Student Attitudes

Environmental Habits & Preferences Survey

In Spring 2003, over 2000 dorm residents took an online survey which asked them questions about their environmentally impacting habits and behaviors, self-suspecting rationale of these behaviors, and overall attitudes regarding energy and resource conservation and sustainable campus operations.  When agreeing to take the online survey, students were assigned one of four versions of the survey at random, each version which focuses on two distinct topics regarding student environmental habits.

The survey group was self-selected, so we know for certain that one-third of dorm residents are very environmentally concerned. Given the many desirable prizes offered as incentives for taking the survey and the facts that the survey was presented as an opportunity to share view about a range of comfort and convenience issues such as heating, plumbing, and lighting, we are confident that the sample was representative.

Following are a few highlights from the results:

Would you be willing to see room/board costs increase by $25 a year [an estimate] to have 20% of your residence's energy come from a clean energy source (e.g., solar, wind)?

A. yes - 68.7%

B. no - 13.9%

C. not sure - 17.4%

Number of responses: 524 (about 95% undergraduates, 5% resident affiliates)

 

Using a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 meaning "do not want" and 5 meaning "very strongly want," rate your interest in your dorm/house being powered by renewable energy (such as solar, wind), either through on-site creation such as solar panels or through centralized Harvard purchase from a retail electricity supplier:

A. 3.5% (1)

B. 6.6% (2)

C. 25.2% (3)

D. 28.3% (4)

E. 36.5% (5)

2093 survey-takers (primarily on-campus undergrads, and a very small number of undergrad off-campus residents)

   

"Using a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 meaning "do not want" and 5 meaning "very strongly want," rate how supportive you are of Harvard College s operating in a more environmentally sustainable manner (i.e., working to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs)"

A. 1.1% (1)

B. 1.7% (2)

C. 14.3%(3)

D. 33.2% (4)

E. 49.8% (5)

2102 survey-takers.