- Educational tool provides insights on the time it takes for litter to decompose -

(BLACK PR WIRE) – In a very creative and educational way, the Florida Department of Transportation has developed a social media buzz that offers insight on how long it takes for litter to decompose. The product is called the Decomp-O-Meter, and it makes its debut as an animated tool on social media sites later this fall.

The Decomp-o-Meter is the latest of ads developed as part of the FDOT’s Roadside Litter Prevention Education (RLPE) Media Campaign. It provides information in a meaningful and effective way.

“Florida has been challenged with a growing amount of litter accumulating on our state highway system,” said Tim Lattner, P.E., Director of Maintenance and the Chair of the FDOTeam Litter Prevention Education Committee. “We want to ensure that litter prevention measures are in place in communities across Florida to reverse this trend and this campaign has been launched to assist in this effort.”

The campaign, which was unveiled earlier this spring, aims to reduce the incidence of littering on Florida highways, promote pride in the beauty of Florida’s landscapes and educate Florida motorists about the dangers and hazards of roadside litter.

Built around the theme, “DRIVE IT HOME . . . KEEP OUR PARADISE LITTER-FREESM,” the campaign enlists professional and amateur athletes from a variety of sports, who will appear in television and radio public service announcements, on print ads, outdoor billboards and in public appearances.

The campaign also seeks to educate Floridians and visitors on litter issues and change their behavior by leveraging the influence of athletes portrayed in a high-visibility multi-media campaign with television, radio and outdoor advertising components, as well as community events. The primary audience focus for the campaign will include motorists between the ages of 15 – 35.

“The Decomp-O-Meter is an animated tool that looks and operates like a meter reader,” said Bernadette Morris, CEO of Sonshine Communications, the lead agency for the campaign. “As the amount of time it takes an item to decompose increases, the louder and more frequent the Decomp-O-Meter beeps. The annoying sound intends to drive home the point and demonstrate how important it is to keep our paradise litter-free.”

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is an executive agency, which reports directly to the Governor. FDOT’s primary statutory responsibility is to coordinate the planning and development of a safe, viable and balanced state transportation system serving all regions of the state, and to assure the compatibility of all components, including multimodal facilities. The multimodal transportation system includes roadway, air, rail, sea, spaceports, bus transit, and bicycle and pedestrian facilities. FDOT is launching the multi-year Roadside Litter Prevention Education (RLPE) Media Campaign in an effort to support the beauty of Florida and maintain a place that residents can be proud of every day, every year.

For more information on the FDOT Roadside Litter Prevention Education Media Campaign, contact Bernadette Morris of Sonshine Communications at (305) 948-8063, ext. 201. To see the Decomp-O-Meter social media ad, visit www.CleanFLroads.com.