ATTITUDES AND AWARENESS AMONG ALL RESIDENTS
Currently, Los Angeles County residents are more concerned about water pollution than they were in 1997 before the public education campaign began (61% very concerned versus 57% in 1997).
- Concern about litter specifically is also edging higher than it was in 1997 (48% versus 44%).
Corresponding to high levels of concern, the 1998 public education campaign (“If I Only Knew”) caused residents to doubt the depth of their understanding of water pollution issues and, over the course of the five-year campaign, significantly more residents now are feeling that they are “very knowledgeable” about causes of water pollution.
While concern is remaining strong, awareness of messages about pollution of the ocean, rivers and lakes has dropped below the baseline levels (from 73% to 58% aware).
This drop in awareness mirrors a drop in the number of County residents who list television, newspaper and radio as a source of water pollution information between the baseline period and June 2001.
- The most precipitous drop in recall of messages from television and newspaper occurred between June 2000 and July 2001. This corresponds with a significant shift in media focus away from storm water-related issues that were topical during El Niño and La Niña and toward California’s energy crisis in 2001.
Even when prompted, fewer Los Angeles County residents recall seeing or hearing storm drain-related messages in the newspaper or hearing them on the radio.
- This suggests that messages that were carried on radio were not having impact at the same levels they were a year or two years ago.
- Possible causes are lower media weights and therefore lower exposure, a shorter time period for the campaign and the loss of synergies created by news coverage in conjunction with paid commercial spots.