Environmental tendencies and significant life experiences of municipal sustainability coordinators in Canada

Abstract

This study explored the demographics, environmental tendencies, and significant life experiences of 91 Sustainability Coordinators employed by municipalities across Canada. The intent of this research was to find a common set of activities that may have motivated these individuals, and may motivate others, to take on roles and practical challenges in the realm of sustainability. A mixed methods approach was conducted which was inclusive of a literature review, an online survey (which acquired demographic info, three environmentally themed psychological scales, and an open ended question of autobiographical recollections), and statistical analysis. The results paralleled findings of other researchers on similar environmental groups, where gender was the predominant predictor of environmental tendency and that various experiences in natural areas are what these individuals attribute these pro-environmental tendencies to. This research will add to the minimal literature available on this emerging and undocumented occupation.