Highlights from the 2014 Survey of Kentuckians’ Environmental

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors

Elizabeth Schmitz

Survey methodology • Conducted May 15 to June 1, 2014 • 680 interviews—238 (35 percent) via cell phone and 442 (65 percent) via

landline • Random digit dialing (RDD) • Interviews averaged 12 minutes • Sampled proportionately by county with quotas based on Kentucky Educational

Cooperatives.

REGION PROPORTION OF ADULT POPULATION ACTUAL SAMLE SIZE

Green River 17% 117

Central Kentucky 17% 117

Jefferson / Louisville area 17% 116

Eastern Kentucky 6% 42

Kentucky Valley 5% 36

Northern Kentucky 9% 61

Ohio Valley 7% 45

Southeast / South Central 10% 68

Western Kentucky 12% 78

Environmental education should be taught in schools

79%

81%

77%

77%

17%

16%

20%

18%

1%

2%

2%

2%

2%

1%

1%

2%

1%

1%

2014 (n=680) (D)

2009 (n=634) (C)

2004 (n=668) (B)

1999 (n=668) (A)

Strongly Agree Somewhat AgreeSomewhat Disagree Strongly DisagreeDon't Know/Refused

General Knowledge Score 2014 55%

57%

53%

47%

54%

65%

59%

56%

53%

47%

58%

67%

56%

52%

55%

TOTAL (n=680)(A)

MALE (n=301)(B)

FEMALE (n=379)(C)

$20K OR LESS (n=119)(D)

$20K TO $50K (n=128)(E)

$50K+ (n=185)(F)

18-34 (n=96)(G)

35-54 (n=190)(H)

55+ (n=363)(I)

H.S. OR LESS (n=302)(J)

SOME COLLEGE/TECH SCHOOL…

COLLEGE GRAD+ (n=147)(L)

RURAL (n=272)(M)

SMALL TOWN (n=179)(N)

SUBURB/CITY (n=220)(O)

AGE

GEN

DER

INCO

ME

EDU

CATI

ON

CO

MM

UN

ITY

Sources of information about the environment

2%

7%

2%

2%

20%

14%

54%

3%

8%

4%

4%

14%

17%

50%

Don'tKnow/Refused

Other source

State/LocalAgencies

Friends/Family

Newspapers

Internet

Radio/Television

2014 (n=680) 2009 (n=634)

22%

12%

10%

8% 7%

Water pollution,quality & protection

Non-environmentalproblem or issue

Air pollution Coal/surfacemining/strip

mining/mountaintopremoval

Pollution (general)

Top environmental problems in Kentucky

Overall water quality in your area and in the U.S.

Overall air quality in your area and in the U.S.

Most important strategy for our energy future:

Reasons for conserving energy

2%

5%

26%

59%

85%

Don't Know/Refused

I do not try to conserveenergy

I conserve energy forother reasons

I conserve energy toreduce my

environmental impact

I conserve energy tosave money

Is it possible to protect the environment and the economy?

70% 23% 4%

1%

3%

Strongly Agree Somewhat AgreeSomewhat disagree Strongly DisagreeDon't Know/Refused

Private landowners should be able to use land however they want to:

My actions impact the environment

60%

65%

27%

26%

5%

4%

6%

3%

2%

2%

2014 (n=680)

2009 (n=634)

Strongly Agree Somewhat AgreeSomewhat Disagree Strongly DisagreeDon't Know

Questions?

Elizabeth Schmitz Executive Director Kentucky Environmental Education Council Elizabeth.Schmitz@ky.gov 502-564-5937 Comment on the goals of the 2015-2020 EE Master Plan @ Keec.ky.gov