Norfolk Litter Prevention Plan 2015

The Norfolk Environmental Commission, in cooperation with the City of Norfolk, conducted a Litter Prevention Summit on February 24th, 2011 to reduce litter and improve the overall appearance and cleanliness of the City, reducing the negative environmental impacts of litter in our City. Litter has a variety of sources and causes that have been well documented nationally. This effort was focused on what is currently being done across various sectors of the City, collecting facts and sharing observations about the sources of litter in Norfolk that can be addressed.  Additionally, interagency partnerships will be developed and strengthened to better establish sustainable preventative approaches toward reducing litter.

GOALS OF THE NORFOLK LITTER PREVENTION SUMMIT:

• Develop and update the City's plan to reduce litter
• Improve the overall appearance and cleanliness of the City
• Reduce the negative environmental impacts of litter in our City
• Develop and strengthen interagency partnerships to better establish sustainable preventative approaches toward reducing litter

NORFOLK LITTER PREVENTION PLAN 2015: As Norfolk becomes a more sustainable historic seaport city with healthy, vibrant neighborhoods, the perceived overall appearance is an important factor. In addition to the negative impact on environmental resources, economic activity, civil discourse and property values, litter is costly to manage. This three year Litter Prevention Plan provides an outline and action plan of how such an effort would be undertaken including the development of funding sources in support.

The key principles are:

• Sustainable change in human behavior requires an internal shift in individuals, family groups, and communities. It's a complex process that identifies benefits and barriers to reach the desired behavior and internalize it - as well as identifying and targeting particular audiences and testing effective methods of communication and outreach.
• A successful campaign uses compelling messages within different peer groups to get attention, engage, remind and reward change.
• Given existing resources, tackling a project - to effect a reduction in litter and littering behavior - is best done in a few manageable geographic areas before taking on others (and taking the knowledge learned to other places that can utilize it).
• A holistic campaign, integrating all the parts (i.e. partnerships, marketing, etc.) under a larger master plan has been developed and will require ongoing oversight.

The Plan seeks to reduce litter in Norfolk significantly by 2015 through:

• Increased enforcement of existing and modified ordinances.
• Greater monitoring, measuring and reporting of litter and its costs.
• Establish a heightened level of consciousness and a prevention "ethic" toward littering.

Toward these goals, stronger partnerships will be formed to generate greater results and support for various policy, enforcement, education, technology (i.e. public receptacles) and neighborhood based modeling tactics.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE NORFOLK LITTER PREVENTION PLAN 2015.