College of the Atlantic
AC-6: Sustainability Literacy Assessment

All questions uploaded in PDF above and copied below: Sustainability and Energy Literacy Survey Please rate your level of agreement with the following statements. 1. I make an effort to be knowledgeable about environmental issues. Mark only one oval. 1 2 3 4 5 Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree 2. I make an effort to be knowledgeable about sustainability issues. Mark only one oval. 1 2 3 4 5 Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree 3. My daily behavior reflects a concern about sustainability issues. Mark only one oval. 1 2 3 4 5 Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree 4. I value knowing that my food is grown locally and/or organically. Mark only one oval. 1 2 3 4 5 Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree 5. I think about the carbon footprint of my choices. Mark only one oval. 1 2 3 4 5 Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree 6. I would like to learn more about sustainability while in college. Mark only one oval. 1 2 3 4 5 Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree General Energy Literacy Please select one answer for each of the following questions. 7. Which of the following statements best defines energy? Mark only one oval. A force that moves something Potential and kinetic The rate at which work is done The ability to do work Fossil fuels 8. All of the following are forms of energy EXCEPT... Mark only one oval. Chemical Heat Mechanical Electromagnetic Coal 9. The amount of ENERGY consumed by an electrical appliance is equal to the power rating of the appliance (in watts or kilowatts) ... Mark only one oval. Multiplied by the cost of electricity Added to the cost of electricity Multiplied by the time it’s used Divided by the time it’s used Added to the time it’s used 10. What does it mean if an electricity-generating power plant is 35% efficient? Mark only one oval. For every $100 invested in the production of energy, $35 is made into profit For every $35 invested in the production of energy, $100 is made into profit For every 100 units of energy that go into the plant, 35 units are lost during energy transformations For every 100 units of energy that go into the plant, 35 units are converted into electrical energy For every 35 units of energy that go into the plant, 100 units of electrical energy are produced Energy in the USA Please select one answer for each of the following questions. 11. Renewable energy sources provided approximately what percentage of the total U.S. energy consumption at the end of 2015? Mark only one oval. Less than 2% Between 2% and 15% Between 15% and 45% Between 45% and 75% More than 75% 12. Which is the most abundant fossil fuel found in the United States? Mark only one oval. Coal Natural gas Crude oil (petroleum) Tar sands Wood 13. Which of the following household items uses the MOST ELECTRICITY in the average American home in one year? Mark only one oval. Lights Refrigerator Telephone Television Computer Energy in Maine and at COA 14. TRUE or FALSE: Maine has the largest percentage of non-hydroelectric renewable electricity generation in the United States. Mark only one oval. True False 15. What are the primary energy sources used to generate power in Maine? Mark only one oval. Natural gas and conventional hydroelectric Wood products and wind Coal and natural gas Nuclear and natural gas 16. What percentage of COA's energy use is electricity? Mark only one oval. 10% 25% 46% 72% 17. How much of the electricity used by COA comes from the College's solar panels on the main campus and the farms? Mark only one oval. 0% 5% 15% 50% 18. The electricity that COA buys comes from which of the following sources? Check all that apply. Coal Wind Oil Natural Gas Hydroelectric 19. Which of the following are true? Check all that apply. There are three electric car chargers installed on COA properties The wood pellet boiler heats all of the Kathryn W. Davis Village plus Seafox COA has a policy in place stipulating that all new buildings must be carbon neutral COA has increased solar production on campus and the farms by over 200% since 2012 20. Is COA carbon neutral? Mark only one oval. Yes No Thank you! If you're interested in learning more about sustainability and energy at COA, contact the Campus Committee for Sustainability (ccs-list@coa.edu) or the Community Energy Center (mdicommunityenergy@coa.edu) to find out how you can get involved!

The assessment was established by the student-led Campus Committee for Sustainability together with the Director of Energy Education and Management as part of an awareness-raising campaign about energy use in campus residences, and included pre- and post-campaign surveys. The survey was modified, refined and improved each year by Summer Energy Fellows, students working in COA's Community Energy Center, in collaboration with staff working in Student Life. The survey has been upgraded and strengthened, and now is administered to every incoming class during first-year orientation (which includes all transfer students as well as freshmen). The survey is also administered to every graduating class, for the purpose of assessing sustainability literacy both before and after students receive their COA education. The class of 2018 will be the first graduating class to receive the survey as outgoing seniors.

In its current iteration, this survey is administered during orientation to all incoming students, and is also administered to all graduating students during their final term of senior year, thereby reaching 100% of the student body twice (both pre- and post- COA education). The current assessment is administered on paper by the college's Student Life staff. Results are collected, entered, scored, and shared by students and staff in COA's Community Energy Center. In addition to expanding the sample group to target 100% of the student body over a 4-year cycle, the student response rate has climbed to nearly 100% with the hard-copy surveys.

The average score on the original pre- and post-competition surveys was 70%, likely reflective of self-selecting students keenly interested in energy. The average score for incoming first-year students was 40%, reflecting all incoming students, whether interested in sustainability, energy, or neither. We are anticipating a strong improvement in scores of the post-education survey in Spring 2018.