Assignment 14A – Halfway Reflection

Time flies! I can't believe I am already halfway done with this semester!

1.  Tenaciousness is a competency.

There are a few behaviors, new and existing, that I utilized to keep up with the requirements of this course. The primary new behavior I have used is keeping up with the online lectures this semester. Every Monday and Wednesday at 1:55, I would treat these times like "class times" and watch the online lectures on my laptop. If I couldn't watch the lectures that day due to a meeting, I would make an effort to watch them later that afternoon or the next day. There was never a time I got behind in class material. I also used existing behaviors, like putting due dates into a paper planner and syncing the Canvas calendar for this class to my phone's calendar.

2.  Tenaciousness is also about attitude.

In reviewing the definition provided for "tenacious," it made me reflect on my experiences not just in this course, but also throughout my educational career. I always feel like I've had a tenacious attitude. However, there was one time I felt like "giving up" this semester when I was working on one of my assignments for this class. I was working in Blogger and was almost finished with my assignment. When I went to insert a link into my assignment, I suddenly saw that all of my hard work was gone. I instantly panicked and researched the problem I was encountering. It turned out that Blogger does not have a version history of posts, so I lost not only my assignment but also the hard work I put in all week. While I felt upset and frustrated, I persevered. I stayed up until almost midnight and re-wrote my post, and I ended up submitting my assignment on time. Now, I always press "save" every 30 seconds when I am working in Blogger.

3.  Three tips.

1. Make sure you regularly watch the lectures and take the cupcakes as soon as early as you can.
2. Get assignments done early so that you are not overwhelmed on Friday mornings when they are due. 
3. Use a paper planner! It will help you stay organized with the multiple deadlines for this class (part A/blog assignment due Friday at noon, part B/declare due Friday at noon, part C/two peer reviews due Monday at noon)

Assignment 13A – Reading Reflection No. 1

1) You read about an entrepreneur: Coco Chanel by Lisa Chaney.

What surprised you the most? What surprised me the most was the obstacles that Gabriella "Coco" Chanel overcame during her early life. I learned that Chanel's mother passed away when she was young, and her father abandoned her afterward. I was surprised when I read this because I thought she lived a "glamorous" lifestyle. I can only imagine the struggles Chanel faced as a result of this and how devastated she felt. 

What about the entrepreneur did you most admire? What I most admired about Chanel was her ingenuity and confidence. Chanel had a bold style, which was not common among women at that time. She went outside of the box as she established her career in the fashion industry and defined her brand. Most importantly, Chanel did this without caring about what other women thought. She ultimately created pieces like little black dresses and pantsuits that are timeless yet embody her bold style. 

What about the entrepreneur did you least admire? There wasn't anything about Chanel that I least admired, as I felt inspired after reading her life story. 

Did the entrepreneur encounter adversity and failure? If so, what did they do about it? Chanel faced a significant amount of adversity and failure throughout her life. After being abandoned by her father, she lived in poverty and was raised by nuns who taught her how to sew. This skill eventually became valuable in Chanel's career when she made a dress out of an old jersey material on a cold day.


2) What competencies did you notice that the entrepreneur exhibited? I would say that Chanel's competencies are her passion for fashion, creativity, and perseverance. She was also very dedicated in her career and never took "no" for an answer. Lastly, she was clear in defining her brand, and this is evident when looking at her products today.

3) Identify at least one part of the reading that was confusing to you. The biography itself had a lot of facts, so at times it was hard for me to keep up with the information. I was also confused by the relationships she had with Etienne and Arthur, as the timeline in the book was not clear.

4) If you were able to ask two questions to the entrepreneur, what would you ask? Why?

• If she had to pick a favorite perfume that she made, which one would she choose? I would ask her this question because one of the things Chanel is known for today is her fragrances. I also think they are nice-smelling fragrances, and it would be interesting to obtain her perspective on which one was her favorite and why. 

Assignment 12A – Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 1

The segment I will be focusing on is adults within the age range of 30 to 60 years old who live in my neighborhood and have at least one dog.

Interview 1: For my first interview, I interviewed a 48-year-old woman who owns a small dog.

Need awareness: She is diligent with picking up after her dog, but she notices this problem when she goes to walk her dog and sees unclaimed dog waste on her driveway. She has noticed this every morning for the past year and suspects it's her new neighbor's dog. She mentioned that her neighbor walks her dog early because she likes to exercise first thing in the morning.

Information search: She picks up the dog waste with a pet waste bag because she wants to keep her property clean. When I asked her about the pet waste bags she uses for her dog, she told me that she mainly purchases them online. When she searches on Google, she enters the search terms "best pet waste bags for small dogs." But, she told me that if her shipment runs behind schedule or if she needs extra pet waste bags before her next order, she will go to her local pet store and purchase more. She expresses her frustrations about this problem to her sister, who is also a dog owner. She hopes that a long-term solution will be implemented within our neighborhood.

Interview 2: For my second interview, I interviewed a 39-year-old woman who is a mother of two children and owns a large dog.

Need awareness: She notices this need when she occasionally forgets to bring pet waste bags to pick up after her dog during her walks. She has two young children, so she becomes easily distracted when she is completing a task (for example, getting ready to go on a walk with her family's dog), and they want to show her something or play with her.

Information search: She goes online to find affordable yet convenient ways to solve this problem. For now, she has a subscription service through Chewy where she has items like pet waste bags delivered to her house every month. She discovered Chewy when she entered the search terms "pet waste bags for large dogs." She talks to her husband about this problem because even though she gets the pet waste bags delivered to her house, she still occasionally forgets them before she goes on walks and this makes her feel frustrated because of all the money they spend per month on pet waste bags.

Interview 3: For my last interview, I interviewed a 56-year-old man who owns a large dog. 

Need awareness: He notices this need when he walks his dog every day and notices that his neighbor does not pick up after his dog's waste. This frustrates him because he is aware of the negative environmental effects dog waste has, and he doesn't understand how his neighbor could just leave his dog's waste behind. He thinks his neighbor is irresponsible because he doesn't pick up his dog's waste. He told me he brings pet waste bags with him every time he walks his dog and is responsible when picking up and disposing of his dog's waste.

Information search: He ties pet waste bags onto his dog's leash before walks. When I asked him about the brand of pet waste bags he has and how he found them, he said he doesn't remember the name but that he saw them when going to PetSmart for dog food. He usually re-purchases pet waste bags every month and does not buy them online.

Report findings

I learned from my interviews that there is no current long-term solution to the problem of increasing dog waste in my neighborhood. This problem is one that occurs often because people in my neighborhood who own dogs walk their dogs every day. As a result, my product is a valid solution because it provides a long-term solution for decreasing, if not eliminating, dog waste. It is also simple and convenient, so dog owners won't feel burdened at the thought of using it.

Draw conclusions

Based on the information above, I believe this segment primarily searches for information online. They also find information through recommendations from family and friends and finding products in their local pet stores. They become aware of this need when they see unclaimed dog waste in their neighborhood or if they forget to bring pet waste bags with them during their walks with their dogs.

Assignment 11A – Idea Napkin No. 1

1.  I am a senior at the University of Florida through their UF Online program majoring in public relations with an outside concentration in business administration. My work experience is mainly in the non-profit sector. As I previously mentioned, I am the Founder and President of Students4H2O, which is a non-profit organization advocating for environmental education and youth leadership. On a personal level, I am also a dog owner of two German Shepherds. Walking my dogs led me to notice the problem of increasing dog waste within my neighborhood and focus my business concept for this class around this problem so I can find a solution. The skills/talents I have that pertain to my product include budgeting, critical thinking skills, and project management. Through my public relations education at UF, I have knowledge in social media management and creative programs like Adobe Creative Cloud. Lastly, I also have excellent public speaking and interpersonal communication skills. My aspirations are to develop a financially viable product that also makes a difference. I would apply my skills and aspirations to my business. Hypothetically, if I were to start this business, I would see it as a "side hustle" where it would act as an additional project that I would work on in my free time. I would most likely work this way until I can adequately sustain myself from this business.

2.  My product is a dog waste receptacle, which is also known as the Doggie Dooty Station, which gives dog owners the ability to dispose of their soiled pet waste bags through a designated slot. Or, they can also obtain a clean pet waste bag at any Doggie Dooty Station so that they can pick up after their dogs. A new feature of my product is that in addition to pet waste bags, gloves will be available at each Doggie Dooty Station for those who are "grossed out" by picking up their dog's waste. Also, each receptacle has signage to inform dog owners about the receptacles and encourage them to pick up after their dogs.

3.  I believe most of my potential customers will be people who own at least one dog. Based on my previous customer interviews, I also think that these customers would be homeowners who live in neighborhoods. The primary characteristic these customers would have in common is that they have a need to keep their communities clean and sanitary.

4.  I feel customers will care about the Doggie Dooty Station because it will decrease the amount of dog waste within their communities. This is important because dog waste has bacteria that is harmful when it comes into contact with humans and other dogs. Therefore, there are also health concerns when, for example, children are playing and come into contact with dog waste, or a dog unknowingly steps into another dog's waste (which was unclaimed) while walking with its owner. There is also the raised concern of "common courtesy" where other neighbors or dog owners do not feel like they should be responsible for picking up dog waste from another person's dog. In summary, the Doggie Dooty Station will assist in solving these problems by positively reinforcing dog owners to pick up after their dogs' waste, resulting in cleaner communities.

5.  I think the primary core competency that separates me from everybody else is that no other dog waste receptacle has a solution like mine where pet waste bags and gloves are available for dog owners who need them. Most dog waste receptacles only have pet waste bags. By having both pet waste bags and gloves at each Doggie Dooty Station, it removes room for excuses from dog owners for not using it. I am also a dog owner who saw this problem in my neighborhood, so my story is also distinctive because it adds a "humanized" perspective behind creating this product.

Overall, I believe that these elements fit together. As I evaluated these elements, it made me realize how simple my product is for dog owners to use and that it is a practical solution for the problem of increasing dog waste in neighborhoods. There are many reasons why dog owners do not pick up after their dogs' waste, and the most common is they forgot to bring pet waste bags with them. With this being said, I believe my product will have a positive impact from both the convenience and environmental standpoints.

Adriana Mancini ENT3003 10A Elevator Pitch 1

Assignment 9A – Testing the Hypothesis, Part 2

The opportunity I chose is installing dog waste receptacles in my neighborhood as a result of increased dog waste. But, I wanted to have a better understanding of the unmet need for my opportunity in other areas. Therefore, the opportunity outside my boundary definition would be the implementation of my program of dog waste receptacles in Downtown Stuart, FL, because it is a geographical area outside of my neighborhood but still within my local area. Downtown Stuart is well-known for its stores, restaurants, and Riverwalk (boardwalk) alongside the St. Lucie River. I know that there are not only citizens that frequently come to Downtown Stuart daily, but there are also many business owners that should be interested in this waste receptacle program to keep the areas surrounding their stores clean and sanitary.

Summary of interviews

  

Interview 1: My first interview was with Diane, an elderly woman who has lived in the Downtown Stuart area for over 30 years and is retired. Diane spends time daily in Downtown Stuart doing things like having coffee with friends, going shopping, and attending functions at the Lyric Theatre. Unfortunately, Diane does not feel that it is her responsibility to pick up after other people’s dogs. Although she loves her hometown, she believes by picking up someone else’s dog waste, dog owners will become even less responsible about picking up after their pets because someone else is willing to do so.

Interview 2: For my second interview, I interviewed a woman named Jaclyn, who frequently goes to Downtown Stuart with her rescue pup. Jaclyn thinks this program would be great for the Downtown area and actually make her life easier by not having to buy dog waste bags for the trips she makes to Downtown Stuart, as well as not having to remember to bring dog bags with her when she heads Downtown to shop or meet friends. She also believes all other dog owners who frequently visit the downtown area would support the program and even spread the word that when downtown, you not only don’t have to worry about bringing dog waste bags and disposing of them because there are receptacle stations for dog waste.

Interview 3: My third interview was with Kai, who is a business owner in Downtown Stuart. She said that if she saw dog waste outside her store, she would likely pick it up and dispose of it in the provided receptacle. What was interesting was that Kai said if she saw dog waste that was in a location not near her store, she likely would not pick it up. She was honest in saying that she would really like to keep her storefront clean and sanitary for her customers and bystanders. She thinks other store owners should be responsible for picking up any dog waste that may occur outside of their storefronts.

Interview 4: My fourth interview was with Patty, who owns two stores in Downtown Stuart- Gumbo Limbo Coastal Chic and Gumbo Limbo Coastal Kids. She said that she is a dog lover at heart. She loves the idea of having receptacles throughout Downtown Stuart. She also noted that her dogs and her daughter’s dog are paper trained, so they never leave the store during the day, especially not to go to the bathroom. While she is interested in keeping Downtown Stuart clean, she said she would likely pick up dog waste outside of her store, but would not be interested in picking up dog waste anywhere else in Downtown Stuart. Patty thinks that dog owners should be more responsible for picking up after their dogs, and she has no interest in assuming that responsibility for them.

Interview 5: For my last interview, I was able to interview a mail carrier named Julie when I was visiting Gumbo Limbo. Julie, who has two rescues herself, felt that receptacles and dog waste bags would be a great idea for Downtown Stuart. She is all for keeping the downtown area clean and sanitary. However, Julie has no interest in picking up other owners’ dog waste. She emphasized that she runs on a tight schedule and has no time to stop and pick up after another dog owner’s pet waste. She likes the idea for herself if she is not working and is downtown with her dogs, but really not for any other scenario.

Who: The who here focused on those that frequent Downtown Stuart as consumers and people who own shops in Downtown Stuart. All of the people involved have the desire to keep Downtown Stuart beautiful and clean. Some fell outside the boundary because they simply didn’t feel it was fair to pick up after less responsible dog owners. That dis-interest outweighed their overall desire to keep Downtown Stuart clean and free from dog waste. They did not want to let irresponsible dog owners “off the hook” by picking up after their dogs. 

What: The need to keep Downtown Stuart free from dog waste and a convenient place to dispose of dog waste sometimes, depending on the type of person being interviewed, was outweighed by their disinterest in doing what they felt was a dog owner’s responsibility. Basically, they would do it if it was right outside their store, but that was the limit and would not pick up dog waste from a stranger’s dog if it wasn’t close to their shop. This really emphasized the “ownership” interest they had in their business, but that is where it ended as they really didn’t seem concerned with another owner’s company. They felt that if they would keep their storefront clean, then another store owner should be willing to pick up outside their own store.

Why: I think the underlying cause of the outsider’s need, while similar from those inside the boundary, the factor that makes the receptacle project more desirable is ownership interest. As a homeowner in a community, your property value is affected by how your neighbors keep and maintain their properties and how the common areas are maintained. This, when compared to Downtown Stuart, didn’t seem to translate with as much interest. There was interest, but it didn’t seem to be as much. The attitude of those interviewed in the Downtown Stuart group seemed to be more self-interested in their businesses, but not downtown as a whole. They would take care of their own property area, at best, but that is really where it ended. Their attitude was everyone should take care of their own property/storefronts in the event a dog owner was irresponsible in not picking up their dog’s waste. I think the project would have some success in Downtown Stuart. But, it may need additional support such as signs or notices posted around this area that would “remind” dog owners of the receptacle and bags and encourage them (kind of shame them) into cleaning up after their pets. This additional support certainly would not hurt the project.

Inside the boundary	Outside the boundary
Who is in Dog-owners Individuals who live in neighborhoods and/or are concerned about the increased amount of dog waste in their communities	Who is not Non-dog owners Individuals who are not concerned about this issue and/or live in more urban areas like Downtown Stuart.
What the need is To keep their communities clean and sanitary.	What the need is not To emphasize accountability among dog owners who do not pick up their dogs' waste.
Why the need exists Dog waste has disease-causing bacteria that are harmful to humans and other dogs.	Alternative explanations People are "grossed out" by the thought of picking up dog waste. Lack of awareness of the negative environmental impacts of unclaimed dog waste. A dog owner thinking someone else will pick up their dog's waste for them.

Assignment 8A – Solving The Problem

1.  Selected opportunity

The opportunity I selected to pursue focuses on the issue of my neighbors not picking up their dogs' waste. As a result, this led to an increased amount of dog waste in my neighborhood. 

My neighborhood has approximately 400 home sites, and the majority of these do not have sidewalks. Over the many years I have lived here, I observed neighbors walking their dogs and not picking up after their dogs. I have also seen neighbors, both young and old, walking down the street and having to step into the adjacent grass because of passing cars. Many times, this leads to them stepping into dog waste. Children often ride their bikes down the street and also get off the roadway because of passing vehicles, causing them to potentially come into contact with dog waste. Beyond these observations, unclaimed dog waste is unsightly, smells foul, and is harmful to the environment.

2.  Product/Service

Beginning with my neighborhood, I wanted to come up with a plan that would encourage fellow dog owners/walkers to pick up after their dogs. The idea is two-pronged with the first part providing dog bag stations along with dog bag receptacles for waste to be placed throughout my neighborhood. With a minimal cost to each homeowner to fund this project, I am confident that my homeowners' association would help provide funding to cover the cost of this project. This way, dog walkers don't have to buy dog waste bags. They can obtain them for free, pick up after their dog, and have a place to safely dispose of the dog waste afterward. This creates a win-win situation for dog owners, my neighborhood, and the environment as a whole.

The second aspect of my plan is to place signage on the receptacles explaining how dog owners can properly dispose of their dog waste. As previously mentioned, the dog waste receptacles would allow dog owners to safely dispose of their pets' waste in a centralized location. This goal would be accomplished by creating a slot in the receptacles where dog owners can place the soiled dog waste bags. By placing this type of signage on the receptacles, I hope this will enable positive behavior modification where dog owners they feel like they are making a difference in their community and for the environment by using the receptacles, rather than feeling like it is a burden.

Assignment 7A- Testing the Hypothesis, Part 1

1.  Pick an opportunity you want to pursue

The opportunity I will be pursuing is the issue of people not picking up after their dogs in my neighborhood. I also want to explore the solution of having dog waste receptacles placed throughout my neighborhood with the overall goal of decreasing the amount of dog waste.

2.  Clearly state the opportunity you identified

Many neighbors where I live do not pick up their dog waste because they don't understand the negative impact this has on our community and environment.

Who: My neighbors who walk their dogs.
What: Neighbors who don't pick up their dogs' waste during their walks.
Why: They don't understand the negative impact this has on our community and environment.

3.  Hypothesis testing

Testing the who: I believe everyone in my "who" has this need. I live in a large community with few sidewalks, and most neighbors have at least one dog.
Testing the what: Certainly, more neighbors can be a challenge than others. Some neighbors are elderly and may have difficulty bending down to pick up after their dogs. In contrast, some neighbors have smaller dogs that make little waste who feel like they don’t need to pick up after them.
Testing the why: A misconception about unclaimed dog waste is that people think it is natural and will break down into the ground at a fast pace.

4.  Interviews

Interview 1: The first person I interviewed was a dog owner who walks her dog each morning and picks up her dog's waste. While she walks her dog, she notices that many of her neighbors do not pick up their dogs' waste. As a result, she stepped into dog waste several times. She feels that people in our neighborhood don't pick up their dogs' waste because they are "old fashioned," meaning that they do not understand how not picking up after their dogs have detrimental effects on our environment. She also thinks that this is a nuisance and a health hazard. I asked her if she would be willing to attend an HOA board meeting to express her frustrations about this issue, and she said yes. She would be willing to pay increased HOA dues each month to have dog waste receptacles placed throughout our neighborhood.

Interview 2: The second person I interviewed was an elderly woman who does not own any dogs. She told me that when she goes to pick up her mail each morning, she sees dog waste by her mailbox. When I asked her why she thinks people in our neighborhood don't pick up after their dogs, she said that she has new neighbors, and they may not have picked up their dogs' waste where they previously lived. She liked the idea of the dog waste receptacles, but she is on a fixed budget, so she would pay increased HOA dues to have our neighborhood place the dog waste receptacles depending on the cost. She would like to have the unclaimed dog waste collected through our neighborhood and have this make a positive impact on our environment.

Interview 3: The third person I interviewed was a man who owns two small dogs that are trained to go on dog pads inside the house. Although he does not walk them in our neighborhood, he properly disposes of his dogs' waste. He is aware of the dog waste problem in our community. He told me a story of when he confronted another resident because she didn't pick up after her dogs, and she told him to keep his opinions to himself. I asked him why he thinks people in our neighborhood do not pick up after their dogs, and he said because they are lazy and not aware of the environmental effects. He would be willing to pay increased HOA dues to have our neighborhood place the dog waste receptacles depending on how much it costs.

Interview 4: For my fourth interview, I interviewed a married couple who are dog owners. They are diligent in picking up their dog's waste during walks and then properly disposing of it. When they go to walk their dog each day, they notice dog waste on their driveway. When I asked them their opinions on having dog waste stations in our neighborhood, they were strongly opposed. They do not want to have increased HOA dues to reflect the new dog waste stations when they are conscientious with picking up their dog's waste.

Interview 5: Lastly, I interviewed a dog owner who walks his dog twice a day. He is aware of the presence of dog waste in our neighborhood because he sees unclaimed dog waste during his morning runs. He is aware of the problem but not necessarily concerned about its negative effects on our neighborhood. He did not know about the environmental impact of unclaimed dog waste. I asked him if he would be willing to pay increased HOA dues each month to have dog waste receptacles placed throughout our neighborhood, and he said no.

5.  Summary

Given my interviews, I learned that cost and environmental awareness are significant factors in solving this problem. Most of the responses also indicated that increased dog waste in my neighborhood is a two-dimensional issue from the convenience and environmental perspectives. Overall, the responses from my interviews, although mixed in opinions regarding the dog waste receptacles, validated that my opportunity is still there.

Assignment 6A- Identifying Opportunities in Economic & Regulatory Trends

Economic trends

Opportunity 1: Tax season kicks off with IRS short on staff
Link: https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/tax-season-kicks-off-with-irs-short-on-staff

I found this opportunity in the Washington Examiner. This article analyzes staff shortages within the IRS, which occurred primarily due to poor morale. The article also addressed how this problem becomes more paramount when taxpayers submit amended returns because it would cause delays in their operations. I believe U.S. taxpayers are experiencing this problem because they are currently filing their taxes. Therefore, I think this opportunity is easy to exploit because the 2020 tax season began last Monday, and the most significant concern raised during this time is how quickly taxpayers will obtain their refunds.

I noticed this opportunity after watching a news segment this morning on the Today Show about tax season and how to properly file your taxes.

Opportunity 2: "5 things millennials are paying for that their parents never would have dreamed of spending money on"
Link: https://www.businessinsider.com/millennials-spending-habits-compared-to-baby-boomers-2020-1


I found this opportunity in Business Insider. This article explains the common spending habits of Millennials, which are significantly different from other generations. For example, Millennials are more likely to attend therapy due to an increased risk factor of developing depression in their 20s and 30s. Millennials are individuals ranging from 23 to 37 years old. Based on this information, I believe this is the segment of people experiencing this problem. I think this opportunity is easy to exploit because Millennials utilize a variety of shopping methods as they make purchases. These include the typical in-store retail experience, online orders, and social media (where consumers see ads for products based on their browsing habits, or they can even place online orders through their favorite brand's Instagram page!)

I noticed this opportunity because I am a public relations student. In many of my classes, I studied the different generations and how they relate to each other. For example, one of the courses I am taking this semester is a special study course on Employee Communication, and we recently explored the difference between Millennials and Generation Z.

Regulatory trends

Opportunity 1: UF Health monitors rumors of coronavirus spreading to Gainesville
Link: https://www.alligator.org/news/uf-health-monitors-rumors-of-coronavirus-spreading-to-gainesville/article_69a9b1a0-426c-11ea-86b2-87354e5a2a4e.html

I found this opportunity in The Independent Florida Alligator. The article reports that UF Health is currently monitoring a rumor spread by two master's students that a student's parent traveled from China to Gainesville. To date, there are no confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Alachua County. The article also cited that Steve Orlando, UF Spokesman, said four people traveled from China to Gainesville, but they did not travel from Wuhan. I believe this problem is experienced on a worldwide scale because coronavirus is a global health emergency. First, this problem primarily affects people in Wuhan because that is the area where the coronavirus outbreak was first reported. But, this also affects people in the United States because of the possibility of people traveling to or from China.

I noticed this opportunity because the coronavirus is a topic heavily emphasized on the news.

Opportunity 2: St. Pete’s done it, could Tampa be next to ban some single-use plastics?
Link: https://www.wtsp.com/article/tech/science/environment/tampa-plastic-ban-st-petersburg-single-use/67-5505b7ff-8c97-4bb1-862d-7944799a6d9d

I found this opportunity in WTSP, which is the local news station for the Tampa Bay area. According to the article, there are 4 billion pieces of microplastics in Tampa Bay. As a result, the organization Rise Above Plastics is pushing for Tampa Bay to follow in St. Petersburg's path and ban single-use plastic products. I believe many people are experiencing this problem. Generally speaking, the people experiencing this problem are Tampa Bay residents. But, I think the problem branches out to local businesses and restaurants. I believe this opportunity is relatively difficult to exploit because the Tampa City Council is planning on reviewing a proposal in March. The implementation of banning single-use plastics in Tampa Bay could be expedited or delayed based on the City Council members' review of the proposal, evaluation of possible alternatives to single-use plastics, and discussion of how this would affect Tampa Bay residents and businesses.

I noticed this opportunity because Stuart is the first city in my local area, the Treasure Coast, to ban single-use plastic straws. My non-profit organization, Students4H2O, is also a stakeholder in their resolution as the Youth Educational Outlet to educate students in Martin County, Florida, about how they can work together to protect marine life by taking simple steps to end plastic litter.