Reducing Environmental Pollution Through Behavioral Change and Education: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Pilot Study
This repeated cross-sectional pilot study examined the impact of environmental education on reducing overall waste generation among students enrolled in an environmental health course from Fall 2020 to Spring 2023. The data included trash generation, single-use plastic, and paper products. Each stu...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Seyit Ahmet Kıray
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Education in Science, Environment and Health |
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| Online Access: | https://jeseh.net/index.php/jeseh/article/view/750 |
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| author | Junu Shrestha Ranju Karki Esther A. Adewusi |
| author_facet | Junu Shrestha Ranju Karki Esther A. Adewusi |
| author_sort | Junu Shrestha |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
This repeated cross-sectional pilot study examined the impact of environmental education on reducing overall waste generation among students enrolled in an environmental health course from Fall 2020 to Spring 2023. The data included trash generation, single-use plastic, and paper products. Each student logged their daily usage of these waste products in a standard spreadsheet. The data collection phases were divided into three behavioral change intervention timelines: Before-Intervention (BI-Week 1-5), Phase -1 (PH1I- Week 6-10), and Phase-2 Intervention (PH2I-Week 11-14). The study found a significant reduction in the use of grocery bags (p<0.001*), produce bags (p=0.03*), cutlery/straws (p=0.01*), paper towels (p<0.001*), toilet paper (p<0.001*), the
weight (p=0.003*) and number(p=0.02*) of trash. The results indicated that the mean differences in waste such as paper towels p<0.001*(PH1I VSBI);p<0.001*(PH2I VS BI); p=0.009*(PH2I VS PH1I)], toilet paper [p=0.003*(PH1I VS BI); p=0.001*(PH2I VS BI); p<0.001*(PH2I VS PH1I)], grocery bags [p=0.001*(PH1I VS BI); p=0.001*(PH2I VS PH1I), Cutlery/Straw [p=0.006*(PH1I VS BI);p=0.007*(PH2I VS BI), and the average weight of trash bags [p=0.002* (PH1I VS BI); p=0.004*(PH2I VS PH1I)] were statistically significant after the interventions. Therefore, the study concluded that environmental awareness, self-accountability, and education are effective in controlling single-use plastic and paper products and reducing trash generation.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4661c24e83ad43389f06d1b78729d032 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2149-214X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Seyit Ahmet Kıray |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Education in Science, Environment and Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-4661c24e83ad43389f06d1b78729d0322025-02-03T22:06:38ZengSeyit Ahmet KırayJournal of Education in Science, Environment and Health2149-214X2025-01-0111110.55549/jeseh.750Reducing Environmental Pollution Through Behavioral Change and Education: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Pilot StudyJunu Shrestha0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1202-0263Ranju Karki1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3867-6041Esther A. Adewusi 2https://orcid.org/0009-0003-4170-2850University of Illinois at SpringfieldNorth Central CollegeUniversity of Illinois at Springfield This repeated cross-sectional pilot study examined the impact of environmental education on reducing overall waste generation among students enrolled in an environmental health course from Fall 2020 to Spring 2023. The data included trash generation, single-use plastic, and paper products. Each student logged their daily usage of these waste products in a standard spreadsheet. The data collection phases were divided into three behavioral change intervention timelines: Before-Intervention (BI-Week 1-5), Phase -1 (PH1I- Week 6-10), and Phase-2 Intervention (PH2I-Week 11-14). The study found a significant reduction in the use of grocery bags (p<0.001*), produce bags (p=0.03*), cutlery/straws (p=0.01*), paper towels (p<0.001*), toilet paper (p<0.001*), the weight (p=0.003*) and number(p=0.02*) of trash. The results indicated that the mean differences in waste such as paper towels p<0.001*(PH1I VSBI);p<0.001*(PH2I VS BI); p=0.009*(PH2I VS PH1I)], toilet paper [p=0.003*(PH1I VS BI); p=0.001*(PH2I VS BI); p<0.001*(PH2I VS PH1I)], grocery bags [p=0.001*(PH1I VS BI); p=0.001*(PH2I VS PH1I), Cutlery/Straw [p=0.006*(PH1I VS BI);p=0.007*(PH2I VS BI), and the average weight of trash bags [p=0.002* (PH1I VS BI); p=0.004*(PH2I VS PH1I)] were statistically significant after the interventions. Therefore, the study concluded that environmental awareness, self-accountability, and education are effective in controlling single-use plastic and paper products and reducing trash generation. https://jeseh.net/index.php/jeseh/article/view/750Environmental EducationInterventionWaste ReductionStatistical Analysis |
| spellingShingle | Junu Shrestha Ranju Karki Esther A. Adewusi Reducing Environmental Pollution Through Behavioral Change and Education: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Pilot Study Journal of Education in Science, Environment and Health Environmental Education Intervention Waste Reduction Statistical Analysis |
| title | Reducing Environmental Pollution Through Behavioral Change and Education: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Pilot Study |
| title_full | Reducing Environmental Pollution Through Behavioral Change and Education: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Pilot Study |
| title_fullStr | Reducing Environmental Pollution Through Behavioral Change and Education: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Pilot Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Reducing Environmental Pollution Through Behavioral Change and Education: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Pilot Study |
| title_short | Reducing Environmental Pollution Through Behavioral Change and Education: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Pilot Study |
| title_sort | reducing environmental pollution through behavioral change and education a repeated cross sectional pilot study |
| topic | Environmental Education Intervention Waste Reduction Statistical Analysis |
| url | https://jeseh.net/index.php/jeseh/article/view/750 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT junushrestha reducingenvironmentalpollutionthroughbehavioralchangeandeducationarepeatedcrosssectionalpilotstudy AT ranjukarki reducingenvironmentalpollutionthroughbehavioralchangeandeducationarepeatedcrosssectionalpilotstudy AT estheraadewusi reducingenvironmentalpollutionthroughbehavioralchangeandeducationarepeatedcrosssectionalpilotstudy |