About the Survey

In 2017, the Chesapeake Bay Program conducted its first comprehensive survey of people’s actions and attitudes in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The survey was developed and conducted by OpinionWorks, LLC. The data was collected through mobile and landline phone interviews with 5,212 randomly selected watershed residents between March and June 2017.

In the summer and fall of 2023, OpinionWorks administered an updated version of the Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Index survey. This time, the data was collected online and through mobile and landline phone interviews with 6,561 randomly selected watershed residents.

The Chesapeake Bay Program plans to repeat the survey every five years.

6 Watershed States
& Washington, DC

21 Measured
Behaviors

6,561 Completed
Surveys

12 Demographic
Segments

Survey Questions

Content for the survey was identified through a collaborative process involving a wide range of stakeholders from the government, academic, and non-profit sectors. The 2023 survey covered the following topics:

Introduction and Screening: (9 questions); Collected demographic and background information.
Stewardship Behaviors: (24 questions); Measured the share of the public that engages in individual actions that improve water quality and environmental health.
Volunteerism: (5 questions); Measured the share of the public that is participating in community efforts to improve water quality and environmental health.
Civic Engagement: (4 questions); Measured the share of the public that engages in local and regional civic activities on behalf of water quality and environmental health.
Future Likelihood of Adopting Behaviors: (24 questions); Measured residents' willingness to consider taking personal actions that they are not currently taking today.
Perceptions and Attitudes: (12 questions); Measured residents' opinions on areas of personal stewardship, collective stewardship, the context and conditions around them, and the role of government.

Survey Downloads:

Methodology (.pdf) Questionnaire (.pdf)

Behavior Identification

The survey questions were based on 21 individual behaviors. Some of the behaviors are positive and encouraged, while others are negative and should be minimized or stopped.

Waste

Picking up litter when you see it
Picking up your dog's waste and disposing of it in the trash when you are on your own property
Picking up your dog's waste and disposing of it in the trash when you are off your own property
Decreasing the amount of disposable plastic water bottles you use, or not using them at all
Decreasing the amount of disposable plastic bags you use, or not using them at all
Confirming that your septic system is functioning properly by having it serviced by a contractor
Pouring used cooking oil or grease down the drain
Disposing of medicine down the drain or by flushing it down the toilet
Tossing food wrappers, cups, or cigarette butts on the ground when you are not near a trash can

Rainwater

Keeping a rain barrel, or a container that collects and stores rainwater, connected to your downspout
Emptying your rain barrel between rainstorms
Having downspouts that drain directly to hard surfaces like a driveway, sidewalk, or street gutter

Yard & Garden

Planting a tree
Replacing an area of grass lawn with other plants
Choosing native plants, rather than plants introduced from another part of the region or country, for your yard
Creating a rain garden, or an area that has been dug out and planted with water-loving native plants to capture and quickly absorb excess rainwater
Reducing the frequency of fertilizing your lawn, or not fertilizing it at all
Looking for fertilizer product instructions or asking a lawn care professional how much fertilizer to apply
Blowing or raking leaves and grass clippings onto hard surfaces, such as the driveway or street
Using herbicide to control weeds in your yard
Using pesticides in or around your home, such as mosquito spray or poison for rodents

What criteria were used to select the behaviors?

The behavior:

Involves individual, rather than collective or corporate, decision-making.
Is residential in scale, rather than agricultural or commercial.
Is repetitive and can be tracked over time.
Can be adopted by the general public, and not just by experts, regardless of geography or socioeconomics.
Has an impact on watershed health.
Can engage the public, bring new audiences to the table, and promote equity.

Learn more about the Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Index survey methodology (PDF).

Ready To See The Survey Results?

The 2023 survey data is a useful resource for organizations working to foster stewardship and create behavior change campaigns. It sheds light on actions and attitudes around improving water quality and environmental health.

See the Results from the 2017 Survey

The 2017 survey data offers a baseline for understanding the evolution of stewardship behaviors over time.

Download the 2017 survey materials (.zip)