| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 70.78 |
| Liaison | Julia Carlow |
| Submission Date | July 25, 2024 |
American University of Sharjah
EN-6: Assessing Sustainability Culture
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.00 / 1.00 |
Nathalie
Curabba Sustainability Coordinator Sustainability |
Does the institution conduct an assessment of sustainability culture?:
Which of the following best describes the cultural assessment? The assessment is administered to::
Which of the following best describes the structure of the cultural assessment? The assessment is administered::
A brief description of how and when the cultural assessment(s) were developed and/or adopted:
The AUS Sustainability Survey started as part of the Sustainable Campus Initiative in 2017 and has since been developed into a yearly survey to gain a greater understanding of AUS campus behaviors and attitudes concerning sustainability. The survey targets all members of the AUS community, e.g. AUS students, faculty and staff.
A copy or sample of the questions related to sustainability culture:
A sample of the questions related to sustainability culture or the website URL where the assessment tool is available:
The cultural assessment focuses on sustainability values, behaviors, and beliefs, and may also address awareness of campus sustainability initiatives. Example questions as follows:
-To what extent do you agree with the following statements?
Agree
Neither agree nor disagree
Disagree
I am willing to participate in sustainability activities oncampus
I fully understand the meaning of the term "sustainability"
Environmental issues directly affect my life
People need to be more educated on the subject of sustainability and climate change
-What is causing the climate to change?
Humans
Natural Processes
A combination of both
Climate change is not happening
Other (please specify)
-What materials do you typically recycle? Select all that apply.
Glass (e.g. glass bottles, jars)
Electronics (e.g. batteries, mobile phones, computers)
Paper/Cardboard (e.g. books, newspapers, magazines, shipping boxes)
Aluminum (e.g. cans, foil)
Plastic (e.g. milk jugs, bottles, food containers)
Textiles (e.g. clothes, shoes, bags)
Other (please specify):
None of these
How do you typically commute to the AUS campus?
fuel powered car
hybrid vehicle
electric vehicle
metro / metro shuttle
taxi
bus
bicycle
electric scooter
walking
-During the past year, how often did you do the following?
Usually
Sometimes
Rarely
Turn off lights when I leave theroom
Turn off my computer (not putit to sleep) when not using it
Set thermostat (air conditioner)to 25C degrees (78F) or higher
Bring my own shopping bags to the store
Use a reusable water bottle
What is your typical one-way commuting distance to AUS campus? Please provide an estimate in kilometers.
A brief description of how representative samples were reached (if applicable) and how the cultural assessment is administered:
The survey was campus wide, distributed by email and via social media to all AUS community members. The survey was supported by Qualtrics survey software.
A brief summary of results from the cultural assessment:
Results from the cultural assessment indicated a significant belief (71.1%) that climate change is a result of both human activities and natural processes. Similarly, an overwhelming majority (94%) of survey participants believe that more education in sustainability, particularly in recycling is needed. However, over 82% of participants either agree or strongly agree that they fully understand the term "sustainability" with approximately 75% claiming that environmental issues directly affect their lives. 82% of participants are willing to participate in sustainability activities/events on campus.
In terms of behavior, the cultural assessment indicated that over 75% used reusable items such as water bottles, etc., on a regular basis while 55% recycled their recyclable items (any material) always or most of the time. Behaviors toward energy and water reduction seemed less favorable with just over 40% using only cold water for washing laundry and roughly 30% limiting shower time to 5 minutes. On the other hand, 70% of survey participants hang-dry their laundry and over 80% only run the washing maching when full.
Regarding commuting behavior, approximately 45% of survey participants use a petrol car to commute to and from campus 5 days/week, while 43% either walked, rode a bicycle, or took public transportation when the opportunity was available.
Optional Fields
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.