Environmental Perceptions of Central Washington University Students

Presenter Information

Cris Morton

Document Type

Oral Presentation

Campus where you would like to present

SURC Ballroom B/C/D

Start Date

21-5-2015

End Date

21-5-2015

Keywords

Environmental Perceptions, Sustainability, Green Initiatives

Abstract

Sustainability is becoming more important in our culture, with industry and governments working to reduce their environmental impact by instituting green initiatives, such as utilizing renewable energy or expanding recycling programs. For Central Washington University (CWU) to consider, implement, and continue new green initiatives, support from the student body is vital. However, there is currently no clear picture of how the student body perceives the importance of environmental issues, or how much it is willing to support the institution of green initiatives by volunteering time or donating money. We sent a six-question survey to the CWU student body to gain a better understanding of their perception of and support for green initiatives. Anonymity of respondents was ensured by omitting demographic questions and limiting access to survey data. The Qualtrics-based survey was sent twice to every CWU student e-mail address through CPORT, which compiled the responses and created cross-tabulations for analysis. Responses indicate that most students are interested in environmental issues, feel that it is important for CWU to institute green initiatives, and are willing to pay to institute those initiatives. Results also showed that many students are more likely to attend a university that implements green initiatives, but that CWU has lacked initiative to institute sustainable policies, or develop a culture of participation in sustainable practices. Our survey suggests that instituting green initiatives would improve the university’s marketability to prospective students, and that students would financially support those green initiatives.

Poster Number

19

Faculty Mentor(s)

Casey Mace, Clay Arango

Department/Program

Environmental Studies

Additional Mentoring Department

Physical Education, School & Public Health

Additional Mentoring Department

Biology

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May 21st, 11:30 AM May 21st, 2:00 PM

Environmental Perceptions of Central Washington University Students

SURC Ballroom B/C/D

Sustainability is becoming more important in our culture, with industry and governments working to reduce their environmental impact by instituting green initiatives, such as utilizing renewable energy or expanding recycling programs. For Central Washington University (CWU) to consider, implement, and continue new green initiatives, support from the student body is vital. However, there is currently no clear picture of how the student body perceives the importance of environmental issues, or how much it is willing to support the institution of green initiatives by volunteering time or donating money. We sent a six-question survey to the CWU student body to gain a better understanding of their perception of and support for green initiatives. Anonymity of respondents was ensured by omitting demographic questions and limiting access to survey data. The Qualtrics-based survey was sent twice to every CWU student e-mail address through CPORT, which compiled the responses and created cross-tabulations for analysis. Responses indicate that most students are interested in environmental issues, feel that it is important for CWU to institute green initiatives, and are willing to pay to institute those initiatives. Results also showed that many students are more likely to attend a university that implements green initiatives, but that CWU has lacked initiative to institute sustainable policies, or develop a culture of participation in sustainable practices. Our survey suggests that instituting green initiatives would improve the university’s marketability to prospective students, and that students would financially support those green initiatives.