| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 66.29 |
| Liaison | Kevin Kirsche |
| Submission Date | Dec. 22, 2017 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
University of Georgia
EN-6: Assessing Sustainability Culture
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
0.50 / 1.00 |
Kevin
Kirsche Director of Sustainability Office of Sustainability |
Does the institution conduct an assessment of sustainability culture (i.e. the assessment focuses on sustainability values, behaviors and beliefs, and may also address awareness of campus sustainability initiatives)?:
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:
Longitudinal study performed in University Housing by a PhD student who was also UGA Sustainability Coordinator.
Sustainability in University Residence Halls: Designing Accessible Programming and Infrastructure to Promote Environmentally Relevant Behavior on Campus.
College and university students living in green residence halls or learning more about environmentally relevant behavior (ERB) may obtain benefits in many ways, including improved health, productivity, and environmental knowledge. Universities may also benefit from the personal growth in their students, cost savings, and positive publicity. This study sought to determine whether living in a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-certified residence hall or a residence hall with increased environmental programming would affect students’ ERB. Additionally, this study examined any perceived constraints to students seeking to participate in ERB. This study examined data from three treatment groups at the University of Georgia using a pretest and posttest survey, which was tested during a summer 2013 pilot test. The Immersion-based treatment group (1) was in Building 1516, which features sustainable amenities. The Program-based treatment group (2) was in Brumby Hall, where students had additional environmental education programs in their residence hall. The control group was in Reed Hall, which lacks sustainable amenities or programs. A survey was created and implemented, pretest and posttest, electronically (via Qualtrics) and in person. A pretest was administered during fall 2013 and fall 2014. A posttest was administered during spring 2014 and spring 2015, respectively. Across all treatment groups and semesters, 1,023 unique students took a pretest survey (n = 557), posttest survey (n = 356), or both (n = 110).
Results indicate while initiatives that students are engaged in outside of residence halls may be more influential than campus housing programs in regard to ERB, campus housing departments can provide students with convenient and accessible environmental education initiatives that they will engage in. Overall, this dissertation established a framework for research on environmentally relevant behavior among students living on college or university campuses.
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:
Sample:
1. To conserve water, I can
a. leave the water running on low while I brush my teeth.
b. take shorter showers.
c. only wear an outfit once before washing it.
d. throw away facial tissues by flushing them down the toilet.
2. Low-flow faucets on sinks can save up to
a. approximately 400 gallons of water per year.
b. approximately 4,000 gallons of water per year.
c. approximately 13,000 gallons of water per year.
d. approximately 50,000 gallons of water per year.
3. Leaving a computer on overnight (without using it) for one year uses the same amount of
energy as
a. making 9,280 bags of popcorn.
b. using a blow dryer for 5,568 hours.
c. washing 464 loads of laundry.
d. All of the above
4. The proper temperature to leave a thermostat on in the winter is
a. between 72 and 76 degrees Fahrenheit.
b. between 80 and 84 degrees Fahrenheit.
c. between 68 and 71 degrees Fahrenheit.
d. between 60 and 64 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. “CFL” stands for
a. certified fluorescent lamp.
b. compact fluorescent light.
c. compact fluoride light.
d. certified fluorescent light.
6. To avoid using extra energy when washing my clothes in a washing machine I can
a. only put half a load of washing in the machine.
b. use warm or cold water (“Brights” or “Permanent Press” settings).
c. use hot water (“Whites” setting).
d. There is no way to save energy while using a washing machine.
142
7. Scraps of food left from my meal can be used for
a. recycling.
b. compost.
c. chap stick.
d. trash.
8. Three things I can do with trash or waste are
a. reduce, reheat, recycle.
b. reduce, relive, reheat.
c. reduce, reuse, recycle.
d. recycle, remake, reuse.
9. When I throw away a plastic bottle it can go to
a. the ocean.
b. a landfill.
c. the street.
d. All of the above
10. Of the following items, which takes the longest to biodegrade in a landfill?
a. Paper plate
b. Flowers
c. Plastic bag
d. Candy bar wrapper
11. Earth is approximately 70% water. What percentage of that water is available for human
use?
a. 1%
b. 5%
c. 30%
d. 45%
12. Approximately how many gallons of water does the average American use each day?
a. 25
b. 40
c. 75
d. 150
A brief description of how representative samples were reached (if applicable) and how the cultural assessment is administered:
Longitudinal study performed in University Housing by a PhD student who was also UGA Sustainability Coordinator.
Sustainability in University Residence Halls: Designing Accessible Programming and Infrastructure to Promote Environmentally Relevant Behavior on Campus.
College and university students living in green residence halls or learning more about environmentally relevant behavior (ERB) may obtain benefits in many ways, including improved health, productivity, and environmental knowledge. Universities may also benefit from the personal growth in their students, cost savings, and positive publicity. This study sought to determine whether living in a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-certified residence hall or a residence hall with increased environmental programming would affect students’ ERB. Additionally, this study examined any perceived constraints to students seeking to participate in ERB. This study examined data from three treatment groups at the University of Georgia using a pretest and posttest survey, which was tested during a summer 2013 pilot test. The Immersion-based treatment group (1) was in Building 1516, which features sustainable amenities. The Program-based treatment group (2) was in Brumby Hall, where students had additional environmental education programs in their residence hall. The control group was in Reed Hall, which lacks sustainable amenities or programs. A survey was created and implemented, pretest and posttest, electronically (via Qualtrics) and in person. A pretest was administered during fall 2013 and fall 2014. A posttest was administered during spring 2014 and spring 2015, respectively. Across all treatment groups and semesters, 1,023 unique students took a pretest survey (n = 557), posttest survey (n = 356), or both (n = 110).
Results indicate while initiatives that students are engaged in outside of residence halls may be more influential than campus housing programs in regard to ERB, campus housing departments can provide students with convenient and accessible environmental education initiatives that they will engage in. Overall, this dissertation established a framework for research on environmentally relevant behavior among students living on college or university campuses.
A brief summary of results from the cultural assessment, including a description of any measurable changes over time:
Results indicate while initiatives that students are engaged in outside of residence halls may be more influential than campus housing programs in regard to ERB, campus housing departments can provide students with convenient and accessible environmental education initiatives that they will engage in. Overall, this dissertation established a framework for research on environmentally relevant behavior among students living on college or university campuses.
The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Contact: Jane Diener, PhD University Housing UGA
Contact: Jane Diener, PhD University Housing UGA
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