Polling Utahn’s environmental concerns
Utah State University’s CARNI program, or Community and Natural Resources Insitute, recently published the findings of its 2023 Utah People and the Environment Poll, or UPEP. The poll surveyed 450 Utahns via probability sampling methods.
The sampling method randomly selected households from across the state and asked them to participate rather than allowing people to opt in.
The survey aims to understand Utahns’ perspectives on environmental issues facing Utah.
“I think a survey like this that’s done well and seeks to gather a representative understanding of what people think can be really valuable,” said Jessica Schad, director of CARNI and the poll’s administrator. “I hope that the data can be used to inform decision-making in the state,” Schad said.
The poll showed drought is the number one concern for Utah residents. (57.6% found very concerning) Similarly, the drying up of The Great Salt Lake was second. (54.8%) The following third was air quality. (55.2%)
The poll also showed Utahns cared about outdoor recreation. The survey showed (93.8%) of respondents “indicated that outdoor recreation options and/or access to wilderness and public lands were moderately, very, or extremely important to them.” The survey showed in 2021, Utah tourists had spent $10.56 billion. This revenue supported 130,600 jobs and “resulted in $1.81 billion in state & local tax.”
The survey included questions about air pollution, water, heritage, people’s perception of environmental problems, Great Salt Lake, energy, recreational public lands, environmental issues and standard demographic questions. When Schad created the poll, she asked students and faculty members to submit questions and sections they would like to see on the survey.
“I gave students the opportunity to add on a small number of questions if they had an interest,” Schad said. “I also put out a call to all faculty that they had an opportunity to put questions on the survey.”
The UPEP team has released the executive summary and four policy briefs and plans to release new briefs “every couple of weeks.”
Elizabeth “Betsy” Bruner, an assistant communication studies and philosophy professor, co-authored the executive summary and briefs.
“Basically, I looked for common themes and then started grouping the results together. I read them not only for numbers but words to tell a story,” Bruner said. “So what story is this story, and how does it impact and influence? How is it conversing with contemporary, climate, and environmental issues? How is it in conversation, if at all, with any policy or other areas of concern?”
Bruner got involved when Schad asked faculty to submit questions to be on the survey.
“We both wanted to ensure the poll results were communicated,” Bruner said. “So we want this to be able to help environmental organizations, people on the ground doing the work, and help policymakers understand where Utahn’s priorities lie. We want to share it with the people making the laws or proposing new legislation and policy. So, the goal is to use this research to make a difference.”
Already, graduate students are using this data to create a master’s thesis.
“If students are interested in involvement, they can contact me. We’ve had undergraduate and graduate students working with us on this project, and they’re now co-authors of these research briefs. So we’re happy to have student involvement,” Schad said.
Schad and Bruner have plans to send a new version of the UPEP every 18 months or two years to compare Utahn’s feelings on environmental issues.
“We’re here as researchers at USU to help people understand and interpret the data or understand what it might mean for them. So, this isn’t a one-way communication. This data is intended to help, to encourage conversations,” Bruner said.
You can learn more at the UPEP webpage https://chass.usu.edu/sociology/canri/upep
The Statesman is holding its own environmental poll for USU students. Share your concerns and fill out the survey at this link: https://usu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3Xkk6yCy7Foc7Hg