On-site research: Inorganic Waste

Re-generating Inorganic waste: Proposal for field research

On Tuesday afternoon 12 January 2016, 13:00-17:30 hrs, the group has to organise its own additional research on the sub-system. To draw your design in even more detail, you may want to visit a company to do some interviews with experts, inhabitants, entrepreneurs, civil servants or politicians. It is recommended to start timely with planning these research activities. Before we depart to Texel, every group submits here a one-page proposal about what you plan to do, including research question(s), data needed to answer that question, methods to gather data (interview, questionnaire, documentation, visit or the like), research activities planned (details required: appointments made).

Through the field research assignment, we will attempt to answer the following research question:

What are the feelings and opinions of the Texelaars regarding changes required for the transition from the existing waste management system to the waste management system proposed by us?

To answer the research question, we plan to conduct interviewswith the some inhabitants and second-hand/souvenir stores or waste management professionals in Texel. We will be asking them the following questions in two phases. The first set of questions are asked before we introduce our ideas and pathways for a sustainable transition. The second set of questions are to obtain feedback from the interviewee regarding the planned transition after we explain to them, our proposal.

Set 1:

1. Do you know how waste is managed in Texel currently?What is your opinion on the current waste management system? Do you think it is efficient and is keeping Texel clean?
2. In your home/store, what would you say is the major type of waste? Plastics (packaging, bottles etc.),Biodegradables (Vegetables etc.), Paper or glass?
3. What (small) steps have you taken to help Texel in managing waste? Do you segregate waste as much as possible?
4. Do you think segregation is important? Are you happy to do it or are you irritated?  
5. Not everyone segregates waste in Texel. What would nudge them into separating waste better into plastics,glass,biodegradables etc in your opinion?
6. Do you think tourists and their increasing numbers is the biggest challenge to waste management in Texel? Or is it something else?
7. What are, in your opinion, possible improvements to the current waste management system?
8. What future do you envision for waste management in Texel by the year 2065?
9. How do you think this transition can happen? Which actors are crucial? Which actors will be for this transition and which actors will be against it?

For Souvenir/Second hand stores

1. What is your motivation for opening a second-hand/souvenir store? Is it concern for the environment of Texel?
2. What is the major consumer segment? Tourists or locals?
3. How do you obtain your merchandise?

For waste management professional

1. What is your opinion on the sustainability of the current waste management system?
2. Does your company have any strategies to make the process more sustainable?
3. Why doesn’t the firm service restaurants too instead of just households?

Set 2:

1. Who do you think should start off the transition to a more sustainable waste management system? The municipality (top down) or individual texelaars/community groups(bottom-up)?
2. Going back to question 6,what is your opinion on incentives to encourage better waste segregation? Do you think they will work?
3. What is your opinion on a pay-as-you-throw system? (Explain the concept to the interviewee)
4. What is your opinion on a reward system where better segregation and recycling is rewarded? What kind of rewards would you expect for participation (i.e better segregation)?
5. Therefore, do you prefer to be rewarded or pay-as-you-throw? Leaving out personal preference, which do you think would be more effective to encourage households? which do you think would be more effective to encourage restaurants and stores etc?
6. If the waste management company was to weigh your waste box,would you consider it an invasion of your privacy? What if you knew weighing your trash was necessary to decide your reward or your payment? (Lower you generate, lower your payment/higher your reward)
7. What is your opinion on the idea that more communication,transparency and education regarding the benefits and costs of recycling to Texel will be more effective than incentives to encourage segregation and recycling/reuse?
8. Do you think communication and education can discourage tourists and locals from creating too much waste and be more sustainable? How do you think this knowledge can be diffused?
9. Would you support the transition through one of the pathways? Do you see benefits or losses personally from the transition?

We may also do the following questionnaire to reach as many Texelaars as possible:

1. Are you a tourist or a Texelaar?

i)        Tourist

ii)  Texelaar

2. If tourist, are you trying to limit creating waste while you stay in Texel?

i)        Yes

ii)  No

iii)Somewhat

3. If tourist/local , do you think Texel is a clean island? Do you see a lot of waste?

i)        Yes

ii)  No

iii)Somewhat

4.If yes,Would you say locals/tourists should do more to not dirty the island?

i)      Yes

ii)  No

5. If local, what is your opinion on the current waste management system? Do you think it is efficient and is keeping Texel clean?

i)        Yes

ii)  No

iii)Somewhat

6. If local, In your home/store, what would you say is the major type of waste?

i)        Plastics (packaging, pet bottles)

ii)  Biodegardables (Vegetables etc.)

iii)Paper

iv)Glass

7. Do you segregate waste as much as possible?

i)        Yes

ii)  No

iii)Somewhat

8. Are you happy to do it or are you irritated about segregation?

i)        Very happy

ii)  Happy

iii)Indifferent

iv)Somewhat irritated

v)  Irritated

9. Who is the most important actor to change the current waste management system?

i)        Tourists

ii)  Municipality

iii)Individual Texelaars and community groups

10. Do you shop at second hand stores?

i)        Yes

ii)  No

11. Which do you prefer?

Option 1: Pay per kilo of waste generated?

Option 2: Get paid for every kilo of waste saved through recycle/reuse?

i)        Option 1

ii)  Option 2