From Trash to Treasure

Campaigns can play a crucial role in creating awareness by educating communities about the importance of sustainable practices and providing information on various sustainable actions individuals can take. This campaign focused on raising awareness about waste reduction, by reintroducing reduce, reuse, recycle along with a new "R," rethink. By providing accessible and practical information, this campaign can empower individuals to make informed choices and adopt sustainable behaviors. For this campaign the focus was specifically geared toward high school and middle school students.

Running a successful thesis project campaign requires careful planning, effective communication, and strategic execution. This project was quite extensive but has unlimited potential to grow and even be expanded globally.

From Trash to Treasure Campaign Story:

https://youtu.be/cVD7Egw5jng

From Trash to Treasure Campaign Story (Subtitles):

https://youtu.be/HiCjGloB3fc

Watch From Trash to Treasure Pitch Campaign Event"

https://youtu.be/11sJJnRg-EM

What is the focal point of your sustainability project? Clarify the purpose of your campaign. Are you seeking participants, funding, collaboration, or visibility? Clearly defining your goals will guide your strategy.

Because of how broad the subject of sustainability is, it may be very intimidating. From the consumerism sector to production and packaging, there are many routes your idea might go. Choose a topic that you want to have an impact on. 

I made the decision to talk about the three R's of sustainability while also emphasizing my own "R," Rethink. This "R" suggests that people should reconsider how they use and dispose of resources, especially if they have not been fully utilized, and consume in a more intelligent manner.

If you are not informed, how will you inform others? Take your time and study your subject. Remain informed at all times throughout the process.

I studied my potential topic for months and even during the campaign I was constantly researching and learning. In order to make sure that what I was sharing had the most value, I participated in a variety of panels and workshops that were extremely informative. I also saw the manner in which those presenters conducted themselves so that I could do the same during my presentations.

There are various ways to conduct a campaign. Make it as large or as small as you choose, but consider concepts that can help it succeed. What kind of campaign do you want to run? 

Since I collaborated with schools during my campaign, I focused on studying campaigns that did as well. Case studies of recent and past campaigns were a part of my extensive research.

Understand the needs, preferences, and communication habits of your target audience.

The target demographic for my campaign was geared toward high school students of any grade level. Although students were my main priority, I was also able to target teachers and staff.

Engage with potential collaborators, mentors, or experts who can offer guidance and support throughout your project. Networking can also help you tap into relevant communities.

One of my required tasks was assembling a committee of experts and faculty for mentorship and guidance throughout the project. It helps to get multiple perspectives when assembling a project. Reach out to field experts! Many people are just excited to help. 

In addition to my committee, I spoke and conducted interviews with other professionals and groups who provided me with advice on various elements of my project. I also made connections with several businesses to see if they would be willing to sponsor the presentation events for materials that students would need or fun raffle items, such as backpacks, folders, notebooks, water bottles, chargers, and puzzles.

Depending on the type of project you may or may not have a budget. Campaigns can get expensive, especially when you are serving multiple communities. 

I had a limited budget because I am a college student, but I also wanted to make sure that my campaign would be viable. I merely moved things into the proper places. Nothing was purchased; everything was just circulated. Sponsors gave me brand-new products that I otherwise could not afford. 

I collaborated with a community college whose in-person activities had decreased as a result of the pandemic. Nowadays, most classes are delivered online. However, a lot of brand-new school materials were bought prior to the pandemic in the hopes that students would be able to use them, but they are currently only gathering dust as they sit in boxes. They gave us a few boxes of their new supplies to support my campaign. I only requested items that students could use.

Though I did not ask for money to support my campaign, your project may need it! Check to see if grants or other sources of funding are available to help you with your project.

Craft a clear and compelling message that explains the significance of your thesis project. Highlight the value it brings to the audience you are targeting.

When reaching out to different campuses, I included a pitch deck that outlined what the thesis project was about and other project details so that teacher and faculty had an outline of what each campaign event looked like. 

During the campaign events, each tailored presentation focused on reduce, reduce, recycle, rethink and how to apply it on school grounds. Everyday examples helped narrow the topic in hopes that students could see themselves applying new habits or changing old ones within their daily routine.

Outline a comprehensive campaign plan that includes a timeline, objectives, and tasks. Break down the plan into manageable steps to ensure smooth execution. 

For this process, I created an outline that detailed what needed to be done each month. I additionally noted events that I planned to attend that would help be during my campaign. To ensure that all the points were met, checklists were also prepared. 

I had roughly 5 months to put together this pilot, in addition to other thesis project requirements for my department.

What may your timeline be?

Offer incentives to encourage participation or support. 

The campuses that I reached out to were interested in participating because ultimately my campaign could help campus grounds. As an administrator, you want your school's campus and/or classrooms to be as clean as possible so why not be involved in a campaign that encourages students to do so.

The campaign's presentations were designed so that the audience could interact with the presenter. Throughout the event, there were questions that students could answer to win a sponsored item, and at the end, school supplies were distributed. Students felt compelled to participate and ask questions as a result.

Regularly monitor the progress of your campaign using relevant metrics, such as sign in sheet numbers and exit survey engagement rates. Adjust your campaign strategy based on the data and the feedback you gather.

Keeping a record of who I served and what they took away was a wiser move. It is challenging to monitor environmental change because there are so many considerations. Additionally, data is generally gathered on a monthly basis to generate annual figures. Instead, I gathered survey or questionnaire responses from both students and professors after each presentation event. This included inquiries regarding both what they learned and how they planned to apply the information.

On the back end of the campaign, be sure to check your outline every week. When you are focusing on other tasks, it is easy to forget things. Monitor your task, team, and time. If things are not going to plan, tweak it!

After the campaign concludes, evaluate its success against your initial objectives. What worked well? What could be improved? Use these insights for future projects.

Refer to the beginning-created checklists, objectives, and framework. Take a look at it! Did you concentrate on the key ideas you wanted to convey during the presentation? Was the organization of your outline practical enough to follow, or did you miss the deadline? How many items on your list were you able to cross off? 

Now keep in mind that you can't accomplish it all. The purpose of pilots is to use what you've learned from the process and make the next project better.

Show appreciation to your supporters, participants, and collaborators. A simple thank-you note or acknowledgment goes a long way in fostering positive relationships.

After the launch of my campaign, everyone who helped make it a success was acknowledged and thanked. This was documented in the thesis project book, done in person, and over email. Recognizing everyone who has assisted you is crucial.