| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 73.99 |
| Liaison | Mary-Lee Townsend |
| Submission Date | Oct. 20, 2021 |
Western University
EN-6: Assessing Sustainability Culture
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.00 / 1.00 |
Jessica
Cordes Sustainability Coordinator Facilities Management |
Does the institution conduct an assessment of sustainability culture?:
Which of the following best describes the cultural assessment? The assessment is administered to::
Which of the following best describes the structure of the cultural assessment? The assessment is administered::
A brief description of how and when the cultural assessment(s) were developed and/or adopted:
The sustainability culture survey was first implemented in the 2016-2017 academic year, and it was developed by the Manager, Sustainability in collaboration with members of the President’s Advisory Committee on Environment and Sustainability (PACES). In 2020-2021 an updated survey was developed by the Office of Sustainability.
A copy or sample of the questions related to sustainability culture:
A sample of the questions related to sustainability culture or the website URL where the assessment tool is available:
Which of the following are recyclable at Western? Choose all that apply.
a. Coffee cups
b. Sandwich wrappers
c. Plastic water bottles
d. Newspaper
e. Magazines
f. Candy wrappers
g. Beverage containers (i.e., milk and juice cartons)
h. Glass jars
i. Plastic straws
j. Styrofoam
k. Pop cans
9. Western wants to become a Zero Waste-certified campus by 2022, which means we would divert 90% or more of our waste from landfill. What is Western’s current diversion rate ? (choose the correct answer)
a. 15%
b. 25%
c. 50%
d. 90% (we are already at Zero Waste levels)
e. I don’t know
10. What environmental issue do you see as more prevalent on campus? (short answer)
11. Western is always looking to provide more opportunities for students, staff and faculty to learn more about sustainability-related issues. From the following list, please select all topics you would like to learn more about.
a. Principles and frameworks of sustainability
b. Green Buildings at Western
c. Waste (waste management, waste audits)
d. Water
e. Energy
f. Food (local food sourcing, food preparation, food security)
g. Transportation
h. Certifications (Fairtrade, Zero Waste, LEED)
i. Climate Change
j. Other (please specify)
A brief description of how representative samples were reached (if applicable) and how the cultural assessment is administered:
The survey is administered annually in October. October was selected to allow campus life to settle into a routine after the busy month of September. The survey is promoted through mass emails to all Western staff, faculty and students, as well as through online promotions. Including an attractive prize draw supported a high response rate from diverse campus groups. In 2020 the survey received 3,400 responses.
A brief summary of results from the cultural assessment:
The survey results showed that most respondents had a good general awareness of sustainability concepts. It was also highlighted that most respondents felt "sustainability is important to me" and "I would like my university to do more in regards to sustainability." The sustainability topics of interest to the most respondents include: Waste, Clean & Renewable Energy, and Equity & Diversity. Overall, respondents would like to be more engaged with sustainability on campus through greater awareness of initiatives and participation in programming.
Website URL where information about the assessment of sustainability culture is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.