Fleming College
EN-6: Assessing Sustainability Culture

Under the five-year sustainability plan, Fleming must conduct a sustainability awareness survey three times between 2013 and 2018 (same below). For the new three year Sustainability and Climate Action Plan (2019 - 2022), a survey was conducted to better understand students' and employee's outlook on sustainability-related concerns. A baseline survey was conducted in 2014.

In Fleming’s current Sustainability Plan (2013-2018), our stated aspiration is that: “Fleming College’s programs and practices demonstrate its commitment to building a sustainable future socially, economically and environmentally for staff, students and the wider community”. Fleming was ranked #5 among community colleges in North America as reported in the 2017 Sustainable Campus Index Report. Our ranking was attributable to progress in five dimensions: curriculum and research, operations, planning and administration, engagement and innovation. Since 2013, there have been several accomplishments and further planned campus improvements include expanded LED lighting, improved building insulation, expanding alternative energy (solar, wind and geothermal), and energy storage, to reduce our carbon footprint! We would appreciate you taking a few minutes to complete this survey by February 14th, 2018. Your responses are confidential and will go to the Institutional Research Office, a division of Fleming College, for processing. All reports for distribution will only include summary reporting at the aggregate level. Your opinion matters and will influence what is included in Fleming’s next Sustainability Plan. Thank you for your valuable time and input. Fleming Sustainability and Climate Change Action Plan Steering Committee   Demographics: 1. Which of the following categories best describes you: □ Faculty (including full-time, contract faculty) □ Staff (including full-time, part-time, contract staff, admin, support) 2. Which campus are you primarily located at: □ Frost □ Sutherland □ Haliburton □ Cobourg Priorities: As part of the 3-year sustainability and climate action plan for Fleming College, we would like to understand what priorities YOU think should be included as focus areas within our plan. Please answer the following questions with this in mind. 3. Please select your top 5 operational practices from the following list. SELECT TOP 5 CO2 AND AIR POLLUTION REDUCTION PRACTICES (INCLUDING ALTERNATIVE FUEL USE, RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES, EMISSION CONTROL DEVICES ETC.) □ OCCUPANCY COMFORT (I.E. IDEAL COOL/WARM INDOOR TEMPERATURES IN EACH SEASON) □ BUILDING CONSTRUCTION AND RENOVATION BASED ON ECOLOGICAL DESIGN PRINCIPLES □ ENERGY CONSERVATION PRACTICES (IN OFFICES, LIBRARIES, CLASSROOMS, RESIDENCE ETC.) □ LOCAL AND ORGANIC FOOD PURCHASING PROGRAM □ PURCHASING FROM ENVIRONMENTALLY AND SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE COMPANIES □ WASTE REDUCTION PRACTICES □ DIVERSION OF ORGANIC WASTE □ WATER CONSERVATION PRACTICES □ INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES □ SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPING (EMPHASIZING NATIVE PLANTS, BIODIVERSITY, MINIMIZING LAWN ETC.) □ PAPER USAGE REDUCTION PROGRAMS □ HOLD A WEEKLY/BI-WEEKLY FARMERS MARKET ON CAMPUS □   4. Please rate the importance of following initiatives relating to sustainability and climate change at Fleming. Please use a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 = Low Importance and 5 = High Importance? Low Importance 1 2 3 4 High Importance 5 Community Engagement: Social Equity and Well-Being (e.g. community food security–Frost community garden) Community Engagement: Community Outreach, Awareness and Communication (e.g. hosting public education events on campus – Fleming Talks) Education and Research (e.g. enriching curriculum to include sustainable development in all programs) Demonstrating Sustainability Innovation (e.g. fostering an environment for technology innovation in low carbon building materials) 5. Please specify any additional initiatives that you feel are important for Fleming involvement. __________________________________________________________________________________ 6. Do you think Fleming College’s current and planned initiatives to reduce the campus carbon footprint through energy and greenhouse gas emissions reductions are substantial enough? a. Yes b. No c. Unsure 7. How important is it for Fleming to have sustainability and climate change integrated into College education and research for future employment opportunities? Please rate the importance on a scale from 1 to 5 where 1 = Low Importance and 5 = High Importance. Low Importance 1 2 3 4 High Importance 5 8. How would you prefer sustainability and climate change to be integrated into education and research at Fleming College? (Please select top three) a. Program-based strategies b. Course-based strategies c. Research-based strategies d. Student Projects developed and directed by the Fleming Sustainability Team e. Informal Education/Event-based strategies f. Incentives to support sustainability studies g. Concept and/or practical applications included as part of all programs   Level of Support: 9. Please indicate your level of support for Fleming College’s sustainability efforts on a scale from 1 to 5 where 1 = Do Not Support and 5 = Strongly Support? Do not support 1 2 3 4 Strongly support 5 10. How successful do you believe Fleming College has been in communicating its sustainability initiatives and efforts so far? a. Very successful b. Successful c. Somewhat successful d. Little Success e. No Success f. Don’t know / unsure 11. How important is it to you that Fleming College demonstrates leadership towards on-campus sustainability? a. Very Important b. Important c. Somewhat Important d. Of little Importance e. Not Important 12. How successful has Fleming College been at providing opportunities on campus for YOU to be engaged in sustainability? a. Very successful b. Successful c. Somewhat successful d. Little Success e. No Success 13. Please identify one sustainability practice that has been implemented in your work area in the last 5 years. 14. In what area of sustainability would you say Fleming College is STRONGEST? 15. In what area of sustainability would you say Fleming College is NEEDS IMPROVEMENT? 16. On what sustainability efforts would you like to see Fleming College FOCUS?

Fleming College has been implementing various programs and changes working towards making Fleming College a more sustainable environment. Throughout conducting a sustainability awareness survey we have been able to gather information to improve the level of awareness at the college. Research for this study was conducted using an online survey. It was distributed from April 19th - April 27th to all Fleming staff, students, and faculty. The survey was completed by 224 applicants including all target groups of staff, students, and faculty. From the four different Campuses 57% of responses came from the main campus, Sutherland, followed by 42% from Frost, 1% from Halliburton, and 0% from Cobourg. These numbers were also expected, due to the size for each campus, and the number of students that attend them.

The results generated from the sustainability survey initiatives, activities, and programs that our sample was most aware of where activities that they could physically see consistently, such as the farmer's markets, and community gardens. When applicants were asked to rate their awareness of sustainability efforts, the response showed that the initiatives Fleming has implemented have not captured the attention on the population. The population is aware of what is being done as indicated by the perceived success of Fleming's ability to communicate its sustainability initiatives with 37% saying very successful or successful, and 10% saying little to no success in communicating. The top three sustainability goals that were selected in the survey were to increase Waste reduction practices, reduce CO2 and Air Pollution Practices, and increase Water Conservation Practices. These options can be done individually, and self-monitored with a collective goal for the college. The responses from the survey also showed that people prefer to integrate their knowledge into green initiatives through student projects. Survey results we are recommending that the college promote, and make the activities more visible to the community. We also suggest that the college set up seminars and events that students can take part in. Making the college community aware of current energy consumption, water consumption, and waste management, and changing rates would allow students to feel involved when using everyday facilities at the College. With the interest that students have expressed in sustainability programs and courses, and knowing that Fleming has a wide variety they’re offering, we recommend that these programs and courses are promoted more throughout the college. The preferred way that people have shown interest in gathering their knowledge on these programs was through the internet, and because of that, it’s suggested that the college focus their resources on the internet and social media so a larger target market can be reached.