An assessment of environmental literacy, behaviors, attitudes and lifestyle factors of college students

Objective Evaluate associations between environmental literacy, attitudes, sustainability behaviors, health, and lifestyle factors among undergraduates.Participants Convenience sample of 345 students at a mid-sized, rural university completed the survey fall 2019.Methods Descriptive statistics, correlations, and exploratory factor analysis were used to evaluate data.Results Overall, though participants exhibited a lack of environmental knowledge (average score five of ten), they possessed pro-health and pro-environment attitudes and were likely to engage in corresponding behaviors (e.g. recycling, waste reduction, etc.). Principal axis factor analysis identified five underlying factors: liberal/progressive views, individual eco-friendly practices, personal health, healthy lifestyle, and waste reduction.Conclusion Correlational analyses indicated students who value health and engage in healthier behaviors also value the environment. While most agreed environmental sustainability is important, recycling behaviors and sustainability knowledge were mediocre. Understanding underlying factors such as environmental attitudes and sustainability-related behaviors can drive intervention strategies to move students to action.