Anglicans Support Nature: Stewardship of the Environment Survey Results

The Stewardship of the Environment Committee (SEC) is pleased to release the results of our poll sampling Anglican's views about the natural world.

The SEC created this survey to help inform a video we are preparing as part of our mission priorities for 2018 and 2019.

The online survey was comprised of 10 multiple choice questions and the polling took place from April 3 to April 30, 2018.  Here is a brief overview and straightforward analysis of the salient results.

ENGAGEMENT

The survey clearly indicates that Anglican respondents are engaged in nature. In response to a question about what they do in nature respondents were given five options (walk in the park, hiking, outdoor winter activities, water sports, gardening, and more than one of the above).  More than 85 percent of Anglicans who took the survey chose more than one of the above.

BENEFITS

The Anglicans who responded to the survey indicated that they personally derive multiple benefits from nature. People were asked to share what nature means to them by choosing one of five options (health and well-being, happiness and joy, peace and quiet, awe and wonder and more than one of the above). A total of 75 percent of the Anglicans that responded to the poll chose more than one of the above.

Another related question asked people, "What does nature do for you?" They were given five options (aesthetic beauty inspires me, it helps me to think, it makes me feel better, it sustains my life, and more than one of the above).  A total of 71 percent of Anglicans who responded chose more than one of the above.

ACTION

The Anglicans polled indicated that they strongly believe that we all have a collective responsibility to act to protect nature. People were asked to rate the following statement on a scale of 1 to 5 (one being you disagree and 5 being you strongly agree), "Do you feel governments, business, faith communities, secular groups and private citizens have a role in helping to protect and preserve nature?" Almost 90 percent (89.6%) of Anglicans surveyed indicated that they strongly agree.

When asked, what they personally do to protect nature (I recycle, I minimize my energy consumption, I minimize my water consumption, I minimize the waste I send to landfill, and more than one of the above) 92 percent of Anglicans chose more than one of the above.

When it comes to doing more to protect nature the Anglicans polled indicated that they feel overwhelmed and they are not sure what they can do. In response to the question what prevents you from doing more to protect nature, people were given five options (I am too busy, I am not sure what I can do, I am not motivated, I am overwhelmed, and I don't care). A total of 61 percent of Anglicans said they feel overwhelmed and 23 percent said they are not sure what they can do.

Finally, when people were asked, what would help them to get more involved in efforts to protect nature, 59 percent of the Anglicans who responded to the poll said they would benefit from a summary of specific actions or a better understanding of the issues.

CONCLUSIONS 

Anglicans who took this survey are meaningfully engaged in nature and they believe that we must act to protect it. Further, they are actively involved in efforts that support nature in their personal lives. The results also suggest that the majority of Anglican respondents would benefit from knowing what they can do and why.