Consumption and Disposal Habits

We appreciate you taking the time to fill out this short, 11-question survey on your consumption and disposal habits. The survey should take about 10 minutes to complete, and your responses will remain anonymous.

1. Where do you primarily buy each of the following types of consumer goods?

	Large chain stores (Walmart, Meijer, Best Buy, Borders)	Local independent stores	Online (Craigslist, eBay, Amazon)	For-profit second-hand stores	Nonprofits like Kiwanis or Salvation Army	Other
Household items (e.g. dishes, towels, bedding)
Personal entertainment (e.g. books, movies, video games)
Small appliances (e.g. toaster, microwave)
Furniture (e.g. chairs, tables, couches)
Electronics (e.g. TVs, stereo equipment)
Clothing & footwear

2. Do you think that, generally, you buy more than, less than, or about the same amount of consumer goods as others in your same income bracket?

	More than
	Less than
	About the same

3. When you are buying something new, how important are each of the following factors in your decision?

	Completely unimportant	Unimportant	Neutral	Somewhat important	Very important
Price
Brand
Environmental impact
Where it was produced
Durability
Features

4. For which types of consumer goods does "where it was produced" matter most?

5. Do you recycle? Just curbside, or do you take things to the recycling center?

6. How often do you buy the following types of consumer goods USED instead of new?

	Never buy used	Almost never	Occasionally	Frequently	Always buy used
Household items (e.g. dishes, towels, bedding)
Personal entertainment (e.g. books, movies, video games)
Small appliances (e.g. toaster, microwave)
Furniture (e.g. chairs, tables, couches)
Electronics (e.g. TVs, stereo equipment)
Clothing & footwear

7. What are some of the places from which you buy used items?

8. Do you own any "stuff" that does not get used often OR that you are planning to get rid of? If so, what types of items?

9. For each of the following types of consumer goods, which method do you primarily use when you are disposing of items you no longer want to keep?

	Throw in the trash	Sell at garage sale	Sell on sites such as eBay or Craigslist	Sell to second-hand stores	Donate to charity such as Kiwanis, Salvation Army, or Goodwill	Give to a family, friend, or neighbor	Other
Household items (e.g. dishes, towels, bedding)
Personal entertainment (e.g. books, movies, video games)
Small appliances (e.g. toaster, microwave)
Furniture (e.g. chairs, tables, couches)
Electronics (e.g. TVs, stereo equipment)
Clothing and footwear

10. Would you be willing to share items you own but use infrequently with others in your community who may want to borrow them?

	Definitely
	It depends
	Probably not
	No way

11. Do you have any final thoughts on what the hardest or most time-consuming part of the consumption/disposal process is for you?

12. Would you be willing to talk with us for 30-45 minutes about some of your answers to these questions? If so, please enter your email address below: