LINCOLN, Neb. — Lincoln’s newest ambassador for recycling and waste reduction isn’t a city official or environmental advocate. It’s a friendly landfill character named “Land Phil.”
Unveiled by city officials and community partners at last Thursday's press conference, a new public education campaign called "Love Your Land Phil" is designed by Eleanor Creative to help residents rethink what they throw away, encourage habits that reduce waste, and extend the life of Lincoln’s landfill. (City of Lincoln News Release)
While the character brings a playful approach to a serious issue, the initiative is backed by research, educational outreach, and community engagement efforts led in part by the University of Nebraska Public Policy Center (NUPPC). The NUPPC conducted a literature review, facilitated public engagement activities, and analyzed survey data to help with campaign planning, and is currently conducting intercept testing to help assess public response to "Land Phil." In addition, NUPCC led the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's (UNL) collaborative efforts with the several campus partners, including:
The Office of Sustainability, which is advancing these efforts across the UNL campus.
Edgeworks, which assisted with student engagement and production of immersive 360-degree video tours of the Bluff Road landfill and a regional recycling center.
The College of Journalism's SMART Lab, which is analyzing the social media responses to the campaign.
Together, NUPPC researchers and UNL and community partners demonstrated the importance of using behavioral science and public engagement to address community challenges.
“Land Phil” serves as a relatable and memorable way to connect those research-based strategies with Lincoln residents. Rather than relying only on traditional public-service messaging, the campaign uses storytelling and community outreach to make waste reduction and recycling more accessible for families, schools, and neighborhoods.
For Lincoln residents, the message is clear: small actions taken at home can make a significant difference. Through "Land Phil," the City of Lincoln hopes to turn that message into a community-wide movement that helps shape a more sustainable future.
See and provide feedback via the City's: