How Well Did You Do on the Environmental Quiz?

Compare your results with those of a 1999 survey of a sample of adults in the United States and a 2002 survey of a sample of adults in Louisiana.

Questions	Correct Answers		Comparison of Responses: Louisianans and Americans Overall
Self-reported Overall Knowledge
Percent Passing and Failing
1. How is most of the electricity in the U.S. generated? Is it:	b) oil, coal, and wood
2. What is the most common cause of pollution of streams, rivers and oceans? Is it:	b) surface water run off
3. What do you think is the main cause of global climate change or the warming of the planet Earth? Is it...	a) more carbon emissions
4. What percentage of the world's water is fresh and available for use? Is it...	d) one percent
5. The current reduction in the number of certain species of salt-water fish is primarily due to which of the following...?	b) increased harvesting by fishing vessels
6. What is the leading cause of childhood death worldwide? Is it...	c) germs in water
7. What is the most common reason that an animal species becomes extinct? Is it...	a) human destruction of habitats
8. There are thousands of waste disposal areas, dumps and landfills in the U.S. that hold toxic waste. The greatest threat posed by these waste disposal areas is...?	a) contamination of water supplies
9. Many communities are concerned about running out of room in their community trash dumps and landfills. Is the greatest source of landfill material...?	b) paper products including newspapers, cardboard and packaging
10. Some scientists have expressed concern that certain chemicals and minerals may accumulate in the human body at dangerous levels. Do these chemicals and minerals enter the body primarily through...?	a) drinking water

SUMMARY RESULTS FOR LOUISIANA RESIDENTS AND AMERICANS OVERALL

Self-reported and Actual Environmental Knowledge

- Fewer La residents report at least a fair amount of knowledge (La 63%, US 69%).

-Few in both groups passed [7 or more correct answers] (La 4%, US 4%)

-La residents averaged fewer correct answers (La 3.0, US 3.2)

-The best knowledge was reason for animal extinction (La 65%; US, 70%). The worst was cause of childhood death worldwide (La 8%; US, 7%).

Environmental Attitudes

-66% of La residents state that environmental protection and economic development can go hand-in-hand (vs 61% US); choosing either environment or economy to prioritize, 70% of Americans overall choose the environmental protection over the economy versus 61% of La residents.

-43% of La residents say current laws to protect the environment do not go far enough versus 15% who say the laws go too far.

-Of 5 areas for protection, Louisianans and Americans overall consider current laws do not go far enough especially for water pollution (La 71%; US 69%) and air pollution (La 66%; US 62%).

-53% of La residents versus 46% of Americans say that wetland laws do not go far enough.

-More Americans overall than La residents say that laws to protect wild and natural areas do not go far enough.(La 46%, US 52%)

Environmental Behavior

-La residents report their usual sources of information about the environment as mass media such as TV and radio (86%), newspapers and magazines (84%), library (47%), and Internet (43%). Most consider their information at least somewhat accurate.

-Most Louisiana residents report frequently perform 4 of 8 activities that are beneficial to the environment.

-Of 8 activities, turning off lights and electrical appliances when not in use the one is performed most frequently (La 87%, US 83%). Louisianans report far less frequent recycling of newspapers, cans, and glass than Americans overall (La 40%, US 64%)

Environmental Condition of Louisiana

-La residents are more likely to say the La environment is worse off (40%) than better off (23%) compared to ten years ago; 30% say conditions are basically unchanged. Southern La residents are more likely to say it's worse off (South La 44%, North La 31%); Northern residents are more likely to say it is about the same as it was ten years ago (36% versus 28%).

-Of a list of 8 possible causes of environmental problems in Louisiana, residents are most likely to consider the petrochemical industry to be a major cause (68%). 56% say garbage and vehicles, and 48% place the blame with the behavior of individuals.

THE QUIZ: SUMMARY OF PERFORMANCE BY TOPIC AREA Environmental Knowledge, Attitudes and Behavior Quiz *Statistically Significant Difference Percent Answering Correctly }

http://www.gov.state.la.us/enved/Fnlrpt02.pps

The Governor's Office of Environmental Education commissioned RoperASW to conduct a survey of Louisiana residents on their environmental knowledge, attitudes and behavior. A 1999 wording and national data from a 1999 national survey was used in the study. The results snapshot Louisiana residents' knowledge and attitudes about the environment in 2002.

The survey used in the research was originally designed by RoperASW and the National Environmental Education and Training Foundation (NEETF) in 1999 for a national survey of Americans. NEETF gave permission to RoperASW and the Governor's Office to use the survey wording and national data from 1999 for comparison purposes.

NOTE:

The Louisiana RoperASW Survey included several questions regarding attitudes toward the environment and environmental issues. These include..

-Whether environmental protection and economic development can go hand-in-hand.

-If forced to choose, whether would select environmental protection or economic development.

-Attitudes toward environmental regulations overall.

-Attitudes toward environmental regulations of specific

-Comparisons are again made to the 1999 study of all Americans conducted for NEETF.

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