograph.

Die: Metal rule or imaged block used tocut or place an image on paper in thefinishing process.

Dummy: A rough layout of a printedpiece showing position and finishedsize.

Duotone: A halftone picture made up oftwo printed colors.

Emboss: Pressing an image into paper sothat it will create a raised relief.

Flood: To cover a printed page with ink,varnish, or plastic coating.

Flop: The reverse side of an image.

Four-color process: The process ofcombining four basic colors to createa printed color picture or colorscomposed from the basic four colors.

French fold: Two folds at right angles toeach other.

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Magenta: Process red, one of the basiccolors in process color.

Matchprint: Trade name for 3M integralcolor proof.

Matte finish: Dull paper or ink finish.

Mechanical: Camera ready art allcontained on one board.

OK sheet: Final approved color inkingsheet before production begins.

Opacity: The amount of show-throughon a printed sheet. The more opacityor the thicker the paper the lessshow-through. (The thicker/heavierthe paper the higher the cost.)

Overrun or overs: Copies printed inexcess of the specified quantity.(Printing trade terms allow for+ -10 percent to represent acompleted order.)

Perfect bind: A type of binding thatglues the edge of sheets to a coverlike a telephone book, Microsoftsoftware manual, or Country LivingMagazine.

PMS: The abbreviation for PantoneColor Matching System.

Process blue: The blue or cyan color inprocess printing.

Process colors: Cyan (blue), magenta(process red), yellow (processyellow), black (process black).

Ragged left: Type that is justified to theright margin and the line lengths varyon the left.

Ragged right: Type that is justified tothe left margin and the line lengthsvary on the right.

Ream: Five hundred sheets of paper.

Register: To position print in the properposition in relation to the edge of thesheet and to other printing on thesame sheet.

Register marks: Cross-hair lines ormarks on film, plates, and paper thatguide strippers, platemakers, press-men, and bindery personnel inprocessing a print order from startto finish.

Saddle stitch: Binding a booklet ormagazine with staples in the seamwhere it folds.

Score: A crease put on paper to help itfold better.

Self-cover: Using the same paper as thetext for the cover.

Show-through: Printing on one side of asheet that can be seen on the otherside of the sheet.

Spot varnish: Varnish used to highlight aspecific part of the printed sheet.

Stock: The material to be printed.

Substrate: Any surface on which printingis done.

Transparency: A positive photographicslide on film allowing light to passthrough.

Trapping: The ability to print one inkover the other.

Varnish: A clear liquid applied toprinted surfaces for looks andprotection. (UV coating looks better.)


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CAMERA-READY ARTWORK

These logos and artwork have beendesigned for use in all aspects of yourpublic education campaign. They can beused in the design of additional campaignmaterials, to identify your program onletterhead or for use on other promo-tional items.

Using these logos on all print materialwill keep your campaign consistent andmake it easily identifiable to consumers.The logo can be used for advertising,displays, signage, and for all premiumsthat you use during a campaign.

The logo was designed to be effective asblack and white artwork, but it shouldnot be altered from its original format(that is, you may print it large or smaller,but we ask you not to change the propor-tions, the graphics, or the type font). Ifyou decide to print the logo in color, werequest that it be produced in PMS(Pantone Matching System) 322C.

Bill insertsBill inserts are mailed with utility bills.Included here are two sample camera-ready inserts. One focuses on the use anddisposal of pesticide products, and theother emphasizes the use of integratedpest management.

Bill inserts print specifications and cost81/2" x 11" sheet, one sidedOne-color ink60# offset standard paper4 cuts to separateQuantity = 4,000 Estimated cost: $85

BookmarkThe bookmark was created to use ineducating the secondary target audience— the youth market. The bookmark canbe used throughout the public educationprogram. It can be distributed at school-based programs, during fairs andfestivals, and at other special events.

Bookmark print specifications and cost81/2" x 11" sheet, single sided65# color cover paperOne-color ink4 cuts to separateQuantity = 5,000 Estimated cost: $200

BrochuresTwo different types of brochures havebeen developed for use in your publiceducation campaign. One focuses on thepurchase, use and proper disposal ofpesticide products. The second empha-sizes integrated pest management.

These brochures have been created inboth English and Spanish. The artworkand design of these brochures is camera-ready, which means they are ready forreproduction.

Brochure print specifications and cost81/2" x 11", printed on two sides60# offset standard paperOne-color inkLetterfoldQuantity = 10,000 Estimated cost: $790

Promotional Materials

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Fact SheetFact sheets are an easy way to cover var-ious aspects of an issue. A fact sheet canprovide a quick reference for use in manyaspects of your outreach program. Thesheets can be distributed at the exhibitspace at local fairs, handed out at presen-tations, and included with media pack-ages as background information. Thesequick-reference fact sheets are also bene-ficial when working with key contacts orsoliciting partnerships, since most peopleprefer to receive information in writing.A fact sheet on pesticide issues and IPMhas been developed for your campaign.

Fact sheet print specifications and cost81/2" x 11", single sided20# bond colored paperOne-color inkQuantity = 5,000

Photocopied: Estimated cost: $185Printed: Estimated cost: $220

FlyersFlyers are an easy way to distributeinformation to the public. They can befolded and included in correspondence,or distributed at special events. Twoflyers have been developed for thiscampaign. The first focuses on pesticideuse; the second highlights integrated pestmanagement.

Flyer print specifications and cost81/2" x 11", single sided20# bond colored paperOne-color inkQuantity = 5,000

Photocopied: Estimated cost: $185Printed: Estimated cost: $220

CAMERA-READY ARTWORK

Point-of-Purchaseand Point-of-SaleMaterialsThese camera-ready materials have beencreated for a point-of-sale or point-of-purchase program and can be used in avariety of configurations in retail settings.

Tear sheets print specifications and cost3" x 5"One-color ink60# offset standard paperQuantity = 200 pads of 25 sheets each

Printed: Estimated cost: $155

Placards print specifications and cost81/2" x 11"One-color ink65# color cover stock paperQuantity = 100

Printed: Estimated cost: $45

PosterThe poster for the H2O Home to Oceanpublic education campaign can beused in a variety of ways. It has beendeveloped in English and Spanish.The poster may be downloaded from<www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/h2o>.

Poster print specifications and cost11" x 17" single sidedKing James .010 whiteTwo-colors (black and one PMS color)PrintedQuantity = 1,000 Estimated cost: $375

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n December 1995, the CaliforniaEnvironmental ProtectionAgency’s Department of PesticideRegulation (DPR) retained DennisH. Tootelian, Ph.D. to assist it in

conducting a survey of publicly ownedtreatment facilities. Dr. Tootelian is aProfessor of Marketing in the School ofBusiness Administration at CaliforniaState University, Sacramento.

The overall purpose of the study wasto evaluate how best to conduct anexpanded public outreach programtargeted to residents and businesses toreduce illegal handling and disposal ofpesticides. This was based, in part, on agrant that DPR had received from theU.S. Environmental Protection Agencyto conduct such a program. The objec-tives of this study were to assess:

■ The extent to which problems existwith specific pesticides (i.e.,diazinon, chlorpyrifos, tributyltin,copper-containing pesticides).

■ The extent to which problems existwith specific pesticide uses (i.e.,industrial, business/commercial,residential, landscape maintenanceand roadside weed control, agricul-ture, parks and golf courses).

■ What types of outreach programshave been used by publicly ownedtreatment facilities.

■ The perceived value of outreachprograms, and what methods ofcommunication and support materialswould be most valuable to suchfuture efforts.

Methodology

The population for the study was definedby DPR Management to be publiclyowned treatment facilities in California.This was considered to be the primarygroup with which it would be involved infuture public outreach programs.

To obtain information from the Manag-ers of these facilities, it was decided thata mail questionnaire would be mostappropriate. Mail surveys were appropri-ate for difficult to reach and geographi-cally disbursed groups, and it allowedpotential respondents with sufficienttime to think through their answers.

The sampling plan used for this studyconsisted of both a random samplingelement and the selection of specificfacilities within targeted geographicareas. This was done because DPRManagement wanted to ensure thatcertain areas which had experiencedproblems were included in the sample.The other facilities were randomlyselected.

A total of 448 publicly owned treatmentfacilities were identified for inclusion inthe survey. This was believed to besufficient to achieve a broad representa-tion of the State for purposes of thestudy.

The questionnaire was developed basedon input from both DPR Managementand the consultant. In addition to a coverletter which took the first panel, a seriesof ten questions were included in the

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Executive Summary

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remaining panels. Since some questionswere multi-part in nature, a total of34 actual questions were asked. Multiplechoice, dichotomous choice, and open-ended questions were included in thisquestionnaire. For attitudinal questions,five-point Likert-style scales were used.

Conclusions

Based on the results of this study, severalconclusions appeared to be appropriate.They are summarized below:

■ Of the pesticides studied, copper-containing pesticides were consideredto pose the most significant problem.This was found for all respondents aswell as those in the Bay Area.

■ Respondents considered landscapemaintenance and roadside weedcontrol to be the most significantproblem use for pesticides. This alsowas found for Bay Area respondents.Overall, agriculture was second, whilein the Bay Area, it was residential use.

■ A large percentage of respondentsindicated they were uncertain as tohow significant a problem variouspesticide uses posed. This also sug-gests that the potential magnitude ofthe problems with pesticide use isunknown.

■ One-third of the respondents haveconducted public outreach programs,and the most common types of pro-grams were exhibits and bill inserts.The messages conveyed tended tofocus on proper disposal of pesticides,and protecting the environment.

■ Public Service Announcements(PSAs), brochures for reprinting, andpoint-of-purchase displays wereperceived to be the most valuableinformational materials for outreachprograms. While other informationalmaterials also were considered useful,these three were the most commonlycited.

■ Respondents perceived radio/television and bill inserts to be themost effective methods for communi-cating with the general public. Inter-estingly, exhibits and presentations,which were used extensively, wereinfrequently cited as the best method.

■ The best months for conducting publicoutreach programs appeared to beApril, May, and June. January, Novem-ber, and December were viewed as theleast desirable.

■ While a somewhat greater number ofrespondents indicated that a genericoutreach program created by DPR foruse by service areas was preferable, asizable number suggested a statewideprogram conducted by DPR. Thefindings indicate that there is noclearly appropriate way to undertakean outreach program.

■ The great majority of respondentsbelieve that a public outreach programwould be valuable. This is especiallyimportant since their support for sucha program would be invaluable formaximizing the impact of the program.Based on this study, it appears thatwidespread support does exist for aprogram.

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or a case study of aneffective public outreachand education campaign,DPR chose a projectconducted by the Central

Contra Costa Sanitary District (CentralSan). The project is a broad-based,community effort to increase awarenessthat improper pesticide use and disposalcan harm water quality. The programalso seeks to reduce the risks of pesti-cides used by the general public.

There are four main elements to CentralSan’s program:

■ IPM Demonstration Garden:The one-third-acre test garden wasconstructed near Central San’shousehold hazardous waste facility.The garden was built as an interactiveopportunity for visitors to understandIPM through visual representationand signs that explain IPM methods.

■ IPM Partnership with Stores andNurseries:Central San worked with four retailestablishments as IPM partners. Storestaff received IPM product trainingand learned how to assist customerswith gardening problems. Central Sanalso provided store displays andrelated handout materials to theirretail partners.

CASE STUDY OF EXEMPLARY PROGRAM

■ IPM Partnership with MasterGardeners:Master gardeners were recruited andtrained by Central San to conductpublic IPM workshops. All MasterGardeners were given training andmaterials to conduct the seminars.Central San actively promotes theworkshops through newspapers,newsletters, at retail partnershipstores, and at special event booths.

■ Communications:This includes participation in industrymeetings, presentations at confer-ences and workshops, and otherefforts to keep industry representa-tives and officials apprised ofprogram achievements.

While this project may offer many usefulideas for other POTWs, it should benoted that the program was designedspecifically by and for the CentralContra Costa Sanitary District. Someaspects of the program, includingrecommendations and characterizationsof pest problems and solutions, may notcorrespond to policies endorsed by DPRand other agencies.

Case Study of Exemplary Program

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Media Coverage of Pesticides in Water

The following articles provide a sampleof print media coverage involvingpesticides and water quality. Newsstories about pesticides have longcentered on agricultural uses, but nowthe focus is turning to homeowners andurban areas.

MEDIA COVERAGE

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The following description of integratedpest management was excerpted froman article in Common Sense PestControl Quarterly, a publication of theBio-Integral Resource Center (BIRC).For a free publications catalog, contactBIRC, PO Box 7414, Berkeley, CA 94707.

An IPM program contains the followingkey components:

1. Initial Information GatheringObtain an identification of the pestand/or problem. The scientific nameof an organism is the key to all thathas been written about the pest in thepast. Examine the literature on thebiology of the pest and its manage-ment. Interview local managementpersonnel on the history of pestmanagement at the site as well asother activities that might influencethe pest problem. Information col-lected on the background of theproblem, plus records of ongoingactivities once the program begins,provide the basis for intelligentprogram continuity.

2. MonitoringObserve the plants, or site, forpotential pest problems at regularintervals (see Monitoring below forfull details).

3. Establishing Injury LevelsDetermine when the pest problem islikely to become serious enough torequire some action.

4. Record-keepingKeep records of what is seen,decisions made, actions taken, andresults. Records are the memory of asystem. When personnel leave theirexperience is lost if there are norecords.

5. Least-toxic treatmentsSelect pest management approachesand specific methods according to thecriteria spelled out below. Confinethe treatments in time and place (i.e.,use spot treatments) to minimizeecosystem disruptions. A summaryof treatments strategies is providedbelow.

6. EvaluationInspect after treatment action hasbeen taken. Write down what youlearn. Has the treatment been worth-while? How can the whole processbe improved to achieve the overallobjectives of the program?

MonitoringThis involves regular inspections of theareas where pest problems might occur,and keeping records of what you ob-serve. It means paying close attentionto specific animal, plant, or microbialpopulations as well as to human behav-ior and weather. But a practical monitor-ing system does not need to meet thestringent requirements of a researchproject. Each monitoring system needs

Components of an IPM Program

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to be tailored to the particular situation,i.e., the level of effort should be appro-priate to the amount of serious damagecaused by the pest, the time available,and the skill level of the person who willbe making the inspections, etc.

Monitoring a small system, such as aresidential kitchen with a cockroachproblem, may only require quick bi-weekly inspections of sticky traps usedto track the rise or fall of roach popula-tions. In large systems such as parks,wholesale nurseries, farms, or forests,where intolerable economic damage mayresult if pest populations are not con-trolled, a full-scale monitoring programmay be required.

This not only involves recording thepopulation size of key pests and theirnatural enemies, but also may involvekeeping track of other potential pestpopulations and their natural enemies.The impact of cultural practices such asfertilizing, irrigating, pruning, andmowing on pest populations must beanalyzed. The influence of heat, humid-ity, and such weather phenomena asrain, wind, and flooding on pest popula-tion size should also be taken intoaccount.

Management of garbage and domesticanimals, as well as other human behav-iors affecting household pests, may needto be monitored. Any of these factorsmay need to be recorded; the decisionwill depend on the purpose for which themonitoring is undertaken.

Developing A Monitoring Program

Here are some suggestions for both thelay public and the professional consult-ant on how to develop a monitoring andrecord-keeping system:

1. Determine the purpose of themonitoring. For example, one mightestablish a monitoring program to:determine injury levels; predict pestpopulation levels or time treatments;or learn something specific about thebiology or ecology of the pest or itsnatural enemies.

2. Determine which populations are tobe sampled. For example, althoughthere are many predators and parasi-toids which could be monitored withrespect to the management of mostpests, some are more important tosample than others.

3. Decide which other variables needto be sampled (e.g., height andfrequency of mowing temperature andhumidity; soil fertility and moisturelevels; kitchen sanitation, etc.)

4. Decide on the frequency of themonitoring visits. While once-a-weekobservation is a common choice, thismay need to be varied to suit theseason, the weather, the size of thepest population, or other variables.Frequency of visits are usuallyincreased as pest populations ap-proach the injury level.

5. Decide which sites should be in-spected. High priority areas, or thoseoffering examples of characteristicvariation in the system, may be visitedmost frequently.

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6. Determine the number of plants orlocations to be sampled at each site.

7. Decide upon a precise samplingprocedure. More than one techniqueor sample size may have to be tried todetermine this. Recording numbers ofplants or sites showing damage, andranking them high, medium, or low;making counts of organisms atspecific sites (e.g., the number ofcaterpillars on the last foot of abranch, five feet above the ground,selected at random on the north,south, east, and west of the tree);and counting or weighing organismsattracted into light or pheromonetraps, are some of the many methodsavailable.

8. Devise a record-keeping systemthat is easy and quick to use in thefield.

9. Develop a system of displaying theinformation collected for ease indecision-making.

10.Evaluate the sampling and decision-making system. For example, onemight ask if the treatment actionstaken had the desired effect upon thepest population without triggeringother problems such as secondarypests, or having undesirable effectsupon the applicator or the environ-ment.

11. Make corrections in the overallprocess. Continue to monitor, andfine-tune the system based on infor-mation gained from monitoring.

Criteria for Selecting TreatmentStrategies

Once the IPM decision-making process isin place, and a pest treatment is deemednecessary, the choice of actual strategyand technique can be made.

Choose strategies that are:

• least-disruptive of natural controls

• least-hazardous to human health

• least-toxic to non-target organisms

• least-damaging to the generalenvironment

• most likely to produce a permanentreduction in the environment’s abilityto support that pest

• most cost-effective in the short andlong term

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Summary of Treatment Strategies

A pest management strategy is a seriesof planned tactics or methods forpreventing or suppressing pest popula-tions based on ecological understanding.

The IPM approach takes advantage ofthe fact that combined strategies for pestmanagement are more effective in thelong run than a single strategy. Somestrategies are superior to others becausethey build out the pest, or build in itsnatural enemies, thus giving long-termsuppression or elimination of the pestproblem. In contrast, short-term strate-gies respond to an immediate crisis butdo little to prevent the problem fromrecurring repeatedly. The major strate-gies, in the order in which they shouldbe considered, are:

A. Design or redesign of the landscapeor structure. This includes:

1. Selection of plants, livestock, orstructural materials that are:

• resistant to pests

• supportive of natural controls

• enhancing of ecosystem diversityand process

2. Agricultural, landscape, orstructural designs that are:

• conducive to plant health orsound structural maintenance

• appropriate to the weather, soil,mineral, water, energy, andhuman resources of the site andthe maintenance system

B. Habitat modification or changingthe biophysical environment forpurposes of:

1. Reduction of pest harborage,food, or other life supportrequirements.

2. Enhancement of the environ-ment required by the pests’predators, parasites, diseases,antagonists, or competitors.

C. Human behavior changes,including:

1. Horticultural controls andmaintenance practices

• modification of such resourcemanagement practices as mowing,cultivating, watering, planting,fertilizing, pruning, mulching,household cleaning, wastemanagement etc.

2. Education

• modification of aesthetic judge-ments regarding “cosmetic damage”to fruits and vegetables, manicuringof landscapes, and the visualpresence of certain animal species.

Who needs to receive education?

• pest management professionals

• farmers, foresters, landscape andbuilding maintenance personnel,resource managers of every kind

• policy makers and regulatorypersonnel in public and privateinstitutions and agencies

• the general public

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D. Biological controls, including:

1. Conservation of the pests’natural enemies through the properselection of materials, and thetiming and placing of treatments.

2. Augmentation of existing naturalenemies by releasing additionalnumbers of the same species.

3. Inoculation by the repeatedreintroduction of effective naturalenemies that are available commer-cially but are unlikely to live fromseason to season in the naturalenvironment.

4. Importation of the host-specificnatural enemies of exotic invadedpests. Note: This is the one strategynot available to private individualsor institutions, and must be carriedout by government supervisedquarantine facilities.

E. Physical controls such as:

• Barriers

• Traps

• Heat, cold, humidity, desiccation,or light

• Electric current

• Mechanical action

• Manual removal

• Others

F. Chemical controls, including:

• Pheromones and otherattractants to lure and/or confusethe pest

• Juvenile hormones that arrest pestdevelopment

• Repellents

• Allelopathins

• Sterilants or contraceptives toreduce breeding of futuregenerations

• Contact, stomach, and otherpoisons

• Fumigants

• Combinations of the above(e.g. baits with attractant andstomach poison)

• Others

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he following agencies andcontacts may be able toassist you with additionalinformation on pesticidesand integrated pest

management. (These addresses werecurrent as of mid-1998.) Links to theWeb sites listed below can also be foundon DPR’s H2O Home to Ocean Web siteat

California Department of PesticideRegulationEnvironmental Monitoring and PestManagement Branch830 K StreetSacramento, CA 95814(916) 324-4100www.cdpr.ca.gov

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,Region 9Pesticides and Toxic Branch75 Hawthorne StreetSan Francisco, CA 94105(415) 744-1087www.epa.gov/region09/toxic/

For the U.S. EPA Region 9 (headquar-tered in San Francisco) pollutionprevention office, which offers grantinformation, call (415) 744-2190 and(415) 744-2192.

University of California CooperativeExtensionCooperative Extension offices based oncampuses and in individual countiesinclude specialists who provide pest

control advice to organizations andindividual consumers. Cooperativeextension includes the Master GardenerProgram, a volunteer organization thatassists home gardeners. For phonenumbers, consult the phone directorywhite pages under county governmentlistings, or go to DPR’s Web site atwww.cdpr.ca.gov.

County Agricultural CommissionersIndividual county agricultural commis-sioners provide local enforcement ofpesticide use and disposal laws andregulations. For phone numbers andaddresses, consult the phone directorywhite pages under the county govern-ment listings, or go to DPR’s Web site atwww.cdpr.ca.gov.

California Department of Toxic SubstanceControl (DTSC)Science, Pollution Prevention andTechnology Program

Office of Pollution Prevention andTechnology DevelopmentP.O. Box 806Sacramento, CA 95812-0806

Karl WilhelmPollution Prevention(916) 322-3670

DTSC provides information onhousehold hazardous waste disposalprograms:

www.calepa.cahwnet.gov/dtsc/dtsc.htm

Key Contacts for Pesticide Information

Twww.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/h2o

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Central Contra Costa Sanitary District(Central San)5019 Imhoff PlaceMartinez, CA 94553(925) 229-7329www.centralsan.org

Central San has an extensive outreachand education program, focusing onintegrated pest management. Thedistrict’s programs are highlighted atlength in this Appendix.

The Bio-Integral Resource Center (BIRC)P.O. Box 7414Berkeley, CA 94707(510) 524-2567www.igc.apc.org/birc/

BIRC provides information andpublications on least-toxic methodsfor managing unwanted pests.

National Pesticide TelecommunicationNetwork (NPTN)Department of Agricultural ChemistryOregon State UniversityCorvallis, OR 97331-7301(800) 858-7378www.calepa.cahwnet.gov/dtsc/dtsc.htm

NPTN operates a toll-free hotline, staffedby toxicologists, to provide the generalpublic with tips for correctly usingpesticides, especially household andprofessionally-applied pesticides andreferrals for laboratory analyses andinvestigation of pesticide incidents.

Additional Web SiteInformationHere is a partial list of Web sites withinformation on pesticides and IPM.Web addresses were current as ofAugust 1998. Links to the Web sitesbelow can also be found on theH2O Home to Ocean Web site at

California Department of PesticideRegulation (DPR)www.cdpr.ca.gov

DPR has set up an H2O Home to OceanWeb site atelectronic version of this workbook(including the logo, brochures, and othermaterials) is available there. DPR’s Website at www.cdpr.ca.gov also offers newsreleases and fact sheets on pesticidestorage, disposal and IPM. Also availableis the DPR publication “Suppliers ofBeneficial Organisms in North America,”a directory of more than 140 “good bug”dealers. Other Web site informationincludes a detailed survey and report onschool IPM programs, reduced-risk pestmanagement grants and awards, andlinks to pesticide agencies and programsnationwide.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agencywww.epa.gov/pesticides

Pesticide publications, including“Citizens Guide to Pest Control andPesticide Safety” and “Healthy Lawn,Healthy Environment” can be down-loaded from this site.



www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/h2o An

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University of California, DavisCooperative Extension,Master Gardener Programpom44.ucdavis.edu/masgar.html#links

“Helpful Links for the Consumer andBackyard Grower,” including home andlandscape pest notes from the UCStatewide IPM Project, various countymaster gardener program details andbrochures, fact sheets, and links tohorticultural Web sites are available.

California Master Gardener programs withonline informationwww.mastergardeners.org/

The Bio-Integral Resource Center (BIRC)www.igc.apc.org/birc/

BIRC provides information andpublications on least-toxic methods formanaging unwanted pests.

GardenWebwww.gardenweb.com

Reference resources and links ongardening topics, including an calendarwhere you can look up garden events inyour area.

Blue Thumb Programwww.awwa.org/bluethum.htm

The American Water Works site providesa sample water quality and consumereducation program, including logos,brochures, and other collateralmaterials.

Cornell University Cooperative ExtensionPesticide Management Education Program(PMEP) Homepagepmep.cce.cornell.edu/

PMEP “promotes the safe use ofpesticides for the user, the consumer,and the environment.” PMEP serves as apesticide information center for collegeand field extension staff, as well asgrowers, commercial applicators,pesticide formulators/distributors,environmental and conservationgroups, and private citizens.

“Guide to Pest Management Aroundthe Home,” Cornell UniversityCooperative Extension:

http://pmep.cce.cornell.edu/recommends/homerecommends-lib/menu1.html

Extoxnetwww.ace.orst.edu/info/extoxnet

Site maintained by several universitiesprovides extensive information on thetoxicology of pesticides.

U.S. Department of Agriculture NationalIntegrated Pest Management Networkwww.reeusda.gov/agsys/nipmn/index.htm

University of Minnesota’s “IPM WorldTextbook”ipmworld.umn.edu/

Purdue University Center for Urban andIndustrial Pest Managementwww.entm.purdue.edu/Entomology/UrbanCenter/centerinfo.html

Integrated Pest Management in Schoolsgalileo.vigoco.k12.in.us/users/gendpt/ipm.htm

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INDEX

IndexAudio visual, 81-83

Advertising, 57billboards, 60co-operative, 63direct mail, 60print, 59radio, 58TV, 58vendors, 64

Audience, 19-23

Blue Thumb Projectdescription, 8Drinking Water Week, 76Web site, 118

Budget, 25-26

Calendar of events, 75-77

Central Contra Costa Sanitary District,14, 69, 74, 109, 117

Communication process, 18

Copyright, 15

Employees, 30-31

Employee checklist, 32

Goals, 17

H20 — Home to Oceancamera-ready art, 105-106using the theme, 10Web site, 116

Media advisory, 47-48

Mediadefinition, 35-39

opportunities, 40-41pesticide coverage, 110press release guidelines, 44-46tips for dealing with, 50-52tools, 42-43

Partnerships, 70benefits, 65creating, 67

maintaining, 70partner contacts, 65-67

Persuasion, 27

Pitch letter, 85, 88

Point-of-sale programs, 86

POTW surveyexecutive summary, 107-108issues, 12overview, 9

Press release, 44-46

Printing terms, 102

Public education campaigncommunication, 18community leader support, 28creation, 8elements of, 16evaluation, 8, 33-34goals, 17Hispanic market, 100implementation, 8key months, 29messages, 21-22persuasion, 27pros, 6

Retailers, 74, 87-89

Speakers bureau, 78, 80

Special eventsadvantages, 71calendar, 75exhibits, 72retailers, 74

Spokesperson, 49

Strategies, 24

Telephone hotline, 98

Volunteers, 79

Web site, 93-97, 116-118

Youth education, 90-92

PESTICIDE PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGN … · audience, message, strategy and materi-als utilized...

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