Students’ environmental awareness and pro-environmental behaviour: preliminary study of geography students at state university of malang.
Budi Handoyo, I Komang Astina, Ramadhani Lausi Mkumbachi
Abstract
Abstract In today’s world the environmental problems call for the serious solutions before they reach the point of no return. University students as scholars must be well informed about the current pressing environmental problems through formal education and informal education and become role models and champions of protecting the environment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of environmental awareness and pro-environmental behaviour among undergraduate Geography students at State University of Malang. This study used descriptive qualitative research design using survey method. To collect data, questionnaire was distributed among 100 respondents selected using simple random sampling method. Results on environmental awareness indicated that, most of the students were well informed and possessed higher understanding of environmental problems. However, the findings on self-reported environmentally responsible behaviour indicated otherwise that only few students practiced pro-environmental behaviour. There was a mismatch between students’ awareness on environmental problems and their actions towards environmentally responsible behaviour. That means being environmentally awareness does not necessarily translate directly into environmentally responsible behaviour. There is need to increase rising awareness and enhance university students’ engagement to sustainability activities to establishing sustainable initiatives both on campus and beyond.