In a bold and unexpected move to tackle Helsinki’s litter problem, we turned to the most unlikely of allies — the seagulls. Often seen as antagonists, these birds have now become the seaside city’s unexpected heroes, demonstrating that keeping Helsinki clean is so simple that even seagulls can do it, benefiting both people and wildlife.
Like many major cities, Helsinki faces a persistent litter problem that affects not only the aesthetics of the city but also its environmental health. Each year, the city spends millions combating litter, which degrades the quality of life, comfort, and enjoyment for residents, tourists, and wildlife.
Challenge
People often litter because they underestimate the impact of a single piece of trash. After all, one piece won’t make a difference, right? What they do care about, however, is how their tax money is spent. So, we decided to use it in the most stupid way imaginable — by training seagulls with the help of a professional animal trainer to clean up people’s trash.
Yes, it sounds absurd and costly, but spending millions on cleaning up after people is even more absurd and costly. So, we flipped the narrative: seagulls, once seen as the very symbols of litter and mess, became the champions of cleanliness. Now, when people see a seagull in Helsinki, they don’t just think of scavenging birds; they think of tidiness and a litter-free city.
The Creative Solution
People are usually indifferent to what the city does, until someone points out how much money it costs. We decided to create a project that would break through the barrier of indifference, grab the attention of the audience and bring about change through getting people to look at their relationship to littering in a new way.
By framing the littering issue in a new way and using humor to do so, we would get a chance to bump the audience towards a cleaner way of thinking. We needed to do more than just remind people, so we opted for a platform that could engage the audience in all touchpoints.
A cleaner city not only enhances the quality of life but also keeps harmful trash out of nature and the sea, ultimately benefiting both people and wildlife.
Helsinki’s “Seagull Trash Patrol” campaign was shaped by key insights into the city’s littering challenges, leading to strategic solutions that effectively addressed the issue.
Strategy
When thoughts, emotions, and actions are in conflict, it creates what is known as cognitive dissonance. By leveraging this, changes can be achieved.
We need to influence people on multiple levels: knowledge and thinking, emotions and attitudes, as well as actions and behavior.
Strategic Solutions:
1. Reframing Seagulls as Cleanliness Ambassadors: By training seagulls to collect litter, the campaign transformed their image from pests to partners in cleanliness, challenging public perceptions and engaging residents in a novel way.
2. Leveraging Humor and Cognitive Dissonance: The absurdity of seagulls performing a human responsibility created cognitive dissonance, prompting individuals to reconsider their own behaviors and fostering a sense of personal accountability.
3. Highlighting Economic Costs: Emphasizing the high expenses associated with litter cleanup made the issue more tangible to residents, motivating them to reduce littering to alleviate the financial strain on the city.
These strategies collectively led to a significant reduction in littering, decreased cleanup costs, and increased volunteer participation in maintaining a cleaner Helsinki.
Insights:
1. Perception of Seagulls: Seagulls were commonly viewed as nuisances contributing to litter, yet they are intelligent creatures capable of learning behaviors.
2. Public Apathy Towards Littering: Residents often underestimated the impact of individual littering actions, leading to a collective neglect of public spaces.
3. Financial Implications: The city incurred substantial costs annually for litter cleanup, highlighting the economic burden of maintaining cleanliness.
