Furman University
AC-6: Sustainability Literacy Assessment

BLOCK 4: LITERACY [ALL; ALLOW SCORING BUT NOT VISIBLE TO PARTICIPANTS] 37. [DESCRIPTIVE TEXT] The next section will gauge your current knowledge of sustainability. It’s ok if you do not know all of the answers. Pease do not use outside information to respond to these questions. 38. People often talk about the “Three R’s” in waste management. While all are helpful, they have varying degrees of impact on natural resources. Which of the following is NOT one of the “Three R’s? Recycling and aluminum can Reusing an old T-shirt as a cleaning rag. Reorganizing your closet to save space. Reducing your fuel consumption by biking instead of driving. 39. The Earth’s current population is estimated at: • 3.4 billion • 5.2 billion • 7.5 billion • 9.6 billion • 12.1 billion 40. Which country is the largest emitter of greenhouse gases? • China • United States • India • Brazil • Russia 41. Which one of the following is NOT typically considered one of the three components of sustainability? • Society • Democracy • Environment • Economy 42. What is the name of the primary federal agency that oversees environmental regulation in the United States? • Environmental Protection Agency (the EPA) • Department of Health, Environment, and Safety (the DHES) • National Natural Conservation Agency (the NNCA) • Federal Pollution Control Agency (the FPCA) 43. The term for the benefits that nature provides such as clean water, clean air, productive soils, and pollination of plants is: • Ecosystem Services • Environmental Economics • Ecological Footprint • Resilience • Environmental Conservation 44. The amount of carbon on Earth is an example of a/an: • closed system, with the same amount of carbon staying in each pool • closed system, with carbon moving between different pools • open system, with the same ratio of carbon staying in each pool • open system, with carbon moving between different pools 45. What are believed to be the key factors that influence human impact on the Earth? (choose all that apply) • The number of people on the planet • The amount of materials used per person • The use of technology • The enforcement of governmental regulations 46. Certain substances in the atmosphere, such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, influence the Earth’s temperature and climate. These substances are commonly referred to as __________ . • Ozone • Solar gases • Ultraviolet Light • Radiation • Greenhouse gases 47. Life cycle analysis is: o The amount of environmental impact that the average person creates within their lifetime o A measure of the resources needed to sustain a person’s lifestyle o An assessment of the total environmental impact of a product from the time the raw materials are gathered to their ultimate disposal o A comparative analysis of an individual’s carbon footprint based on one’s quality of life 48. Who is Furman’s primary energy provider? • Duke Energy • Santee Cooper • South Carolina Electric and Gas • Tennessee Valley Authority • We generate the majority of our energy on campus 49. What is the primary electricity generation source for Furman’s energy provider? • Solar • Coal • Wind • Hydropower • Nuclear 50. Furman aspires to be carbon neutral by what year? • 2020 • 2026 • 2033 • 2050 • 2100 51. The largest contributor to the university’s carbon footprint is: • Faculty, Staff, and Student Commuting • Study Abroad Travel • Purchased Electricity • Natural Gas • Campus Paper Use 52. Which of the following currently CAN be recycled on campus? (choose all that apply) • Paper • Glass • Plastics #3 – #7 • Plastics #1– #2 • Cardboard • Aluminum Cans • Batteries and Electronic Waste 53. The new 743 kilowatt solar installation across from the main gate, called the “Solar Farm,” has reduced Furman’s electricity bill by about ______. o 0% o 5 –10 % o 5 – 20% o 25 – 30% o 45 – 50% 54. Furman Lake is part of what watershed? o Saluda River o Enoree River o Catawba River o Broad River o Greenville River

The assessment was developed by conducting a review of other school’s sustainability literacy surveys, identifying the most common similarities, compiling the most appropriate questions that covered a comprehensive array of literacy topics, and obtaining feedback from selected faculty members to ensure a broad base of questions were chosen. These questions were included in a survey also designed to obtain feedback on individual’s perceptions and behaviors related to specific sustainability topics. A staff member from the Shi Center for Sustainability collaborated with the university’s Assistant Director of Institutional Assessment and Research and a highly-qualified research staff member to develop the survey instrument and sampling methodology.

A representative sample was randomly selected by the Assistant Director of Institutional Assessment and Research, with correction to ensure proportionate representation from all class years and genders. The assessment was administered as part of Furman’s Sustainability Survey which has been administered to students, faculty, and staff, every third year since 2008. The survey was administered through the Qualtrics survey platform and distributed via an individual e-mail with one follow-up reminder email to unfinished respondents. In order to encourage participation and completion of the survey, the first 250 respondents to complete the survey were offered an incentive valued between $5-$8.50.

There were 337 respondents to the assessment. Respondent roles were 67% student, 16% faculty, and 17% staff and gender descriptions were 60% female and 39% male, which is representative of the campus population. The mean literacy assessment score was 68.6%. The 2017 survey included all new sustainability literacy questions that better reflect Furman's focus on systems thinking and broad sustainability definition. While the following questions do not measure sustainability literacy, they do measure changes in sustainability perceptions over time: The percentage of respondents who say they agree or somewhat agree with the statement, "sustainability is important to how I live my life" increased from 78% in 2014 to 93.5% in 2017. The percentage of respondents who say they agree or somewhat agree with the statement, "I am interested in integrating sustainability into my current or future professional career" increased from 59% in 2014 to 78% in 2017. The percentage of respondents who say they agree or somewhat agree with the statement "Furman is committed to sustainability efforts" increased from 77% in 2014 to 97% in 2017.