Winchester Skeptics: How Making Plastic Waste Visible Changes Behaviour

This is an in-person talk hosted by the Winchester Skeptics in the Pub (SitP). Basingstoke Science Cafe members are invited to attend these regular monthly talks at the Winchester Club in Winchester. The Hampshire Skeptics Society is a non-profit organisation for the promotion of science, reason and critical thinking.

Winchester SitP meetings are open to all regardless of beliefs and each month’s talk will be followed up with a challenging Q&A session.

MORE DETAILS ABOUT WINCHESTER SKEPTICS CAN BE FOUND ON THEIR WEB SITE.

https://www.hampshireskeptics.org/

The doors open at 7.00pm, and the talk will begin at 7.30pm.

Talks are usually (December is always an exception) on the 4th Wednesday of every month, at 7:00 for 7:30, at The Winchester Club in Winchester. Please take a look at the FAQs for more info.

Admission is £5 which also gives you an entry in the book raffle. We take cash and major cards (cards preferred).

SUMMARY
We often assume we understand our own environmental impact, but recent research suggests we may be viewing waste through a kind of blindfold. This talk explores how that blindfold forms, what happens when it is lifted, and how clearer messages can support more sustainable choices.

The first study shows that many people are unaware of the true scale and type of plastic they use. When participants counted their actual waste, the blindfold slipped: they saw their impact more clearly and became more concerned and more willing to engage in action.

The second study looks at how decades of advertising have normalised disposable living, reinforcing this blindness by presenting convenience as the default and obscuring the waste it creates.

The third study demonstrates that targeted messages can remove the blindfold in everyday decisions, such as choosing a cup for a takeaway drink. When cafés in a field study highlighted the personal benefit of bringing a reusable cup, such as saving money, customers were more likely to avoid disposables.

Together, these studies suggest that people are not uncaring about waste, but often lack clear cues and feedback. When visibility improves and messages emphasise practical personal benefits, more sustainable behaviour becomes much more achievable.

STANDARD STUFF
The event is in two parts – the talk and then a Q&A after the interval. We encourage you to support the venue by indulging in the available drinks before and during the event.

You are also welcome to join us for a drink in the bar after the event.

SKEPTICS IN THE PUB ONLINE
SitP Online: Every 4th Thursday of each month at 7:00 pm UK time on Twitch.