Loyola University Chicago
EN-6: Assessing Sustainability Culture

In an effort to develop a benchmark for developing sustainability programs, a survey was developed and distributed to Loyola students, faculty and staff.
The goal was to get an understanding of how sustainability topics were prioritized by various cohorts and if the audience felt that they had access to resources if and when they wanted to address their own sustainability awareness/action.
The Office of Sustainability has worked with the Office of Institutional Research to create a multi-year assessment that will be distributed to all undergraduate and graduate students. This is currently scheduled for fall of 2017 and will be administered every four years following (2021, 2025, 2029) in support of Loyola's Climate Action Plan's strategies around raising climate and sustainability literacy.

Page 8 - Question 17 - Rating Scale - Matrix [Mandatory] [Randomize]
About how often, if at all, do you do the following?
Weekly Monthly Quarterly Semi-annually Annually Never
Volunteer or participate in service-based activities such as charity work at a school, church, other location?      
Participate in advocacy or political activities such as raising money for charities, writing letters to elected officials, working on political or issue based campaigns, etc.?      
Participate in sports or other physical activities such as biking, running, swimming, team sports, working out, etc.?      

Page 9 - Question 18 - Choice - One Answer (Bullets) [Mandatory]
Which of the following best describes you?

 I am very aware of issues related to the environment and I am active in environmental activities
 I am very aware of issues related to the environment but I am not active in environmental activities
 I am aware of issues related to the environment and I am active in environmental activities
 I am aware of issues related to the environment but I am not active in environmental activities
 I am not very aware of issues related to the environment
 I am not at all aware of issues related to the environment

Page 10 - Question 19 - Choice - Multiple Answers (Bullets) [Mandatory] [Randomize] [Up To 3 Answers]
Which of the following do you believe are the three most important global environmental issues facing us?

 Energy
 Water
 Waste
 Climate Change
 Transportation
 Food
 Biodiversity and Open Space

Page 10 - Question 20 - Choice - Multiple Answers (Bullets) [Mandatory] [Randomize] [Up To 3 Answers]
Which of the following do you believe are the three most important local (Chicagoland) environmental issues facing us?

 Energy
 Water
 Waste
 Climate Change
 Transportation
 Food
 Biodiversity and Open Space

Page 11 - Question 21 - Choice - Multiple Answers (Bullets) [Mandatory] [Randomize]
Which, if any, activities have you done around the environmental topic of BIODIVERSITY AND OPEN SPACES? (Check all that apply)

 Volunteered
 Advocated
 Researched
 Contributed money
 Participated in an issue-based group
 Taken action in your community
 Taken action in your home
 None of these

Page 11 - Question 22 - Choice - Multiple Answers (Bullets) [Mandatory] [Randomize]
Which, if any, activities have you done around the environmental topic of TRANSPORTATION? (Check all that apply)

 Volunteered
 Advocated
 Researched
 Contributed money
 Participated in an issue-based group
 Taken action in your community
 Taken action in your home
 None of these

We utilized a survey process for students that had established representative cohorts and was administered on a regular monthly basis.
For faculty, staff and community members we engaged them through direct email communication and then assessed representation through their responses to demographic related questions.

We found that we had a high level of self-reported 'active' respondents although not related to sustainability.
We found that we had a high level of self-reported 'aware' respondents related to sustainability topics.
Dominant issues globally were water, energy and climate change.
Dominant issues locally were transportation, waste and energy.
Awareness of opportunities for action were dominant in recycling, transit and food issues.