Transcript Slide 1

Sustainability Survey
Assessing Campus Awareness, Literacy, and
Habits Regarding Sustainability Issues
October 2014
Sustainability Survey Introduction
Survey Project Description
The CSB Office of Sustainability is interested in
collecting data to help shape future campus
sustainability programs and gauge the opinions of the
first year students on Sustainability. This survey
measures the current awareness, literacy, and habits of
CSB/SJU students once when they are freshmen and
again as a senior. The survey was conducted on
October 8th – October 31st.
Survey Methods
An on-line survey was sent to 985 first year students
at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s
University.
Survey Response Rate
207 first year students completed the survey; thus, the
survey had a 21.02% response rate.
Limitations
The survey is subject to self-selection bias (e.g.,
respondents with an interest in sustainability were
more likely to notice the call for participation). As
such, the survey results may not be representative of
the entire student population.
Project Leadership
Alex Chocholousek, CSB Sustainability Coordinator;
Haleigh Linn, CSB Sustainability Student Intern;
Judy Purman, CSB Director of Sustainability; Madi
Sundlof CSB Sustainability Program Coordinator
• Administered and report written by Alex
Chocholousek CSB Sustainability Coordinator
Key Survey Findings
• 81.5% of respondents find it important that
CSB/SJU become a leader in sustainability and the
environment
• 85.9% of respondents said that CSB/SJU should
consider renewable energy sources for its energy
needs.
• 73.2% of student respondents said that practicing
sustainability will improve their life
• 98.0% of respondents use the Link as their
primary of mode of transport between campuses.
• 57.3% of respondents learned
more about sustainability
while at CSB/SJU.
Who Completed the Survey?
• Number of First Year
CSB/SJU First Year Students
37%
129
Females
78
13%
• Number of First Year
207 (21.02% of class)
CSB Student Responders
Males
October 8th – October 31st
SJU Students Responders
• Total Number of Responses
• Survey Period
CSB/SJU Student Freshmen
Response Population
Female
At Which Campus Do You
Spend Your Time
Male
38%
CSB
SJU
40%
62%
60%
Q: How Important is it to understand my overall
effect of my choices on…
80.00%
70.00%
60.00%
50.00%
40.00%
30.00%
20.00%
10.00%
0.00%
Strongly disagree
Disagree
The environment
Neutral
The economoy
Agree
Myself, and other people
Strongly Agree
97.1% of Respondents believe that Sustainability Means
More Than Merely Being Environmentally Sound.
First Year Students
3%
1 True
0False
97%
CSB First Year Student
2%
Q: Sustainability means being
economically viable and
socially just as well as
environmentally sound.
SJU First Year Student
1%
1 True
0False
98%
99%
Q: I learned more about sustainability during my
time at CSB/SJU
43%
Over 50%
of first years agree
they have learned
more about
sustainability at
9%
1%
12%
Strongly Agree
35%
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Q: How important is it to you that CSB/SJU be a
leader in Sustainability and the Environment?
Unimportant
3%
76%
Neutral
20%
Very Important
34%
Not at all important
1%
Important
42%
of students think is
is important or
very impotant for
CSB/SJU to be a
leader in
sustainability
Over 80% of Respondents Find it Important that CSB/SJU
Consider Using Renewable Energy
First Year Students
SJU First Years
CSB First Years
2% 9%
-1%
1% 10%
1%
3%
16%
34%
14%
46%
48%
43%
32%
41%
Not at all important
Unimportant
Neutral
Important
Q: How important is it to you that CSB/SJU consider renewable energy
sources for its energy needs?
Very important
66% of first years believe practicing sustainability will
improve their life.
Improve my life
66%
Inconvenience my life
5%
Not affect my life
29%
Q: Practicing sustainability will...
First years act sustainably because it:
(1)is the right thing to do
(2)saves money
(3)Friends/Peer influence
Saving money
18%
It's the right thing to
do to make the
world a better place
62%
Protecting human
health
7%
Friend/peer
influence
12%
Not going to make
sustainable choices
1%
Q:Which best explains any personal motivation on your part for
becoming involved in making sustainable choices?
Freshman Respond to Awareness to Sustainability Office MADI
STOPPED HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
9%
19%
14%
Newspaper Articles
Website
Attended a meeting or event
6%
Sustainability Newsletter
7%
Posters
Seen Bumper Sticker
Didn't know it existed
Other
8%
16%
21%
Q: If you know of the Sustainability Office, how did you
become aware of it? (Check all that apply)
First years think the most important environmental related issues at CSB/SJU are:
(1) recycling
(2) waste reduction
Q: How important to you are the following environmentalrelated issues at CSB/SJU?
2. Reducing the amount of Waste
Generated
1. Recycling
90.5%
important
94%
important
Followed by:
(3) It affects my health
(4) Reduce energy consumption
3. It Affects My Health
4. Reduce Energy Consumption
89%
important
89%
important
Q: How important to you are the following environmentalrelated issues at CSB/SJU?
Followed by:
(5)Water Conservation
(6) Alternative Transportation
6. Alternative Transportation
5.Water Conservation
74%
important
79%
important
Q: How important to you are the following environmentalrelated issues at CSB/SJU?
Followed by:
(7)Use of fertilizers and pesticides
7. Use of fertilizers and pesticides
81%
important
Q: How important to you are the following environmentalrelated issues at CSB/SJU?
Close to 20% of First Years define Sustainability as ‘Being Green’
How Long Something Lasts
0%
11%
Balance of Environmental,
Societal and Economic
Considerations
Ability to Sustain Life on Earth
12%
12%
19%
Conservation/Recycling
Environment/Natural Resources
13%
Being Green
16%
17%
Not Harming Future Generations
Don't Know
Q: What comes to mind when you hear the term “sustainability?”
(Check all that apply)
$25
19%
$10
44%
73%
of first years would be
willing to pay a fee to
make campus more
sustainable.
$0
28%
Q I would be willing to pay a fee of …
to make campus more sustainable.
$50+
9.5%
First Year Student willingness to pay a ‘sustainability fee’ with their tuition
Comparison of CSB and SJU students over the years and their willingness to pay a fee
66%
80%
70%
60%
2010
50%
2011
40%
2012
30%
2013
20%
10%
0%
Percent of CSB Students that would Pay
Percent of SJU Students that would Pay
90%
64%
62%
2010
60%
2011
58%
2012
56%
2013
54%
52%
50%
SJU First Year Students
Q: I would be willing to pay a fee of
… to make campus more
sustainable
CSB First Year Students
First years most often:
(1)recycle
(2)turn off lights
(3)Make healthy food choices
1. I recycle plastic, aluminum, paper
and cardboard when possible.
Always
54%
89%
Usually
Always/Usually
Usually
Sometimes
Rarely
Rarely
Never
2. I turn off lights and electronics when not in
use
Always
Sometimes
34%
6%
6%0%
Never
3. I make healthy food choices when possible.
Always
Usually
Sometimes
Rarely
56%
92%
43%
Always/Usually
2%
6%
36%
32%
75%
Always/Usually
2%
Q: How often do you do the
following things?
23%
Never
Less Often First Years:
(4) Bring a reusable Bag
(5) Buy local/second-hand goods
4. I bring a reusable bag when shopping.
5. I buy locally-produced or second-hand goods.
24%
Always
51%
Always
Usually
19%
Sometimes
25%
Always/Usually
26%
28%
26%
Always/Usually
Rarely
Never
6%
4%
25%
Q: How often do you do the
following things?
4%
15%
Usually
Sometime
s
Rarely
66% of first year student respondents said that global
climate change will be a problem for future generations
70.00%
96.2% of the first
60.00%
50.00%
40.00%
… in your
lifetime
30.00%
for future
generations?
20.00%
10.00%
0.00%
no
problem
minor
problem
major
problem
Q: How much of a problem will global climate change be...
years who answered the
survey said that when
energy is conserved,
fewer greenhouse gas
emissions are released
into the atmosphere.
Q: When I conserve energy, I contribute fewer
greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.
First years think CSB/SJU should become more sustainable by:
(1) investing in alternative energy
(2) investing in efficiency
(3) Decreasing our waste stream
First Year CSB/SJU Students Response (%)
investing in green building
62.30%
investing in efficiency
expanding the recycling program
decreasing our waste stream
77.40%
67.90%
62.30%
investing in low carbon transporation
changing behaviors and habits
investing in alternative energy
Q: CSB/SJU should become more sustainable by: (Check all that apply)
69.80%
60.40%
71.70%