All incoming Cornell students complete Mission Sustainability, a one-hour online module introducing the many dimensions of sustainability on campus. As part of this experience, students are surveyed about their environmental beliefs and knowledge. This chart highlights a consistent trend from 2021 to 2024: most students report feeling deeply concerned about the state of the environment, yet they believe their peers are much less concerned. This gap between personal concern and perceived peer concern reveals a key insight into campus social norms.

Data above reflects the following survey questions:

• How concerned are you about the state of the natural environment?

• Now, please think about the average Cornell student. In your best guess, how concerned do you think they are about the state of the natural environment?

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