Transcript Faculty/Staff Commuter Habits William T. Weller Alex Gates Eric Friederichsen Geology 214 Introduction In conjuncture with the President’s Climate Commitment our group has chosen to collect information regarding.

Faculty/Staff Commuter
Habits
William T. Weller
Alex Gates
Eric Friederichsen
Geology 214
Introduction
In conjuncture with the President’s Climate
Commitment our group has chosen to collect information
regarding the transportation habits of the Rhodes faculty
and staff. For our research, we conducted a survey which
gathered 210 responses from Rhodes employees. In
doing so, we were able to cite a number of trends and
make a number of conclusions based on our results.
Methods
In order to determine the necessary information, we created
a seven question survey which was both emailed out, and
delivered in paper form to staff.
The survey determined the ways in which Faculty and Staff
commute to work, how many trips are made, the distance
traveled, and the fuel efficiency of their car.
We received 210 responses out of a total of 473 Rhodes
employees.
Out of these 210 responses, 127 were from staff, and 83
were from faculty.
• From: Ekstrom_Carol
Sent: Monday, April 07, 2008 4:55 PM
To: FACSTAFF
Subject: Fac/Staff Commuter Habit Survey
• Faculty/Staff,
• In accordance with the Presidential Climate Commitment, signed by
President Trout in August 2007, the Environment Planning Cooperative
has undertaken the task of calculating the College’s Carbon Footprint.
This survey, which is part of my project for Geology 214, is meant to
determine the commuter habits of Faculty and Staff, and is essential to
completing the inventory of the College's carbon emissions. Please take
2-3 minutes to fill out this quick survey, your participation is both
important, and appreciated.
•
• Link to the Survey:
• http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=8JIWhirZGIy8_2fdPYfy4y8g_3
d_3d
•
• Thank you,
• William Weller
• Geology 214
Faculty and Staff Results
Faculty/Staff Commuter Habits
1%
18%
Public Transportation
6%
Bike or walk
Carpool
Drive Alone
75%
Faculty and Staff Statistics
• 1.18 Trips per day
• 229.5 days per year
• 270.8 estimated total trips per year
• 16.08 miles average roundtrip
• 24.63 mpg average fuel efficiency
Faculty Specific Results
Faculty Habits
0%
30%
Public Transportation
Bike or walk
Carpool
66%
4%
•1.13 trips per day
•215.08 days per year
•243.04 total trips per year
•12.36 miles average roundtrip
Drive Alone
Response from 83 faculty
Staff Specific Results
Staff Habits
2%
9%
7%
Public Transportation
Bike or walk
Carpool
Drive Alone
82%
•1.23 trips per day
•243.9 days per year
•298.6 total trips per year
•19.8 miles average roundtrip
response from 127 staff
Carbon Emissions
We used the following formula to determine an estimate of Carbon
Emissions created by Faculty and Staff commuting habits:
1. Average Roundtrip / Average Fuel Efficiency= Gas Usage per trip
16.08 / 24.63= .65 gallons per trip
2. Average Trips per day X Days per year= Average trips per year
1.18 x 229.45= 270.8 trips per year
3. Average Gas Usage per trip X Average Trips per year= Gas Usage
for one person
.65 x 270.8= 176.02 gallons per year
4. Gas Usage for 1 X Number of College Employees= Total Gas
Usage for Faculty and Staff
176.02 x 473= 83,257.46 total Gallons per year
83,257.46 Gallons of Gas produces 733 Metric Tons (1.62
Million Pounds) of CO2 Equivalent PER YEAR.
Alternative Transportation
•Our research shows that out of the 210 people
surveyed only 2 use the public transportation
system, and only 13 carpool. In order for Rhodes
to achieve the goals set forth by the President’s
Climate Commitment, the employees of the
college need to strive to find more
environmentally friendly modes of transportation.
•Although roughly 50% of the Rhodes faculty/staff
have stated an unwillingness to consider
alternative transportation means, the other 50%
which has expressed a desire to learn more about
the possibility of bike or carpooling programs
which could be sponsored by Rhodes.
Conclusions
•This survey has shown that Rhodes employees
have done little to address environmental change in
their transportation habits as nearly 75% of the
employees drive alone. We attribute these results
to the lack in alternative programs, and a failure to
encourage their application and use.
•Hopefully, the desire to achieve goals set forth in
the President’s Climate Commitment as well as to
create a smaller Rhodes College carbon footprint in
general will motivate the employees of the college
to pursue more environmentally friendly
transportation.