Propellers Spinning Out Of Control, An Environmental Campaign

The Issue:❌❓❗
A lack of policy and boating restrictions for preventative strike devices has led to an increase in environmental harm and many marine life deaths.


 Design/Methods:💭
I created an educational pamphlet that was distributed on social media in an effort to educate the public on the issue of boat propellers. I also created a survey for people to take after they read and look over the pamphlet which encourages pubic participation. The survey is a quantitative way to measure my success.
 

Results:🔍
87.5 % of people think propeller guards would help protect the environment
68.8 % of people think boat propellers damage the environment
93.8% of people think preventative strike devices should be required
87.5 of people think that boat propellers harm marine life

More Results: 🔍💥
81.3 % of people think boat owners would benefit from preventative strike devices such as propeller guards
93.8 % of people think that propeller guards would help protect marine life
81.3 % of people think a preventative strike device like propeller guards should already be mandatory
56.3% of people knew about this issue beforehand

Even More Results: 🔍😏
93.8 % of people feel they learned something from the flier
69% of people left open ended responses





Connecting it to class:🏫

*In this campaign I used irreparable storytelling in three different ways. 
1. Boat propellers threaten biodiversity and crucial habitats.
2. These species and areas need protection and quickly.
3. Deaths and sometimes destruction are irreversible

* In this campaign there were three modes of advocacy
1. Public participation → created a digital survey
2. Publicizing → created fliers that were distributed on social media
3. Education→ the fliers/ pamphlet that was created was educational

* Moral Grounds Essays- Dalai Lama

This proved to be very true for this campaign. Since the material was distributed on social media, it was difficult to achieve meaningful dialogue. 

Goals:
✔ Educate people about environmental degradation from boat propellers
✔ Educate people about the harmful effects of boat propellers on marine life
✔ To get fifteen completed surveys


Sources

Mehnazd. (2022, June 28). What is a prop guard? Marine Insight. Retrieved December 13, 2022, from https://www.marineinsight.com/tech/what-is-a-prop-guard/

Propellersafety.com. PropellerSafetycom. (n.d.). Retrieved December 13, 2022, from https://www.propellersafety.com/ringprop/

Propeller Guard test procedure - USCGBOATING.ORG. (n.d.). Retrieved December 13, 2022, from https://www.uscgboating.org/assets/1/AssetManager/Propeller%20Guard%20Test%20Procedure.pdf

Barry, S., Raskin, K., Hazel, J., Morera, M., & Monaghan, P. (2020). Evaluations of interventions focused on reducing propeller scaring by recreational boaters in Fl, USA. Elsevier, 186.

Bassett, B., Hostetler, J., & Leone, E. (2020). Quantifying sublethal Florida manatee- watercraft interactions by examining scars on manatee carcasses. Open Access, 43, 395–408. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.3354/esr01075

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2001. Florida Manatee Recovery Plan, (Trichechus manatus latirostris), Third Revision. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Atlanta, Georgia. 144 pp. + appendices.  Manatee recovery plan

Information for boaters and PWC operators. Florida Fish And Wildlife Conservation Commission. (n.d.). Retrieved December 13, 2022, from https://myfwc.com/education/wildlife/manatee/for-boaters/


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