Survey Questions


Social Capital

1) To what degree does the vision of your community affect the lifestyles of community members? (1 meaning there is not a solid vision to adhere to; and 10 meaning nearly all aspects of community life reflect the groups overarching goals)
2) How do you rate the internal (with in ecovillage), and external participation of community members in group activities, projects, etc?
3) To what degree do you feel that individuals within the community have a voice in community decisions and practices?
4) To what degree is individuality and diversity respected in your community?
5) How do you rate the overall degree of trust, support, and general positive interactions between members of your community?
6) How do you rate the success of conflict resolution attempts within your community?

Human Capital

collated questions for survey
∑ we still need to decide if we're surveying individual community members, or one target person per community...  it makes a difference in how we ask the questions
1) How much time do you contribute to community activities per week? (community activities could include:  meetings; community planning; group childcare; research; teaching/mentoring; food production; food preparation; cleanup, operations, maintenance; transport of materials for community use; etc.)
∑ 0 hours
∑ 1-2 hours
∑ 3-7 hours
∑ 8-12 hours
∑ 13 or more hours

OR we could have a more detailed account suggested below, which might be a simple way to gather information that might be worthwhile later.
2) How many hours per week do you tend to contribute the following skills to the community?
(if one of your skills applies to more than one of the categories below, enter it twice.  For example, you might be "mentoring" someone in pottery at the same time as you yourself are "doing" the pottery -- in which case you would enter time for both mentoring and for pottery.)

i) building/renovating (including carpentry, electrical, plumbing, framing, flooring, renewable energy, water management, stonework, etc)    0-1    2-4    5-10    10-15    15+
ii) teaching/mentoring/guiding/childcare    0-1    2-4    5-10    10-15    15+
iii) food production/preparation including livestock work    0-1    2-4    5-10    10-15    15+
iv) maintenance/operations/cleanup of community space    0-1    2-4    5-10    10-15    15+
v) habitat restoration (such as planting)    0-1    2-4    5-10    10-15    15+
vi) gardening/composting/tilling/soil preparation    0-1    2-4    5-10    10-15    15+
vii) computer work (hardware and/or software)    0-1    2-4    5-10    10-15    15+
viii) organizational skills (group facilitation, running meetings, keeping records, planning events, etc)    0-1    2-4    5-10    10-15    15+
ix) financial skills (bookkeeping, accounting, investing)    0-1    2-4    5-10    10-15    15+
x) textile work (knitting, weaving, dyeing, sewing, quilting, etc)    0-1    2-4    5-10    10-15    15+
xi) pottery, metalwork, art    0-1    2-4    5-10    10-15    15+
xii) entertainment, storytelling, musical performance, etc    0-1    2-4    5-10    10-15    15+
xiii) fixing or maintenance of mechanical/engines/generators    0-1    2-4    5-10    10-15    15+
xiv) research, information gathering    0-1    2-4    5-10    10-15    15+
xv) legal, medical, dental, chiropractic, physio- or occupational therapy, investment advice, massage, dietary/nutritional advice, other professional services or advice    0-1    2-4    5-10    10-15    15+
xvi) other (please describe briefly)    0-1    2-4    5-10    10-15    15+
3) What is your annual gross income from sources outside the community?
∑ below $10 000
∑ $10 000 - $20 000
∑ $20 000 - $30 000
∑ $30 000 - $50 000
∑ $50 000 - $70 000
∑ over $70 000
4) How much of the food consumed by the community comes from the community?  (this would include food items that have been purchased from outside but processed in some way within the community)
∑ none
∑ 1 - 25%
∑ 26-50%
∑ 51-75%
∑ 76-100%
5) How many members live in your community between the ages of:
∑ 0 - 10
∑ 11 - 20
∑ 21 - 30
∑ 31 - 40
∑ 41 - 50
∑ 51 - 60
∑ 61 - 70
∑ 71 - 80
∑ 81 - 90
∑ 90 +
6) What best describes the leadership structure for community affairs?
∑ there is one person or small subgroup that consistently takes the lead
∑ small subgroups with consistent membership take the lead
∑ small subgroups with changing membership take the lead
∑ there is no apparent pattern in the leadership
∑ other (please describe)
7) Which best describes the level of involvement of community members in decisionmaking? (this could include discussions, meetings, informal conversations, ballots, education on the issues, etc.)
∑ most members participate in most issues
∑ most members participate in large issues but not smaller issues
∑ some members participate
∑ few members participate
∑ other (please describe)
8) To what extent is there a diversity of opinions, cultural background, and beliefs in your community?
∑ very little diversity; most members are similar on most things
∑ some diversity in one or more aspects
∑ some diversity in all aspects
∑ considerable diversity
∑ extensive diversity
∑ other (please describe)
9) In your opinion, what effect does the level of diversity mentioned above have on the "success" of your community?
∑ (please explain)
10) What is the community's strategy for continuation into the future?
∑ (please explain)
11) To what extent is consensus used for decisionmaking?
∑ for most issues among the whole community within leadership groups but not usually involving the entire community
∑ used sometimes
∑ not often used
∑ other (please describe)
note this question is actually about two things:  use of consensus, and use within the entire community  (as opposed to within subgroups).  It would be easy to set it up so that there were two columns -- one for frequency of use, one for whole vs. subgroup, and this would clarify the question.
check once within each bolded box    among entire community    among smaller subgroups
for large issues    ___always
___often
___sometimes
___seldom
___never
___not applicable
    ___always
___often
___sometimes
___seldom
___never
___not applicable
for smaller (more focused) issues    ___always
___often
___sometimes
___seldom
___never
___not applicable
    ___always
___often
___sometimes
___seldom
___never
___not applicable


Natural Capital

Most questions would have a Time, Process and Outcome component.  Questions
would be divided up in several categories:

Food
Did your community decide to grow it's own food?  If not, why and where does
your food come from?
When did your community decide to grow it's own food?
How did your community decide to grow it's own food?
Have you succeeded?
What would you have changed?
What are you changing?
If not, why and where does your food come from?

What percentage of your community is fed primarily by food grown within the
community?
What % during the summer?  What % during winter?  How much is exported?
Are you able to produce a diversity of foods that satisfies the needs of the
community?

How much land/per capita is devoted to agriculture, agroforestry, etc...?
What agricultural methods are practiced?  (i.e. organic, biodynamic,
Permaculture, bio-intensive, csa, other)
What chemical does the community use in growing?
Has there been attention paid to a "cash crop" vs, a food crop?
How has the labor been handled in the cropping?
Has there been a financial evaluation done on the cost of the produce?
Is the soil/growth media improving with time?


Water
Do you have a water plan?  If not, why?
When did you decide to have a water pan?
How did you decide to have a water plan?
What would you have changed?
What are you changing?

When did you decide to conserve water usage?  If not, why?
How did your community decide to conserve water?
How is water conservation managed?
What would you have changed?
What are you changing?

What would be the single most important water issue to address in a new
community?

Did your community decide to protect or restore water quality? If not, why?
When and how did your community decide to protect or restore water quality?
How is water quality protected or restored?
What would you have changed?
What are you changing?

Waste
When did you decide to manage your community waste?
How did your community decide to manage waste?
How is waste managed?  (e.i. compost, recycling, minimization, etc.)
What would you have changed?
What are you changing?

Are there urine diverting  or low flush or composting Toilets?
Is vermiculture employed if composting toilets are used?
Has that changed the composting time and compost quality?
To what extent is human waste used in compost? If so, have there ever been
any health concerns?

Surroundings / Aesthetics / (Human-Nature Interface)
Describe your surroundings. [i.e.-Native Habitat/Ecosystems (terrestrial or
aquatic)]
Did your community decide aesthetics and the human/nature interface were
important?  If not, why?
When and how did your community decide aesthetics were important?
Have you succeeded in maintaining or creating the desired aesthetics or
human/nature interface?
What would you have changed?
What are you changing?

Did your community decide to protect or restore Native Habitat/Ecosystems?
If so, when? If not, why?
How did your community decide to protect or restore Native
Habitat/Ecosystems?
What would you have changed?
What are you changing?
In terms of shared and private space...how has that been delineated in terms
of natural capital? All "grounds" public?

Built Capital

Question 1:  In general, on a scale of 1 to 5, how well do you feel the design of your built capital is balancing the needs of your community while minimizing negative impact on the environment?   

Question 2:
Extent to which our building materials are from sustainable sources:
1-  None of the following bullets apply to our community.
2-  One to two of the following bullets apply or mostly apply to our community.
3-  Three of the following bullets apply or mostly apply to our community.
4-   Four of the following bullets apply or mostly apply to our community.
5-    All of the following bullets apply to our community.

∑ Some of our building materials have been salvaged from former buildings, or existing buildings have been retrofit to function more sustainably. 
∑ The remaining materials are either natural or from recycled or reused materials.
∑ Natural materials have been sustainably grown and harvested by certified sources.
∑ Sources within our own bioregion were used when possible. 
∑ Non-natural materials have been chosen on the basis of lowest VOC emissions for that type of material, lowest toxic content possible, and least risk to human and environmental health. 
∑ Existing buildings and materials have been inspected for the use of lead paint, asbestos and other hazardous materials.


Question 3:
Extent to which our buildings minimize energy needs:

1- One or two of the following applies or mostly applies to our buildings.
2- Three of the following applies mostly applies to our buildings.
3-  Four to five of the following applies or mostly applies to our buildings.
4-  Six or seven of the following applies or mostly applies to our buildings.
5-  Eight or more of the following applies or mostly applies to our buildings.
∑ Our buildings are of flexible design, and are planned for long life or renewability.
∑ Our buildings are designed to blend with the environment in terms of their site selection, color, etc.
∑ We have used plantings to help regulate indoor temperatures.
∑ We have used orientation of the building to regulate light and temperature.
∑ We have installed proper insulation as called for by building codes, or better.
∑ We have shared indoor spaces in our community for storage, recreation, eating, etc. (counts as 2 bullets)
∑ The infrastructure we have installed would allow for local production and distribution of energy in the future.
∑ We produce some of our own energy.
∑ We produce some of our own energy from onsite sources (eg. Our own wood)
∑ We produce energy from renewable sources:  solar, wind, geothermal, tide (counts as 2 bullets)


Question 4:  Extent to which the infrastructure in your community minimizes impact, or positively impacts the environment:

1- Three or less of the following apply to our community infrastructure.
2-  Four to five of the following bullets apply or mostly apply to our community infrastructure.
3- Six of the following bullets apply or mostly apply to our community infrastructure.
4-  Seven to eight of the following bullets apply or mostly apply to our community infrastructure.
5-  Nine or more of the following bullets apply or mostly apply to our community infrastructure.
∑ We successfully use wetland treatment for septic waste.
∑ We have infrastructure in place to use or divert graywater for useful purposes.
∑ We successfully use composting toilets.
∑ We have a gravelly and sandy soil that provides sufficient percolation for successful treatment of wastes in a septic system and leach field.
∑ We use innovative approaches to collect/divert and/or treat stormwater, such as extended marshes, swales, drywells, bioretention basins or stormceptors, or our impervious area is so small that we do not collect, divert, or treat stormwater.
∑ Our property does not have drainage/standing water problems.
∑ Our community is designed specifically to minimize or eliminate the need for use of vehicles within the community. 
∑ We maintain a fund for emergency repairs of our infrastructure to avert damage to the natural environment.
∑ We have not impacted the natural 100 yr. floodplain.
∑ We have not impacted any wetland areas, or have more than mitigated or replaced any impacted areas.
∑ Any roads or parking areas in our community have been designed to minimize environmental impact, and measures are in place to minimize erosion and control sediment. 
∑ Appropriate soil erosion and sediment control were used during the building phase of the project.
∑ Appropriate waste disposal was used during the building phase of the project. 
∑ Fire prevention strategies have been discussed with local fire department. 

Question #5:  Extent to which we integrated state-of-the-art knowledge into our building process, and extent to which self-improvement is possible:

1- Three or less of the following apply to our community.
2-  Four to five of the following bullets apply or mostly apply to our community.
3- Six of the following bullets apply or mostly apply to our community.
4-  Seven to eight of the following bullets apply or mostly apply to our community.
5-  Nine or more of the following bullets apply or mostly apply to our community.

∑ We used state or local energy efficiency programs to certify our buildings or advise us in the design process.
∑ Some or all of our buildings have received the EPA Energy Star rating.
∑ We used the commissioning process to ensure that all systems in our buildings were working together for maximum efficiency.
∑ Most or all of our buildings have been tightness tested.
∑ We researched innovative energy saving practices and environmentally design principles as part of the design process.
∑ Most of all of the appliances and fixtures used in our buildings are Energy Star designated. 
∑ We periodically review data regarding our energy use in order to find areas for  improvement, or we have equipment in place that will allow for this data review.
∑ Our buildings are comfortable and aesthetically pleasing.
∑ The design of our built-capital involved a diverse group of community members.
∑ The governance of our community requires open discussion of additions or changes to the built environment.
∑ Our built environment does not produce undue light, noise, or odor, or otherwise disrupt the sensing of the natural environment.