The Clear Creeks Bay-Wise Project at Miramar Landing was an innovative education and behavior change campaign in a diverse townhome community in Middle River, MD. Working closely with community members and the homeowner’s association, the project team promoted the installation of watershed restoration practices using a combination of persuasive approaches supported by social science, including:
Intrinsic rewards — satisfaction of helping the environment and beautifying the community
Extrinsic rewards — cost-share discounts for stormwater BMPs
“How-to” skills — free hands-on workshops
Social norms and stories — promoting the project in social and traditional media
Social diffusion — situating the campaign in a community setting
Together with 399 volunteers, the project team planted 137 trees, installed 10 native conservation landscapes, 4 residential rain gardens, 4 microbioretention practices, 8 residential rain barrels, and 4 residential mini-Bayscapes. The team also created a “Jr. Green Thumbs Club” to train young residents in Bay-Wise landscaping and encourage them to participate in project workshops and events.
