Indian Streams Research Journal

Vol 5 Issue 9 Oct 2015

ISSN No : 2230-7850 ORIGINAL ARTICLE

International Multidisciplinary Research Journal

Indian Streams Research Journal

Executive Editor Ashok Yakkaldevi

Editor-in-Chief H.N.Jagtap

Welcome to ISRJ RNI MAHMUL/2011/38595 ISSN No.2230-7850 Indian Streams Research Journal is a multidisciplinary research journal, published monthly in English, Hindi & Marathi Language. All research papers submitted to the journal will be double - blind peer reviewed referred by members of the editorial board.Readers will include investigator in universities, research institutes government and industry with research interest in the general subjects.

International Advisory Board Flávio de São Pedro Filho Federal University of Rondonia, Brazil

Mohammad Hailat Dept. of Mathematical Sciences, University of South Carolina Aiken

Hasan Baktir English Language and Literature Department, Kayseri

Kamani Perera Regional Center For Strategic Studies, Sri Lanka

Abdullah Sabbagh Engineering Studies, Sydney

Ghayoor Abbas Chotana Dept of Chemistry, Lahore University of Management Sciences[PK]

Janaki Sinnasamy Librarian, University of Malaya

Ecaterina Patrascu Spiru Haret University, Bucharest

Romona Mihaila Spiru Haret University, Romania

Loredana Bosca Spiru Haret University, Romania

Delia Serbescu Spiru Haret University, Bucharest, Romania

Fabricio Moraes de Almeida Federal University of Rondonia, Brazil

Anurag Misra DBS College, Kanpur

Anna Maria Constantinovici AL. I. Cuza University, Romania Ilie Pintea, Spiru Haret University, Romania Xiaohua Yang PhD, USA

George - Calin SERITAN Faculty of Philosophy and Socio-Political Sciences Al. I. Cuza University, Iasi

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Titus PopPhD, Partium Christian University, Oradea,Romania

Editorial Board Iresh Swami Pratap Vyamktrao Naikwade ASP College Devrukh,Ratnagiri,MS India Ex - VC. Solapur University, Solapur R. R. Patil Head Geology Department Solapur University,Solapur Rama Bhosale Prin. and Jt. Director Higher Education, Panvel Salve R. N. Department of Sociology, Shivaji University,Kolhapur Govind P. Shinde Bharati Vidyapeeth School of Distance Education Center, Navi Mumbai Chakane Sanjay Dnyaneshwar Arts, Science & Commerce College, Indapur, Pune Awadhesh Kumar Shirotriya Secretary,Play India Play,Meerut(U.P.)

N.S. Dhaygude Ex. Prin. Dayanand College, Solapur Narendra Kadu Jt. Director Higher Education, Pune K. M. Bhandarkar Praful Patel College of Education, Gondia Sonal Singh Vikram University, Ujjain

Rajendra Shendge Director, B.C.U.D. Solapur University, Solapur R. R. Yalikar Director Managment Institute, Solapur Umesh Rajderkar Head Humanities & Social Science YCMOU,Nashik S. R. Pandya Head Education Dept. Mumbai University, Mumbai

Alka Darshan Shrivastava G. P. Patankar S. D. M. Degree College, Honavar, Karnataka Shaskiya Snatkottar Mahavidyalaya, Dhar Maj. S. Bakhtiar Choudhary Director,Hyderabad AP India.

Rahul Shriram Sudke Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, Indore

S.Parvathi Devi Ph.D.-University of Allahabad

S.KANNAN Annamalai University,TN

Sonal Singh, Vikram University, Ujjain

Satish Kumar Kalhotra Maulana Azad National Urdu University

Address:-Ashok Yakkaldevi 258/34, Raviwar Peth, Solapur - 413 005 Maharashtra, India Cell : 9595 359 435, Ph No: 02172372010 Email: [email protected] Website: www.isrj.org

Indian Streams Research Journal ISSN 2230-7850

Impact Factor : 3.1560(UIF) Volume - 5 | Issue - 9 | Oct - 2015

A STUDY ON ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS AND RELATED PRACTICES AMONG THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AT MADURAI DISTRICT, TAMIL NADU G. Anbalagan Ph.D. Research Scholar , Research and Development Centre, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore , Tamil Nadu. Co - Author Details :

K. Shanthi Ph.D. Research Guide ,Associate Professor, Dept. of Environmental Sciences, PSG College of Arts & Sciences, Coimbatore , Tamil Nadu. ABSTRACT The Environmental issues are major global problem of important concern. Due to increasing human population and developments in every sector, the e nv i ro n m e nta l re l ate d i s s u e s a re multiplying in the recent years with a diversity of problems focusing the ultimate n e e d fo r a l t e r n a t i v e s u s t a i n a b l e technologies to safeguard our mother nature. The human’s desire to modern technologies and changing life style patterns pose serious threat on the environment and due to the fact, the pollution levels are alarming day by day. In order to achieve the sustainable and equitable developments, it is so significant to choose policies and programme that support efficient use of resources and implement technologies which show the way to reduce the environmental damage, thus result in sustainable development. The Schools are the place where numerous young minds are inculcated values of education and related practices so as to develop future responsible citizens. In India, Madurai is one of the important cultural heritages and tourist hot spot of the south India. The city is facing numerous developments due to over population and other side there is a lack of awareness on environment. The Vaigai river flowing through Madurai facing severe drought as it is a major source for agricultural water supply in the district. The granite quarries around Madurai have severely devastated natural mountains and water logging areas. Hence, safeguarding the natural environment and biodiversity in the district of Madurai is in dire need for future sustainability as many environmentally sound damages are alarming in the district. The present study focuses on the analysis of level of environmental awareness among the school students in Madurai district and important needs for suitable environmental friendly practices among the school students towards optimal use of resources so as to develop the sense of responsibility towards eco-development and sustainability. The youngster can work together to achieve the greening of Madurai through several innovative sustainable practices and spreading awareness among the public for alternative resources of energy

Available online at www.lsrj.in

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A STUDY ON ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS AND RELATED PRACTICES AMONG THE HIGH SCHOOL.........

and protection of environment for the future needs. KEYWORDS :Environment, population, pollution and sustainability . INTRODUCTION: The impacts of the environmental issues are affecting not only at the local level and it is global problem of important phenomena. Many industrial and infrastructural developments, human population growth and urbanization, plastic usage, electronic wastes, vehicular emissions, depletion of biodiversity, contamination of pollutants in the water bodies, soil and atmospheric pollution have devastated the natural environment causing severe ill health effects on human beings. Many developed countries are slowly finding several alternative and innovative technologies to minimize the effects of pollution and optimal utilization of the natural sources. In the recent years, several places around the world have been devastated due to natural disasters, heavy floods and extreme climate change effects have affected several lives. The students should be inculcated the effective and optimal use of our natural resources and energy to safeguard our mother nature and also to revisit the traditional practices in conserving our resources in order to attain sustainability in all levels and healthy feature. There is a dire need of environmental awareness on every aspects of the environment and conservation of natural resources and biodiversity so as to produce socially responsible citizens of the tomorrow. The present study has attempted the need of the environmental awareness among the school students at the Madurai district of Tamil Nadu to create better and sustainable environmentally sound practices in the society as the Madurai is one of the old heritage and cultural city in the southern part of Tamil Nadu having attracted many tourists from all parts of the country. The greening of the city and its villages around can contribute enormously to reduce the carbon content in the atmospheric air thus may result in curtailing climate changes and better purification of air. Further many rivers and water bodies around Madurai are facing severe drought and ground water level is alarming, due to excessive usage. In order to bring back the originality of environment in Madurai district, lot of efforts needs to be in place at all levels. Creating better environmental practices among the school students is one of such initiative to achieve environmental protection by inculcating moral values and sustainable practices among them to develop as role model in the society. OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY: Impacts of globalization have a wide range of environmental issues, including climate change, biodiversity, industrial pollution and waste management. The objective of this study fosters innovative strategies and strives for the development of a new generation of environmental friendly citizens that will bring morale to the society to boost environmental awareness. The following are the objective of the study. • To assess the Environmental Awareness potential of the students on the basis of different environmental problems. • To suggest proactive roles of National Green Corps, Eco clubs, Green clubs and other similar innovative measures in schools in building environmental awareness and sustainable action in the society to solve the environmental problems. REVIEW OF LITERATURE: Many research studies have already promulgates there is significance difference between the Available online at www.lsrj.in

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environmental knowledge and filed behavior of the school students at various places. The exponential booming of industries, crowded cities, heavy vehicular congestions and open disposal and burning of garbages are converging to make our cities most polluted nowadays. So many children are facing lung diseases due to breathe of polluted toxic air. The open sewerages, dumping of plastics and food wastes are alarming heavy pollution effects on humans in particular at urban areas. The impact of climate change is well reflected due to the loss of biodiversity, draining of rivers, scarcity of water resources and wetlands. The Stockholm Conference (UN) on Human Environment (1972) has trusted the need of Environmental education at all levels in order to motivate the public on environmental knowledge awareness. The conferences on EE held at Belgrade (1975) and Tbilisi (1977) has stressed the need of developing basic concepts, environmental knowledge, attitude and skill oriented participation. According to Indian context, the 1st International conference on EE was held at New Delhi in 1980 and thereafter 2nd conference in 1985. According to Sharma (2004), the EE at the level of Higher secondary school stage shall be effective teaching, practical field oriented for assimilation of knowledge, identification of the problem leads to action oriented skills. Environmental awareness implies knowledge about environment and inculcates values and required skills to solve environmental issues and it is a initial step leading to carry responsible citizenship behavior (Sengupta, Das and Maji, 2010). RESEARCH DESIGN AND FRAMEWORK: The research work aimed to assess the level of environmental awareness and the existing environmental friendly activities among the students of High Schools. The study is primarily based on the field level survey from the students in the predefined questionnaire on different environmental issues. Madurai is the traditional and tourism spot in the south India with several heritages and rich in biodiversity. The field study was based on random selection of data for survey. Teacher volunteers from the selected schools were nominated for collection of survey data from students and about 600 students have responded for the questionnaire. Among the whole district, about eight schools were selected for such purpose and 200 students were covered from each school for the study. The below table-1 displays the summary of data obtained from schools at Madurai District. Table – 1

S.No

1. 2. 3.

Name of School

CSI Pasumalai Hr. Sec. School, Madurai Kendriya Vidhyalaya Hr. Sec. School, Tiruparankundram, Madurai Sri Visalakshi Mills High School, Vilangudi, Madurai

Class of Study VII VIII XI

Number of samples Boys Girls 100 100 100 100 100

100

The responses of the students were collected in the predefined questionnaire consisting 15 topics of environmentally sound nature to assess the awareness of the students and each topic has five sensitive type questions of local environmental issues and also global issues with the responses in form of YES, NO and Not Decided tick mark options. The below listed topics were suitably covered in the questionnaire to elicit the option of students on environmental problems and the nature of response to be taken towards sustainable future. 1.ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS – GENERAL ISSUES Available online at www.lsrj.in

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2.WATER, SANITATION & WATER HARVESTING 3.AIR POLLUTION AND CLIMATE CHANGE 4.BIODIVERSITY AND GREEN GARDENS 5.CONSERVATION OF ENERGY & RECYCLING OF WASTES 6.ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH 7.PLASTICS AND ITS EFFECTS 8.NOISE POLLUTION 9.GLOBAL WARMING & OZONE DEPLETION 10.VERMICOMPOSTING & SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT 11.DEFORESTATION AND URBANIZATION 12.DISASTER MANAGEMENT 13.ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABILITY 14.NGC/ECO CLUBS & AWARENESS THROUGH ACTION 15.ECO FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES IN SCHOOL AND HOME In order to sensitize the impact of the environmental problems and issues among the students and to address the problems through local level initiatives like tree plantation, rain water harvesting, energy savings, safeguarding of biodiversity, climate change, nature camping, disaster mitigation and vermi-composting and waste management etc., their level of understanding, strategies followed, outcome of belief and need of further developmental aspects and techniques have been tested for their validity and reliability. The questionnaire responses received from the students were subjected to statistical tests after checking the error free data. DATA ANALYSIS: As most of students from rural background and cannot able to read the questions in their own vernacular language, a teacher has been nominated in each school to readout the questions in vernacular language and the students were asked to mark their responses in the questionnaire on the relevant questions. About 600 Students were responded to the questionnaire and the responses were computed in excel format and data analysis was carried out through software SPSS 16.0 package programme for windows. In this study, standard statistical techniques such as Mean (X), Standard Deviation (Std. Dev.) and t-test were used in the analysis of the data. The level of significance for P value was kept as 0.05. The level of significance has been decided by taking P values into consideration. The environmental awareness level was administrated on a total number of 600 students in the high school level at Madurai District. Three-Point Likert Scales was performed in assessing the attitude of environmental awareness among the students and the results were displayed in the Table -2, 3 and 4.


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Table 2 VII STANDARD

Sl.No

Variables

1

EA

2

WA & WH

3

AP & CC

4

BGG

5

CE & RW

6

E&H

7

P & IE

8

NP

9

GW & OD

10

VC & SWM

11

D&U

12

DM

13

EE & SA

14

NCG ECO & ATA

15

ECO FRIENDLY


Group

Mean

Std. Deviation

Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls

14.62 13.52 13.52 12.92 14.36 13.84 14.20 12.88 13.64 13.50 13.92 13.72 13.72 13.52 12.98 13.08 14.04 13.38 14.10 13.54 12.30 12.12 14.08 13.66 13.82 13.88 13.90 13.44 13.12 13.56

0.76 1.35 1.59 1.54 1.10 1.39 1.27 1.99 1.22 1.48 1.41 1.82 1.24 1.64 1.37 1.38 1.24 1.92 1.47 1.74 1.55 2.07 1.30 2.04 1.27 1.66 1.71 2.05 1.36 1.72

‘t’ Test Value

Level of Significance

6.30

0.001

1.85

No Significance

1.86

No Significance

3.69

0.01

0.471

No Significance

0.659

No Significance

0.667

No Significance

0.354

No Significance

0.207

No Significance

1.68

No Significance

0.503

No Significance

1.17

No Significance

0.218

No Significance

1.09

No Significance

1.39

No Significance

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Table 3 VIII STANDARD

Sl.No

Variables

1

EA

2

WA & WH

3

AP & CC

4

BGG

5

CE & RW

6

E&H

7

P & IE

8

NP

9

GW & OD

10

VC & SWM

11

D&U

12

DM

13

EE & SA

14

NCG ECO & ATA

15

ECO FRIENDLY


Group

Mean

Std. Deviation


12.52 13.12 13.02 13.29 13.47 13.85 13.35 13.62 13.54 13.83 13.61 13.89 13.17 13.78 13.41 13.22 13.32 13.76 13.12 13.81 12.73 12.92 13.76 14.02 12.79 13.62 13.16 13.48 13.06 13.29

0.88 1.13 1.21 1.15 0.96 1.13 0.94 1.37 1.26 1.16 0.79 1.18 0.89 1.03 0.87 1.18 0.83 1.18 1.06 1.08 0.74 1.08 1.25 0.96 1.29 1.33 1.64 0.89 1.12 1.16

‘t’ Test Value


3.86

0.001

1.26

No Significance

2.31

0.5

1.36

No Significance

1.11

No Significance

1.45

No Significance

3.10

0.01

0.87

No Significance

2.38

0.5

3.47

0.01

0.97

No Significance

1.43

No Significance

4.15

0.001

1.09

No Significance

1.08

No Significance

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Table 4 IX STANDARD Sl.No

Variables

1

EA

2

WA & WH

3

AP & CC

4

BGG

5

CE & RW

6

E&H

7

P & IE

8

NP

9

GW & OD

10

VC & SWM

11

D&U

12

DM

13

EE & SA

14

NCG ECO & ATA

15

ECO FRIENDLY

Group

Mean

Std. Deviation


14.38 13.30 13.41 12.79 14.31 13.82 13.95 13.00 13.55 13.57 14.16 13.54 13.82 13.28 13.38 12.78 13.92 13.21 14.08 13.46 12.48 11.78 14.16 13.58 13.93 13.73 13.96 13.43 13.51 13.41

0.95 1.38 1.49 1.59 1.10 1.39 1.46 2.01 1.42 1.34 1.41 1.81 1.27 1.58 1.27 1.38 1.47 1.86 1.56 1.65 1.42 2.32 1.67 1.68 1.32 1.68 1.81 1.94 1.45 1.68

‘t’ Test Value


4.64

0.001

1.87

No Significance

1.87

No Significance

2.67

0.01

0.08

No Significance

2.12

0.05

1.82

No Significance

2.25

0.05

2.23

0.05

2.08

0.05

1.87

No Significance

1.88

No Significance

0.66

No Significance

1.42

No Significance

0.36

No Significance

*EA-ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS, WA&WH-WATER, SANITATION & WATER HARVESTING, AP&CCAIR POLLUTION AND CLIMATE CHANGE, BGG - BIODIVERSITY AND GREEN GARDENS, CE & RW CONSERVATION OF ENERGY & RECYCLING OF WASTES, E & H - ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH, P & IE – PLASTICS AND ITS EFFECTS, NP - NOISE POLLUTION, GW & OD-GLOBAL WARMING & OZONE DEPLETION, VC & SWM - VERMICOMPOSTING & SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT, D & U-DEFORESTATION AND URBANIZATION, DM - DISASTER MANAGEMENT, EE&SA- ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABILITY, NCG/ECO & ATA - NGC/ECO CLUBS & AWARENESS THROUGH ACTION & EFA - ECO Available online at www.lsrj.in

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FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES IN SCHOOL AND HOME DISCUSSION ON THE RESULTS From the above table-2, it is inferred that there is no significance difference between the boys and girls in water, sanitation & water harvesting, air pollution and climate change, conservation of energy & recycling of wastes, environment and health, plastics and its effects, noise pollution, global warming & ozone depletion, vermicomposting & solid waste management, deforestation and urbanization, disaster management, environmental education for sustainability, NGC/Eco-clubs & awareness through action & Eco friendly activities in school and home. There is a significance difference between boys and girls at 0.001 levels in Environmental awareness in favour of girls and at 0.01 level of significance in Biodiversity and green gardens in favour of girls. In the above table-3, it is inferred that there is no significance difference between boys and girls in water, sanitation & water harvesting, biodiversity and green gardens, conservation of energy & recycling of wastes, environment and health, noise pollution, deforestation and urbanization, disaster management, NGC/Eco clubs & awareness through action & Eco friendly activities in school and home. There is a significance difference between boys and girls at 0.001 level in environmental awareness in favour of girls, there is a significance difference between boys and girls at 0.05 level in Air pollution and climate change in favour of girls. Further, there is significance difference between boys and girls at 0.01 level in plastics and its effects in favour of girls and significance difference between boys and girls at 0.05 and 0.01 level in global warming and ozone depletion and in vermicomposting and solid waste management in favour of girls. Likewise there is a significant difference between boys and girls at 0.001 levels in environmental education for sustainability in favour of girls. The above table -4, indicates that there is no significance difference between boys and girls in water, sanitation & water harvesting, air pollution and climate change, conservation of energy & recycling of wastes, plastics and its effects, deforestation and urbanization, disaster management, environmental education for sustainability, NGC/Eco clubs & awareness through action & Eco friendly activities in school and home. There is a much significance difference between boys and girls at 0.001 levels in environmental awareness in favour of girls and 0.01 level of significant difference between boys and girls in biodiversity and green gardens in favour of girls. Likewise, there is a significant difference between boys and girls at 0.05 levels in environment and health, noise pollution, global warming & ozone depletion and vermicomposting and solid waste management in each respectively in favour of girls. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS The above research study indicates that among the school students from VII, VIII and IX class selected for surveying their environmental awareness levels of local issues and global problems, the girls students contribution to aware of knowledge on environmental issues are more high compared to boys students. In general, the girls are more aware of ill health effects of plastics, air pollution, water pollution and public sanitation. Even though environmental education has been infused in the school curriculum, there is a dire need of practical oriented approaches to the students community to develop sustainable practices like tree plantation, vermicomposting of wastes at school grounds, alternative for the use of plastics, need of safe and clean drinking water and also promotion of environmental awareness among the public by participation in rallies, walkathon, celebrating world environmental day, water day, wild life day etc. The efforts can be better achieved by taking cooperation of local NGOs, village peoples, college students etc. Further, the research sensitizes that the environmental awareness Available online at www.lsrj.in

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and practices on day to day life of young students makes them social responsibility in greening the nature and conservation of biodiversity. The present National Green Corps, Eco-clubs and other similar clubs in schools need to strengthened for better practices and environmental concern by appointing at least one environmental expert as teacher in every school, this will enable to train the students more self focused towards environmental problems and addressing the issues with careful alternatives in their daily life. The study elaborates there is better scope for environmental protection activities among the school students as many schools have been promoting green gardens, nature walks, terrace gardening, Vermicomposting of food and organic solid wastes in schools, kindness to promote welfare on animals and safe disposal of organic and inorganic waste materials including plastics. The contribution of youth volunteers, local NGOs are imminent for carrying mass environmental awareness through school students in the society. The effective training on the students for Vermicomposting, Solid waste disposal and waste paper banking etc. at the school level will yield better results and make them to follow such practice as routine in schools and their homes for sustainability. REFERENCES: 1.Joseph, L.A., Victoria, E.A., Campbell, A.B. & Louie. R. (2004) - Teaching students to make better decisions about environment. Lessons from the decision of sciences, Indian Journal of Environmental Education, Vol. 36(1), pp 33-44. 2.UNESCO, 1974, Report on the Seminar on EE, National Commission for UNESCO. 3.UNESCO (1978), Tbilisi Declaration (Final report of the International conference of EE: Tbilisi (USSR)), 11 – 26, October 1977, Paris: UNESCO 4.Sengupta, M., Das, J. and Maji, R. K. (2010): Environmental Awareness and Environmental Related Behaviour of Twelfth Grade Students in Kolkata: Effects of Stream and Gender – Anwesan, Vol.5, pp. 1 – 8. 5.Sharma, R.A.,”Environmental Educational Research”, R. Lall Book Depot, Meerut, 2004. 6.Plamberg, I.E. and Kuru.J. 2000 – Outdoor activities as a basis for Environmental Responsibility, The Journal of Environmental Education, Vol. 31 (4), pp. 32-36. 7.Promod, Shinde. S. IUACE, Papers in Environmental Education (1984) – Involvement in Environment and Strategy for Education, pp. 48-56. 8.Srikanta, K. Panigragi 2004 – Environmental Education; Need of the hour, Yojana Jounal, Vol-48, No. 6, pp. 13-22. 9.www.greenteacher.org 10.www.ceeindia.org


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