| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 54.23 |
| Liaison | Jeff Jeremiason |
| Submission Date | Nov. 30, 2021 |
Gustavus Adolphus College
EN-6: Assessing Sustainability Culture
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
0.50 / 1.00 |
Kari
Wallin Sustainability Manager Facilities/Johnson Center for Environmental Innovation |
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:
In 2020 a group of sustainability interns working for the Johnson Center for Environmental Innovation developed a sustainability assessment that was administered before and after an educational campaign that coincided with Earth Week. The assessment includes 20 questions which cover topics related to individual waste sorting & energy conservation habits, and campus culture and initiatives. A subset of the questions specifically focus on student understanding of the interconnectedness of social, economic and environmental issues and challenges, and not just knowledge about the environment or environmental problems, which were utilized for the sustainability literacy assessment (AC-6). This cultural assessment will be administered every other year to measure change.
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:
How confident are you in your own ability to properly sort trash from recycling?
Do you know what happens when a waste item (or food?) is placed in recycling containers?
Are you familiar with the term “contamination”?
Is a recyclable plastic bottle with pop/water in it still recyclable?
Which numbers are recyclable at Gustavus?
Do you consciously/intentionally limit your water/energy use? How so?
Do you turn off lights/electronics when you leave your room?
Do you use “quick cycle” when washing your laundry?
How long is your average shower?
Do you leave the sink running while you brush your teeth or wash your face?
How often/likely do you use hand dryers OVER towel dispensers when available?
How would you feel about the Caf lights being turned off from 9-3 in order to rely on natural light instead?
Are you confident in your ability to change your habits to correctly sort trash from recycling?
Are you confident in your ability to change your habits to conserve water and electricity?
How confident are you in your ability to remind peers/friends about the impact of their sorting and conservation?
Do you see value in changing campus-wise habits in relation to proper recycling/(waste sorting) and water/energy conservation?
Do you see/recognize a connection between habits on campus and waste reduction for the college?
Do you see/recognize a connection between habits on campus and energy conservation for the college?
Do you see/recognize a connection between habits on campus and carbon emissions?
Do you see/recognize a connection between habits on campus and climate change?
Do you see/recognize a connection between habits on campus and climate justice?
A brief description of how representative samples were reached (if applicable) and how the cultural assessment is administered:
The assessment was administered as a Qualtrics survey link via an email to all students, sent in partnership with Residential Life.
A brief summary of results from the cultural assessment:
Our results show that most students who took the literacy assessment are able to describe how to sort waste and recycling and are able to understand ways in which they can conserve water and electricity. However, the majority of students felt unable to express how their actions impact the larger narrative on climate change. The results from the pre- and post- assessments were able to show the effectiveness of the training administered to students living in residential halls. It is clear that the training provided by the Johnson Center for Environmental Innovation could expand to provide a more direct message regarding the many intersections between society and climate change.
Website URL where information about the assessment of sustainability culture is available:
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.