A bottom-up approach for raising students participation in environmental

campaigns By

GREEN BRAINERS Boss, Cecilia, Mart, Suzuho

Outline 1.  Introduction

1.1 Background: concepts definition 1.2 Solid waste pollution in Thailand 1.3 Chula Zero Waste campaign CU

2. Research design 2.1 Problem identification and hypotheses 2.2 Conceptual framework 2.3 Research questions and objectives 2.3 Significance of the study

3. Methods 3.1 Stakeholders 3.2 Questionnaire design

4. Results 5. Discussions and conclusions 6.References

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1. Introduction

1.1 Background: concepts definition Pro-environmental behavior: Behavior that consciously seeks to minimize the negative impact

of one‘s actions on the natural and built world” (Kollmuss and Agyeman, 2002) Environmental awareness: the attitude regarding environmental consequences of human

behaviour. Starting from the typical definition of attitude, environmental awareness is a predisposition to react to environmental issues in a certain manner (Culiberg and Rojšek, 2008: 132).

Bottom- up initiatives: Represent a more decentralised system of information delivery and public engagement call for more inclusionary forms of dialogue between lay publics and elites using new forms of communicative practice aimed at consensus building and mediation in order to transform the “paternalism” of traditional forms into inclusionary argumentation(Owen, 2000; Anable, et. al, 2006).

Why it matters? Findings indicate support for the added value of a bottom-up approach compared to other mechanisms and identify that this may be partly explained by the extent to which such activities offer a more supportive environment for behaviour change to take place.

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1.2 Solid waste pollution in Thailand

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1.3 Chula Zero Waste campaign Objectives of the campaign: 1) To develop solid waste and hazardous waste management system in CU to provide a model for university waste management in the city. 2) To develop and integrate knowledge on the reduction, separation and management of solid and hazardous waste in the curriculum, teaching and activities for all levels from elementary to university. 3) To create the value of “Chulalongkorn non-waste” and show the importance of reducing and sorting waste at source into a corporate culture and a role model for the community and society.

Sustainable waste management plan in CU, Sujitra V, 6

1.3 Chula Zero Waste campaign action plan 1.  Develop a way of working and providing basic information

- Project Development Plan - Survey and preparation of basic information on solid waste and hazardous waste and improvement database and website

- Research project on behavior, knowledge, attitudes towards waste of students and staff in the campus

2. Waste reducing at source - Foam and plastic bag reducing - My cup campaign - My bottle campaign - Food waste reduction

3. Develop and improve waste separation - Improve waste separation system

- Proper waste separation campaign - Green office - Hazardous waste and green market project

4. Improve waste collection system - Improve waste disposal station - Improve the garbage trucks to be hygienic and safe

5. Develop and improve organic waste management system - Improve waste collection system for food waste to be sent to biogas production system and to be learning source

- Increase the utilization of organic waste and the production from biodiesel from used oil 6. Develop content and teaching sustainable waste management

- Produce content and teaching materials on sustainable waste management for elementary and secondary school children - Produce content and teaching materials on sustainable waste management for scholars.

Sustainable waste management plan in CU, Sujitra V, 7

1.3 Chula Zero Waste campaign

Project: Waste reduction at source Start date: Nov, 2016 Method of implementation: 1. Cooperate with store in campus 2. Engage student to refuse plastic bag and try to use fabric bag or reuse plastic bag 3. People need to pay for plastic bags (From Feb 1, 2017). 4. Engage people to use their own cups by discounting on the drink’s cost. 8

1.3.1 Results of CZW: Plastic bags usage in CU

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2. Research design

Theoretical assumptions: 1. Bottom-up involvement can raise environmental awareness and

environmental involvement.

2. Enhanced bottom-up involvement and two-way communication can increase environmental campaign engagement.

2.1 Problem identification

Expert: University

Target population: Students

Communication/Knowledge

Mediacoverageyieldstheleastbehavioralreturn.Buttherewasahigherreturnfromac9vi9eswhichinvolveengagingpeopleinconversa9on

abouttheirbehavior(Wilson,2011)

Top down communication campaigns, as current at the time, tended to instruct rather than

engage people in finding solutions, tended to work less well than other forms of learning,

and failed to accommodate situations where people did not respond rationally to information

(Jackson, 2005).

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2.1 Problem identification: Hypotheses

Main problem Main Hypothesis

Level of student involvement in the campaign

There is a lack of student involvement in the campaign.

Source of possible problems Hypotheses

Environmental Education 1. Students have not received enough environmental education.

Environmental Awareness 2. Students do not have environmental awareness.

Knowledge of the campaign 3. Students do not know about the campaign.

Understanding of the campaign 4. Students do not understand the campaign well.

Communication of the campaign 5. Communication of the Chula Zero waste is top-down.

Proposed solution Bottom-up scheme can improve student

involvement in the campaign and in environmental issues.

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2.2 Conceptual framework Expert

Target population

Environmental Campaign

Environmental awareness

Program implementation

Involvement

Bottom-up participation

Flow of communication:

Top-down

NOW Flow of

communication: Bottom-up and

two-way

PROPOSED

Two-way communication

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2.3 Research questions and objectives

General objective: To increase students involvement in environmental issues. 1)  To assess students involvement in Zero Waste Campaign.

2)  To identify the factors influencing students involvement in Chula Zero Waste.

3)  To identify bottom-up pathways to increase environmental awareness and environmental participation in students.

Research questions 1)  What is their level of environmental awareness and environmental education received?

2)  What is the student's level of involvement in Chula Zero Waste?

3)  What factors influence student involvement in the campaign?

4)  What kind of system would increase students involvement in environment awareness and environmental Initiatives?

Objectives

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2.4 Significance of the study

Environmental awareness is the first step to pro-environmental behavior, therefore finding pathways to student participation in raising

environmental awareness is key to foster these behaviors and the involvement in environmental initiatives.

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3. Methods

3.1 Stakeholders: Target population

SHOULD

MUST

MAY

Academics

Students

Staff

Visitors

Sellers

General public

Other university

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For the analysis of the Chula Zero

Waste Campaign we determined

that the stakeholder we should interview

are the students.

3.2 Questionnaire design 1) Personal information 2) Environmental awareness and environmental education 3) Awareness of Chula Zero Waste Campaign 4) Bottom-up approach: Student involvement

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In addition, we interviewed a student who is deeply

involved in the campaign, so we could know more about Chula Zero Waste and its

needs.

4. Results

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4.1 Profile of respondents

Others 15%

�Medicine 4%

Pharma 4%

Economics

6%

Science 7%

Accounting

7%Sport science

7%

Arts 11%

No answer

13%

Engineering

26%

FACULTY

Male 47% Female

53%

1.Sex

44

67

9

0 0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

<=19 20-24 25-29 30<=

2.Age range

4.2 Part I Main Hypothesis: There is a lack of student involvement in the campaign.

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2.37 2.15 2.261

2

3

4

5

IC

LevelofinvolmentinChulaZeroWastecampaign�

Female Male Total

Environmental Education

Environmental Awareness

Knowledge of the campaign

Understanding of the campaign

Communication of the campaign

We found that the students involvement in a scale from 1 to 5, scored an average of 2.26, proving our main hypothesis.

Then we proceeded to find the cause of this lack of participation.

Therefore, we surveyed the following factors.

H 1: Students have not received enough environmental education. H 2: Students do not have environmental awareness.

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2.54 3.74 3.53 2.86 3.57 3.75 2.7 3.655 3.64 1

2

3

4

5

Antropocentrism Spaceship Earth Technocentrism

Environmental Awareness

Female Male Total 3.3 3.6 3.6 3.8

1

2

3

4

5

Elementary school Junior high school High school University

Environmental Education Frequency

They scored more than 3, so the students have got enough environmental education so far.

According to the rate of Spaceship Earth construct, students showed that they have environmental awareness.. And females

in more proportion than males.

H3: Students do not know about the campaign

60% of those who answered "Don't know” were freshman.

Students know about the campaign!!

H4: Students do not understand the campaign well

2.28

2.99 3.023.28

3.88

1

2

3

4

5

You'reinvolved Youunderstandtheobjec9ve

Youhavemoreenvironmental

awarenessfromthecampaign

Youunderstandtheproblemthatgeneratedthiscampaign

Youunderstandthatthiscampaignis

banaficialtosociarty

ThelevelofknowledgeofChulaZeroWastecampaignanddesignofit Students showed an average

knowledge of 3,34 on 4 items about Chula Zero

Waste. This means, they understand the

campaign’s objectives and contents.

H5. Communication of the Chula Zero waste is top-down

1

6

9

18

29

40

77

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

Others

Journalnewsoftheuniversity

Universitywebsite

Professors/academics

Friends

Facebook

Billboardinuniversity

Howdidyoufindoutaboutcampaign?

The communication of campaign worked but their approach was

through typical top-down media such as billboards

and FB.

Flow of communication:

Top-down

4.2. Results: The solution: Bottom-up approach

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Who should do it?

Where?

Willingness to do itHow

Need

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9

50

64

76

108

0 20 40 60 80 100 120

Others

�Grad student

External staff

Professors

Undergrad student

Who should lead environmental projects/initiatives in the campus?

Who should do it?

Where?

Willingness to do itHow

Need

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Who should do it?

Where?

Willingness to do itHow

Need

29

Who should do it?

Where?

Willingness to do itHow

Need

5. Discussions: The Hypotheses and Chula Zero Waste

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Source of possible problems Hypothesis test results

Conclusions

Environmental Education

1 Students have not received enough environmental

education.

Students have received education and also have access to media that can enhance that, thus they can play an active role in their own

knowledge.

Environmental Awareness

2. Students do not have environmental awareness.

Students have entered a top university therefore it makes sense they have corresponding notion

of knowledge and awareness.

Knowledge of the campaign

3. Students do not know about the campaign.

The students learned about the campaign but they don’t seem to react to it.

Understanding of the campaign

4. Students do not understand the campaign well.

The students understood the contents of the campaign showing it’s up to them to act

accordingly.

Communication of the campaign

5. Communication of the Chula Zero waste is top-

down.

Social media and billboards were effective in transmitting the message but failed in engaging.

5. Discussions and conclusions Bottom-up approach: How

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Encourage undergrads

Create new online

platforms

Create student led discussion

groups/workshops

Create idea’s funding

programs

Identify specific needs

Who should do it?

Where?

Willingness to do itHow

Need

5. Discussions and conclusions Bottom-up approach:

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38

58

66

75

104

0 20 40 60 80 100 120

your professors

your own-self

the students community

the society

the environment

Would you participate in the campaign if you feel you can make a contribution to

Also is key that students feel that they

can make meaningful a contribution to

something.

5. Solution for Chula Zero Waste

Our group had interviews with the Professor who organized this project and the student who are deeply involved in this project. They already have tried to encourage students, enhance online platform, have group works, competition project, and so on. This project is mainly run by teachers from faculty of mass media, but the interviewee said it is ideal to have a student leader. ☜ Why? and what can we propose from our research??

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-  We found that general idea is that student should lead projects, but how do an organizer and student leader think about this, in an actual case like CWZ?

5. Solution for Chula Zero Waste -Why do they need students leaders?(in the actual case)

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Student University/Teachers misunderstanding

Even we try to separate waste, the university put together when they collect it. So, it is useless to separate waste!!

The student will not separate, so when we collect the garbages, it is no problem to put together. After collecting, separate those waste.

1.The projects are run by professors but they work separately and do not have enough time to cooperate with each other, so it is ineffective. 2.This is top-down system and the students just engaged in a certain term and did not continue the projects because that was the one of the academic programs or they have to do other things than the project. 3.Each faculty/department has each rule and it was not unified among them.(for example, trash box color...)

Waste separation project

We need student leaders!

Other then misunderstanding problems...

5. Solution for Chula Zero Waste -What can we propose from our research to raise student’s

involvement? 1.The students hesitate to take the leadership ☜Having seminar or workshop not only for sharing ideas about environmental

issues, but also for letting them have courage to lead projects. 2.The students are willingly participate in the campaign when it really

contribute to the environment. However, each faculties/department has different rules and it is hard to unify and this reduces the impact.

☜ To maximize the impact, each department should have consensus on making a rule.

3. Some students think it is easy to give opinions in Chula, but others find difficulties in doing so. This might be because Chula’s policy which says students should obey the university is strong. ☜　The university might leave some room for the students expression. 35

Thanks!

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Eden, S. (1996). Public participation in environmental policy: considering scientific, counter-scientific and non-scientific contributions. Public Understand. Sci, 5(3), 183–204. http://doi.org/10.1088/0963-6625/5/3/001

Kronrod, A., Grinstein, A., & Wathieu, L. (2012). Go Green! Should Environmental Messages Be So Assertive? Journal of Marketing, 76(1), 95–102. http://doi.org/10.1509/jm.10.0416

Ryan, R., & Rudland, S. (2002). Effective Environmental Education Campaigns Report. Social Science, (2), 1–10.

Tobias, R. (2009). Developing Strategies for Waste Reduction by Means. Environment and Behavior, 41(6), 836–865.

Wilson, C. (2011). The role of communication in encouraging sustainable behaviour., (August). Retrieved from https://www.dora.dmu.ac.uk/handle/2086/5275

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