Issue link: http://psai.uberflip.com/i/1398793
PSAI Association Insight, August 4, 2021 I 17 Hannah Watson Essay (continued from page 16) as a whole commits to a public information campaign that highlights the environmental benefits of their products, then many Americans would begin to view the industry as a more eco-friendly and therefore respected alternative. Already, we have seen countless people make drastic changes in their diets and lifestyles to protect natural resources and the environment. They can likely do the same with portable sanitation and respect the industry for its contributions to environmentalism. Changing public opinion is always a difficult task. However, with how remarkably innovative the portable sanitation industry can be and already is, I am confident that with the right improvements and messaging it can become not only a respected, but preferred alternative for the public. There are tremendous opportunities for growth as the United States and world at large emerges from the pandemic in the coming months. The society that will develop in a post-COVID world will be more health-conscious and more environmentally friendly than any previous generation, and therefore will be more likely to respond positively to portable sanitation. I look forward to the day when this industry is recognized for what it is: essential in every possible way. restrooms. These changes would be small, cost effective, and appreciated in a post-COVID world. Lastly, to ensure that these changes are recognized, companies can include a small sticker on the door or walls of a restroom that highlights a "commitment to cleanliness," which states how often the unit is cleaned and other sanitary improvements like the ones subscribed. Doing this will help to ease any public distrust about how sanitary portable sanitation truly is. My junior year of high school, I wanted to challenge myself academically, so I took an advanced course called AP Environmental Science. Not only was it one of my favorite classes in high school, but I was also taught something that my dad, Tony Watson, has been saying for years: porta- potties are saving the planet. In AP Environmental Science, my teacher taught the class how portable sanitation, from handwashes to restrooms, in developing and developed countries can save millions of gallons of water every year. This fact would be viewed favorably by many Americans who are caring more and more about the environment with every passing year. In a recent Pew Research survey, for the first time more than 50% of Americans viewed protecting the environment and fighting climate change as top priorities. If the portable sanitation industry