Tina M. Waliczek

The Relationship between a Campus Composting Program and Environmental Attitudes, Environmental Locus of Control, Compost Knowledge, and Compost Attitudes of College Students

Food waste is one of the most abundant materials contributing to landfills in the United States. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates 96% of uneaten food ends up in landfills. Food and other organic wastes generate potent greenhouse gases in the atmosphere precipitating global climate change. College campus cafeterias generate a large amount of food waste and some universities are making efforts to capture and compost food waste. The purpose of this study was to measure the relationship between participation in a university composting program and students’ environmental attitudes, environmental locus of control (refers to the belief that an individual’s actions play a direct role in the result of any affair), compost knowledge, and compost attitudes. Undergraduate and graduate students were given a survey, which included an environmental attitude scale, an environmental locus of control inventory and sections where students reported their composting habits, knowledge of the composting process, and how compostingmade them feel. A total of 660 surveys were collected from two universities, one that acted as the treatment and the other as the control group. The results indicated a statistically significant difference between the school with a composting program and the school without a composting program on the variables of environmental attitudes, environmental locus of control, and composting knowledge. Furthermore, composting attitudes were positively related to environmental attitudes, environmental locus of control, and compost knowledge at the university with a composting program. Demographic comparisons found differences within the treatment group on the composting attitude and knowledge and environmental attitude inventories but not locus of control.

College Student Knowledge and Perceptions of Invasive Species

The purpose of this study was to determine college students’ understanding of invasive species and their support for plant and animal pest control and eradicationmethods. Surveys were administered at a university and community college in Texas in biology and agriculture departments. A total of 533 respondents participated in the study. Most students said they were not part of any type of environmental organization and felt they were not very informed about invasive species issues. More students reported learning about invasive species in high school than in college courses. The average score on knowledge questions related to invasive and native plants and animals was 32%. Most students underestimated the negative impact of invasive species but many were aware of costs to manage those species. Reliable reported sources of information included environmental organizations, college courses, and the Internet. Pearson product-moment correlations showed positive relationships between students who had college class instruction regarding invasive species and positive attitudes toward management of invasive species. Positive relationships were also found between instruction and an awareness of invasive plants or animals. Respondents whowere knowledgeable of invasive species in the community had more positive attitudes toward the management of invasive species. In demographic comparisons, differences were found with males, upperclassmen, and those identifying as Caucasian or other havingmore knowledge of invasive species and more positive attitudes toward their management.

Studying the Market Potential for Specialty Cultivars of Sunflower Cut Flowers

In the United States, there is an increasing demand for fieldor greenhouse-grown, specialty, locally grown cut flowers. However, certain cultivars of cut flowers are not readily available in the market. The purpose of this research was to produce a crop of novelty sunflowers (Helianthus annuus ‘Firecracker’) and study the marketability of the cut flowers to wholesale and retail florists and consumers. The plants were grown in greenhouses. Stems were harvested and shown to local floral wholesalers/retailers who were individually interviewed on their perceptions of the cut flower as a product. Farmers’ market patrons were administered a quantitative survey to determine their perspectives on locally sourced products and willingness to pay (WTP) for the specialty cut flower (SCF). Results indicated half of the local florists interviewed responded positively to locally grown floral products in general, with all florists willing to pay at the least the same amount for the SCF as they are currently paying for their standard commercially grown, imported cut sunflowers. Farmers’ market customers expressed a WTP of

The Feasibility of Large-Scale Composting of Waste Wool

1.34/stem and/or

Relationship Between Environmental Knowledge and Environmental Attitude of High School Students

10.13/bunch of 10 stems for the SCF with participants who expressed a higher concern for sourcing local products often more willing to pay a higher price for the SCF. Furthermore, among demographic comparisons, there were no differences inWTP based on age, income, and education.However, females were more likely to purchase the SCF when compared with males, and African-Americans were less likely to buy the SCF and willing to pay less for 10stem bunches when compared with respondents of other ethnic backgrounds. Although many buyers responded positively to the product, results indicate women and those who prefer to buy local would be a good target demographic market for the product.

Growing Minds: The Effect of a School Gardening: Program on the Science Achievement of Elementary Students

Although wool remains a popular fiber due to its durability, comfort, and ease of quality production, increasing the sustainability of wool fashion products requires attention to all portions of the wool life cycle, including production of sheep to provide the wool. Managing sheep in many regions of the globe results in excess or waste wool that is not suitable for the textile or fashion supply chain. One way to increase the economic, environmental, and social sustainability of wool production is to compost the waste wool into soil amendments and landscaping aids that can provide producers with additional income, provide horticulturalists with an environmentally friendly alternative to other soil amendments, and provide communities that depend on sheep a pride in the value of all parts of the life cycle. This chapter outlines an experimental study that was conducted to determine the proper proportions of sheep waste products to other biomass that would be needed in a large-scale composting operation in order to produce a high-quality compost valuable to the horticulture and agriculture industries. The results of an experimental trial with waste wool determined that a 25 % waste wool, 50 % grass clipping, and 25 % horse stall waste mixture provided the optimal results for composting in a large-scale manner. Separation of compacted wool, if transported in wrapped bundles, proved essential for allowing sufficient decomposition of the waste wool. The composting produced was tested and determined to be of acceptable quality.