Ontario Tech University
AC-6: Sustainability Literacy Assessment

SCIENCE
What are the potential effects of global climate change?
Loss of habitats
Less severe weather
Expansion of deserts
Decrease in sea level
2. Which of the following is a renewable resource?
Oil
Iron ore
Coal
Trees
3. All of the following describe the function of biodiversity, EXCEPT:
Allows an ecosystem to protect and recover from disease
Absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere
Is a source for potential future medications
Increases adaptability for possible changes in climate
SOCIAL WELL-BEING
4. Globally, communities face a variety of social injustices such as poor working conditions and do not have access to a living wage, which contribute to lack of access to education, among other things. To help improve communities around the world, you can:

Support Canadian corporations that prohibit labour unions
Buy fair trade certified products
Make all purchases online
Learn how companies you usually buy from conduct business
5. What are considered the 3 pillars of sustainability?
Society, political sphere, the economy
Environment, economy, political sphere
Society, economy, environment
There are only 2, the economy and the environment
6. More than half of the calories consumed by the world’s human population come from 3 foods. These are:
Fish, beans, and millet
Chicken, corn, and rice
Corn, rice, and wheat
Beef, potatoes, and wheat
7. Which of the following statements about water is/are true?
The number of people who have access to clean drinking water will increase over the next two decades
Globally, freshwater reserves (aquifers) are used faster than they are replenished
Many people around the world do not have access to clean drinking water, so their only option is to drink contaminated water
Global warming does not threaten to decrease freshwater reserves
OPINIONS AND VALUES
Assuming the widely accepted Brundtland definition of sustainability, meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, please answer the following questions.
8. What is your level of agreement with the following statements?

Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree
I have a comprehensive understanding of sustainability

It is important for young adults to understand sustainability

9. What is your level of agreement with the following statements?
Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree
Advances in technology can solve present and future sustainability problems

Environmental stewardship should have priority over economic prosperity

The natural world has value simply by existing

I am not concerned about the well-being of future generations

The purpose of the natural world is as a resource for human use

It is important to preserve the natural world as long as it doesn’t interfere with our economic wellbeing

It is important to live sustainably so that future generations are not negatively impacted

CAMPUS SUSTAINABILITY
10. Were you aware of and/or involved in the following prior to taking this survey:
(Please check box if yes)
Aware of Involved in
Engineers without Borders

UOIT Blue Team

SA Environmental Club

11. Were you aware of the following prior to taking this survey: (Please check box if yes)
Yes No
Office of Campus Insfrastructure and Sustainability website: uoit.ca/ocis/sustainability

Student CarShare (CarShare car on campus)

E-waste for Engineers

UOIT Library Battery Recycling

Free Branded Reusable Water Bottles and Filling Stations

Campus Farmers’ Market

12. Please state any other UOIT-associated and sustainability-related groups, clubs, or organizations that you are, or have previously been, involved with

Please write your answer here:

13. What is your level of agreement with the following statements?
Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree
Sustainability is a factor that influenced me to enroll at UOIT

It is important to me that UOIT invests in long term initiatives to conserve energy

I would like UOIT to invest in renewable energy initiatives on campus

I am willing to be slightly warmer or cooler if UOIT adjusts building temperatures to save energy

I would like to see UOIT working towards achieving a higher level of sustainability on campus

I would like to see a reusable dish program expanded to all campus cafeterias

I am aware of which vendors on campus provide ethical/sustainable products (eg: organic/fair trade/local)

14. Please state your level of agreement with the following statements
While at UOIT, I would like to….
Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree
Learn more about sustainability

See more options to take courses on sustainability

Complement my chosen major with a sustainability focused minor, if one were offered

Participate in workshops focused on sustainable practices (eg: canning food, gardening, bicycle repair)

Participate in a student organization or event focused on sustainability

Have greater opportunities to gain research experience on a topic related to sustainability

15. What are the main sources where you receive information on sustainability initiatives at UOIT?
Weekly Update Emails
The Chronicle
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Word of mouth
Office of Campus Infrastructure and Sustainability website: uoit.ca/ocis/sustainability
Other:
DEMOGRAPHICS
We are interested in finding out a little more about you.
16. Please select your gender
Female
Male
Prefer not to say
Other
17. Please select the option that best describes your role at UOIT.
Undergraduate student
Graduate student
Faculty member
Administrative staff
Other
17 b) Please indicate the following as it relates to your role (teaching or studying) in academia at UOIT.
Only answer this question if the following conditions are met:
Answer was 'Undergraduate student' or 'Graduate student' or 'Faculty member' at question '19 [Demographics2]' (17. Please select the option that best describes your role at UOIT.)
Please write your answer(s) here:
Program(s)
Level(s) of Study
18. Please select your age range:
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65+

Collaboration at department level as well as feedback from provincial sustainability professionals group

Assessment and follow-up assessment were sent via Survey Monkey, circulated to student body representative sample of >500 students.
Our representative sample included students from all faculties, undergraduate and graduate, as the survey was sent out to all UOIT students.
The entire student body was sent both surveys and participants clarified which group they fall into (undergraduate/graduate) in the demographic questions. However no specific group was targetted in the distribution.
Timeframe: The timeframe to complete each survey was 1 week
Original survey was end of school year (April) 2015. This was after our first official year of putting a "face" to sustainability at UOIT.
Followup: October 2015. We wanted to get an idea of the difference the new cohort numbers would make, if any.

Responses were fairly similar between surveys but we believe the second survey had more respondents because it was conducted at a time of the school year that wasn’t an examination period . Our comparison of survey results is below. We find a mandatory survey response would be more meaningful as voluntary surveys tend to be completed by those who already have an interest in sustainability, which naturally skews the results. Please note, our result comparison table did not format well to the text box. The first answer for each question refers to the Initial Survey while the second refers to the Follow-Up Survey.

Respondent #s
Initial Survey 210
Follow-Up Survey 273

Q1. What are the potential effects of global climate change.
#1 Answer- Loss of habitats
#1 Answer- Loss of habitats

Q2 Which of the following is a renewable resource?
#1 Answer - Trees

Q2 REMOVED FROM FOLLOW-UP SURVEY- Received feedback to remove due to inaccuracy

Q3. All of the following describe function of biodiversity, EXCEPT:
#1 Answer, tie between
Absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere
Is a source for potential future medications
#1 Answer
Absorbs CO2 from atmosphere

Q4 Globally, communities face a variety of social injustices such as poor working conditions and do not have access to a living wage, which contribute to lack of access to education, among other things. To help improve communities around the world, you can:

#1 Answer
Learn how companies you usually buy from conduct business
#1 Answer
Buy fair trade certified products

Q5 What are considered the 3 pillars of sustainability?
#1 Answer (by large margin)
Society, economy, environment
#1 Answer (by large margin)
Society, economy, environment

Q6 Which of the following statements about water is/are true?
Top 2 Answers
Globally, freshwater reserves (aquifers) are used faster than they are replenished
Many people around the world do not have access to clean drinking water, so their only option is to drink contaminated water

Following answer had surprisingly low response rate:
The number of people who have access to clean drinking water will increase over the next two decades

Top 3 Answers (close)
Many people around the world do not have access to clean drinking water, so their only option is to drink contaminated water
Globally, freshwater reserves (aquifers) are used faster than they are replenished
The number of people who have access to clean drinking water will increase over the next two decades

Q7 What is your level of agreement with the following statements?

Most strongly agreed response
It is important to live sustainably so that future generations are not negatively impacted

Most strongly agreed response
It is important to live sustainably so that future generations are not negatively impacted

Q8 Were you aware of and/or involved in the following prior to taking this survey:

Most aware of free reusable branded water bottles
Least aware of Engineers without Borders (EWB) Program

Most aware of free reusable branded water bottles
Least were aware of EWB and the Office of Campus Infrastructure and Sustainability (yikes) perhaps new students??

Q9 What is your level of agreement with the following statements?

Strongest agreement:
It is important to me that UOIT invests in long term initiatives to conserve energy
Strongest disagreement:
Sustainability is a factor that influenced me to enroll at UOIT

Strongest agreement:
It is important to me that UOIT invests in long term initiatives to conserve energy
Strongest Disagreement:
I am aware of which vendors on campus provide ethical/sustainable products (eg: organic/fair trade/local)

Q10 What are the main sources where you receive information on sustainability initiatives at UOIT?

#1 Answer
Weekly Updates & Word of mouth

#1 Answer
Weekly Updates & Facebook