Rockland County, NY
EcoTeam Satisfaction Survey
Highlights

Surveys were mailed/emailed to 100 past EcoTeam participants. Responses from 33 past EcoTeam participants yielded these results:

  • Did this program help you reduce your household’s use of natural resources?
    Yes: 100% No: 0 Blank: 0
  • Have you continued to take the environmental actions begun during the program?
    Yes: 93.9% No: 0 Blank: 6.1%
  • Would you recommend this program to your friends and neighbors?
    Yes: 93.9% No: 0 Blank: 6.1%

Survey Comments:

Have you taken actions beyond those you learned on your EcoTeam?

  • Bragging about Rockland County’s recycling program and composting facilities—encouraging gas/oil conservation—cursing SUV’s; knowing there are so many like-minded people out here—I have become more vocal and encouraging. Collecting rainwater and not feeling like a nut!
  • We recycle more (did a lot before).
  • We are looking into rain barrels and possibly grey water from showers.
  • I save everything that I can mulch.
  • Been talking water conservation to anyone who will listen!
  • Besides my local involvement I‘m taking a more active role nationally.
  • Spoke with a ‘green builder’ to consider options for if/when we build a house. We became more knowledgeable about what we could do to construct an earth-friendly dwelling.
  • Many of our conversation about changes to our home come from a different place—a much more ecowise place.
  • I have always been a conserver; I learned some new things from the EcoTeam--for example, recycling materials I didn't know could be recycled.
  • Ways to reduce water usage, and decrease trash that goes into the landfill. I am glad that I started composting, and I am glad that thru this group I met the worm guy, and started using worms for my gardening. I have maintained actions I learned and told many other people about it.
  • Town meetings on bldg. Expansion; Torne Valley power plant meetings.
  • Using grey water and gutter water to garden; taking military showers.
  • Less garbage, more awareness of recycling, water usage and reducing unnecessary local travel by combining errands or carpooling.
  • I am experimenting with recycling my in-house use water -- the goal being to allow as little water as possible to go down the drain and into the Hudson. Was shocked to see how wasteful I had been.

What did you find most valuable about the program?

  • Ways to reduce water usage, and decrease trash that goes into the landfill. I am glad that I started composting, and I am glad that thru this group I met the worm guy, and started using worms for my gardening.
  • Greater awareness of solid waste recycling in this county.
  • Changed driving habits -- rarely go over 50 mph even if the limit is higher. Helps the ozone layer if you have to drive.
  • It got us into a recycling mindset- the amount of garbage we generate has been reduced curbside by % 70!
  • I met neighbors that I would not have known.
  • Becoming more connected as a neighborhood and learning how to live more earth-friendly. I like feeling that we are helping in some small way to conserve the earth's resources.
  • Getting info on where to recycle different wastes.
  • Practical, simple, clearly explained ideas.
  • Consciousness of my own household behaviors & raising the target for future behaviors re: recycling, composting, etc.
  • The specific steps to take to accomplish action. The workbook. The variety/steps of specific actions. I.e. weighing your garbage.
  • New & current information that validates day-to-day actions. Also the humor of realizing ‘grandmother was right!’
  • Building relationships with my neighbors, sharing ideas, talents and tools.

Do you have any suggestions for improvement?

  • Get into schools!
  • No—it’s a great program.
  • Newspaper/media articles—a weekly column? The time is right with this drought.
  • That it be more interactive—maybe discussion questions; maybe add a video.
  • How do we get more people involved and interested???
  • More contact with the leaders of the program to ensure that people are following the program.
  • More dramatic info to get the point across.
  • Bit too much of a push to conform to ‘EcoTeam ‘ program. I understand need to document results for funding, but as much as possible give us materials + support us with information answer questions, help us work with other EcoTeams to have greater impact. Can you do a master directory of all of us who participated in the program?
  • It would be easier if we met less frequently and there was a little less content. It felt overwhelming sometimes.
  • Please share any anecdotes on how the program helped you adopt a more Earth-friendly lifestyle.
  • Living a more earth-friendly lifestyle is essential to me. It has become integrated into my life. When I was explaining to a colleague about the EcoTeam program, she became very interested and the next day she came in with a most beautiful poem about it. It brought tears to my eyes.
  • We have increased our recycling—we were not aware of all the things you can recycle (esp. junk mail), we also decreased our water use by putting water savers in all the toilets and becoming more attentive to our usage of water.
  • Prior to and during my first EcoTeam experience, I did not recycle. In the weeks following the EcoTeam, I began slowly to do so—now, I am a great recycler and have incorporated many other suggestions for more earth friendly actions.
  • We are more conscious of our power to change how we use resources and we have been conserving in many more ways than we were before being on a team. And, we had lots of fun doing it.
  • I get newspapers from our recycling bin to read and often find plastic bags in there -- I collect them and take them down to Shoprite's recycling plastic bag station where they are made into 'lumber' used for benches, picnic tables and railroad ties that have no creosote in them.