Case study about Water Stewardship Program in Northern Virgina.

pdf Getting Your Feet Wet

pdf Table of Contents

pdf Sample Actions

pdf Water Quality Action Log

A foundation for the success of any local government or watershed organization involved in watershed protection is reducing household non point source pollution. Indeed, having an effective education and outreach program has now become a necessity for communities affected by US EPA’s Phase II NPDES Storm Water Requirements. Local governments and watershed organizations need tools that move citizens beyond awareness to behavior change.

Empowerment Institute has a proven track record in community-based behavior change programs and community engagement strategies. These programs have successfully changed environmental behaviors of millions of people around the world. Dozens of local government and community organizations have used these tools to achieve their program objectives. Studies indicate Empowerment Institute’s programs are successful in achieving and sustaining significant behavior change. One major academic study stated these tools are "unsurpassed in changing behavior."

Empowerment Institute has applied this expertise to designing a residential non point source behavior change and community engagement program.

A less measurable feature is the social capital built. Program participants met their neighbors and began acting as a community, often for the first time, to build more socially cohesive, safer and healthier neighborhoods. They were transformed from residents to neighbors and from neighbors to engaged citizens.