SUSTAINABILITY SURVEY RESULTS Wells College Wells College 2008 Sustainability Survey Results

SUSTAINABILITY SURVEY RESULTS

Wells College

Wells College 2008 Sustainability Survey Results

As a transfer student from a "Green" campus in Vermont, I'm very happy to see Wells take action to become a more environmentally friendly campus. I think the suggestions mentioned in the survey are excellent. I would like to add perhaps having a sale of energy efficient light bulbs or making "green" events more advertised.


Respondents


Faculty


Students


““If Wells decides to make sustainability an If Wells decides to make sustainability an important part of it's mission I think it will help us important part of it's mission I think it will help us to stay open for many years. The buildings on to stay open for many years. The buildings on campus are poorly insulated, old leaky windows, campus are poorly insulated, old leaky windows, the heating system is in shambles. Just by fixing the heating system is in shambles. Just by fixing these few things we could be saving money.”these few things we could be saving money.”


How important is ecological sustainability to you?

1% 3%

18%

43%

35%

All Respondents

Not Important

Somewhat Important

Moderately Important

Quite Important

Extremely Important


How strongly do you value these issues of overall wellness and sustainability?






“I believe the biggest problem with Wells is that there isn't any recycling. If someone wants to do it, they can't or have to go out of their way. I think that if there were recycling areas in each building, the Wells community would begin to recycle more. That would be a great first step; an easy step!”



10%

10%

39%

41%

Local Food Products

Not at all important

Somewhat important

Moderately important

Quite important



2%2%

28%

68%

Healthy Air Quality


Somewhat important


Quite important


“I am excited for the Mugs at tea time project that my class is working at as a part of Psy 335: Environmental Problems and Human behavior with Professor Morfei!”

“Give people prizes.”

“Great survey! Keep going!!”


I would be excited to see programs that teach students, faculty, and staff how to recycle, conserve energy and water, etc.

Always have a clearly labeled "trash" container next to a recycle container since we will sometimes have things that just cannot be recycled. Clearly label recycle containers WITH EXAMPLES of what can go into such containers. Eg. is liquid or food OK if recycling cups or plates? If not, is there a way to dispose or compost food/liquid in a neighboring container?

more trash cans outside to reduce waste..maybe disposal options for cigarettes, there are always a thousand outside in front of dodge.

We have recycling bins located at various spots around We have recycling bins located at various spots around campus. But many people don't use them. This is an campus. But many people don't use them. This is an educational opportunity.educational opportunity.



5%3%

13%

79%

Energy Efficiency


Somewhat important


Quite important



2% 2%

46%50%

Physical Wellness


Somewhat important


Quite important



3% 0%

26%

71%

Mental and Emotional Wellness


Somewhat important


Quite important


(I am excited about) The general prospect of being more environmentally conscious and responsible.

I am glad to see that Wells is becoming more focused on promoting sustainability! This questionnaire is very focused on the environment, which is just one part of sustainability-- I think that there are lots of opportunities for education and activism regarding two other areas of sustainability-- the economy and society (social justice.)

I am just excited that a group of people are taking the initiative to make sure that this gets started on campus. I don't think some people realize how important the environment is to us just generally as the people who use it, so I'm really glad that we will be able to use it EXACTLY how it's supposed to be.

I am SO excited about the growing enthusiasm for a sustainable Wells. I will help in ANY way I can!

Every entity should do its part, including Wells. It seems now to be a selling point for colleges, also.

I'm excited about the campus getting cleaned up


I would like to point out how HOT the dorm rooms are. People leave windows/outside doors open ALL THE TIME to try to cool down. This is wasting vast amounts of energy. Also, it would be awesome for the dining hall to use locally grown foods and to ADVERTISE IT. I would like to make the choice between local foods and mass produced. It would also be great to follow in the footsteps of colleges like Dickinson College in PA, where they have their own organic farm. They sell vegetables in the summer at the local farmer's market when students aren't around to raise money.

perhaps have controls for heat in dorms which currently do not have them such as leach - when the heat is blasting we open the widows because there is no other way, its a waste of resources and money


How likely are you to actively participate in a campus wide sustainability program?


“I feel even something as simple as proper disposal facilities on campus would make a difference, by this I mean actually having trash cans around so people don't throw garbage everywhere.”

I think that just promoting it will help people get involved. At the moment, we really have nothing telling us what to do, or even suggestions really, so it is unlikely that there are going to be many changes. With support and suggestions, changes are more likely to take place.

contact Green Edison to install solar panels on the roofs of our buildings in return for a fixed rate electricity charge for the next 30-40 years


At every opportunity you…


“I'm glad Wells is focusing on this. Not actively engaged now except as an individual. I wonder

about how Wells can use and pollute less, particularly. What ever happened to the gas

well? Could it be useful now, as energy prices rise? Would it make sense to fix the heating

system even if that would cost a lot now, so that it were more efficient for the future? What about

a local community garden (I know people are thinking about this.) Pressure on Sodexho to buy

locally wherever possible, along with better vegetarian options, cage-free eggs, etc. (Bon

Appetit, at other schools, does this.) Install solar panels? Stop buying toxic cleaning agents and

use only baking soda, vinegar, etc.?”


When purchasing new products, how important are the following characteristics?

Not Important Moderately Important

Quite Important

Energy efficiency 2 13 33

Water efficiency 3 16 29

Made from recycled materials 6 23 28

Disposability 9 22 15

Re-usable 3 12 33

Recyclable 5 15 34

Organic ingredients 12 17 17

Toxin-free 6 16 28

Sustainably harvested materials 6 16 21

Minimal packing of product 8 18 23


Below is a list of actions or issues that contribute to sustainable living. How supportive of these initiatives would you be if they were to be

offered/encouraged as part of the Wells Community?

Not supportive

ModeratelySupportive

Quite Supportive

Providing obviously labeled and conveniently located recycling receptacles for paper, plastic, glass and cardboard

0 3 13

Volunteering to collect recycling from all buildings on campus 7 21 18

Reusable Tea Time Mugs 0 10 15

Bring Your own Mug to Tea Time 2 9 14

Living in a Sustainable Learning Center Environment 2 12 20

Developing Reduce/Reuse/Recycle Policies and Procedures 4 8 29

Recycling Competition among other colleges across the nation 2 9 30

Participating in environmentally conscious/educational events 4 11 32

Support locally grown food in the dining hall 2 6 13

Turn off the water while you brush your teeth 3 6 11

Turn off your computer when not in use for a long period of time 3 6 23

Turn off televisions and lights when leaving a room 1 6 8


Front-loading washers use less water and are easier on Front-loading washers use less water and are easier on clothes at the same time. If they were available, I would clothes at the same time. If they were available, I would

use them.use them.

What ever initiatives get established there needs to be continuity into the future. So often great ideas lose their way because there are few who return the following academic year to carry on.

stop wasting paper!

Wells is small, any initiative started here, though it may be difficult at first, is, I think, doable!

Consider larger issues of sustainability, i.e. political, social, economic

I was excited to see the flyers about mugs in the AER kitchen, but where did they go?


How strongly do you value these issues of "Green Facilities"?

Not Supportive

Moderately Supportive

Quite Supportive

Energy efficient windows/coverings 3 6 33

Made from recycled materials 4 10 36

Built or renovated by local companies 7 20 23

Well insulated 1 4 27

Environmentally friendly heating and cooling systems 2 6 29

Sustainable cleaning products 3 10 26

Air quality control of emissions during and after construction/renovation

2 12 23

Renewable/alternative energy as power sources 3 8 22


“While certainly the "turn off lights and conserve water" philosophy of environmentalism is cool, I would hope our sustainability efforts would have overtly political & social

components too.”

I was happy to get a day to day schedule of trash and recycling pick up. Adding a comingling recyclable container (glass, tin, aluminum, etc). Having our office be a good role model for students. Changing my practice of buying individual bottles of water.


I would like to see a partnership between local farmers and our dining hall, for the benefit of our health and the local community. I think this could be a great connection between the community and Wells. This would also involve the dining hall staff, who I think would be happy to see the college benefitting the traditional local economy. I am in Prof Scott Perez's class and we are working on this project among others. Basically I'm all for ALL sustainability measures, I think the survival of the human race depends on it, and in the short term, the health of our bodies and communities depends on living in a sustainable way. We must think of the seventh generation when deliberating our current actions and decisions.


Contact Coach Paolini to get involved:

[email protected]

Cam

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s Cle

an

Up

Cam

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Up

Tuesday, April 29

Rain date: Wed, April 30

Clean up will take place between

10AM – 2PM.


Thanks for your participation

Make every day Earth Day.

Send questions/concerns/

suggestions to:

[email protected]

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If you would like to see the complete results visit surveymonkey.com using the student life log in information or email: [email protected] for the Excel version


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SUSTAINABILITY SURVEY RESULTS Wells College Wells College 2008 Sustainability Survey Results