We asked…you answered!! 
To celebrate Earth Week, we asked students (and staff) to share their thoughts and
opinions with us at the EcoFair on Wednesday, April 22, 2014.
We had easel pads and sharpies spread neatly on the tables. The Earth week staff warmly
welcomed everyone, directed them to sign-in, gave away goodies, and encouraged them to
actively participate. These two questions “How are YOU Helping our Environment” and “What
does EARTH mean to YOU” helped us to assess sustainability literacy. There were some general
themes in response to each question. Pertaining to how they are helping our environment, the
themes were: recycling, reducing energy consumption and keeping the environment clean.
There were also some unique answers; for example, planting trees, not smoking, and using less
hair products. In response to the other question, their feedback showed a collective sense of
ownership and responsibility to the earth as home, life and our environment. There were a few
unique responses, including the slogan “keep it clean to keep it green” and a mnemonic for
earth “Energy Air Real Together Home”. At the end of the line, we gave each participant an
earth week t-shirt as an incentive for sharing his/her knowledge and opinion.
How are YOU Helping our Environment?!
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I recycle at home
I recycle cans and plastic bottles
I recycle cans and bottles found in my dorm
I will recycle cans, paper and plastics
I walk more than I drive
I use less electricity
I recycle
I use less electricity and recycle
Print on both sides of paper
I turn off my lights when I am not using them
I ride my bike instead of driving
I promote Global Warming Awareness
Turn off all lights when not in use!
Use less water when washing my hair
Limit my electric and water usage
Recycle at A&T and home
Using recycling bins
I walk more than I drive
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Recycle my bottles
Recycle items that can be reused
I ride the bus some days, instead of driving, and I recycle my water bottles
Cut off lights that are not being used
Recycling: Plastic, Glass, Aluminum and Paper
To drive better cars that don’t pollute the air
Fuel efficient cars and recycling
Cut off lights and recycling
Not smoking
Unplugging TV and electronics when not in use and recycling water bottles
I make sure to throw trash in the trash and recycle things that should be
I recycle!
Plant trees and flowers
Driving is essential to my life. I have no bike
Recycling and walking
Recycle plastics and turn off lights when not using
When grocery shopping, using recyclable bags
I recycle bottles and throw trash in its appropriate place
I make sure to turn off my lights when I leave a room, to save energy
I recycle paper, bottles and cans
Bought recycle items at store
Recycling
I make a conscious effort to only use the electricity I need
By throwing away my garbage in a garbage can
By recycling plastics
Helping grandparents recycle and growing vegetables
Use less hair products that may harm our ozone layers
I don’t litter
Recycle
Recycle
I carpool
Use high efficiency lights
Recycle
Don’t litter, recycle
Use electricity at night, sunlight by day
Hvac set tstat and leave it
Turning lights off
Don’t run the water while brushing teeth
Unplug your charger when you’re not using it
Recycle
Turn off lights when not in use
I unplug my chargers
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I recycle
I go green
I cut off lights whenever I leave
I save energy and water
I recycle all my Arizona Green Tea cans
I recycle water bottles
I recycle!
Respect mother nature!!!
I recycle
I recycle cans, water bottles. I pick up trash around apartment complex
I unplug unnecessary items
I use a flurobulb for my lamp. I use sunlight for lighting until night fall. I recycle bottles, boxes
and cans
73. Cleaning trash around apartment complex
74. Recycle batteries and plastic
75. Recycle and re-use
Common Themes:
- Recycle- ex.- paper and plastics
- Reduce energy consumption- ex. turn off lights when not in use, unplug chargers
- Reduce carbon footprint-ex. choose to walk, instead of driving; carpool; bike
- Keep the environment clean- ex. Don’t litter, properly dispose of trash in garbage
cans and put recyclable materials in recycle bins
- Others/Unique Responses- plant trees and flowers, don’t smoke, re-use grocery
store bags, use less hair products
What does EARTH mean to you?!
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It is my home
Life, well-being
Overall health, beauty of nature
Home, well-being, life, habitat
Nature, environment, and health
My home, environment, life
It is my true home
It is my world
Healthy living
Saving our earth
Everything
She my mother
Home sweet home
It’s the world we live in, keep it clean, recycle
Life, home
Healthy lifestyle
Without earth, we have no home, so she is #1 in my book 
Life
Life, a place to live, and a place to love
Growth in our community, purity, love
Life
Growth in the community and life
Life
An environment to grow in
A place to live life
The earth is my life and my home. It is the place that promotes my living
I am a horticulture major, without earth, I have nothing
Earth is freedom
Earth is home
Earth means life
Earth means living clean
Earth is a planet that I live on
Earth is beautiful, peaceful and deserving of all human love
Earth means to live
Earth means peace, love and joy
Earth means love
Earth means home to all living creatures
Earth- Energy, Air, Real, Together, Home
Earth means the most important thing is my life
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Earth means life and vitality
The most vivid planet worth taking care of!
The earth is a place that is full of unknown beauty
Purity
Earth means everything
Earth means my live
Earth means living
This is my home and we need to take care of it
Keeping it clean
Earth means living life
It means living life to fullest
With no earth…where would I live?
Keep it clean to keep it green
Earth is living
Our environment
Living
Green
Home, the place we must take proper care of. Recycling, going green
Love
Peace, wisdom, loyalty
Peace and love for nature
Common Themes:
Sense of ownership and responsibility- ex. it’s where I call home; she is my mother; It’s the
world we live in, keep it clean, recycle
Life- ex. earth means life and vitality; earth means living
Our environment- ex. nature, environment and health;
Others/Unique Responses: EARTH- Energy, Air, Real, Together, Home; I am a horticulture major,
without earth, I have nothing; Keep it clean to keep it green