reports.aashe.org · Web viewA Survey of Students on Their Views and Practices of Sustainability and Conservation. Douglas Todey. Objectives. To examine the views of ISU students

A Survey of Students on Their Views and Practices of Sustainability and Conservation

Douglas Todey

Objectives

To examine the views of ISU students and determine how important the issues of conservation and sustainability are to them To determine how the university can better serve students in the areas of conservation and sustainability.To determine the number of students who observe sustainable practices in their daily lives.To determine where student’s information on sustainable practices and habits come from.

Abstract

With society’s ever increasing push to be more green and sustainable, institutions of higher learning are at the leading edge of this push and have the opportunity and obligation to educate students on sustainability issues in today’s world. Education is key in communicating the facts and research done by scientists on how our world is changing and how we can best manage those changes to ensure a sustainable future.

This study was created to determine the views of the student body of Iowa State University on the issues of sustainability and conservation. Students are investing thousands of dollars a year into their education, but what kind of education are they getting for their money? Are they actually learning about issues that pertain to sustainability? Are they learning how best to conserve energy and resources and how it will impact our future planet?

The results of this survey found that students overall are learning about the key issues of sustainability and climate change and the impacts it has on society. They also understand ways of helping improve their local communities through environmentally friendly policies and actions. They understand the need for recycling and responsibility at an individual level if the policies enacted are to have any long lasting effect. They also support green initiatives that could be implemented on the campus of Iowa State University. However, they are reluctant to front the costs for those initiatives, often citing the already high cost of college.

Overall, the student body of Iowa State realizes what impact an individual has on the environment and how a single person can adjust their daily actions to reduce that impact. Many students already follow simple daily sustainable practices because they understand the impact they have. The results of this survey show that college students are being properly educated on these important issues and they care enough to make changes in society to make the world a better place for everyone to live. Iowa State students recognize the impact they have on the environment and want the university to do more to help minimize that impact.

Introduction & Literature Review

Sustainability is a global issue. It is generally agreed upon that measures to combat climate change or increase quality of life must be done so on a global scale in order to be effective. This is especially true with the issue of climate change. The United States and China recently made a step in the right direction on this issue with the announcement that both the U.S. and China will make reductions in their greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 (Davenport, 2014). Some may argue that this is simply not enough, but to have the world’s two largest emitters of greenhouse gas agree to start cutting emissions is a step in the right direction.

There are also other major issues that need to be addressed on a global scale such as the increasing scarcity of water and food. The impacts of these issues are felt even harder in poorer regions of the world. The Middle East and North Africa regions is the most water scarce on earth and has water availability of only 1200 m3/person/year compared to the worldwide average of almost 7000 m3/person/year (Food and Agriculture Organization, 2013). One half of the population there lives under conditions of water stress and with population increasing, the per capita availability of water is expected to be cut in half by 2050. With water expected to become even more scarce in that region of the world, cultivation of crops will become even more difficult. This creates even more issues of food security in an already very food insecure region of the world. The most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report on climate change reports that each degree of global warming is projected to decrease renewable water resources by at least 20% for an additional 7% of the world’s population (Jiménez, 2014). Several models also predicted that an average global increase of 7% to 21% in irrigation will be seen. This will continue to strain already stretched water resources. These outlooks change depending on emission scenarios, but the general consensus is that populations that are already water insecure will continue to see their water sources depleted.

Companies are currently working on solutions to combat some of these global issues on their own because they see it as beneficial to their interests. Businesses are starting to realize that it’s going to be beneficial to them in the long run to help reduce their water footprint. With water scarcity lining up to become a major issue in the coming decades, having a plan to reduce overall water use will help businesses save money in the long run. Climate change leads to uncertainty in crop yield which has huge implications on a company’s bottom line. Lloyd’s 360o Risk Insight provides solutions to businesses to reduce risk in their business. They released a briefing on how to reduce risk for a business with the implications of water scarcity in the near future. They also listed several businesses that have been working to reduce their water footprint and be more sustainable. SABMiller has set operational water efficiency targets across the group to reduce water consumption per liter of beer produced by 25% before 2015 (Pegram, 2010). Marks and Spencer also recently developed guidelines for its agricultural suppliers on water efficiency and stewardship. The Coca-Cola Company now requires all operations to develop water source protection plans with local stakeholders that take into account river basin vulnerabilities. Many companies are also working closely with governments in order to help reduce their environmental footprint and increase quality of water. Flamingo Flower Holdings has been working with the local water user association in Lake Naivasha in Kenya in order to improve river basin management of water resources. Anglo American is investing capital in mining operations in South America and is developing a river basin water strategy with

government authorities in order to improve clarity around future water allocation and management (Pegram, 2010).

This is what is currently happening in the scientific, business, and political world; however, the educational world is a completely different realm.

The current generation is considered the most educated in our country’s history. In 2011, a total of 21.0 million students were enrolled in degree-granting institutions (U.S. Department of Education, 2013). This is an increase of 32% from 2001 after an 11% increase between 1991 and 2001 (U.S. Department of Education, 2013). Between 1990 and 2013, the number of people who had completed a bachelor’s or higher degree increased from 23 to 34 percent (U.S. Department of Education, 2014). With so many students moving through our country’s universities, a unique opportunity is provided for these institutions to teach those students about these important sustainability issues.

Universities have to help educate students on sustainability and climate change issues. Many universities across the United States are taking steps to help advance this education. Ohio State University has a sustainability learning community that allows students to be involved in sustainability events across campus and visit learn about sustainability with faculty and green businesses (Ohio State University, 2014). The University of Maryland has an initiative called PALS, or Partnership for Action Learning in Sustainability. PALS works with a local government for a year and works with them to assist in sustainability challenges in a real world environment (National Center for Smart Growth Research and Education, 2014). This gives students real world experience that is much more applicable after graduation.

The College Sustainability Report Card is an annual report that evaluates universities on their sustainability practices and gives them a rating based on how they do. In 2011, out of the 322 schools evaluated, 56% earned a “B” rating or better. 120 total universities attained Campus Sustainability Leader status, meaning they received an average grade of an “A-” or higher in all the studied categories. 75% of all schools have full-time staff dedicated to sustainability and sustainability education. Over half of the universities studied have made commitments to achieving carbon neutrality by signing the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment and 52% already have on-site wind, solar, or geothermal production (College Sustainability Report Card, 2011).

Many other universities around the country, and worldwide, have classes, programs, even entire colleges dedicated to sustainability and have taken major steps toward reducing their environmental impact on a university level.

Studies have been done at other universities to determine how their students perceive sustainability. A study done by Richard Emanuel and J.N. Adams compared the views of campus sustainability by students at public universities in Alabama and Hawaii. A 2007 Forbes article identified Hawaii as the fourth greenest state and Alabama as the 48th and the study wanted to ascertain whether or not there was a link between the overall rank of the state and the view of its college students. The study found that respondents were both concerned about waste and pollution and reasonably similar on their views about who is responsible for sustainability.

However, a large proportion of students from Hawaii expressed willingness to participate in sustainable practices (Richard, 2011).

Overall, there appears to be a trend in students understanding that there is a need for sustainability and waste control. However, discrepancies arise when it comes down to who should take responsibility for being sustainable and how it should be done.

Iowa State University is one of these universities who are dedicated to sustainability and making a difference. The Office of Sustainability has put together an extensive list of accomplishments by the university that has helped make Iowa State greener (Iowa State University: Office of Sustainability, 2014). The Iowa Board of Regents has approved Sustainability Plans for the last five years for the university which sets standards on a sustainability plan which helps guide the university’s sustainability policies. These standards include a variety of goals. All major projects (new buildings and major capital renovations) shall meet or exceed the U.S. Green Building Council’s guidelines for silver level LEED certification (Board of Regents, 2009). The goal was set that by July 1, 2013, the combined energy portfolio of the university shall include at least 10% from renewable sources. The university will also encourage recycling and promote programs that reuse, repurpose, or recycle surplus items. The university additionally will reduce emissions in its campus vehicle fleet through the use of E85 and biodiesel alternative fuels while increasing the number of Flux Fuel, hybrid, and electric vehicles (Board of Regents, 2009).

Other outside organizations give the university guidelines and grades on the university’s sustainability efforts. The Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System gave Iowa State University a gold certification in its first year of application in 2013. The College Sustainability Report Card is one of the most popular grading reports for universities in the United States and Canada. Iowa State received a B grade in 2011, up from a C in 2008. Also in 2008, a report published by the National Wildlife Federation recognized Iowa State as:

An Exemplary School for On-Campus Clean Energy Sources and CogenerationAn Exemplary School for Recycling More than 80% of Total Municipal Waste GeneratedA School Committed to doing more with Energy Efficiency, Conservation and Renewable EnergyA School Committed to do more with Recycling, Solid Waste, and Materials Flow

The university also installed a 100 kW wind turbine in December, 2012. They also buy electricity from a wind farm north of town which produced 8.7% of the university’s electricity for fiscal year 2013 (Iowa State University: Utility Services, 2014). The power plant on campus also utilizes many different resources such as fabric filters to reduce particulate emissions and burning a mix of limestone and coal to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions to ensure a clean production of energy. The university also has 6 LEED certified buildings with 8 additional projects in progress.

Iowa State University also has an Energy Dashboard that allows viewers to see real time energy usage across the university (Iowa State University: Utility Services, 2014). It shows the total amount of energy being used and where it is being used. It shows exactly how much energy is being used in each building and allows comparison between buildings to see which buildings are

more energy efficient than others and what buildings use more energy. It also allows users to see exactly where the energy being used is coming from. As previously stated, the university gets its electricity from a variety of sources. The Energy Dashboard shows how much is being used from each source, whether the source is burned at the Iowa State power plant, or is purchased from the Ames power plant or from the wind farm north of Ames. The Dashboard additionally provides historically collected data so comparisons can be made to see how much fuel is being used compared to last week or last year.

However, do these trends of environmental responsibility filter into the student body as well? That is the question that this study aims to find out. Universities spend all this time and money to ensure that they are sustainable and conservation-minded. Is all of that action being transferred to the student population? What are the conservation practices of the Iowa State student body? How can the university get them more information on its own practices and how it continues to keep itself green? What practices would the student body like the university to implement that would allow them to be more sustainable?

Methods

During the fall 2014, an online survey was sent to all undergraduate (n = 28,893) and graduate students (n = 4,950) of Iowa State University through Qualtrics. The questionnaire contained 43 close-ended and 35 open-ended questions. The open-ended questions allowed respondents to elaborate and expand upon their answers. The questions included demographics, personal habits, and personal beliefs. The issues included in the survey ranged from recycling and reducing water usage to the effect of global climate change and electricity production. Questions were also asked about their personal habits and what they would like to see changed in the university. The questions included in the survey can be seen in the Appendix 1. The survey was developed by the author with input from Dr. Kurt Rosentrater, Dr. Brianna Burke, and Dr. Merry Rankin.

Recognizing that students receive many university-based notices and surveys (and electronic communications, in general), our expectations for a high response rate were low. The initial request for participation in the survey was followed up with a reminder email, such that the survey was ultimately available for completion for a total of four weeks. As expected, the response rate was low. While this is a limitation of this study, we thus characterize this research as exploratory. Ideally, lessons learned from this research can help generate a more robust response rate in the future.

A total of 1,226 students completed or substantially completed the survey, representing an effective response rate of approximately 3.5%. Of those respondents, 848 students were enrolled as undergraduates and 298 as graduate students. Of the total respondents, 521 were male and 624 were female.

Results were analyzed using Microsoft Excel and the provided Qualtrics metrics for frequencies and answers.

Survey Responses

Question 1. What college is your primary major in?

Summary

# Answer Bar Response %1 Agriculture and Life Sciences 0.267888 307 27%2 Business 0.066318 76 7%3 Design 0.054974 63 5%4 Engineering 0.263525 302 26%5 Graduate 0.049738 57 5%6 Human Sciences 0.094241 108 9%7 Liberal Arts and Sciences 0.189354 217 19%8 Veterinary Medicine 0.013962 16 1%

Total 1,146 100%

Statistic ValueMin Value 1Max Value 8Mean 3.87Variance 5.07Standard Deviation 2.25Total Responses 1,146

Discussion

The actual enrollment of the university is as follows for fall semester 2014:

College Enrollment Percent of UniversityAgriculture 5205 15.38Business 4082 12.06Design 1998 5.90Engineering 8789 25.97H Science 5093 15.05LAS 8126 24.01Vet Med 140 0.41

Only the Colleges of Design, Engineering, and Veterinary Medicine had a percent response similar to their overall enrollment in the university. The College of Agriculture had a response rate higher than their overall university enrollment. The Colleges of Business, Human Sciences, and Liberal Arts and Sciences had a response rate lower than their overall university enrollment. The fact that the College of Agriculture had a much higher response rate than their overall

enrollment might be explained by the fact that these issues pertain more toward an agricultural audience and people who have an interest in conservation are probably involved in the life sciences. People enrolled in the Colleges of Business, Human Sciences, and Liberal Arts do not have nearly as much of a vested interest in the issues covered in the survey and therefore did not participate as readily.

Question 2. What is your major?

Summary

Statistic ValueTotal Responses 1,134

Accounting – 15Accounting and Finance – 2Advertising – 3Aerospace Engineering – 22 Agricultural Biochemistry – 3Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering – 7Agricultural Business – 23Agricultural Communications – 3Agricultural Education – 10Agricultural Engineering – 21Agricultural Exploration – 1Agricultural Meteorology – 3Agricultural Studies – 17Agricultural Systems Technology – 11Agriculture – 2Agriculture and Society – 1Agriculture and Society – 1Agronomy – 34Animal Breeding and Genetics – 1Animal Ecology – 12Animal Science – 36Anthropology – 1Apparel, Merchandising, and Design – 11Applied Linguistics – 3Applied Mathematics – 2Architecture – 13Art and Visual Culture – 1Athletic Training – 1Biochemistry – 5Bioinformatics and Computational Biology – 5Biological Pre-Medical Illustration – 3Biological Systems Engineering – 14Biology – 38Biophysics – 1Biorenewable Resources and Technology – 1Business Administration – 2Business Management – 1Chemical Engineering – 52Chemistry – 9

Child Development – 1Child, Adult, and Family Services – 6Civil Engineering – 41Communication – 4Community and Regional Planning – 13Computer Engineering – 13Computer Science – 8Construction Engineering – 10Counseling Psychology – 5Creative Writing – 2Criminal Justice – 2Crop Production and Physiology – 2Culinary Science – 4Curriculum and Instructional Technology – 2Dairy Science – 2Design – 2Diet and Exercise – 2Dietetics – 7Early Childhood Education – 2Earth Science – 2Ecology and Evolutionary Biology – 6Economics – 6Education – 14Educational Leadership – 1Electrical Engineering – 29Elementary Education – 6English – 9English Education – 7English Literature – 1Entomology – 1Environmental Engineering – 5Environmental Science – 31Event Management – 6Family Resource Management – 1Family and Consumer Sciences Education and Studies – 6Finance – 9Fisheries Biology – 1Food Science – 18Forestry – 9Genetics – 24Geology – 3Global Resource Systems – 12Graphic Design – 9Human Computer Interaction – 2Human Development and Family Services – 5Higher Education – 3

Higher Education Student Affairs – 3History – 7Horticulture – 13Hospitality Management – 8Hydrogeology – 1Industrial Design – 8Industrial Engineering – 15Industrial Technology – 9Information Systems – 6Intensive English and Orientation Program – 1Journalism and Mass Communication – 6Journalism – 9Kinesiology – 7Kinesiology and Health – 8Landscape Architecture – 9Liberal Studies – 4Linguistics – 1Management – 4Management and Marketing – 1Management Information Systems – 12Marketing – 13Materials Engineering – 11Materials Science – 4Mathematics – 9Mechanical Engineering – 55Meteorology – 6Microbiology – 4Molecular, Cellular, and Development Biology – 1Music – 2Nutritional Science – 5Open Option – 4Philosophy – 2Physical Chemistry – 1Physics – 3Plant Breeding – 2Plant Pathology – 2Political Science – 10Pre-Architecture – 1Pre-Athletic Training – 2Pre-Business – 1Pre-Dietetics – 2Pre-Graphic Design – 2Pre-Industrial Design – 5Pre-Med – 1Psychology – 23Public Relations – 5

Public Service and Administration in Agriculture – 2Rhetoric and Professional Communication – 4Secondary English Education – 1Social Psychology – 1Sociology – 8Software Engineering – 6Soil Science – 3Spanish – 3Statistics – 8Structural Engineering – 1Student Affairs – 5Supply Chain Management – 8Sustainable Agriculture – 7Undecided – 6Veterinary Medicine – 12Veterinary Microbiology – 1Wildlife Ecology – 1Wind Energy, Science, Engineering, and Policy – 3

Discussion

There is a very diverse background of students who took this survey. Chemical and Mechanical Engineering were the highest reporting majors of respondents. Mechanical Engineering is the largest major in the university by student population and Chemical Engineering is also a larger major within the College of Engineering. The College of Engineering had a high rate of response simply because it is the largest college in the university by several thousand students. There can also be seen a wide range of majors of environmental backgrounds; Agronomy, Biology, and Environmental Science all had higher rates of response overall. This again is possibly due to the vested interest that people in these majors have in the issues covered in this survey. These majors deal heavily in the issues of sustainability and conservation and would be heavily influenced by climate change.

Question 3. What is your minor? (If applicable)

Summary

Statistic ValueTotal Responses 369

Advertising – 5Ag Business – 2Ag Systems Technology – 4Agricultural Education and Studies – 5Agricultural Business – 5Agricultural Communication – 1Agronomy – 25Animal Ecology – 4Animal Science – 10Anthropology – 1Agricultural Systems Technology – 1Astronomy – 2Athletic Coaching – 5Biochemistry – 2Bioengineering – 4Biology – 3Biomedical Engineering – 5Biorenewable Resources and Technology – 3Business – 9Chemistry – 1Child, Adult, and Family Services – 3Chinese – 1Chinese Studies – 1Classical Studies – 1Communication Studies – 2Computer Science – 1Criminal Justice – 3Design Studies – 1Digital Media – 3Economics – 6Electrical Engineering – 1Electromagnetic, Microwave, and Nondestructive Evaluation – 3Emerging Global Diseases – 1Energy Systems – 7English – 3Entomology – 1Entrepreneurship – 2Environmental Studies – 5Event Management – 2

Finance – 4Food Safety – 2Food Science – 3Forestry – 1French – 7General Business – 9Genetics – 1Geography – 1Geology – 3Gerontology – 4Health Promotion – 1History – 1Horticulture – 3Human Development – 1Immunobiology – 1Industrial Design Studies – 1Industrial Technology – 2International Agriculture – 1Journalism – 3Leadership – 4Learning Technologies – 3Literature – 2Management – 2Marketing – 1Mathematics – 3Meat Science – 2Microbiology – 3Military Science – 1Music – 8Nuclear Engineering – 3Occupational Safety – 2Philosophy – 1Physics – 2Political Science – 4Pre-Veterinary – 1Psychology – 12Public Speaking – 1Religious Studies – 2Renewable Energy Systems – 1Russian Studies – 3Sales Engineering – 2Seed Science – 1Soil Physics – 1Spanish – 25Speech Communication – 1Sports and Recreation – 2

Statistics – 6Supply Chain Management – 2Sustainability – 18Sustainable Agriculture – 3Teaching English as a Second Language – 1Technical Communication – 2Women’s Studies - 3

Discussion

A wide variety of minors were listed by respondents. The minors with the highest number of respondents were Agronomy, Spanish, and Sustainability which indicate students with backgrounds in environmental and sustainable issues, in addition to cultural ideals. This once again indicates that these people are interested in environmental issues and understand that these issues could impact them in their careers. People with minors are often looking to expand their education to an area different than their major. The number of people with these minors indicates that people may be getting an education in one area, but want to understand some of the issues that are happening in our world today by getting a minor in one of these subject areas. It allows them to broaden their horizons to an area that they otherwise wouldn’t learn much about. These minors help students learn about issues that will have an impact on them in the future while still allowing them to follow the career with the major they chose.

Question 4. What gender are you?

Summary

# Answer BarResponse %

1 Male0.45383

3 521 45%

2 Female0.54355

4 624 54%

3 Other0.00261

3 3 0%Total 1,148 100%


Discussion

At the university, males make up 56% of the population whereas females make up 44% of the overall student population (Iowa State University: The Office of the Registrar, 2014). The male to female ratio of the university is flipped when compared to the male to female ratio of respondents to the survey. This higher ratio of females to males may slightly skew the results in favor of climate change being human caused. This trend can be seen in recent Gallup polls that show 60% of women believe that climate change is human caused as compared to only 40% of men (Gallup, 2014). This may affect the results and indicate that, overall, more of the student body believes that climate change is human caused that actually believes it.

Question 5. Are you a graduate or undergraduate student?

Summary


1Undergraduate

0.739965 848 74%

2 Graduate0.26003

5 298 26%Total 1,146 100%


Discussion

At Iowa State, graduates make up 14.6% and undergraduates make up 85.4% of the student population (Iowa State University: Office of the Registrar, 2014). Therefore, this survey has a much higher graduate representation than the general student population. This also may slightly skew the results as graduate students may not necessarily have done their undergraduate at Iowa State so their outside knowledge may affect how the education at Iowa State impacts students. This discrepancy does not help one of the objectives of this study which is to determine how well Iowa State is teaching its students about sustainability.

Question 6. Where do you live?

Summary

# Answer Bar Response %1 Residence Hall 0.211857 243 21%2 Apartment 0.563208 646 56%3 Non-apartment off campus 0.224935 258 22%

Total 1,147 100%


Discussion

Currently, 21.5% of Iowa State students live in residence halls with the Department of Residence (Iowa State University: Department of Residence, 2014). This response is almost exactly the percentage of respondents who indicated they lived in residence halls. Additionally, 13.8% of Iowa State students live in apartments with the Department of Residence. This means that many respondents also live in apartments off campus that do not live with the Department of Residence. This makes sense since that is a very popular option with college students. Additionally, 22% of respondents indicate that they live in some sort of living arrangement off campus that is not an apartment which is most likely a house of some sort.

Question 7. Where are you originally from?

Summary

# Answer Bar Response %1 Iowa 0.560105 643 56%2 Outside of Iowa but within the United States 0.356272 409 36%3 International 0.083624 96 8%

Total 1,148 100%


Discussion

At Iowa State, Iowa residents make up 58.8% of students, non-resident students from the United States make up 29.6% of students, and international students make up the remaining 11.56% of the student population (Iowa State University: Office of the Registrar, 2014). Since Iowa State is a very agriculturally based school, it makes sense that nearly 60% of its students come from Iowa. Iowa is a very heavily agricultural state and the next generation of farmers wants to get a good education in agriculture so many of them choose to attend Iowa State. The results of this survey fairly closely mirror the makeup of Iowa State. The percentage of students from Iowa is very similar. The percentage of students who come from other states who responded to the survey is slightly higher and subsequently the number of international students who responded is slightly lower, but they are fairly close to the demographics of the Iowa State.

Question 8. What political affiliation do you identify most closely with?

Summary


1Conservative

0.240595 275 24%

2Independent

0.194226 222 19%

3 Liberal0.25371

8 290 25%

4 Libertarian0.06211

7 71 6%

5 Other0.02974

6 34 3%

6 None0.21959

8 251 22%Total 1,143 100%


Discussion

In the March 6, 2015 Gallup poll on political party affiliation, 27% of respondents identified as Republican, 28% identified as Democrat, and 44% identified as Independent (Gallup, 2015). In terms of Republican and Democratic identifiers being similar, the results of this question were fairly close to the views of the rest of the United States population. Slightly fewer respondents in this survey identified as Republican and Democrat than in the general public. Also, much fewer people responded as Independent as compared to the public. This is possibly due to the fact that the option for “none” was included in the survey. The Gallup poll did not include an option for none and often people will respond as Independent rather than pick either Democrat or Republican. For this reason, fewer respondents identified as Independent and over a fifth of respondents indicated that they did not identify with a particular political affiliation.

Question 9. Do you believe climate scientists who say that the climate is changing?

Summary


628 responses stated that they believed the climate is changing. 24 responses stated that they believed the climate is not changing

Discussion

61% of Americans believe that the climate is changing according to recent polls done by the Pew Research Center (Motel, 2014). This is much lower than the 85% of respondents who believe that the climate is changing. This is possibly due to the fact that students are more educated on this topic while at school. Ideally, the respondents are learning about the climate issues covered at school, be that, high school or college. It cannot be said where exactly the students are learning the issues, but at least they are learning about them. That education is proving to be effective if 85% of respondents indicate that they believe the climate is changing. This bodes well for the future. If students are realizing that the climate is changing and that it has an impact on their life, then they are more likely to change their behavior to reduce their overall impact.

Question 10. What is causing the climate to change?

Summary

# Answer Bar Response %1 Humans 0.453621 357 45%2 Natural Processes 0.348158 274 35%3 A combination of both 0.771283 607 77%4 Climate change is not happening 0.021601 17 2%5 Other (please specify) 0.031766 25 3%

Statistic ValueMin Value 1Max Value 5Total Responses 787

Sample “Other” Responses

A bit of both, but I think the more concerning (and probably larger part) is the human-driven climate change.

There are natural climatic fluctuations, but human activity has massively accelerated the rate of climate change, therefore not allowing time for species to adapt to changes.

Interaction between human activity and response of natural systems

Discussion

Most respondents indicated that they believed that climate change was a result of a combination of anthropogenic and natural processes. Some of the “Other” answers mentioned differing impacts of human and natural processes and a few other answers also talked about the fact that climate may be changing due to wobble in the Earth’s rotation around its axis. A few answers also talked about the fact that the climate cycles and is always changing and will continue to do so regardless of the human impact. Overall, respondents indicate that human processes are driving climate change with some feedback by the natural environment trying to right itself. They may not know the exact ratio of human and natural causes, but they overall realize that humans are driving the majority of warming on the planet.

Question 11. Where do you get your information on climate change issues?

Summary

# Answer Bar Response %1 News Media (list sources) 0.593068 462 59%2 Social Media (list sources) 0.27086 211 27%3 Internet (list sources) 0.500642 390 50%4 Classes (list specific classes) 0.462131 360 46%5 Friends/Family Members 0.442875 345 44%6 Talk Shows 0.133504 104 13%7 Blogs 0.102696 80 10%8 Heard it from somebody but haven't checked for myself 0.08344 65 8%9 It's my own opinion or experience 0.299101 233 30%

10 Government Reports 0.326059 254 33%11 IPCC 0.132221 103 13%12 Other (please specify) 0.082157 64 8%


News Network Number of RespondentsABC 19NBC 22CBS 14Fox 26CNN 99BBC 44

Social Media Number of RespondentsFacebook 104Twitter 37Reddit 30

Discussion

Most respondents listed major news outlets as their primary sources of information about climate change which was closely followed by Internet sources. The highest listed news source was CNN. This is quite possibly due to the fact that CNN is viewed as a “middle ground” on the political spectrum between the left-leaning MSNBC and the right-leaning Fox News. This view could also be seen as a reason as to why the BBC was listed so many times. It’s seen as a more

impartial source since it is based outside of the country and doesn’t have a vested interest in the United States.

Other news media sources that were listed multiple times included the New York Times, National Geographic, and the Huffington Post. Additionally, both the Daily Show with Jon Stewart and the Colbert Report were listed several times. These shows are often looked at more as news shows than comedy shows, possibly simply due to the fact that conventional media outlets aren’t seen as trustworthy.

There were a wide variety of responses listed for those who selected the Internet. These included NASA, the EPA, USDA, and NOAA/NWS in terms of governmental agencies. Other sources included 350.org, I Fucking Love Science, and TED talks. A number of respondents also indicated they read scientific literature on the issue and some had even done some of their own research on the topic.

Social media was not one of the top sources for climate change information. However, the high number of respondents who indicated that they get some information from their friends and family means that the issue is being talked about for a lot of respondents. This means that conversations are being had about this important issue by people who are going to have an impact in fixing this problem in the years to come. All of these responses show that people are reading up on the important issue of climate change and are informing themselves. This could have major implications for the years to come as this group of students graduates and comes into power in the political and social realm.

Question 12. Do you think conservation is important?

Summary


Nearly every response for this question responded that they believed that conservation is important. Some respondents indicated that conservation should be economically viable and not hurt the people it’s trying to protect.

Sample Responses

Yes, definitely. We should be doing all we can to take care of the Earth. Yes I do as long as it’s realistic and not economically damaging. Yes I do. The future has the right to have and experience what I have. Yes, very. It's a pragmatic responsibility as well as an ideal worth fighting for.

Discussion

Conservation is a very broad topic, but it seems to be a general consensus by the respondents that it is important. Most seem to realize that we have to preserve what we have in order to make sure there’s enough for future generations. Many classes across the university emphasize that point to ensure we’re not throwing away the future of the human race. This is a goal society has a whole, to make sure we conserve enough of what we have to ensure there’s enough for the next generation because this generation is not the end all be all and there has to be some conservation for the human race to continue. The fact that the respondents indicated that they also believed in this ideal, means there’s hope for this generation to continue that trend.

Question 13. Here at Iowa State, do you feel you have a personal role in contributing to climate change or is it the university’s job to adjust its actions?

Summary


461 respondents indicated that they believed it should be some sort of combination between personal action and action taken by the university.

70 respondents indicated that they believed only a personal role should be taken. 47 respondents indicated that they believed the university should take action.

Sample Responses

Both - I feel like students need to do all that they can to reduce their impact and the impact of the university - such as turning off lights in rooms when leaving, using the residence hall recycling system, and being smart about energy usage overall. However, there are many larger aspects to this on the Iowa State campus that students do not have control over that the university as a larger whole does. It's those types of things that should be the role of the university to change its actions.

Both. The university may implement different environmentally friendly policies, but it is up to the students and faculty to really utilize them.

Everyone plays a part in "contributing" to climate change but institutions should bear significant responsibility for helping create a path for change.

I believe I have a personal role. Iowa State has offered resources to encourage conservation but it is my job to utilize them.

I feel the university should head and facilitate an environment in which students feel compelled to and do play a role in conservation through recycling programs and other measures.

It should be both the role of individual students as well as the University. The University is an entity as much as the people working in it, but it cannot change on its own. I feel the University should provide perhaps annual or semi-annual hearings on ideas to change policy on issues, including environmental policy. If such hearings exist, perhaps they should be made more visible to students.

The university can't successfully implement changes if people won't go for it on a personal level, so you would need both groups to change in order to be successful.

We should make it known to Iowa State that we want these changes to be made here.

Discussion

Respondents express concern that the university is not doing enough to encourage sustainable practices such as recycling and composting and has a responsibility to provide those services to the student body. Many responses suggested that the university’s responsibility is to provide services for students but it’s the student’s responsibility to use those services.

The idea was brought up that the university has the ability and responsibility to take action on a broader level that has an overarching effect on the university as a whole. Individuals do not have that opportunity and therefore cannot have as wide ranging of an impact, but still have a responsibility to adjust their actions to a cleaner way of living. Individuals have the opportunity to take advantages of the options that the university provides them through its position as an institution of higher learning, but the decision is on the individual, not on the university.

Question 14. Who should take responsibility for making changes to combat climate change? (select all that apply)

Summary


1 Individuals0.95131

6 723 95%

2 Companies0.94868

4 721 95%

3Governments

0.889474 676 89%

4 Non-profits0.78947

4 600 79%

5Communities

0.917105 697 92%


Discussion

The results of this question show that respondents believe that nearly everybody should be responsible for making changes to combat climate change. Most respondents think that individuals and companies should be most responsible for climate change, very possibly because they are the major contributors to it. Communities and governments follow very closely behind because they have so much power in setting the agenda and policies to control emissions and other impacts on the climate. Governments and communities have the ability to create laws and regulations on companies and individuals to help all involved groups’ impact on climate change.

Question 15. What can individuals do to combat the effects of climate change?

Summary


Advocate Become better educated Try to reduce energy use/fossil fuel use Increase awareness

Sample Responses

Be aware of how they can make a difference and then figure out the ways they can. Be cautious of how much energy you are using; this is not just the energy you used to

drive your car around today. It's the much bigger picture. Every product you use, every meal you consume, takes a lot of energy to produce that comes from burning fossil fuels, or other sources of energy.

Be conscious of how individual actions are affecting climate change and take small, manageable steps to minimize those effects.

Build a time-machine and stop the industrial revolution..... But if that doesn't work for some reason, perhaps we can cut down on paper usage, fossil fuel combustion, and focus on obtaining energy from renewable sources.

Care. We, as a people, need to understand what things don't need to be the way they've always been. Our culture needs to change. We don't need to drive everywhere we want to go, we don't need to live in three bedroom houses in the suburbs, and we don't need to rinse our powerade bottles three times before we use them as water bottles. We don't even need individual powerade bottles.

Change daily behaviors, conserve energy, whether that's taking shorter showers, unplugging chargers, using energy efficient appliances, shutting off lights, making homes more energy efficient, driving less, driving more fuel-efficient cars, using solar and wind if possible. The list is long.

COLLABORATE AND WORK TOGETHER, forget this right versus left, one sided opinion. Take two opinions and combine them to form an ACTUAL solution.

Fight for climate justice. Push our leaders to act on climate change. Hold polluters accountable.

First of all, be informed. You can never know where there's a need without a defined knowledge of the problem. Second, take initiative and DO SOMETHING (even if it's small) to work toward a goal. Join a club. Raise money. Recycle a milk carton.

Individuals can make a lot of decisions that make a difference; choosing environmentally responsible products, reducing our consumption and therefore waste, becoming more efficient in our everyday lives, raising awareness about the issues at hand, educating yourself and many many more. Individuals are the consumers of products and resources, if we demand more environmentally responsible products we will get them.

Lifestyle choices and communication. Do what you can in your own life to reduce your energy consumption and make good choices as a consumer. Then, spread the word with your friends and family.

Reduce, reuse, recycle. Being aware of what resources and how to dispose of products in an eco-friendly manner helps as well. Realize that we are contributing on some level and we should try to combat it. People state that they want a safer world for their children and grandchildren but fail to realize the effect that we have on the world in the present. If they want a world in the future for their kids, they can use or find renewable resources for energy. Individuals need to be open minded and actually make an effort. .

Start with the easier things. Conserve energy in their living quarters, use reusable bags, recycle paper/plastics/glass/cardboard (whatever their community does), buy "green" products that are more efficient like toilets, dishwashers, washers, light bulbs, etc. If they have a bit more money than most, they should look into solar panels in their yard or roof, or perhaps a small turbine. It's the individual's job to steer the market towards a more renewable attitude. If we can affect the market, companies, industries, and governments will take notice.

Stop the buy-and-throw-away culture. Reuse, recycle, donate items, buy used items.

Discussion

There were a wide variety of responses given by respondents for what individuals could do to affect their carbon impact. A number of respondents suggested voting for politicians who show support for clean energy programs and “green” ideas. Others suggested buying only products that are produced sustainably and only buy products whose companies are environmentally friendly. Several suggested carpooling as a simple way to reduce one’s carbon footprint and many more simply stated that individuals should drive less, take public transportation, or buy more fuel efficient cars. Many respondents simply said change your lifestyle and become conscientious of what decisions you make and how that affects the environment. Many more mentioned adjusting diets as a way to be more sustainable, in addition to eating local foods, eating less meat, and eating less processed foods. Several responses mentioned the fact that it is simply the small, every-day decisions we make that have the largest impact on the environment and are the easiest to change to reduce that impact. 223 out of the 652 respondents listed recycling as a way for individuals to impact the environment. Several respondents also listed making houses more energy efficient and adjusting the thermostat to reduce energy consumption. Many respondents also mentioned using reusable bags for groceries instead of using plastic bags.

The most widely mentioned adjustment for individuals is for them to recycle. A third of respondents to this question mentioned recycling as something they could do to help reduce their environmental impact. They mentioned the fact that it’s something easy that can be done that has an immediate effect. Other small impacts such as using reusable bags, buying energy efficient appliances, turning off lights, and conserving water were mentioned as other practices that combined have a large overall impact.

Another topic that was approached many times was how individuals need to increase their awareness of their actions. If people are aware of the impact they have by the actions they choose, they have a better chance of adjusting those actions to something more sustainable.

Most people will change their actions if they are aware of the impact they have. This ranges from water use to electricity use and energy conservation. They can also reduce the amount of waste they produce by reusing items instead of throwing them away. As one respondent said, we need to stop the “buy and throw away culture.” This would allow for a reduction of the amount of waste we produce and allow a reduction in our dependence on landfills which would create a greener and more sustainable overall society.

Question 16. What can companies do to combat the effects of climate change?

Summary


Be efficient in their use of resources Be more efficient, less wasteful, and more sustainable Stop focusing on short term profit gains and look at long term sustainable solutions Discourage companies from moving overseas to other countries without environmental

regulations Utilize their size and capital to invest in greener technologies that make their product

cleaner Be more conscious of their activities and the impact they have Reduce emissions and decrease overall carbon footprint Take responsibility for and clean up the results of any spill or accident that may happen Provide opportunities for employees to be more sustainable: less waste in cafeteria,

encourage recycling, encourage carpooling Put more focus on sustainability and less on profit Start with making their facilities more sustainable: automatic lights, low flow toilets,

limit heating and air conditioning, encourage telecommuting Nothing, it’s not their job, the government should encourage it Recycle Reduce waste Use less packaging Use cleaner energy sources

Sample Responses

Adopt environmentally friendly practices as well as taking advantage of government programs that reward companies who are "green" companies. Educate employees and make a public stance in support of fighting man-made climate change effects.

Be conscious of their actions and impacts they have - both on the environment, communities, individuals, etc. and make efforts to change practices that lead to negative impacts.

Be more efficient about the energy they use, look for alternative fuel and energy sources, stop being so focused on money and short-term effects of the money and look at the long-term effects of their actions and what is better in the long run

Change manufacturing processes. Purchase raw ingredients that were produced from methods that had less greenhouse gas emissions.

Companies can be held responsible for their own wastefulness and disasters. Companies should develop closed loop cycles for their products and tell the consumers who made this product what materials and energy went into it and how many greenhouse gases have been released by the time that you pick it up in the store has produced. Companies should look to the future of innovation of products that consume less resources and can be

produced in factories run by solar, wind, renewable energy. The company should create easier ways to replace items instead of throwing a whole TV out when just one bulb on your screen is broken. Create technology that is interchangeable and promote ethical business practices. They should also be held responsible for spills and clean up of their own products. A company cannot own the patent on something but claim no responsibility when this product spilled and contaminating water for people down river.

Companies can provide environmentally responsible products to the consumers, becoming more efficient in manufacturing of products, more efficient transportation of products and goods, making decisions based not only on profit alone and considering the weights of their actions.

Make decisions not strictly based on profit but also on environmental impact. Use less materials, reusable materials, use solar and wind energy, provide carpools, discuss environmental issues with employees, partner with sustainable companies.

Reduce disposable packaging, maximize shipping or production efficiency, employ local people and have offices near houses, use a carbon credit system, support local businesses when they make purchases, do more research before promoting something as a "green" item.

So much more. They have the money to put policies in place and make a greater impact than an individual.

They can be proactive in implementing energy and water saving policies, and not waiting until they government forces such changes.

Discussion

The majority of the responses revolved around the fact that companies have more capital and money to invest in sustainable solutions. These respondents believed that companies had a responsibility to reduce their carbon footprint and overall environmental impact. As can be seen in the sample responses, these issues range from reducing water and energy use within their facilities to reducing the amount of packaging on products and correctly labeling products as “green.” Many responses talked about the fact that companies need to focus more on their environmental impact and not as much on profit. More emphasis needs to be put on long term sustainability than on short term profits. This may be a good idea; however, it may be more feasible for government to issue regulations than for companies to self-regulate their actions.

Question 17. What can governments do to combat the effects of climate change?

Summary


Shift funding from fossil fuels to cleaner energy sources Reform campaign financing Cap and trade/carbon tax Regulate carbon emissions Public transportation Educate the public about climate change issues Provide grants and funding for sustainability projects Enact tougher emissions standards on cars Collaborate on a worldwide scale A few that don’t believe the government should do anything Listen to scientists and follow their suggestions on sustainable actions Regulate companies Don’t allow construction of the Keystone pipeline Reduce greed

Sample Responses

Advocate. Make policies with teeth. Allocate funding specific to green initiatives and land restoration. Provide public amenities that support sustainability.

By regulating car emissions. By giving power plants incentives to improve efficiency and update to newer technology (power plants are very stuck in their ways; if it ain't broke don't fix it. This is because it is often expensive to update the plants without long term lifetime data of new technologies). Give incentives to manufacturers and companies to update facilities and build LEED certified buildings.

Campaign finance reform so members of congress and the executive branch listen to scientific experts and the American people rather than corporate donors would be a huge start.

Cap and trade, put money into research for biorenewables (energy, chemicals, etc), put pressure on countries with bad practices (clear cutting forests, coal power plants) but also lead by example. Put money into conservation. Public transport.

collaborate to come up with creative legislation that support a healthy climate, and a healthy economy

Create clean energy mandates for power companies, fuel efficiency standards for auto manufacturers. Tax carbon polluting businesses - create incentives for renewable energy. Give tax breaks / credits to low carbon emitting businesses and individuals.

Create more laws for citizens and companies to reduce pollution and waste, require recycling, create programs to encourage people to reduce their carbon footprint, charge more for imported foods and less for locally grown foods.

Enact legislation that cleans up polluting industries, promote investment in clean energy sources, end our over-reliance on dirty transportation and promote cleaner transportation alternatives.

Encourage the use of green technologies. Set environmental standards and force companies to meet them.

Enforce greater climate change laws and work with other nations to collectively reduce our world environmental footprint. Collaboration, when effective and possible, is a great motivator of change.

Fund renewable resources of energy specifically nuclear fusion, pass laws banning fossil fuel usage for energy( allowing for a progressive tapering off of use), give tax breaks to those who incorporate new efficient energy saving technology and renewable energy producers (solar panels, geothermal heat) into homes

Give monatary values to our natural resources based on ALL the services said resources provided so it will no longer be economically advantageous to operate at the cost of our natural resources.

Have stricter rules for plastic, carbon tax, fix wealth inequality, regulations and subsidies, establish a government run recycling service i would pay taxes on that. regulate chemicals and agriculture to promote sustainable practices

Incentive. Give individuals and companies a reason to care. Maybe the government should match investments. Hypothetical: BP increases its research funding to 13% which equates to x billion dollars, the government agrees to match 10% of that cost towards their research in order to reward that large increase in spending on research especially in the area of renewable energy.

Promote sustainable activities through subsidies and extension programs. Quit subsidizing areas that do harm to the environment. Punish people, with jail time, who knowingly do damage to the environment.

RESPOND to the threat of climate change as a matter of national security. Allocate appropriate funding and resources to this pressing issue.

Discussion

Most of the responses to this question referred to the fact that governments should be taking action on a nationwide and worldwide scale. They have the overreach that individuals and companies don’t have to make most impactful decisions. Many of the suggestions given by respondents involved divesting in fossil fuels and funding new projects of solar, wind, geothermal, and nuclear projects that would supply cleaner sources of electricity. Additionally, it was also talked about that governments should more strictly enforce environmental protection laws and impose stronger fines on companies who do not comply with those laws.

Another topic that was mentioned several times was the creation of a carbon tax or some sort of cap and trade system. Creating a system like this would help bring down overall emissions and increase revenue to the government to fund environmentally positive projects.

Question 18. What can non-profits and communities do to combat the effects of climate change?

Summary


Advocate for change Create awareness for issues Encourage environmentally friendly lifestyles Communities can fund projects for alternative energy sources like solar panels and wind

turbines Non-profits can educate citizens about issues pertaining to climate change Communities can provide opportunities for recycling and create regulations that would be

better for the environment (grass watering, bike racks, lawn maintenance, recycling) Educate Recycle Inform citizens of all available programs and incentives offered to them for cleaner

lifestyles

Sample Responses

Be green in their operations, much like the options I listed for people and companies. Start community programs educating people (especially the youth) about the effects of climate change and how they can help combat it. Encourage recycling programs.

Come together to create a community that is close, caring, and committed to working for a healthier climate. Start car pooling groups, bike to work groups, composting/gardening clubs, freegan minded groups, etc.

Communities can also theorize about new ways to organize which reduce waste and inefficiency, particularly in fossil fuel use. Using smaller scale projects they can test new solutions. There may be little that communities can do to combat climate change, although planting more vegetation might help to a small degree. Non-profits can help aid impoverished countries in building infrastructure to combat the effects of climate change.

Increase awareness about the importance of the issue. Outline practical measures that can be adopted in households to combat this problem and encourage people to adopt these measures.

Lobbying their legislators can be a powerful tool to effect change at a higher level. But if at all possible, communities and non profits can invest in small regional areas to change their energy use. Even a change in a neighborhood or town can be a big step.

Many non profits and community based organizations can do a lot locally especially mitigating energy use. Much of the CO2 emissions that cause the effects of climate change are linked to domestic power plants, coal power plants. Forming community groups especially in poor neighborhoods to help them make their homes energy efficient can have a large impact. A group in Detroit reduced utility bills by as much as 50 percent in low income neighborhoods by providing free LED bulbs and basic energy efficiency

evaluations. These were paid for by the utility company which in turn lowered their operating costs by having to generate less power.

Non-profits and communities can help combat climate change by being the conduits between the science and the general public. We need to find non-threatening ways to communicate the science and show how climate change will impact people at an individual level. If they do not believe it will impact them negatively, there is little incentive to change. Communities can communicate climate change at that personal level.

Stop focusing on climate scientists and the changing data. They should focus on promoting positive activities to reduce environmental impact without focusing on the science because the average Joe doesn't trust climate scientists because of the media. Promoting local gardens, recycling, conservation, carpooling, good stewardship, and energy efficiency will override any negative feelings about climate change. If non-profits and communities can show that these efforts will save individuals money and improve their life, they will be more likely to do it than if you shove data in their face and say change or we're all doomed.

Discussion

Many of the responses to this question focused on the fact that communities and non-profits have a role to play on a more individual level based on their connections to individuals. These ideas included setting up recycling programs and encouraging the use of energy efficiency appliances, and pushing for the creation of public transportation systems which includes bike lanes, carpooling groups, and other forms of reducing individual car-based transportation. These small changes that can be done by communities can have large overall impacts on the environment. By promoting an environmentally sustainable lifestyle, communities and non-profits have the ability to create a cleaner environment simply due to their connection to large numbers of individuals. These individual connections allow simple things to be done on a large scale that affects many people and has a beneficial effect on the environment.

Question 19. What can be done on a global scale to alleviate the effects of climate change?

Summary


Adopt clean sources of energy Educate people about the realities of climate change Be more energy efficient Work together on a global scale to create effective change Decrease consumption of goods Control global population Develop better energy standards Encourage developing nations to fund cleaner sources of energy Everybody needs to be involved Policy must be created on a global scale to be effective I don’t know International agreements and collaboration to determine long term sustainable goals Look at long term impacts instead of short term profits/costs

Sample Responses

A coalition of countries and people, united in the common cause of planetary protection and sustainability.

Better cooperation between nations, and nations actually signing agreements and sticking to them.

Collaborate and communicate. Everyone should work together and pool resources and information instead of trying to be the first one to "invent the wheel"

Communicate efforts to promote conservation between nations and provide their individual countries with information. Also set some goals for electricity usage and gas usage/fossil fuels. It would be nice to know how much of our resources are we using every day/month/year and be able to provide some goals for the country. Educate through national television services on how each country is doing with the amount of resources they are using. Then everyone knows where each country stands on the amount of resources used and then we can identify areas of improvement and then set goals that are achievable over time.

Create awareness through the use of the United Nations. Generate regulations which help to put limitations on the amount of negative externalities a country can produce.

Everyone needs to be more educated and find common ground to find a solution Foster cultural and political cooperation. Promote unity. Global collaboration to improve knowledge and understanding of the problem and then

work to find multiple solutions that are applicable to each individual region. Because one solution will not work for the entire world

Have a diverse group of leaders without political affiliations tho their nationalities. Something like Marshal Plan where growing markets are supported by the richer countries, so that the growing nations need not resort to the environmental destruction that rich countries did.

Make a plan that isn't too hard to follow and make people realize that something is happening. Don't come up with a plan that is to the extreme because that just makes people fight.

Make recycling more accessible, recycle everything, invest is mass transportation (high-speed trains), tighter emission restrictions, invest in alternative energy sources

Partnerships between nations are essential if greenhouse gas emissions are going to be reduced. Especially, the EU, US, China, and India need to partner to reduce their emissions. The UN could play a role, but that is not so useful unless individual nations are willing to pay the price of changing power generation practices.

UN recognizing that climate change is happening and having its members do anything they can to help combat it. World leaders come together to sign a pact to reduce harmful emissions, etc. in their countries.

World powers need to take the lead. Instead of placing responsibility for climate change on those countries that are the poorest, industrialized nations need to be the ones to adopt change. We are the biggest extractors of the world's resources and we need to be the ones fixing this mess by spearheading the change.

Discussion

The responses of this question show that most students realize that in order for emission reductions to be effective, they must be done on a worldwide scale. Individual countries are a good start, but the most effective and realistic option is for there to be some sort of a worldwide agreement, possibly through the United Nations, to have any real effect on reducing the effects of climate change. This is especially needed in countries like the United States, China, and India, who are the world’s largest polluters and have yet to take substantial steps to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions. Respondents also realized that there needs to be clear communication and collaboration between countries to use our common resources and use our strengths to create the plan that works best for everyone. It was also realized that post-industrialized nations need to take the lead and set the example for the developing world by taking substantive cuts to their carbon dioxide emissions. Some proposed solutions involved developed nations footing more of the costs for developing nations since they don’t have the resources to pay for emission reductions.

As has been mentioned before, there needs to be an increase in awareness of the issue for any plan to have a long-lasting effect. Without proper education, people become fearful of worldwide plans by the United Nations and large groups of countries. With the proper education of the issue and what plans are being proposed, populace’s can get behind and support worldwide agreements to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Educating the affected people on the plan’s effects will help ensure that they support the plan and make sure it succeeds.

Question 20. What role do science, technology, and engineering play in mitigating the impacts of climate change?

Summary


Advances in technology Increase efficiencies in current forms of energy and find new sources Invent new ways to store energy Continue research into the impact of global warming and monitor current impacts Develop clean energy sources and greener processes Everything. “The world is their test tube” Find cleaner fuels Educate the public on the issue of climate change and how they can fix it Research and development

Sample Responses

A huge role, if they are to communicate findings in a non-scientific form to general audience

A lot of options for reducing energy or consumption of resources are too expensive to be practical. STEM fields need to work to improve these technologies so that they become more cost effective and more readily attainable.

All three of these sectors have an important role to play. This role ranges from the discovery and understanding of the issue to explaining and disseminating the problem and solutions to lay people. Engineering and technology companies are also tasked now with solving the problem that we have created.

Coming up with new green technologies. Creating processes that make carbon neutral living economically possible. Everything. Change certainly isn't coming from business folks. As scientists and

engineers we need to find new technologies which alleviate the environmental impact we are creating. This may include "geo-engineering" technologies but also "green" technologies.

Help identify extent of changes and predict potential impacts (flooding, reduction in food production, sea level changes, extreme weather). Create technology that reduces emissions and carbon footprint (hydrogen fuel cells, electric cars, more efficient solar panels, etc.)

HUGE role. It’s up to technology and science, to help find more efficient and sustainable forms of energy.

People won't do what they need to stop global warming if it's uncomfortable/inconvenient for them, so we're probably going to need better technology so they can reduce their emissions without noticing that they're doing so.

Provide pragmatic solutions, keeping in mind the politics of the situation and what the arguments against sustainability are (cost effectiveness, reliability, etc.).

Science is meant to provide evidence so that countries, governments, communities, and individuals can make educated and evidence-based decisions. Technology and engineering drive innovated solutions to the issues that science brings to light. All of these are tools that individuals, communities, and governments need to make use of to reduce climate impact.

The more we learn about the environment and our impact on it, the more we are able to formulate a response.

The STEM fields can help improve overall efficiency, develop new emissions-cutting technologies, issue recommendations, and provide high-quality, reliable data for decision makers and the public.

They can help solve the problems, and create new ways to combat the issues. This role is enormous: we must establish new ways of doing everything, as most 'old

habits' from circa 1950 and earlier are wasteful and uninformed. Transportation needs to be reinvented, construction needs to be sustainability leading to sustainability, and new or improved energy sources are a must.

Discussion

The responses to this question focused on how science, technology, and engineering need to create new technologies and new sources of clean energy. They have to continue doing research on the current environment so society can figure out what is actually happening to the environment and what impacts it will have in the future. With data on the environment, governments can make informed decisions about how best to go about helping to clean up our environment and make sure it stay inhabitable for future generations. Overall, science and engineering will dictate how this century is going to play out. It will help determine what path we take for the future and what shape the environment will be in when the end of the century comes. Respondents thought that out of the groups mentioned, science, technology, and engineering had the biggest role to play in the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions and the creation of green technologies.

Question 21. Do the non-science fields (e.g., the humanities, the arts) play a role in mitigating the impacts of climate change? If so, what role do they play?

Summary


No – 20 Yes - 239 A smaller role, mainly just raising awareness Help with translation from hard facts to understandable language, bridge the

communication gap Communication Education Everybody has a role They can help create a personal connection to helping the environment Help convey more sustainable societal norms through television sitcoms, e.g. I don’t know Help connect on an emotional level with people Have a smaller role Help change the public’s perspective of climate change

Sample Responses

Absolutely. Business people, architects, and designers can work together with scientists to help create buildings that are eco-friendly. Educators can work to create meaningful curriculums out of the data that scientists provide us to make learning about the environment easier.

Advertising, Communications, Marketing, The Arts- Can all send messages to the public. If they are surrounded by positive comments on good techniques for our environment, they will want to join in.

All of the non-science fields should be in involved in the transdisciplinary process. Not everyone responds to hard science facts. The challenge is to translate the science to being able to communicate effectively in other mediums, without losing the science.

Definitely! I would argue that they do more so than the scientists. We scientists, of course, have contributed by advancing technology and knowledge. We need that. However, if science, as it is today, is to be communicated to the general public in a meaningful way, art is the way to do it, I think. What is more inspiring than a beautiful piece of music? Or a novel? My favorite is photography and I know many photographers have taken on the project of combing their passion of creative expression with a message of 'climate change' awareness.

Environmental Justice Movement is something historians have brought to light. Movies, plays, books about climate change could wake people up. Think about the profound

impact Jaws had on a generation. What if somebody wrote an amazing science fiction film about climate disaster? Maybe this could spur people on to fix the problem.

I think they play a role by conveying social norms. If people see sustainability in all aspects of life, they're more likely to partake in those behaviors themselves

Non-science fields can help educate the populace on the effects of climate change and can argue for various things such as the morality of saving the planet or the natural beauty that could be lost to future generations.

Something as simple as a book can change the way we think about a topic. Silent Spring, for example, drastically altered our thinking about radiation and the like. So, yes, the humanities can play a part if they choose to.

Yes I believe they do. Climate change will have serious human impacts. The humanities allow people to understand how people generally interact with each other, why and how choices are made. Better understanding the human condition will allow us to better predict the reactions the world may have to the unintended consequences of our carbon emissions.

Yes. People are emotional creatures and art and music appeal to us in a way research won't.

Discussion

Respondents thought that overall, the arts and humanities play a slightly smaller role than science and technology, but they still play a very important role. Most respondents indicated that the arts need to be able to effectively communicate the research that science and engineering does to the common person. They can fill that communication gap between scientific research and a normal person’s everyday reading. They can show adjusted social norms that could provide a shift in public thinking and perception of these issues. Music, art, television, and advertisements are all ways to help communicate the issue of global warming and other sustainability issues to people who may not otherwise understand it. These forms of art and communication allow more outreach to people within their homes and personal lives that touch them in ways that scientific research doesn’t. It allows a personal connection and way for each consumer to feel how they impact global warming and how they can adjust their actions to benefit themselves and others.

Question 22. What would encourage you to be personally accountable for your own actions and how they may impact climate change?

Summary


A noticeable impact from my actions An easy way to track my carbon impact, apps, etc. I am already accountable for my actions Tax incentives Education as to how I personally impact climate change Easy access to sustainable options: food, recycling, Money or other reward for doing the right thing Having a better understanding of the issues at hand A few people put that they were Christians and believed they needed to support God’s

earth Concern for future generations, our children I don’t know Knowledge of my impact Reminders

Sample Responses

A sense of duty, community. A belief that my actions have purpose and make a difference. Noticeable positive impact on my life and/or the lives of those I care about.

A tracker on my phone that would tell me how much greenhouse gases I omitted through my travels, etc. There could be goals to reach - and if you recycle, then you could get "rewards". I could see it being like a health app, like SHealth. You click on steps and you can see the amount of steps you took, you can click on heart rate and see your heart beat, etc. It could be the same way with the amount that you drive and it shows you the amount you omitted (based on type of car, mileage, avg. speed, etc.). Then you could have a recycling page, where you could input what you recycled and it would give you a certain value.

Becoming more educated about how the choices I make can impact the climate. I think that the general public understanding the problem is the first step to alleviating climate change concerns. If people understand how they personally are affecting things than I think most people will be more likely to conserve more resources.

Convenience and affordability of 'greener' options would help motivate me. In my opinion, incentives are better than punishments.

For individual's personal encouragement, we can raise awareness on campuses and even within classrooms, as well as including more days devoted to energy conservation, like days where we leave the lights off in the classroom, or weeks where we all try to bike to campus, and maybe even days where we refrain from using electricity (except, maybe, for heating) after sunset. This obviously won't force individuals to participate in these

awareness activities, but by designating a day/time for such an activity, people would become aware of this issue and many would be willing to participate, thus making it a group effort with the community to help impact climate change.

Humans are lazy. The easier it is made to recycle, be efficient with natural resources, eliminate waste products etc. the more likely that people will do their part. The harder or more effort people have to do the less likely they will be to do it

I think most people are influenced most by their peers and by the role models they look up to. Unfortunately, most people's role models are celebrities who do not live such clean lifestyles, but if protecting the environment becomes a trend and stays a trend, I think most people will start to listen to those who say what and how we do things is affecting the earth in a drastic way.

Show personal energy consumption statistics, usage reports of food, energy, paper, gas, and other raw materials and how that would impact the environment.

Discussion

The biggest thing that respondents said that would encourage them to be more accountable for their actions is something that reminds them or shows them their daily impact. Several respondents mentioned some sort of app that showed them how much carbon they emitted that day based on their activities and could offer some sort of reward when they reached a certain goal of recycling or walking instead of driving. Respondents were fairly split between wanting to be rewarded for their actions and simply being aware of what consequences their actions had and acting accordingly to reduce that impact. Rewarding people for their actions to reduce their carbon footprint is often an expensive undertaking that governments and communities don’t like to undertake. However, education and awareness of people’s actions aren’t always effective because people don’t want to do something unless they see a direct personal benefit. Overall, it seems that respondents simply want to see a paradigm shift in society toward being more sustainable in everyday actions.

Question 23. How do you get to campus on a daily basis?

Summary


1 Bike0.24377

5 186 24%

2 Walk0.51769

3 395 52%

3 Drive0.28833

6 220 29%

4 CyRide0.62647

4 478 63%

5 Other0.03538

7 27 4%


Discussion

Since most students live either on campus or within Ames, it makes most sense for them to either walk to campus or take the city wide Cy-Ride bus system. Additionally, there is not much on campus parking available to students. Most students seem to act quite environmentally friendly and walk or take public transportation to campus on a daily basis.

Question 24. Why do you choose that option?

Summary


Affordability Healthier Convenience - 75 Distance Cheaper and easier Don’t have a vehicle No other options available

Sample Responses

1). Weather 2). Schedule 3). Convenience Bike - So I don't have to drive but it's still faster than walking so if I'm running late,

convenient. Walk - exercise, so I don't have to drive, convenient, don't have worry about hitting people, don't have to worry about something getting stolen and don't have to lock it up, simple. CyRide - fast (sometimes), warm, helps if I'm carrying a lot or heaving things.

Biking is a very cheap and efficient way to travel around town. This is especially true on campus since the campus is very biker friendly.

I prefer walking most places because it is FREE and not too long of a walk. In fact, anywhere in Ames is within walking distance. It is also healthy. I get my daily exercise all while doing the things which I would need to do anyways.

Discussion

The three main reasons why respondents chose the option they did is because it was some combination of affordable, easy, and convenient. Most students are going to take the choice that takes the least amount of work for them. Usually, this will be walking or biking around campus and taking the bus to campus. These are the most efficient ways to travel around campus and around town for students.

Question 25. If you drive to campus, do you park on campus or in the commuter lot?

Summary


1 Park on campus 0.560322 209 56%2 Park in commuter lot 0.439678 164 44%

Total 373 100%

Statistic ValueMin Value 1Max Value 2Mean 1.44Variance 0.25Standard Deviation 0.5Total Responses 373

Discussion

Parking in the commuter lot requires taking the bus from that lot onto campus. It would make more sense for students to park on campus if they have access to a parking spot, rather than taking the extra time to ride the bus from the commuter lot to campus.


Summary


Don’t want to pay for parking on campus Parking on campus is free after 5:30 Cheaper/Free Convenient Easiest I have a parking pass It’s close

Sample Responses

I have to commute and I do not need to park on campus- I think public transportation is a great means of getting from point A to Point B

I park on the side streets west of campus because they are free and I don't mind the walk. If I park in a commuter lot, I don't have to pay the expensive parking fees to park in an

on-campus lot, I can get there faster because I don't have to worry about finding a parking spot and walking very far if the bus takes me to campus, it's free, and it's environmentally friendly.

There are no spots on campus - I can easily catch a bus to campus. NOTE: I park on campus for night classes when the busses are less convenient.

Discussion

As was discussed in Question 24, ease, convenience, and cheapness are the overarching factors when deciding where to park for a student. These themes make themselves present in the responses in this question too. Respondents indicated that they park where they do because it’s cheap to park there. They also mention that parking in the commuter lot and taking the bus to campus is better than paying additional money to park on campus.

Question 27. How do you get around campus?

Summary

# Answer Bar Response %1 Walking 0.969816 739 97%2 Biking 0.198163 151 20%3 Taking CyRide 0.433071 330 43%4 Driving 0.027559 21 3%5 Other 0.020997 16 2%


Discussion

Iowa State is a larger campus, but everything is very close together so it makes sense that nearly everybody walks around campus. CyRide is also helpful when traveling across campus in a short amount of time or when it gets cold during the winter. Campus also has a large number of bikers. That is positive because so many people bike but can have negative consequences due to increased congestion on sidewalks or roads with buses.


Summary


All classes are relatively close together It’s the easiest option It’s free Don’t like dealing with crowded buses Campus is easy to walk across because it’s so small Convenient Weather can change the option that people chose Easiest and fastest Healthier Don’t have a car or bike Enjoy walking

Sample Responses

Because I don't see any reason why you would need to take CyRide around campus. I really enjoy walking also. It’s a good way to get some type of exercise if I don't have to work out during the day.

Biking is the fastest way to get around but CyRide is warm when the winter winds set in Buses are crowded and the walk usually isn't far. CyRide isn't reliable, biking is a hassle, there's nowhere to park during the day Easy, Fast, Economical, no waiting in bus lines for buses that are often full I do not like bikes on campus they clutter the sidewalks and almost hit me so I have no

respect for bikes on campus. You can easily walk to your next class and if it is too far the CyRide is right there to help you.

It takes longer to take a bus than to walk most places

Discussion

Once again, the overarching factor when deciding how to get around campus is convenience. Most students walk around campus simply because it’s the easiest option available to them. Cy-Ride is often crowded, especially during the winter months which encourages students to walk when possible. Convenience is the main factor weighed when students decide how to get around campus.

Question 29. Rank these issues from most to least important issues that should be dealt with first with 6 being the least important to 1 being the most important.

Summary

# Answer 1 2 3 4 5 6Total Responses

1 a. Global warming 155 176 88 80 56 108 6632 b. Ocean acidification 44 102 143 125 123 126 6633 c. Long-term drought 128 120 127 96 93 98 6634 d. Sea level rise 27 53 92 148 164 178 6625 e. Ice cap melting 42 70 142 149 169 91 6636 f. Burning of fossil fuels 334 136 66 41 29 59 665

Total 730 657 658 639 634 660 '-

Statistica. Global warming

b. Ocean acidification

c. Long-term drought

d. Sea level rise

e. Ice cap melting

f. Burning of fossil fuels

Min Value 1 1 1 1 1 1Max Value 6 6 7 6 6 6Mean 3.05 3.84 3.31 4.36 3.91 2.21Variance 3.13 2.35 2.92 2.02 2.01 2.62Standard Deviation 1.77 1.53 1.71 1.42 1.42 1.62Total Responses 663 663 663 662 663 665

Discussion

Overwhelmingly, respondents indicated that the burning of fossil fuels is the most important issue listed here. Almost half of respondents indicated that addressing the burning of fossil fuels should be dealt with first on this list. That also indicates that they probably understand that fossil fuels are the cause of these other issues. This is shown by the fact that global warming was listed most often as the second most important issue. The other environmentally related issues of ocean acidification, long term drought, sea level rise, and ice cap melting traded off fairly equally in the third to sixth most important issues. This means the overarching issues of fossil fuel use and global warming are seen as most important to students. This bodes well for the next few decades as these issues make themselves more apparent that we will have the people who are educated about these issues and realize that they need to be fixed.

Question 30. Rate how much you think the above issues affect you on a daily basis. 5 being having no effect on you to 1 being having a large effect on you.

Summary


1 10.08321

2 57 8%2 2 0.19562 134 20%

3 30.36642

3 251 37%

4 40.22773

7 156 23%

5 50.12700

7 87 13%Total 685 100%


Discussion

The majority of respondents indicated that the above issues affect them somewhat on a daily basis. The responses were skewed slightly higher than the median of three since the mean of the responses was 3.12. This indicates that overall the issues listed were indicated as affecting students slightly less than average on a daily basis.

Question 31. Rate how much you think the above issues will affect you in the next 10 years. 1 being having no effect on you to 5 being having a large effect on you.

Summary


1 10.10802

9 74 11%

2 20.15182

5 104 15%

3 30.22773

7 156 23%

4 40.30510

9 209 31%

5 50.20729

9 142 21%Total 685 100%


Discussion

Respondents indicated that over the next ten years, the issues listed will start affecting them more than on a current daily basis as shown in Question 30. The mean was 3.35 indicating that the responses were higher than the three for the median answer. This indicates that respondents believe that these issues will begin to have a larger impact on their lives. This is because it seems that the issues will get worse as time moves and if we continue to do nothing to adjust our carbon dioxide and other emissions output, they could be even worse than predicted.

Question 32. Rate how much you think the above issues will affect you in the next 50 years. 1 being having no effect on you to 5 being having a large effect on you.

Summary


1 10.21176

5 144 21%

2 20.11323

5 77 11%

3 30.08088

2 55 8%

4 40.14852

9 101 15%

5 50.44558

8 303 45%Total 680 100%


Discussion

As seen in the previous two questions, respondents indicate that they believe the listed issues will have a greater impact on their lives as we move further into the 21st century. The mean response for this question was 3.5, indicating a growing number of respondents indicated that these issues will greater impact their lives in fifty years.

Additionally, 21% of respondents indicated that believed the issues listed would have no effect on them in fifty years. This is possible due to the fact that they believe the issues will be solved by then, or they simply don’t believe that the issues will be that severe that they will impact their lives in any substantial way.

Question 33. Do you support replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy such as wind and solar on a national scale?

Summary


1 Yes0.93352

6 646 93%

2 No0.06647

4 46 7%Total 692 100%


Discussion

93% of respondents indicated they would support a nationwide plan to replace fossil fuels with renewable energy sources. This is a positive indication for future dealings with the impacts of climate change. Switching away from fossil fuels toward renewable energy is a great positive step that can be made toward reducing the impacts of climate change. Eliminating the source of a large portion of carbon dioxide emissions would have profound impacts on the climate. It would also provide cleaner and more local energy that the installation of would create millions of jobs. It’s a topic that needs more discussion but the responses of this question show that students support switching to renewable energy sources.

Question 34. Why did you choose that option?

Summary


Renewable fuels are more sustainable in the long term and are cleaner Fossil fuels need replaced with cleaner alternatives It makes sense economically and ethically Replace fossil fuels with nuclear power It’s cost competitive at this point in time Helps eliminate pollution They can’t completely eliminate coal and oil, but can replace significant portions of it More sustainable in the long term It’s logical Fossil fuels are finite whereas wind and solar are infinite

Sample Responses

Anything to replace burning fossil fuels is a step in the right direction At this point I don't think anyone is opposed to renewable energy as long as it is

economically competitive. Because fossil fuels are no good. From plastics, oil spills, deforestation, fracking,

chemicals, pollution, the pacific garbage patch, and billionaires with incentive to start wars, over throw governments, and buy senators and congressmen. Oil has had more than a century. It’s time to change the way of thinking around here.

Because it's the smart thing to do. Why are we investing in something that harms our environment and run out when we could be harnessing something that's organic?

Because they are cleaner sources of energy, and we will never run out of wind or sun power.

Because wind and solar are finally competitive at cost per kWh without subsidies. So it's stupid not to highly supplement at least.

I choose that option because it is cleaner. Not climate change or anything, I just like the air to be clean. I also don't think it is practical to completely replace fossil fuels.

I think solar and nuclear are the only viable options for green energy. I think the positives outweigh the negatives. There are certainly downsides but

technology is improving and we have to start somewhere. Not doing anything isn't an option.

Wind turbines are just plain COOL! They are eco-friendly, and they are beautiful. I think states should be fighting to become the most wind-energy producing state!

Discussion

The respondents to this question supported switching to renewable energy from fossil fuels for a variety of reasons. These included, mainly, the fact that renewable fuels are more sustainable and cleaner in the long term. Fossil fuels are seen as antiquated energy sources that pollute the environment heavily both in terms of acquiring the resource and in the process of burning it for energy. However, renewable energy such as wind and solar are much cleaner producers of energy and there’s no limit to the amount of energy they can capture whereas there’s a finite amount of coal and oil that can be burned for energy.

Wind and solar were both mentioned as economical alternatives to coal, simply because the costs are comparable now due to government subsidies and enough research has now been done to improve their efficiency. With comparable costs, choosing the cleaner energy option starts to make much more sense. The addition of nuclear energy was also mentioned several times by students as another alternative to fossil fuels. This is an option that is being explored more by other countries such as Japan and Germany but has not been explored much in the United States due to public pressure in opposition to the building of any new nuclear power plants. However, if students indicate that they are in support of the use of nuclear power as an alternative to fossil fuels, overall public sentiment could change in the coming years to allow for the building of new nuclear power plants in the United States.

Question 35. How much extra would you be willing to pay for renewable energy on a nationwide scale?

Summary

# Answer Bar Response %1 10% more 0.374636 257 37%2 25% more 0.346939 238 35%3 50% more 0.086006 59 9%4 Other (please specify) 0.19242 132 19%

Total 686 100%


Zero 5%

Sample Responses

I am not willing to pay more money for renewable energy. Renewable energy does not need to cost more. Cost savings is its main benefit.

I would be willing to pay whatever it takes.

Discussion

Overall, respondents indicated that they were not willing to pay much more in taxes to support the implementation of renewable energy on a nationwide scale. A number of respondents also indicated that they would not be willing to pay anything to help implement renewable energy. Ideally, the implementation of renewable energy nationwide would not be enormously expensive and the cost savings would kick in as older coal-fired power plants are phased out. However, what that cost could end up being is yet to be determined.

Question 36. Do you support the city of Ames in burning its trash for electricity?

Summary


1 Yes0.79908

7 525 80%

2 No0.20091

3 132 20%Total 657 100%


Discussion

A vast majority of respondents indicated that they support the city of Ames in burning its trash for electricity. The city of Ames is one of only a few cities that burn its trash. It mixes coal with the trash to maintain enough heating to produce enough energy. This allows waste to be used usefully instead of going into a landfill.

Question 37. What benefits do we receive from burning trash?

Summary


Gets rid of trash that would otherwise be wasted Captures energy that would otherwise be wasted Cheap electricity Doesn’t go into a landfill Some people weren’t aware Ames did this Less coal is burned Saves money Some issues with resulting air pollution

Sample Responses

As long as it’s done right. It kills two birds with one stone: reduce trash and increase energy

By burning trash it is not just sitting in the landfill wasting away and polluting the groundwater and soil. It is also great because we have our own source of energy that is green and cheap!

From what I've read, it makes sense to burn plastic and trash items, being as it's more efficient to burn them and recover energy that way than to ship them to the nearest recycling facility (which would use more gas). It also is apparently more efficient to burn trash of items that have already been used than to put them in a landfill.

Getting rid of trash, getting electricity. *I would like to point out I didn't even know Ames did this*

I think that it an encompassing solution that allows the city to provide power for the community, get rid of waste, and make money all in one.

Less waste ends up in landfills, energy that comes from within the city is presumably less expensive, it's not going to run out, and it seems like it would be less detrimental to the environment than coal or other forms of energy.

Reliable energy that supports the base of the power grid. Reduction of ground water pollution from the reduced landfill size which is VERY important for the agriculture communities in Iowa.

THIS IS SO GREAT! Not only does Ames burn all of our trash and use it for electricity and avoid using a landfill, but often they are able to get trash from surrounding towns, including Boone and Nevada so they don't have to take their trash to their landfills! This has been around since the 1970's and has done so much. Because everything is burned, Ames residents don't have to be as conscious about recycling, and all metal scraps are pulled out and those end up being recycled! It is all in all a great method that more cities should invest in.

Discussion

Most of the respondents were aware that the city of Ames burned its trash for fuel, but a number were not aware of this fact and learned of it through this survey. Some benefits listed were the fact that it gets rid of trash that would otherwise be put into a landfill. This saves land that can be used for other purposes and allows for the reclamation of energy that would otherwise be wasted. It provides a cheaper source of electricity for the city rather than relying only on coal. It helps save the city money by eliminating the need for a landfill which would take a lot of money to maintain. Some respondents indicated a possible issue with air pollution, but concluded that cheap electricity and less waste outweigh the negative impacts of air pollution.

Question 38. What are the environmental implications and other concerns of burning trash for electricity?

Summary


Air pollution Burning trash, especially plastics, releases toxins into the air Carbon emissions and other carcinogens Reduces overall recycling because it’s all burned I don’t know Fewer landfills None Issues with burning plastic, metal, and glass that release pollutants into the atmosphere

Samples Responses

A lot of pollutants are released to the atmosphere. Perhaps the city could think on diversifying their efforts and can burn the most energetic portion, recycle another portion, re purpose another and compost the organic portion

As long as trash is burned at a high enough temperature, gaseous emissions should be comparably mild. Better options for generation of electricity still exist. Passively encourages people to create trash, rather than discouraging the creation of trash.

Controlling emission is a concern; Ames energy should ensure that they filter the exhaust waste gas for minimal environmental impact.

Greenhouse gas emissions and releasing other potentially harmful gases are my main concern. We also fail to recycle many recyclable materials as a result.

It discourages Ames from implementing good recycling programs Lack of landfills (beautification and property values). Energy efficient reuse of waste.

Ecologically safe waste disposal and energy production (you know, relatively, I mean we should still get a big old nuclear reactor rolling over there, I even hear we can magically transform the waste into more energy now, maybe, at some point).

The disadvantage of burning the trash for electricity is that there is not a town wide recycling program. Instead of materials being reused, they are being incinerated and have to be re-mined which uses up more energy. Another concern I have is that batteries get tossed into the trash along with everything else. When they are burned, they release toxic chemicals and that not good for anyone's health. Along with that, I am unsure if the smoke stacks are regularly monitored to make sure there are no toxic chemicals are being released and to ensure that emissions are as low as possible.

Discussion

Many of the implications listed in this question are very similar to the answers given in Question 37. The main impact is due to the fact that no landfill is needed because everything is burned. This reduces land impact and the need for monitoring emissions off of the landfill. Some respondents also indicated possible issues due to the burning of things like plastic and metal which could cause harmful pollutants to be released into the atmosphere causing local air pollution issues. A number of respondents also mentioned that overall recycling is impacted and reduced due to the fact that everything is burned and discourages people from recycling. It’s a tradeoff but one that is probably not a huge one simply because it’s being reused, just as energy instead of a material.

Question 39. How often do you recycle?

Summary

# Answer Bar Response %1 Never 0.098266 68 10%2 Once a month 0.277457 192 28%3 Once a week 0.16474 114 16%4 Every day 0.459538 318 46%

Total 692 100%


Discussion

Nearly half of respondents reported to recycle every day. If students are learning to recycle, this could lead to increased recycling in the future and decreased material use. 90% indicate that they recycle at least occasionally. This means that people understand the benefits of recycling and understand that they can at least do some part to reduce their carbon footprint.

Question 40. What do you recycle?

Summary


1 Glass0.70982

8 455 71%

2 Plastic0.77847

1 499 78%

3 Papers0.73478

9 471 73%

4Electronics 0.25429 163 25%

5Cardboard

0.603744 387 60%

6 Other0.15600

6 100 16%


Aluminum cans Glass Wetboard

Discussion

The results of this question indicate that students recycle a variety of items. The most widely recycled items are plastics, glass, and paper. These are the most widely recognized recyclable items and people understand that it’s easy to recycle those items. Oher things like cardboard and electronics tend to be harder to recycle and people don’t know where to recycle them so they are not as widely recycled. If education was improved on where and how to recycle electronics and other items, they would likely be recycled at a higher rate.

Question 41. Where do you recycle?

Summary

# Answer Bar Response %1 Residence halls 0.246512 159 25%2 Garbage hauler picks it up 0.204651 132 20%3 Drop it off at the recycling center 0.350388 226 35%4 Other 0.19845 128 20%

Total 645 100%


Drop off sites like Hy-Vee and Walmart On campus sites Take it to another town to recycle Redemption center

Discussion

The responses to this question indicate that there is no central location that students recycle. Since the main reclamation center in Ames recently shut down, the one place that had the most respondents taking their recyclables will hurt overall recycling. The university could do a lot more to encourage recycling across campus and work with a local company to bring back recycling to the city of Ames. Respondents indicated in earlier questions that they would like to see more opportunities for recycling across campus. Recycling is currently done in the residence halls across campus, as 25% of respondents indicated they recycled there. However, the lack of campus wide opportunities for recycling hurts the total amount of recycling done by students.

Question 42. If you recycle, do your parents or other people close to you influence your decision whether or not to recycle?

Summary


1 Yes0.56193

4 372 56%

2 No0.43806

6 290 44%Total 662 100%


Discussion

It’s beneficial to see that recycling habits are being passed on from friends and family to students. This hopefully means that it will continue to be passed on to other friends and family and the habits get encouraged which increases overall recycling. Additionally, the 44% of respondents who indicated they did not learn it from somebody close to them shows that education on the issue or something similar encouraged them to start recycling of their own free will. This shows initiative on the part of the student to reduce their carbon footprint by doing their own recycling without the encouragement or example of others around them. If this trend continues, there could be large segments of the population who recycle simply because they know it’s good for the environment and it’s easy to do.

Question 43. Are you familiar with ISU’s Live Green initiative?

Summary


1 Yes0.33823

5 230 34%

2 No0.66176

5 450 66%Total 680 100%


Discussion

Since only 34% of respondents indicate that they are familiar with the Live Green initiative, something needs to be done to increase the initiative’s exposure to the student body. Since Iowa State is such an eco-aware university, it should be thought that the Live Green initiative, which promotes sustainability, would be viewed more prominently by more students. This appears not to be the case and actions should be taken to rectify this discrepancy.

Question 44. In a few sentences describe the goals of the Live Green initiative.

Summary


I don’t know Bring awareness to sustainability on campus I’m not familiar with this Lots think they’re responsible for the green trash cans on campus

Sample Responses

As a national leader in ISU is developing and embodying sustainable practices. The university will incorporate environmental concepts throughout the curriculum, promote environmental literacy among students, faculty and staff, and ensure that campus facilities, policies, planning and management are efficient and environmentally appropriate.

Basically it's like the Go Green campaign encouraging people to reduce waste and recycle in order to reduce the overall carbon footprint.

Decrease ISU's environmental impact, including trash production and energy usage. Educate the Iowa State, Ames, and Iowa communities about environmental impacts and problems.

Generally advocate for projects perceived as environmentally friendly around campus, as well as campaigns directly targeted to students.

I believe that the Live Green Initiate is trying to get all students to utilize less energy and save on resources. It is also there to raise awareness about the environment and climate change.

It expands and promotes sustainability on campus and in the Ames area. For example, the Live Green initiative most likely favors use of the solar-powered trash compactors on campus (or perhaps were instrumental in placing them on campus). They have also been associated with reduced energy use in academic buildings across campus.

It’s a program at Iowa State to promote greener options for residence and the university on campus. They helped with the solar compacting trash cans. The post the live green signs around campus and explain why they cut down certain trees and why they are planting news and things like that.

Organize sustainable events and programs.

Discussion

Overall, the responses to this question show that students are uninformed, or simply don’t know what the Live Green initiative is or what it does. There were some students who were familiar with the goals of the Live Green initiative and were able to articulate those in their response. However, these respondents were fairly few.

Question 45. How can ISU get you more information about their Live Green initiative?

Summary

# Answer Bar Response %1 Email 0.72655 457 73%2 Posters 0.6407 403 64%3 Word of mouth 0.505564 318 51%4 Other 0.108108 68 11%


Sample “Other” Reponses

Social Media Presentations

Discussion

The responses to this question indicate that students want a variety of sources of information about the Live Green Initiative. The most popular responses for receiving information were emails, posters and social media. The respondents make it seem like they simply want exposure to the Live Green initiative. The only wide scale advertisement for the Live Green initiative on campus is the solar-powered trash cans around campus. This is one way for students to become exposed to the Live Green initiative on a campus wide scale. If students were exposed on a regular basis they might become more familiar with the initiative and its goals. Students simply need exposure to what the Live Green initiative is trying to accomplish in order to recognize how it applies to them on a daily basis. If these daily impacts were explained and shown to students, they might recognize how important Live Green is and how their actions can become more sustainable and have a smaller environmental impact.

Question 46. Do you know what LEED certification is?

Summary


1 Yes0.4032

5 273 40%

2 No0.5967

5 404 60%Total 677 100%


Discussion

LEED certification is a large step that the university can take to help reduce their carbon footprint. By renovating older buildings and building newer buildings that adhere to high levels of LEED certification, the university can help reduce waste and energy use in those buildings. Many newer buildings now adhere to those standards to help reduce energy usage which reduces overall needed electricity usage. A majority of respondents indicated that they did not know what LEED certification was, however, 40% indicated that they did which means that there has been some education for these students on how green the buildings across campus are.

Question 47. How many buildings on campus are LEED certified?

Summary


0-9: 81 10 or more: 14 I don’t know: 145

Sample Responses

I don't know how many, but I know that Gillman is Geothermal so I would assume that one is. LEED certifications on buildings are a great thing. Engineering has a responsibility to increase the amount of buildings that are like that. If we have more LEED certified buildings, then it won’t hardly matter how we get our energy since we won’t be wasting so much of it.

Most of the new buildings are LEED Certified as ISU Construction Services sees the importance of LEED. Since many buildings were built before LEED was pushed many buildings are not LEED Certified but about 10 are certified.

Discussion

Iowa State currently has six LEED certified buildings with another eight LEED projects in progress (Iowa State University: Office of Sustainability, 2014). Most respondents indicated that they didn’t know the exact number, but recognized that there were several across campus: mainly the newer or more recently renovated buildings. Respondents make note that LEED certification is good for the university as a whole in trying to reduce its energy consumption. Students also encouraged the university to continue making more buildings LEED certified.

Question 48. Do you turn off the water when brushing your teeth?

Summary


1 Never 0.017751 12 2%2 Rarely 0.036982 25 4%3 Sometimes 0.119822 81 12%4 Often 0.152367 103 15%5 All of the Time 0.673077 455 67%

Total 676 100%


Discussion

Two-thirds of respondents indicated that they turn off the water all the time when brushing their teeth and 94% indicated they turn the water off at least sometimes. This indicates that they realize it’s a waste of water and are able to easily conserve water by preventing the tap from running when it’s not in use. Each time you brush your teeth, 3.5 liters or 0.92 gallons of water are used (South Staffs Water, 2015). Given only the people who answered “all of the time” for this question, 833 gallons of water are saved every day. If the entire university followed this conservation practice, nearly 64,000 gallons of water could be saved every day. This step is one way to easily save water that has a large cumulative effect for one person and for society as a whole. The fact that two thirds of respondents indicate that they already save water in this manner shows that students realize that it’s a very simple way to save water.

Question 49. Do you use a reusable water bottle?

Summary

# Answer Bar Response %1 Never 0.016272 11 2%2 Rarely 0.035503 24 4%3 Sometimes 0.085799 58 9%4 Often 0.221893 150 22%5 All of the Time 0.640533 433 64%

Total 676 100%


Discussion

Two thirds of respondents indicated that they use a reusable water bottle all of the time. This suggests that they are trying to reduce their plastic waste that would otherwise be created if they used a single use plastic water bottle. This reduces overall plastic waste at the university. This also indicates that students are conscious of the amount of waste they produce and by using a reusable water bottle are able to reduce that amount of waste.

Question 50. Do you turn the lights off when you leave a room?

Summary

# Answer Bar Response %1 Never 0 0 0%2 Rarely 0.004438 3 0%3 Sometimes 0.068047 46 7%4 Often 0.39497 267 39%5 All of the Time 0.532544 360 53%

Total 676 100%


Discussion

Nearly all respondents indicated that that at least often turn off the lights when they leave the room. This has real energy savings that decreases electrical bills for consumers and for the university. This helps reduce the energy load that the university has to cover which helps reduce costs for the university and decreases overall carbon emissions. In other sections, when asked how the university could reduce its energy use, several respondents mentioned installing motion-sensor lights. Students realize the energy saving potential that turning off lights has, as indicated by this question. They also suggest other ways to make that easier for them and for the university to reduce overall energy use.

Question 51. Do you wash clothes in cold water?

Summary


1 Never 0.025148 17 3%2 Rarely 0.107988 73 11%3 Sometimes 0.255917 173 26%4 Often 0.284024 192 28%5 All of the Time 0.326923 221 33%

Total 676 100%


Discussion

Washing clothes in cold water is more energy efficient. Only a third of respondents indicated that they wash their clothes in cold water all of the time. However, 86% of respondents selected that they wash in cold water at least sometimes. This still helps reduce the amount of energy needed when washing clothes. Hot water takes energy to heat up which is not necessarily needed when washing clothes. Washing in cold water saves energy and still cleans clothes which some of respondents realize.

Question 52. Do you power down your laptop, gaming system, TV, etc. when not in use?

Summary

# Answer Bar Response %1 Never 0.008889 6 1%2 Rarely 0.085926 58 9%3 Sometimes 0.198519 134 20%4 Often 0.364444 246 36%5 All of the Time 0.342222 231 34%

Total 675 100%


Discussion

90% of respondents indicated that they turn off their electronics at least sometimes. This has real energy savings with items such as gaming consoles and televisions that still consume energy, even while not being used. This is energy that is being wasted because the device is not being used; the energy is being fed into the device and then not used to actually power it for use. Turning off these electronics helps reduce that wasted power and reduce overall emissions. This helps consumers and communities by reducing costs and localized emissions.

Question 53. Do you think the university could do more to have more of its energy come from renewable sources?

Summary


1 Yes0.88087

8 562 88%

2 No0.11912

2 76 12%Total 638 100%


Discussion

The results of this question indicate that the student body believes that the university could do much more in terms of renewable energy investment. Students only see the one wind turbine on campus and think we have an opportunity to expand that and get more of the university’s energy from wind and other renewable sources. Iowa State is a science and technology school, yet it appears to students that there is a lack of investment in renewable energy and that the university could do more to be more sustainable.

Question 54. Please describe how.

Summary


Install solar panels on roofs Install geothermal, solar, more wind turbines, nuclear plant I don’t know what they currently do Invest in biomass Build solar panels and wind turbines on campus and allow students to work on them to

make them more efficient Motion sensored lights

Sample Responses

1). Build additional wind turbines and solar cells. 2). Convert all CyRide buses to run on biofuels

As a university with a major focus in science and technology, it would seem that there would be a way to do large project, or at least a proposal, across the various departments of campus to think of a way to bring large amounts of renewable energy to campus. This would be an interesting way to join all of the departments together under one main goal and would put ISU ahead of many other universities.

Have a recycling program. Have better bicycle infrastructure. Collect data that can be used to influence politicians and city governments to change policy. So many options!!!!!

I like that we recently put up one wind turbine. Can we put more somewhere? Or maybe smaller ones on the roofs of the buildings?

I would like to see solar panels installed on roofs of buildings on campus to supply some of the electricity for the building. The university should take any investments that are currently in fossil fuels related stocks or bonds and reinvest it in renewable energy. When building new buildings, design it such that lecture halls have windows so that sunlight can be used to light the room during the day instead of light bulbs.

ISU is one of the top research and engineering Universities in the world, come on... seriously? We should be a leader in this.

More solar installations. It's an investment, but also a learning experience for students if you let them work hands on with the installation. Educating students about renewable energy is the most surefire way to ensure that future generations will have the capability to install renewable energy on a global scale

Push vehicle fleet to use more ethanol, electricity, etc. rather than gas. Or switch to diesel power and use renewable diesel options.

Solar panels are around campus on trash cans...maybe light posts could be next? The roofs of the residence halls could be places for solar panels.

Discussion

There were many ideas offered by respondents for ways for the university decrease its use on nonrenewable fuels and increase its use in renewable fuels. Many of these ideas involved the increased use of solar and wind power generation around campus. Students suggested putting small scale wind turbines or solar panels on the roofs of buildings around campus, including the residence halls, which would help increase the availability of renewable energy for those buildings. Students could then work on those systems to help improve them as part of projects for individual research or for classes. This would provide good, hands-on learning in projects that will be more relevant in the coming years.

Also, it was mentioned that departments from across the university should come together to work on large scale renewable energy projects that would reduce the university’s need for non-renewable fuels. Coalitions like this and others involving groups of students would help bring people together to work on a common problem that would give students practical experience working on community sustainability projects. These would have huge impacts on increasing the amount of renewable energy generated on campus. Respondents realize that we have many different kinds of technologies available now that can reduce the dependence on fossil fuels. They also realize that Iowa State University can very easily take a leading role in campus-wide sustainability projects that would provide reductions in emissions and provide learning opportunities for students.

Question 55. How much more tuition are you willing to pay to have more energy come from renewable sources?

Summary


1 10%0.41653

4 262 42%

2 25%0.08426

1 53 8%

3 50%0.01271

9 8 1%

4 Other0.48648

6 306 49%Total 629 100%


Zero: 144 1-5%: 37 We’re broke and don’t want our money going toward renewable energy projects The university should divert more funds that it already has toward it

Sample Responses

0% if the university cannot naturally expand its renewable energy sources with the current budget then it is not the time.

As much as needed None. I pay too much being out of state. The school would potentially save money by

using these. they can make the initial investment Tuition is high enough as it is; there are better ways to come up with money than by

charging students more. We are a public university and the cost for energy changes should be paid for by the

government - not the students.

Discussion

Most respondents indicated that they want to pay zero and 10% more tuition to help pay for more renewable energy on campus. Students understand the fact that things like renewable energy cost money and there may need to be an increase in costs passed on to them in order to pay for those systems. However, many respondents also indicated that they would be very unwilling to pay additional amounts of money for renewable energy. Most of this was due to the fact that college tuition is already very expensive and the students believe the university should foot the initial investment for these projects. Additionally, since Iowa State is a publicly funded university, students should not be paying for even more services that the government could provide funding for.

Question 56. Would you be in favor of Cy-Ride using more fuel-efficient buses, even if it meant there were fewer buses available?

Summary


1 Yes0.6015

5 388 60%

2 No0.3984

5 257 40%Total 645 100%


Discussion

With the enrollment at record levels at Iowa State, the fact that 60% of respondents still indicated that they would be in favor of more fuel efficient buses, even if there were fewer, is surprising. The buses now are often overcrowded and a student may have to wait for two or three to go by in order to be able to get on a bus. This shows that students care more for sustainability than their need to get to class easily.

Question 57. Why do you think that?

Summary


Overall, it would be better for the environment The buses are already overcrowded and at capacity Would provide better fuel efficiency A lot of respondents said they didn’t use the bus so it wouldn’t affect them In favor of gradually phasing in more fuel efficient buses There are already not enough buses

Sample Responses

Because I think an increase in fuel efficiency is a good thing. Because over time the university could rebuild the fleet with the efficient vehicles. It

would also save a lot of money in gas to switch to more efficient busses; that would most certainly pay for itself in no-time.

Because there is a growing population on campus and we already do not have a sufficient quantity of buses for transporting students and faculty as it is

CyRide has a difficult time trying to keep up with more students. They need more buses not less.

Cy-Ride is currently experiencing a crunch. There is more demand at a time when they are losing national funding support. I think Cy-Ride can't afford fewer buses. They just purchased four old buses from Chicago; if that's an indication of the dire state they are in. It would be unreasonable to demand that they use more fuel-efficient buses on top of the current demands of citizens and students.

I think it would be best to replace buses gradually with more fuel efficient buses without reducing the total number of buses. One of the great things about CyRide is the frequency of the buses which makes it very convenient.

If CyRide ran fewer buses, more people would drive to campus. Normally I'm all for reducing emissions, but this wouldn't make sense. We'd no longer be

operating at social efficiency. If we could add more ecofriendly buses to the fleet, that'd be great.

Discussion

There was a good mix of positive and negative responses to this question. Many arguments in favor of more environmentally friendly buses included points such as better fuel efficiency, savings on gasoline, and fewer emissions. However, respondents on the opposite side argued that a reduction of buses would make the current system even more strained and make buses even more crowded. They believe it is unreasonable to have Cy-Ride decrease their bus fleet in order to make it more fuel efficient overall. They argue that it would be better to gradually phase

in more fuel efficient buses and slowly retire older ones to improve the overall efficiency of the bus fleet.

Question 58. Would you support a university-wide bike share system that would allow you to check out bikes to ride around campus?

Summary


1 Yes0.75346

7 489 75%

2 No0.24653

3 160 25%Total 649 100%


Discussion

There have been recent conversations about implementing some sort of bike share system around Iowa State University and the city of Ames. Many people see the benefits of these systems in larger cities as easy ways for people without cars to get around. However, others see it unnecessary with Cy-Ride already established as good public transportation. However, 75% of students in support of a bike share system shows that there is support from the student body for this project.


Summary


Helps people who don’t already own bikes Bikers don’t have regard others safety when speeding down the sidewalk Sidewalks are already overcrowded with bikers Would be a quick way to get across campus and around town Programs like these have worked on other campuses and towns Great way to reduce emissions from cars and buses

Sample Responses

Although I have my own bike, I think a bike share would be a good way for students who do not have bikes to gain the use of them and help decrease their use cars. I do, however, think that with the current crowding on campus and increase in the number of bikers may cause a problem with crowding on sidewalks and such.

AWESOME idea then you can get around campus fast but do not have to lug it on the bus or all the way home

Bike share systems seem to work well in bigger cities and on campuses. I have talked to a few individuals that said they would use them if the service was provided. I personally wouldn't since I own a bike, but I think a lot of students would.

Bikes are expensive and this way more students could bike around and not drive. HOWEVER, the university and the city of Ames would need to address serious safety concerns that go along with biking on the streets (i.e. create well defined bike lanes)

Campus is already crowded with the increasing enrollment and we don't need more bikes on the sidewalks. Even though it's technically against the rules to ride bikes on campus people still do it and no one tries to stop them. That doesn't need to get worse.

I only see it as a way to generate more income to the university, while the rented bikes would be treated disrespectfully.

I think a lot of people would like biking around campus, and this would make bikes more available to people who may not have one otherwise.

If it was free and you checked it out via id. that way the school could monitor bikes and if one goes missing, that student would have to pay for it

It would be highly used. A lot of people don't have room for bikes in their apartments or $ for buying a bike. I'd even be in favor of a very cheap (1-2$) paid bike share system.

It would cut down on time between classes if implemented correctly, as well as cut down on number of people using CyRide, and therefore reduce fuel costs for CyRide.

Potentially. It would have to be cheap, though, and it would be practically useless if the bikes were limited to campus.

Discussion

Overall, the responses from students were very positive in support of a bike share system. Respondents thought that it would be very widely used and would be very effective in reducing the number of people who would otherwise drive. Since bikes can be expensive, many students do not have one. A bike share system would allow them to travel more quickly across campus and throughout Ames. Additionally, it would decrease the number of riders on Cy-Ride which would reduce congestion on buses and reduce total fuel costs.

Some safety concerns were brought about such a system. This included having to deal with a large increase in bikers across campus. Currently, sidewalks are very crowded with high numbers of students traveling from class to class. The city and the university would have to either create bike specific lanes or something else to address the safety issue of large numbers of bikes being ridden across campus in between pedestrians and buses. These are significant issues that would need to be addressed but that would be able to be worked out if the student body continues to show such strong support for a bike share system.

Question 60. Would you like to see more access to recycling for students on campus?

Summary


1 Yes0.87633

6 574 88%

2 No0.12366

4 81 12%Total 655 100%


Discussion

Overall, the university does not provide much access for recycling. There are ways for students and faculty to recycle, but they could be much more extensive. Many students agree with this sentiment and almost 90% of respondents indicate that they would support more recycling across campus. It’s impressive that so many students recognize the importance of recycling and would like to see more of it across campus. This is definitely an area where the university should take note that there is strong support for and possibly take action to increase recycling capabilities across campus.


Summary


Some buildings have recycling, some don’t, needs to be consistent If it’s more convenient for people, they will recycle The current system is fine the way it is Don’t know where to recycle on campus There’s mostly only paper recycling, not much else More people would recycle if they had access to it More locations would increase convenience

Sample Responses

Because recycling is the easiest thing people can do to help the environment. Because recycling is wildly important and the city of Ames and Iowa State aren't doing

enough to promote it. I can count on two fingers how many of the BLUE big belly solar compactors I see on

campus for recyclable materials. Not having easy access to recycling bins on campus means most of our trash gets thrown in the trash and burned at the power plant.

Honestly, I think the current recycling scheme is really good. There are multiple bins in every building and along sidewalks so I don't know what else they would do.

I think a huge reason people don't recycle is that it seems less convenient than throwing something in the trash. If recycling bins were everywhere that trash cans are, I think a lot more people would recycle.

If there is more access to recycling, more people will do it! It seems there are plenty of recycling bins around as is. However, locations for

electronics (including batteries, ink cartridges, etc.) would be useful, and these are some of the things that are more problematic in landfills.

There is very little now. Most people aren't going to hold onto their trash until they find a recycling bin and instead just throw it into the closest garbage can.

YES! When I came here from my undergraduate institution, I was extremely disappointed with the recycling system here. Here, only white paper can be recycled. Everything else goes in the trash! I was used to being able to divide up paper, compost, aluminum/metal/cans, garbage, plastic and glass. Here I feel like I have no ability to be as sustainable as before. It's extremely frustrating!

Discussion

Students recognize the lack of recycling across campus. Many responses mentioned the fact that more people would recycle if there was easy access to it across campus. Some buildings currently have some recycling, but not consistently across campus. With more reliable and easier to find recycling points, more people would recycle which would reduce the amount of

waste the university produces and help conserve resources. Recycling was also talked about as one of the easiest things an individual can do to help the environment. It’s something simple that takes very little effort and time and over time can have a huge impact on a person’s environmental impact. When a person recycles, they receive some personal satisfaction that they are doing something to help the environment.

A simple solution that was mentioned a few times would be to just put blue recycling containers next to all of the trash cans across campus. Then, instead of throwing away recyclables, people can recycle them instead. It takes no extra time for them and has a positive environmental impact. It could be easily implemented and would require little cost beyond the bins and collection. It’s a simple solution to a problem that the student body wants the university to solve.

Question 62. How much more access would you like to see for recycling?

Summary


A lot more At least one bin per building One recycling bin by every trash can As much as possible Everywhere

Sample Responses

A LOT MORE. I would like to see compost, newspaper/paper, plastic, glass, aluminum/metal/cans all be able to be recycled or separated to be recycled.

All buildings and multiple locations within the buildings. Make recycling as easy as possible.

Each dining area, all dorm floors, bags given to each student, and large recycling center like facilities by Freddie Court, Towers, UCCC, and MWL areas. This needs to happen and be promoted!

I would like to electronics recycling because I have to take my electronics home with me to recycle them at Best Buy.

Loads more. I would like to see more recycling bins next to trash cans around campus and in dorms. It would also be nice if there was a university service to pick up recyclables from dorms, as this would probably increase recycling efforts in these dorms. There could even be some kind of competition for the dorms based on recycling to garbage ratios, and whoever wins each semester (winning meaning they had the highest percentage of their waste recycled rather than thrown out) could have some sort of prize (probably food based, as all students are suckers for a free meal).

Discussion

Respondents indicate that they want as much recycling access as possible. This could range from at least one bin per building to one bin beside every trash can across campus. Encouraging recycling within the residence halls would also help encourage overall recycling as 35% of the current student population lives with university housing. This is a large portion of the student body that would probably recycle if given an easy opportunity to within the hall and house system. These buildings are also a source of a large amount of waste due to the number of people living there. Increasing recycling would decrease the amount of waste produced and make the halls a nicer place to live.

Question 63. Would you pay extra for post-consumer recycled products such as paper or plastics in the cafes and dining centers? (e.g., buying coffee)

Summary


1 Yes0.6958

6 437 70%

2 No0.3041

4 191 30%Total 628 100%


Discussion

Encouraging the use of recycled products would help reduce the amount of overall waste that is produced. The purchase of these products comes from outside sources, but buying post-consumer products helps society reduce our overall waste. The university is a large user of plastics and paper products in the cafes and dining centers. If people are willing to pay more for these products, which they are, the university should follow that and use recycled products.

Question 64. How much extra would you pay?

Summary

# Answer Bar Response %1 .05-.10 cents extra per cup? 0.714542 398 71%2 $1 extra per cup? 0.064632 36 6%3 Other 0.220826 123 22%

Total 557 100%


Zero: 46 As much as needed .25 cents per cup

Sample Responses

Cups are not that expensive for as many as ISU buys, I would be willing to pay for the extra price of the cup, but not extra so ISU Dining can make a profit off of it.

There should be no extra cost....prices at the cafes are already overpriced

Discussion

Most respondents indicate that they do not want to spend much extra money to encourage the university to use post-consumer materials. As college students, overall there is often not much extra money to spend on things like coffee and snacks, so a few cent increase in price is often all that a student can handle. However, this shows that they are willing to pay a little more for the use of recycled products which is beneficial toward the university’s waste production.

Question 65. Should there be a tax or surcharge on paper cups to encourage the use of travel mugs?

Summary


1 Yes0.60064

4 373 60%

2 No0.39935

6 248 40%Total 621 100%


Discussion

Encouraging the use of travel mugs would greatly decrease the number of discarded coffee cups that the university’s cafes produce on a daily basis. As a college campus, coffee is a high use commodity. Cutting the number of cups thrown away on a daily basis would help reduce overall waste. Respondents agreed with this idea by supporting a tax on paper cups to encourage the usage of travel mugs instead.

Question 66. How much of a tax should be imposed?

Summary


None 0-$1.00 Most say $0.25 or less Up to 25%

Sample Responses

I like the current discount method for travel mugs better. Incentivizing rather than taxing It should be reasonable. Or maybe instead of a tax offer a solid discount on reusable

coffee mugs to encourage people to buy one. Or both. Make it at least $1, big enough to encourage travel mugs, small enough not to prohibit

beverage purchase if a student forgets their mug. The cost of the cup plus the value of cost for disposable/recycling of that cup.

Discussion

Most respondents seemed fairly reasonable in their ideas for a tax on paper cups. Most suggestions were in the zero to one dollar range. This would encourage the use of travel mugs but also would not discourage someone from buying the coffee if they did not have a mug of their own. If something like this was to be implemented, respondents generally agree that it should be done to decrease the amount of waste produced from the cups.

Question 67. Should the university ban the use of one-time-use plastic water bottles?

Summary


1 Yes0.38647

3 240 39%

2 No0.61352

7 381 61%Total 621 100%


Discussion

As another way to reduce waste and discourage the throwing away of recyclable bottles could be to ban plastic water bottles altogether. This would decrease the number of plastic bottles that would be thrown away. However, respondents disagree and would prefer to keep plastic water bottles.

Question 68. Why do you think this?

Summary


Ban has a negative connotation associated with it Would prefer to stop the sale of university branded plastic water bottles in the C store Would like to see more bottle filling stations across campus Encourage recycling of those bottles instead of banning them Seems unreasonable

Sample Responses

A ban on one-time-use bottles would be nearly impossible unless you removed all of the vending machines. A smarter idea might be providing reusable water bottles free or at cost and installing more bottle filling stations.

Banning is too strong of an action that is unenforceable. Stopping the sale of one-time water bottles in university facilities would be acceptable. Assurances of the high quality of Ames water could also be marketed to students who may not understand.

Because then you'd have to enforce it and fine people. And honestly, F*** anyone who wants to fine me for a personal choice. It's my life, bug out.

Because they fill up landfills and hard to break down. water fountains or dispensers are a cleaner and better option

If recycling facilities are available, their use should be encouraged. A blanket ban may be difficult to enforce and would likely be met with protest.

Other universities in the area such as Drake have had great success with banning one-time-use water bottles and increasing water fountains with spouts to fill up reusable bottles. This is a no-brainer - do it!

That just sounds like a terrible idea. People will still use them. There are occasions where plastic bottles are needed. In medical situations it reduces the

need to constantly be sanitizing reusable bottles. Reducing overall use, yes. Completely banning, no.

Discussion

Many respondents think that a complete ban on plastic bottles would not be effective on a university-wide scale. It would be too hard to enforce and it seems unreasonable. Alternatively, students suggested encouraging the recycling of those bottles instead of simply throwing them away. To encourage the use of reusable water bottles, increasing the number of bottle filling stations at water fountains across campus. Other alternatives included simply to have the university stop selling bottled water in their C-stores or increase the price of those to make it uneconomical for people to buy them. Respondents like the idea of reducing waste and encouraging the recycling of plastic bottles but disagree with an outright ban on them.

Question 69. Should the university ban the use of plastic bags?

Summary


1 Yes0.40226

2 249 40%

2 No0.59773

8 370 60%Total 619 100%


Discussion

Many municipalities throughout the United States have banned the use of plastic bags due to the fact that they are not biodegradable and often litter and pollute areas. However, respondents disagree with and do not think that the university should ban plastic bags.


Summary


Too extreme Could be beneficial to switch to reusable canvas bags The bookstore could switch to a different type of bag or not a plastic bag at all, don’t

require you to have one when you pay Don’t ban, but limit use and provide alternatives Provide ways to recycle them Charge for use of plastic bags instead or provide incentive to use reusable bags

Sample Responses

Again a ban is too extreme. Availability of alternatives is limited and impractical for current usage scenarios. Encourage reduction, given students an option - paper or plastic? see what they choose let market forces drive the change

Again same thing with the plastic bottles. I believe telling people they can't do something is less effective because they think they need to go against it. By rewarding people for using reusable bags it doesn't put a negative idea out there and only a positive one.

California, I heard, was in the process of doing this and I feel that this is a small thing that the university could do to promote a healthier environment and save on the cost of plastic bags.

I think they should minimalize the use but not ban it I won't ban it but will limit the allowance. This will directly fight the cause of extreme

plastic consumption. Also would make available some other options at a cheap price. Paper bags could be easily substituted and reusable bags promoted. Plastic bags are a valuable product to consumers, as judged by their presence in markets

across the world. This policy might overstep the bounds of effective university administration. Much more careful research must be performed before imposing any bans.

Plastic bags are easy to recycle and use for other things. They could instead offer an incentive for using reusable bags

Discussion

Once again, respondents think that an outright ban is too extreme. Other suggestions included charging for using plastic bags and simply encouraging the use of reusable bags instead. Some respondents did see the positive environmental impact a ban would have, but overall students disagreed. The think reducing the use of plastic bags and encouraging using reusable bags would be more effective instead of simply banning plastic bags.

Question 71. Would you support paying an extra fee with tuition costs to support services such as recycling, composting, and other green initiatives as determined by an advisory committee?

Summary


1 Yes0.55993

4 341 56%

2 No0.44006

6 268 44%Total 609 100%


Discussion

An advisory committee, as selected by the administration could take suggestions from students and faculty and weigh them with what the university wants in terms of sustainable development and make decisions for investments in green initiatives. Overall, a majority of students supported an additional fee to help pay for this committee in order to see an increase in services supporting green initiatives around campus.


Summary


We already have too many fees and tuition is already too high This cost, if it remained small, would be going toward something beneficial This money would be going toward making ISU a better place In order to make a difference, we need to put money toward fixing the problem Somebody else should foot the bill for this initiative, not the students

Sample Responses

An extra dollar or two from everyone would add up to jump start such initiatives As long as the money was truly being used correctly, it would be a good initiative to

support. Because if it improves recycling and gives me more things I can recycle I would be

happier, there satisfying my selfish needs because I'm happy that I feel like I'm helping the environment.

I believe these things are important. It cannot be too much of a fee because college is already ridiculously expensive as is.

I do not want to blindly throw money at a committee when I do not have a say in where the money goes.

I'm already paying fees and an additional fee for something like recycling would be worth it.

It is a very important part of our worldly existence. However, I would want students to be able to talk to this committee, and for it to not be tied up with paperwork and regulations and red tape, but instead make it able to act expediently to address problems.

The "Live Green Initiative" should already being doing this. Tuition is already too high, the university and regents should foot the bills

Discussion

Most students supported the idea of an advisory committee that would jumpstart sustainable developments across campus. They realize that a small fee by all students would add up to a significant sum of money that could help promote real change on campus. It’s understood that in order to have a change made, there has to be some money put toward fixing the problem. They also want to make sure that this committee would listen to input from students and that students would have some sort of say in what projects their fees are going toward. However, there are still some students who think that their fees and tuition are already too high and should not be putting forth any more money to the university. However, overall, students are in support of this idea if they were able to have input in what decisions the advisory committee made.

Question 73. Would you compost if the university provided a way to compost food waste?

Summary


1 Yes0.78409

1 483 78%

2 No0.21590

9 133 22%Total 616 100%


Discussion

Nearly 80% of respondents indicated they would compost if the university provided a way to compost food. With so many students using the dining centers across campus on a daily basis, there is a lot of food waste created. By composting this wasted food, it could be reused as organic waste on research fields and other university properties.

Question 74. Why would you do this?

Summary


Composting is a great way to reduce food waste I don’t eat on campus and don’t waste food If it was easy and sustainable, then people would support it It’s better for the environment and helps build healthy soil Why not?

Sample Responses

Because I dislike throwing food away. At least this way it could be used in various landscaping projects around campus.

Because it is good for the planet and reduces waste and waste management costs in the long run. This would have to be done in a way that it was easy. For instance having compost bins in dining places on campus. Educating people on proper use will also be valuable

Composting is awesome. It means you don't have to through something away and feel bad about it because you know it can be used for something else good. It may encourage food waste a little? But I think it would have a net positive effect.

I have been searching for a composting facility within in close proximity and if the university had one that would be phenomenal!

ISU Dining already composts and it goes back into our landscaping and other uses. If the students had a way to do this as well I think it would raise awareness of food waste and other issues.

What if we took the compost and made communal gardens on campus? (Please don't steal my idea).

Discussion

Most respondents seemed very open to the idea of composting. A reduction of food waste would be a large reduction in the overall waste of the university. It’s an easy way for students to help the university be sustainable. It’s easy and requires very little work on their part. The university would create the facilities to house and turn over the waste to allow it time to turn into usable fertilizer. Respondents believed that if this was implemented, and with proper education of it, other students would be very receptive to this idea and would use it extensively. This could have huge positive impacts for the university who could also sell the produced compost to local farmers.

Question 75. How much more would you be willing to pay per meal to compost food?

Summary

# Answer Bar Response %1 10% more 0.426987 231 43%2 25% more 0.05915 32 6%3 50% more 0.009242 5 1%4 Other 0.504621 273 50%

Total 541 100%


Zero: 145 1-5%: 27 The food on campus is already too expensive

Sample Reponses

0%. Through food waste in a compost bin would reduce the amount of costs in hauling trash. It would also save on fertilizer for the lawn, if used in this way. There should be no increase in expenses.

Maybe take away profit from the dining center. $10 a meal is already a lot None. If you make good quality compost you can sell it. Why shouldn't this be at least

cost-neutral?

Discussion

Overall, respondents indicated that they would not support a very large increase in cost per meal to help pay for composting. The main issue was that the dining centers are already too expensive and increasing the cost even more would simply discourage them from eating there altogether. Students also thought that the program, after initial investment, should at least be cost neutral due to decrease in purchased fertilizer or in income from selling the compost. They think this is a very good idea, but are not willing to put forth the money to help create it.

Question 76. Would you pay more for food if it supported local farmers?

Summary


1 Yes0.74671

1 454 75%

2 No0.25328

9 154 25%Total 608 100%


Discussion

75% of respondents indicated that they would be in favor of paying more for food if it supported local farmers. With such a strong agricultural base around Iowa State, buying local is practical and does well to support local businesses. It helps keep money in the area and support friends and family in the area.

Question 77. Why would you do this?

Summary


Travel time between the production and consumption is small which decreases environmental impact

Supports people within the community Good for the local economy Healthier Some people don’t necessarily care where their food comes from

Sample Responses

A local diet is critical for lowering our GHG footprints. Local foods mean shorter distances for food delivery.

Because it would be a good PR move for ISU which would build more community support. I also think it's good to give back to your community.

Fresher food, tastes better, better for me, supports the community I am already poor enough as a college student; I wouldn't be able to afford to pay that on

top of everything else. I would absolutely love to see organic and grass fed foods on campus! I might actually

spend money for food on campus instead of bringing my own all the time. It will help support local farmers to stay in business, stimulate the local economy and

help to put more nutritious food on our plates. Local farmers equates to less energy in transportation to me as the consumer. It also

produces fresh foods and more jobs. Meals are expensive enough as it is. I don't necessarily care where my food comes from Yes yes yes! Also, if there could be more education on what foods are local in the dining

centers, that would help create awareness! I know that Nancy, head of ISU dining, is a great sustainability-minded person and would support more usage of local foods!

Discussion

Most respondents are very supportive of a buying local initiative. Buying food locally greatly decreases greenhouse gas emissions because the food does not need to travel great distances to get to where it’s being sold. Additionally, it supports the community and the local economy by keeping money in the local economy and not going to an overseas corporation. It’s often healthier because there is not as much need for the spraying of pesticides and herbicides. With the want for a more sustainable society, buying local food is often a better option whenever possible.

Question 78. How much more would you be willing to pay per meal?

Summary

# Answer Bar Response %1 10% more 0.527473 288 53%2 25% more 0.150183 82 15%3 50% more 0.020147 11 2%4 Other 0.302198 165 30%

Total 546 100%


Zero: 80 1-5%: 39 Locally produced foods should be cheaper because of lower transportation costs

Sample Responses

I am not willing to pay more for a product because it is "locally produced." If anything, I might reasonably expect lower prices per meal because of reduced transportation costs (unless the "local producers" are more inefficient, contributing to increased costs).

Local food is not necessarily more expensive. I would pay 10%-20% more IF and only if the farmers were aiming to reduce their farm inputs.

Discussion

Once again, respondents are very supportive of the idea of buying local foods, but are not willing to see much of an increase in cost because of it. Most respondents wanted to see no more than a ten percent increase in total price per meal. This was often because they believed buying local foods should be cheaper which would therefore decrease the cost of the meal. Overall, a small cost increase would be acceptable if it meant a better quality of food that helped support the local economy.

Summary

Overall, it appears that students at Iowa State University have a pretty good understanding of the major issues pertaining to climate change. Iowa State students recognize the impact they have on the environment and want the university to do more to help minimize that impact. There cannot be direct assumptions drawn to the fact that the university has been the driving factor in this understanding, but it is reasonable to draw that assumption. Direct correlations cannot be drawn to the overall student body, but this representation of the student body shows that many students understand these issues and care about the environment and the impact they have on it.

Students want the university to do more to invest in renewable energy. They see this major land-grant university that is not doing much to encourage reducing energy waste or increasing clean energy production. The university does have one 100 kilowatt wind turbine on campus and buys up to 10% of its total energy needs from a wind farm north of Ames. However, the students don’t see this and want the university to do more investing in renewable energies on a campus wide level. They also see this as an opportunity to get students and faculty involved as a teaching and research opportunity. Investments in wind and solar for the university would help reduce the university’s carbon footprint and provide a public relations maneuver that would show that the university cares about the environment and investments in renewable energy.

Students also want the availability of other sustainable measures such recycling, composting, and more public transportation. Currently, Iowa State does not encourage recycling as much as students would like. Students would like to see much more recycling across campus. They would like to see as much access to recycling as is available for trash. They would like to have the ability to compost food and create less waste. They recognize how much waste they’re creating and want the ability to reduce that through programs like composting and recycling. This shows that Iowa State is educating these students on how to be good environmental stewards but is not providing them a full range of options on how to reduce their environmental impact. Iowa State has an opportunity to listen to the student’s wants and implement practices that would allow them to reduce their impact on the environment.

Iowa State University is a leading land grant university that provides education to people from all across the world. It has the opportunity to be a very energy efficient campus that gets much of its energy from renewable sources. Students want the university to achieve those goals. They want the opportunity to be a part of a university that cares for the environment and promotes good stewardship. They support ways of reducing waste and improving the lives of people around them. They don’t necessarily want to pay lots more money but would support and encourage the university to use its status to provide services to better serve the students who attend. Iowa State students recognize the problems of our current environment and have the knowledge and skills to be able to fix those problems in the coming future.

Bibliography

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Appendix 1 - Survey Instrument

Demographics1. What college is your primary major in?

Agriculture and Life SciencesBusinessDesignEngineeringGraduateHuman SciencesLiberal Arts and SciencesVeterinary Medicine

2. What is your major?3. What is your minor? (If applicable)4. What gender are you?

Male FemaleOther

5. Are you a graduate or undergraduate student?6. Where do you live?

Residence hallApartmentNon-apartment off campus

7. Where are you originally from?IowaOutside of Iowa but within the United StatesInternational

8. What political affiliation do you identify most closely with? ConservativeIndependentLiberalLibertarianOtherNone

Attitudes, Perceptions, and Habits9. Do you believe climate scientists who say that the climate is changing?10. What is causing the climate to change? (select all that apply)

HumansNatural ProcessesA combination of bothClimate change is not happeningOther (please specify)

11. Where did you get your information on climate change issues? (select all that apply)News media

List sourcesSocial media

List sourcesInternet

List sourcesClasses

List specific classes Friends/Family membersTalk showsBlogsHeard it from somebody but you haven’t checked it for yourselfIt’s my own opinion or experienceGovernment reportsIPCCOther (please specify)

12. Do you think conservation is important? 13. Here at Iowa State, do you feel you have a personal role in contributing to climate change

or is it the university’s job to adjust its actions?14. Who should take responsibility for making changes to combat climate change? (select all

that apply)IndividualsCompaniesGovernmentsNon-profitsCommunities

15. What can individuals do to combat the effects of climate change?16. What can companies do to combat the effects of climate change?17. What can governments do to combat the effects of climate change?18. What can non-profits and communities do to combat the effects of climate change?19. What can be done on a global scale to alleviate the effects of climate change?20. What role do science, technology, and engineering play in mitigating the impacts of

climate change?21. Do the non-science fields (e.g., the humanities, the arts) play a role in mitigating the

impacts of climate change? If so, what role do they play?22. What would encourage you to be personally accountable for your own actions and how

they may impact climate change?23. How do you get to campus on a daily basis? (select all that apply)

BikeWalkDriveCyRideOther

24. Why do you choose that option? 25. If you drive to campus, do you park on campus or in the commuter lot? (select one)

Park on campusPark in commuter lot

26. Why do you choose that option? 27. How do you get around campus? (select all that apply)

WalkingBikingTaking CyRideDrivingOther

28. Why do you choose that option (open response)

What do you know?29. Rank these issues from least to most important issues that should be dealt with first with

6 being the least important to 1 being the most important.Global warmingOcean acidificationLong-term droughtSea level riseIce cap meltingBurning of fossil fuels

30. Rate how much you think the above issues affect you on a daily basis. 5 being having no effect on you to 1 being having a large effect on you0 1 2 3 4 5

31. Rate how much you think the above issues will affect you in the next 10 years. 5 being having no effect on you to 1 being having a large effect on you0 1 2 3 4 5

32. Rate how much you think the above issues will affect you in the next 50 years. 5 being having no effect on you to 1 being having a large effect on you0 1 2 3 4 5

33. Do you support replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy such as wind and solar on a national scale? Yes or No

34. Why did you choose that option?35. How much extra would you be willing to pay for renewable energy on a nationwide

scale? 10% more25% more50% moreOther (please specify)

36. Do you support the city of Ames in burning its trash for electricity? Yes or No

37. What benefits do we receive from burning trash? 38. What are the environmental implications and other concerns of burning trash for

electricity? 39. How often do you recycle?

NeverOnce a month

Once a weekEvery day

40. What do you recycle? GlassPlasticPapersElectronicsCardboardOther

41. Where do you recycle? Residence hallsGarbage hauler picks it upDrop it off at the recycling centerOther

42. If you recycle, do your parents or other people close to you influence your decision whether or not to recycle?

Yes or no43. Are you familiar with ISU’s Live Green initiative?

Yes or No 44. In a few sentences describe the goals of the Live Green Initiative. 45. How can ISU get you more information about their Live Green Initiative?46. Do you know what LEED Certification is?

Yes or no47. How many buildings on campus are LEED Certified? 48. Do you turn off the water when brushing your teeth?

Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Often, All of the time 49. Do you use a reusable water bottle?

Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Often, All of the time 50. Do you turn the lights off when you leave a room?

Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Often, All of the time 51. Do you wash clothes in cold water? (select one)

Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Often, All of the time 52. Do you power down your laptop, gaming system, TV, etc. when not in use? (select one)

Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Often, All of the time

What can ISU do to help you learn more and do more for you to improve your environmental footprint?

53. Do you think the university could do more to have more of its energy come from renewable sources?

Yes or no54. Please describe how.55. How much more tuition are you willing to pay to have more energy come from

renewable sources?10%25%

50%Other

56. Would you be in favor of Cy-Ride using more fuel efficient buses, even if it meant there were fewer buses available?

Yes or No57. Why do you think that? 58. Would you support a university-wide bike share system that would allow you to check

out bikes to ride around campus? Yes or no

59. Why do you think that? 60. Would you like to see more access to recycling for students on campus?

Yes or no61. Why do you think that? 62. How much more access would you like to see for recycling?63. Would you pay extra for post-consumer recycled products such as paper or plastics in the

cafes and dining centers? (e.g., buying coffee)Yes or no

64. How much extra would you pay?.05-.10 cents extra per cup?$1 extra per cup?Other

65. Should there be a tax or surcharge on paper cups to encourage the use of travel mugs?Yes or no

66. How much of a tax should be imposed?67. Should the university ban the use of one-time-use plastic water bottles?

Yes or no68. Why do you think this?69. Should the university ban the use of plastic bags?

Yes or no70. Why do you think this?71. Would you support paying an extra fee with tuition costs to support services such as

recycling, composting, and other green initiatives as determined by an advisory committee?

72. Why do you think this?73. Would you compost if the University provided a way to compost food waste?

Yes or no74. Why would you do this?75. How much more would you be willing to pay per meal to compost food?

10% more25% more50% moreOther

76. Would you pay more for food if it supported local farmers?Yes or no

77. Why would you do this?78. How much more would you be willing to pay per meal?

10% more25% more50% moreOther

Documents

reports.aashe.org · Web viewA Survey of Students on Their Views and Practices of Sustainability and Conservation. Douglas Todey. Objectives. To examine the views of ISU students