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Potential Applicability of Persuasive Communication to Light-Glow Reduction Efforts: A Case Study of Marine Turtle Conservation

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Abstract

Artificial lighting along coastlines poses a significant threat to marine turtles due to the importance of light for their natural orientation at the nesting beach. Effective lighting management requires widespread support and participation, yet engaging the public with light reduction initiatives is difficult because benefits associated with artificial lighting are deeply entrenched within modern society. We present a case study from Queensland, Australia, where an active light-glow reduction campaign has been in place since 2008 to protect nesting turtles. Semi-structured questionnaires explored community beliefs about reducing light and evaluated the potential for using persuasive communication techniques based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to increase engagement with light reduction. Respondents (n = 352) had moderate to strong intentions to reduce light. TPB variables explained a significant proportion of variance in intention (multiple regression: R 2 = 0.54–0.69, P < 0.001), but adding a personal norm variable improved the model (R 2 = 0.73–0.79, P < 0.001). Significant differences in belief strength between campaign compliers and non-compliers suggest that targeting the beliefs reducing light leads to “increased protection of local turtles” (P < 0.01) and/or “benefits to the local economy” (P < 0.05), in combination with an appeal to personal norms, would produce the strongest persuasion potential for future communications. Selective legislation and commitment strategies may be further useful strategies to increase community light reduction. As artificial light continues to gain attention as a pollutant, our methods and findings will be of interest to anyone needing to manage public artificial lighting.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the residents of Bargara for making this research possible, Amy Smith and Sam Ham for advice on TPB usage and communication theory, Chad Kirby for his assistance with data collection, and QPWS rangers for support and consultation. We acknowledge the assistance of the Bargara Buzz in publicizing the survey. Advice from three reviewers greatly improved the manuscript. This research was funded by a grant from James Cook University’s Graduate Research Scheme, and this manuscript forms part of RLK’s PhD research at James Cook University. RLK is supported by the Northcote Trust Graduate Scholarship. MH is supported by the Australian Government’s NERP. This work complies with James Cook University human ethics permit No. H4079.

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  1. School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia

    Ruth L. Kamrowski, Stephen G. Sutton, Renae C. Tobin & Mark Hamann

  2. Centre for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia

    Stephen G. Sutton & Renae C. Tobin

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  1. Ruth L. Kamrowski
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  2. Stephen G. Sutton
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Correspondence to Ruth L. Kamrowski.

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Kamrowski, R.L., Sutton, S.G., Tobin, R.C. et al. Potential Applicability of Persuasive Communication to Light-Glow Reduction Efforts: A Case Study of Marine Turtle Conservation. Environmental Management 54, 583–595 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-014-0308-9

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