University of Texas at Arlington
AC-6: Sustainability Literacy Assessment

This survey was designed to promote and increase enrollment for the Sustainability Minor course on campus and was administered to students every semester. Please indicate your grade level: 1. Freshman 2. Sophomore 3. Junior 4. Senior 5. Graduate student 6. Faculty/Staff/Administration Please indicate which of the following statements best describes your level of interest in sustainability: (Choose all that apply) 1. I have a passion for sustainability 2. I have a considerable interest in sustainability 3. I am neither interested nor disinterested in sustainability 4. I have little interest in sustainability 5. I have no interest in sustainability Please indicate the degree of importance you place on the following personal sustainability issues: Very Important Important Neutral Unimportant Very Unimportant Unsure Recycling Energy Conservation Water Conservation Reduce carbon emissions – ecofriendly transportation Purchase environment friendly products Environmental friendly food Please rate the frequency with which you do the following: Always Usually Rarely Never Recycle newspaper, glass, or plastic bottles on campus Minimize purchases which are not environmentally friendly Use alternative transportation (for example, ride the bus, bike, walk, carpool, Zip Car, etc.) Choose your food conscientiously based on its impacts Take classes that have a focus in social, economic, or environmental sustainability Participate in activities on campus that promote sustainability Minimize the waste you generate (for example, using reusable shopping bags or beverage containers) Conserve water by taking shorter showers, turning the faucet off when not in use, doing only full loads of laundry Conserve energy Ozone forms a protective layer in the Earth's upper atmosphere. What does ozone protect us from? (Choose all that apply) 1. Acid rain 2. Climate change 3. Sudden changes in temperature 4. Harmful UV rays 5. Dust particles What is the most common cause of stream and river pollution? (Choose all that apply) 1. Dumping of garbage by cities 2. Surface water running off yards, city streets, paved lots, and farm fields 3. Litter near streams and rivers 4. Waste dumped by factories 5. Don’t know Which of the following activities contribute to climate change? (Choose all that apply.) 1. The generation of electricity from fossil fuels 2. Taking public transportation 3. Cutting down trees 4. Building dams to divert water 5. Dumping waste such as plastics in Ocean Greenhouse effect of Earth's atmosphere keeps some of the Sun's energy from escaping back into space at night. The Greenhouse Effect can lead to the following: (Choose all that apply.) 1. Cooler Summers 2. Warmer Oceans 3. Sea Level Rise 4. Climate Change 5. Heavy Precipitation The average U.S. household uses approx. _____ gallons of water per day. 1. 50 2. 100 3. 200 4. 300 Please indicate if you think that the following actions can help lower energy consumption at UTA. (Choose all that apply) 1. Turning off lights 2. Washing clothes in cold water 3. Taking shorter showers 4. Eating beef/pork/chicken/fish 5. Eating local or organic produce 6. Staying on-campus housing 7. Using shared printing resources 8. Replacing light bulbs with CFLs or LEDs 9. Using a smart power strip 10. Unplugging devices when not in use 11. Recycling paper/plastic/metal 12. Let air-condition on at 60 degree Fahrenheit when away from home. Which of the following is a renewable resource? (Choose all that apply) 1. Oil 2. Iron ore 3. Trees 4. Coal 5. Water 6. Do not know What is meant by the term “carbon footprint”? 1. The age of an item found at an archeological site 2. The carbon left on the ground each time you take a step 3. The size of the carbon chain in a given quantity of gasoline 4. The greenhouse gasses released by burning fossil fuels for electricity and transportation 5. The imprint left on the ground when you walk The most effective way to reduce your personal carbon footprint is to: (Choose all that apply) 1. Fly less 2. Drive more 3. Live closer to work or school 4. Reduce meat consumption or eat only animals that are grass-fed rather than grain-fed 5. All of the above Which of the following is the most commonly used definition of economic sustainability? 1. Maximizing the share price of a company’s stock 2. Long term profitability 3. When costs equal revenue 4. Continually expanding market share 5. Don’t know What is the name of the primary agency that oversees environmental regulation? (Choose all that apply) 1. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 2. Department of Health, Environment, and Safety (DHES) 3. National Environmental Agency (NEA) 4. Federal Pollution Control Agency (FPCA) 5. White House 6. Institute of Sustainability and Global Impact (ISGI) 7. Don’t Know Which resources would you find most beneficial to help you learn more about sustainability? (Choose all that apply) 1. Blogs 2. E-mail communication (Trailblazer/MavWire) 3. In-person workshops / classes 4. Large educational events, such as earth day fairs 5. On-campus signs 6. Online workshops / classes 7. Student Organizations (MavsGoGreen, Environmental Society, Vegan Club) 8. Social media websites (ex. Facebook, Twitter, etc.) 9. Shorthorn 10. ISGI Website Which of the following would you be interested in learning more about? (Choose all that apply) 1. UTA sustainability programs and initiatives 2. Alternative transportation 3. Lifestyle choices that impact your carbon footprint 4. Recycling 5. Renewable energy sources 6. Water Management 7. Energy Management 8. Sustainability tips for the home or apartment/residence hall If you have any questions or comments related to sustainability or this survey, please provide it in the space below:

Survey Monkey annual license is purchased by the Office of Sustainability to conduct these surveys on a regular interval

Student volunteers offered the survey on ipad to students in the library, Maverick Activity Center, University Center. The survey was also sent out in the campus online newsletter to students and faculty. http://www.uta.edu/ucomm/internalcommunications/mavwire/2012/apr30.php

1) About 75% of respondents showed knowledge of issues like recycling and climate change. Alternative transportation was the most "sought out" focus area. Taking these survey into account, we are working on offering a bike rental program for students ( in addition to Car sharing program)

Multiple surveys were conducted to assess the transportation programs, recycling, efficiency of the Bike program, and also for writing the Sustainability Action Plan for UTA