Conservation and Sustainability:
“It’s all about the future of Moscow”
A Service-Learning Project of CSS 310: Social Research Methods in Conservation
Department of Conservation Social Sciences
University of Idaho
- How aware are you ofconservation issues in Moscow? (Please check one response)
Not at all Aware
Somewhat Aware
Moderately Aware
Quite Aware
Extremely Aware
- How long has conservation been a part of your lifestyle? (Please check one response)
Always Most of my adult life Only for the last few years It’s not really a part of my lifestyle
- How have each of the following influenced your decision to include conservation in your lifestyle?
INFLUENCE / What have influenced your decision to include conservation in your lifestyle? (Please circle the one most appropriate response for each.)
- Upbringing (how I grew up)
- Where I grew up
- Mass media reporting
- Community involvement
- Environmental organizations
- Education/events and opportunities at school and college
- Traveling to different places
- Influence of friends and neighbors
- Religious/spiritual influences
- Economics/saving money and resources
- My parents
- My children
- How much do you support protecting or conserving the following elements of modern society?
ELEMENTS OF MODERN
SOCIETY / How much do you support protecting or conserving the following elements of modern society? (Please circle response for each)
- Nonrenewable energy (e.g., fossil fuels)
- Lifestyles
- Community traditions
- Culture & Heritage
- Small, local tracts of
natural vegetation
- Water
- Buildings
- Soil
- Agriculture
- Machinery and equipment
- Fish and wildlife habitat
- Streamside habitat
- “Green space” and open space in Moscow
- Night skies—being able to see the stars
- Views of the Palouse
and Moscow Mountain
- Air quality
- How often do you practice conservation at your place of employment/or at school?(Please check one response)
As Much As Possible Whenever It’s Convenient Never
If NEVER, what makes it difficult?
REASONS FOR NOT PRACTICINGCONSERVATION AT WORK OR SCHOOL / Why don’t you practice conservation at work? (Please circle one response for each)
- Conservation is expensive
- Conservation takes too much time
- Conservation is not compatible with the
technology we use or the service we provide
- Conservation is inconvenient
- Conservation is not encouraged by my supervisors
- Other (specify) ______
- If you do practice conservationwhich of the following do you do? (Please circle all that apply)
- Buy efficient vehicles/farm equipment, etc.
- Buy less/Use less
- Buy locally grown foods
- Buy wisely (buy in bulk, buy items with minimal packaging)
- Carpool/Take fewer trips by car
- Carry reusable grocery bags
- Collect and use rainwater for my garden
- Compost organics and food wastes
- Do full loads of laundry
- Grow my own produce
- Install dual-flow toilets
- Install energy efficient light bulbs
- Install low flow showerheads
- Limit yard watering
- Make use of public transit
- Plant trees
- Print double-sided
- Recycle as much as I can
- Reducing consumption
- Reusing or repairing things to extend their useful life
- Ride my bike or walk
- Smart landscaping (native plants, drought-tolerant plants, etc.)
- Take shorter showers
- Turn down heater/Turn up air conditioner
- Turn off lights & unplug appliances when not in use
- Use a refillable water bottle/Not buy bottled water
- Other (specify) ______
- How conservation-minded do you think the people of Moscow really are? (Please check one response)
Not At All Somewhat Moderately Quite Extremely
- How well do you believe conservation is practiced in Moscow? (Please checkonly one response)
Practiced by all the people all the time
Practiced by all the people some of the time
Practiced by some people all of the time
Practiced by some people some of the time
Not practiced at all
- As Moscow continues togrow, how important is it to address these conservation issues over the next ten years?
CONSERVATION ISSUE / As Moscow continues to grow, how important is it to address these conservation issues over the next ten years?
(Please circle one response for each issue)
- Managing water levels in our aquifers
- Developing housing that creates a sense of community in neighborhoods (Planned Unit Developments)
- Making Moscow pedestrian and bike friendly
- Using smart growth to control urban sprawl
- Protection of open space in Moscow
- Protection of Paradise Creek
- Supporting a buy-local program
- Increasing the size of our Community Supported Agriculture program
- Preserving farmland
- Other (specify) ______
- How do you believe the following people judge your efforts at conservation?
SOCIAL GROUP / How do you believe other people judge your efforts at conservation? (Please circle response for each)
Friends / Generally Negatively / They do Not Judge Me / Generally Positively
Coworkers/fellow students / Generally Negatively / They do Not Judge Me / Generally Positively
Family / Generally Negatively / They do Not Judge Me / Generally Positively
Other people around me / Generally Negatively / They do Not Judge Me / Generally Positively
- From where do you obtain information about conservation in Moscow? (Please circle all that apply)
- Public/City Hall meetings
- Newspaper
- “Talking Trash” newsletter
- “Water-Wise” newsletter
- University lectures and presentations
- Radio
- Friends/Family
- PCEI
- Other ______
- Do you think conservation is a “buzz word” that gets used too often? (Please check one response)
Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly agree
- Which of the following best describes your current recycling behavior? (Please check one response)
As Much as Possible Whenever it’s Convenient Never
If you don’t recycle “as much as possible,” how true are the following about you?
REASONS FOR NOT RECYCLING / Why don’t you recycle as much as possible?(Please circle one response for each reason)
- I’m just not that passionate about the environment
- I’m too lazy
- It’s not always convenient
- I need more information about the importance of recycling
- I don’t have the time to recycle
- My apartment complex does not support recycling
- I really don’t have that much to recycle
- My office does not support recycling
- How long have you lived in Moscow? (Please write in the number of years)
_____ Years(if less than one year, put a 1)
- When were you born? (Please write in your year of birth)
I was born in19______
- How many years of formal education have you completed?(Please circle one number)
1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 / 15 / 16 / 17 / 18 / 19 / 20+
Elementary School / JR. High—High School / College / Graduate School
- What type of building do you live in? (Please check one response)
Single Family House
Duplex or Townhouse
Married Student Housing
Dorms
Fraternity/ Sorority
MultipleFamily Dwelling/Apartment Complex
Mobile Home
We would appreciate your answering the last question. If, however, you feel this is a private matter we respect your decision to not answer.
- Which of the following best describes your total family income before taxes in 2008? (Please check one response)
I’d Rather Not Answer
Less Than $20,000
$20,000-$39,999
$40,000-$59,999
$60,000-$79,999
$80,000-$99,999
$100,000-$119,999
$120,000-$139,999
$140,000-159,999
$160,000 or More
If there is anything else you would like to share with us about conservation in Moscow please do so below.
Thank You
Department of Conservation Social Sciences; College of Natural Resources; BOX 441139; University of Idaho; Moscow, Idaho 83844-1139