Puget Sound Millennials Survey Findings on Environmental Attitudes & Outdoor Recreation

Methodology – Phone Survey Live telephone survey of registered voters ages 18-35 in King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties including landlines and cell phones Conducted August 16 – September 8, 2016 300 total interviews, margin of error: + 5.7 percentage points overall at the 95% confidence interval Interviewing conducted using trained, professional interviewers Data weighted to be demographically representative of population Findings refer to phone data except where noted

Methodology – Web Supplement Online survey of 868 adults 18-35 in the Puget Sound region Conducted August 4 – October 14, 2016 Survey advertised via multiple channels, including ads on Facebook, Geekwire, and local neighborhood blogs Opinions represented are of those who chose to respond and are not projectable to the broader population of millennials in the region

Environmental Attitudes

% 8-10 Perfect Description Identity Puget Sound millennials from our phone sample reject labels—even “environmentalist”—more than millennials nationally. Web respondents are much more embracing of the term. % 8-10 Perfect Description of You *Pew Research Center telephone survey of US millennials; n= 617; conducted February 14-23, 2014 Q28-30. Next I’m going to read you some words and phrases and ask you to rate how well each describes you. Please use a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 represents a description that is totally wrong for you, and 10 represents a description that is perfect for you…

Responsibility for Environment While they may not identify as environmentalist, millennials overwhelmingly agree that they feel personally responsible for caring for the environment. “I feel a strong personal responsibility to care for the environment” Phone Web Q33. Please tell me whether you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree, or strongly disagree with each of the following statements: I feel a strong personal responsibility to care for the environment

Personal Environmental Actions – Phone Respondents Half consider recycling and composting to be their most important environmental actions. Q27. What’s the most important thing you do personally to help protect the environment, if anything? (Open-ended)

Personal Environmental Actions – Web Respondents Web respondents point to transportation choices, recycling, and composting as their most important environmental actions. Q27. What’s the most important thing you do personally to help protect the environment, if anything? (Open-ended)

Top Environmental Concerns – Phone Respondents A third volunteer climate change as their top environmental concern. Q26. What two environmental issues most concern you, if any? (Open-ended)

Top Environmental Concerns – Web Respondents Climate change is seen as the biggest environmental concern by far among web respondents. Q26. What two environmental issues most concern you, if any? (Open-ended)

Outlook on Global Warming Optimism that we will successfully reduce global warming is no higher among millennials than it is among adults nationally. Humans can reduce global warming, and we are going to do so successfully Humans could reduce global warming, but it’s unclear at this point whether we will do what’s needed Humans could reduce global warming, but people aren’t willing to change their behavior, so we’re not going to Humans can’t reduce global warming, even if it is happening Don’t know/Global warming isn’t happening Findings from web survey *Yale Project on Climate Change Communication & George Mason University for Climate Change Communication online survey of US Adults; n=830; conducted November 23 – December 9, 2013 Q68. Which statement comes closer to your views, even if neither is exactly right?

Reducing Global Warming Most believe we will need to make major changes to reduce global warming. Have to make major changes Technology can solve the problem without major changes Don’t know Findings from web survey *Pew Research Center telephone survey of US Adults; n=1,003; conducted April 13 - May 3, 2015 Q69. To reduce the effects of global warming, do you think people will have to make major changes in the way they live or can technology solve the problem without requiring major changes?

Importance of Corporate Responsibility as a Consumer Millennials overwhelmingly rate social and environmental responsibility as important for them as consumers. Phone Web Q78. How important is it to you as a customer that a company tries to be a good corporate citizen, caring about social and environmental issues?

Importance of Workplace Corporate Responsibility Workplace corporate responsibility is also widely seen as important. Phone Web Q77. How important is it to you that the place you work tries to be a good corporate citizen, caring about social and environmental issues?

Outdoor Recreation & Relationship with Nature

Best Thing About Living in Puget Sound Millennials prize the natural beauty of the region. Open-ended responses include responses from web survey Q6. In a few words, what do you think is the best thing about living in the Puget Sound Area?

What Makes You Happiest? Millennials point to social relationships and the outdoors when asked what makes them happy. Open-ended responses from web survey Q7. In a few words, what makes you happiest?

Associations with Being in Nature Millennials have overwhelmingly positive associations with being in nature and many tie it to wellbeing. Open-ended responses from web survey Q31. What words or phrases come to mind when you think about being in nature?

Relationship with Technology Over two-thirds say they would rather spend a spare hour disconnected from technology. Phone Web Q60. Which statement comes closer to your views, even if neither is exactly right?

Green Space Usage Green space is used regularly, with nearly everyone reporting visiting local parks and natural areas at least once a month. On average, how often do you visit parks, natural areas, or other green spaces: Findings from web survey Q84-86. On average, how often do you visit parks, natural areas, or other green spaces:

Outdoor Activities – Web Respondents Hiking, backpacking, and camping are the most common outdoor activities followed by water recreation. Findings from web survey Q32. Briefly, what are your two favorite outdoor activities? (Open-ended, multiple responses accepted)

Transportation to Outdoor Activities – Web Respondents The majority report driving to get to outdoor activities. Findings from web survey Q88. Which modes of transportation do you use most often to get to outdoor recreational activities? (Select all that apply)

Barriers to Spending More Time Outdoors – Web Respondents Lack of time is the biggest barrier to spending more time outdoors, followed by lack of transportation. Findings from web survey Q87. What barriers, if any, prevent you from spending more time outside? (Open-ended, multiple responses accepted)

Housing Attributes (Phone Respondents) Proximity to parks and wild places are high priorities in choosing a place to live. Q45-57. For each of the following, please tell me if that attribute is very important, somewhat important, not very important, or not at all important to you in deciding where to live.

Housing Attributes Among Web Respondents Access to green space and a short commute are also in web respondent’s top five. Proximity to public transit is rated as even more important, and being near a grocery store is a top five priority as well. Findings from web survey Q45-57. For each of the following, please tell me if that attribute is very important, somewhat important, not very important, or not at all important to you in deciding where to live.

Parks and Greenspace (Phone Respondents) Only a third of millennials believe we already have enough greenspace in the region. Almost as many millennials strongly disagree with this statement. “We already have enough parks and greenspace in this region” Q34. Please tell me whether you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree, or strongly disagree with each of the following statements: We already have enough parks and greenspace in this region

“We already have enough parks and greenspace in this region” Millennials in Seattle and Pierce county as well as web respondents are especially likely to disagree that we already have enough parks. “We already have enough parks and greenspace in this region” *Other subgroups displayed represent phone respondents only Q34. Please tell me whether you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree, or strongly disagree with each of the following statements: We already have enough parks and greenspace in this region

Respondent Demographics

Phone Survey Demographics Age LGBTQ Gender Ethnicity City/County Parenthood

Web Survey Demographics Age LGBTQ Gender Ethnicity City/County Parenthood

Contacts Ian Stewart Ian@emcresearch.com 206.204.8032 Sianna Ziegler Sianna@emcresearch.com 206.204.8045 Daniel Farmer Daniel@emcresearch.com 206.204.8035