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2015 Spring | Education & Outreach

An Upstream Battle: Promoting Eco-labels to University Communities Using Salmon-Safe as a Case Study

Student(s):

Emily Warnock

Program or Department(s):

  • Program on the Environment
  • University of Washington

Site supervisor(s):

Matthew Schwartz

Partner(s):

  • Sustainable Stormwater

Faculty advisor(s):

Megan Horst, Program on the Environment, University of Washington

During my internship, the UW was set to undergo Salmon-Safe recertification. Salmon-Safe is an eco-label seeking to minimize harmful effects of stormwater runoff. As a result of recertification efforts, I determined how to best promote eco-labels to university communities and engage students in stormwater issues through research and surveys. Research showed that knowledge and perceptions about an eco-label should be assessed, communication patterns should be determined, and community concerns should be addressed. Surveys indicated a gap in knowledge, current media use patterns, and concerns regarding stormwater and Salmon-Safe of the UW community. Through effective outreach, eco-labels can minimize environmental damage.