14 December 2025 | Akita City Cultural Exchange Plaza | 10 participants
Reported by Noa Tatsuno, Hazuki Moriyama, Sakura Suzuki, and Hajime Kaneto
Key takeaways
- Community Engagement Beyond the Usual Audience: The workshop successfully reached and engaged local residents who were not initially interested in environmental issues. Through proactive, face-to-face outreach, participants discovered the creative potential of upcycling marine plastic, demonstrating that hands-on activities can effectively broaden awareness beyond already environmentally conscious audiences.
- Continuity and Trust Built Through Repeated Outreach: Participation by returning visitors who learned about the workshop through flyers distributed at a previous Marché event highlights the value of consistent, long-term community engagement. These repeat interactions strengthened trust, reinforced project visibility, and validated the effectiveness of sustained, grassroots promotion efforts.
Main highlights
Date: 14 December 2025
Venue or location: Akita City Cultural Exchange Plaza (秋田市にぎわい交流館au)
Participants: Local residence of Akita city
No. of participants: 10
Activities implemented
The activity implementation focused on expanding outreach and deepening community connections through proactive, on-the-ground engagement. Despite initially low foot traffic, the team actively approached passersby and initiated direct conversations, successfully attracting “cold” leads who had not planned to participate. These face-to-face interactions created an accessible entry point for dialogue, allowing participants to gradually engage with marine plastic issues and discover an unexpected interest in upcycling. At the same time, the activity strengthened ties with the Akita community by fostering meaningful, personal exchanges rather than one-way information sharing. The presence of participants who attended after receiving flyers at a previous Marché event further demonstrated the effectiveness of sustained, pre-event promotion, highlighting how consistent outreach can build familiarity, trust, and continued community participation over time.
Figure 1 Accessories making workshop with locals
Outcome
The workshop successfully created an interactive learning space for community members to engage with marine plastic issues through hands-on upcycling activities. Approximately 10 participants took part in the workshop, including both new visitors and returning supporters from previous outreach activities. Through direct communication and practical demonstrations, the activity broadened awareness of marine plastic pollution and showcased the potential of transforming waste into creative, value-added products. The participation of attendees who learned about the workshop through flyers distributed at an earlier Marché event further confirms the effectiveness of continuous outreach and promotion. Overall, the workshop strengthened the project’s visibility within the local community and reinforced the role of small-scale, community-based activities in fostering environmental awareness and behavioral reflection.
Feedback
Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive, particularly from those who initially had little interest in environmental issues. Several attendees expressed surprise and enjoyment at discovering the creative possibilities of marine plastic upcycling, noting that the hands-on approach made the topic more engaging and approachable. Returning participants from the Marché event shared encouraging comments, reaffirming their support for the club’s ongoing activities and community presence. These responses indicate that face-to-face engagement and experiential learning not only spark curiosity but also help build trust, continuity, and sustained interest within the Akita community.
