| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 71.04 |
| Liaison | Natalie Hayes |
| Submission Date | Oct. 19, 2023 |
Bentley University
AC-6: Sustainability Literacy Assessment
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
4.00 / 4.00 |
Natalie
Hayes Associate Director of Sustainability Office of Sustainability |
Does the institution conduct an assessment of the sustainability literacy of its students?:
Which of the following best describes the literacy assessment? The assessment is administered to::
Which of the following best describes the structure of the assessment? The assessment is administered as a::
A copy of the questions included in the sustainability literacy assessment(s):
A list or sample of the questions included in the sustainability literacy assessment or the website URL where the assessment tool may be found:
What is the triple bottom line?
- When a company balances their impact on people, planet and profit.
- When companies focus on short term efforts to triple their profit.
- When companies emphasize corporate social responsibility.
- I don’t know
What is meant by the term "carbon footprint"?
- The amount of carbon in a gallon of gasoline.
- The carbon left on the ground each time you take a step.
- It refers to the greenhouse gasses released by a given activity in terms of carbon dioxide equivalents.
- I do not know
Which of these statements is most accurate?
- Climate change is caused mostly by natural changes in the environment outside of human control.
- Climate change is caused equally by human activities and natural changes in the environment.
- Climate change is caused mostly by human activities.
- Climate change is not happening at all.
What certification(s) can businesses receive if they are a sustainable company? (check all that apply)
- B-Corporation Certified
- Green Certified
- Fair Trade Certified
- ISO 9001
- Responsibly Sourced
Which of the following are current or predicted effects of climate change? (check all that apply)
- Increased drought
- Overall lower agricultural yield
- Overall higher agricultural yield
- Increased wildfires
- Improved air quality
- Political instability
- Rising sea levels
- Extreme heat
- Negative health impacts
Climate change disproportionately impacts people in marginalized and low-income communities because: (check all that apply)
- Infrastructure in developing countries can be less resilient to storms
- People with low incomes have fewer resources to rebuild or relocate after natural disasters (hurricanes, flooding, tornadoes, etc.)
- People with low incomes are more likely to live in areas threatened by flooding, water scarcity, and diseases spread by insects and other arthropods.
Climate change can cause the following health risks (check all that apply):
- Injury or mortality from extreme weather events
- Heat-related illness
- Respiratory illness
- Water-borne diseases and water-related health impacts
- Vector-borne diseases
- Malnutrition
- Worsened Mental and psychosocial health
Which of the following are renewable energy resources? (check all that apply)
- Biomass
- Coal
- Natural Gas
- Oil
- Petroleum
- Hydroelectric
- Nuclear
- Diesel
- Solar
- Wind
Which of the following statements about Greenhouse Gasses is true?
- Methane is the most prevalent greenhouse gas.
- Greenhouse gasses help cool the Earth.
- Carbon dioxide is the most prevalent greenhouse gas.
- Greenhouse gasses allow solar radiation to escape from the Earth’s atmosphere.
What is the most common cause of pollution of waterways (e.g., streams, rivers)?
- Dumping of garbage by cities
- Surface water running off yards, city streets, paved lots, and farm fields
- Litter near streams and rivers
- Waste dumped by factories
- I don't know
A brief description of how the literacy assessment was developed and/or when it was adopted:
The survey was drafted in collaboration between the Office of Sustainability and Institutional Research in January 2023. The survey was constructed to assess the practice of sustainable practices while on campus as well as attitudes and perceptions about sustainability on campus. Respondents were also asked to complete questions that were focused on assessing their knowledge of sustainability.
A brief description of how a representative sample was reached (if applicable) and how the assessment(s) were administered :
A link to the survey was emailed to 6,106 Bentley students, faculty and staff members from the Office of Sustainability in April 2023. It was left open for three weeks and the participants were sent a reminder email each week. Overall, 542 members of the Bentley community completed the survey, yielding a 9% response rate. This survey will be administered yearly going forward, with the next survey scheduled in spring of 2024.
A brief summary of results from the literacy assessment(s):
72% of students who responded to the survey correctly defined the Triple Bottom Line and the term carbon footprint.
62% of students who responded to the survey indicated that "climate change is caused mostly by human activities"
95% of students who responded to the survey indicated that a carbon footprint is “It refers to the greenhouse gasses released by a given activity in terms of carbon dioxide equivalents.”
57% of students who responded to the survey indicated that when it comes to how motivated they are to adopt sustainable practices they indicated “I will go out of my way” or “It’s my passion”.
70% of faculty and staff members that responded to the survey indicated that when it comes to how motivated they are to adopt sustainable practices they indicated “I will go out of my way” or “It’s my passion”.
Website URL where information about the sustainability literacy assessment 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.