Spending an increasing amount of time in Minnesota as I begin work for Clean Water Action here. This week, U.S. Senator Norm Coleman touched off a minor fuss when he placed Duluth on Lake Erie in a floor speech in the Capitol. (He corrected the error in the Congressional Record.) It appears most Minnesotans are more environmentally literate than that. In fact, it would be interesting to compare their literacy with that of residents in the other 7 Great Lakes states.
SECOND MINNESOTA REPORT CARD ON ENVIRONMENTAL
LITERACY
http://www.seek.state.mn.us/eemn_b.cfm
How environmentally literate are Minnesota citizens? Has theirliteracy increased
since the first survey, conducted in 2001?
This 92-page report, released jointly by Hamline
University's Center for Global Environmental Education and the
OEA, documents the results of the second statewide survey
(conducted in 2003) concerning environmental literacy of
Minnesotans, comparing answers to those from 2001. 1,000
adults were randomly surveyed for knowledge, attitudes and
behaviors related to the environment. The report not only
describes the environmental literacy of Minnesotans, but also
compares Minnesotans' literacy on related survey questions to
that of citizens of Pennsylvania and the United States as a
whole.
Data is available on citizen knowledge, attitudes and
behaviors related to air and water pollution, natural resources,
wetlands, urban sprawl, watershed management, sustainability
and biodiversity, and other topics. Of note from the findings:
* 80% of Minnesotans view as important a candidate's record on
the environment when voting.
* Few Minnesotans believe environmental laws have gone "too
far."
* 82% view loss of wetlands and residential runoff from yards as
serious.
* 90% want schools to provide environmental education.
* Most Minnesotans are taking some actions to protect the
environment.
* There is a connection between increased environmental
knowledge, a more positive environmental attitude, and behavior
changes to protect the environment.
* Overall, Minnesotans reported that they know the most about
water pollution and conservation of natural resources (61%) and
least about sustainability (20%) and biodiversity (14%).
The printed and on-line Report Card is free and available
for download at the web site above or by calling 651/215-0232 or
800/877-6300.