Challenge
Waste disposal is complicated, especially in Placer County where residents navigate complex recycling requirements across multiple categories. The Western Placer Waste Management Authority (WPWMA) faced two critical challenges:
- Helping residents understand proper disposal methods for various materials including seven categories of plastics, different battery types, and household hazardous wastes
- Preventing safety issues from cross-contamination and improper disposal that risked both environmental damage and worker safety
Most challenging of all: waste management is a topic few people want to think about.
Approach
We transformed waste disposal education by making it emotionally relevant and genuinely entertaining:
- Created animated characters representing different recyclables in a charming “Trashy Love Story” video that connected with viewers through a universal truth: breaking up is hard
- Developed a comprehensive outreach campaign targeting traditionally underserved neighborhoods using multiple channels
- Streamlined complex disposal information into clear, approachable messaging that residents could easily understand and apply
Results
12+ million media impressions Our “Trashy Love Story” video resonated deeply with the community, generating over 6,500 Facebook views alone.
400% increase in website traffic Successfully repositioned the One Big Bin website as the authoritative information hub for waste disposal information, quadrupling unpaid traffic.
By turning complex waste management information into a story people actually wanted to engage with, we helped WPWMA achieve dramatically higher community participation and proper disposal practices – protecting both the environment and worker safety while building stronger community connections.
