Recycling Right & Natural Gas Safety Message Development

As a city of over 500,000 residents, the City of Mesa is dedicated to fostering a safe and sustainable future for all by offering high quality services from all municipal departments, including the Solid Waste Department and Energy Resources Department. Both departments interface frequently with Mesa citizens via a variety of communication media to advance departmental goals. The Solid Waste Department shares goals and strategies around how to “Recycle Right” via a municipal website accessible to residents and businesses, as well as print tags shared directly with homeowners on recycling containers. The Energy Resources Department shares customer safety information with affected publics, including those who live or work near natural gas pipelines, via customer letters and surveys. During the Fall 2024 semester, these media were evaluated by graduate students studying user experience who provided recommendations on messaging improvements. To implement these recommendations, graduate students studying technical communication develop a set of digital and print pamphlets focused on key Recycle Right messages and a set of digital and print pamphlets focused on key natural gas safety messages. These pamphlets will aim to provide action-oriented information design to encourage Mesa residents and community members to divert waste from landfill by recycling properly and to gain awareness on how to take action in the case of a gas leak or other related gas emergency. Students will divide into teams to develop the pamphlets, so a variety of options are provided to consider for incorporation into digital and print messaging efforts throughout the City of Mesa.