Awareness and perception of the environmental sustainability of the UAE University campus: a case study of sustainability course

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to investigate the entry-level student’s awareness of environmental sustainability focussing on the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) campus and measure the effectiveness of the course materials. A comparison between the students who took the general education sustainability (GESU 121) course face to face and the ones who tool it online was applied. Design/methodology/approach This study was descriptive in nature, and the data is obtained using a cross-sectional survey of the students attending the UAEU in 2020. The data collection was done in two semesters, Spring 2020 [face-to-face class] and Fall 2020 [online class, after COVID-19 effect]. A total of 160 participants responded to the survey. The Pearson’s Chi-square test for independence was conducted and used to identify if any statistical differences exist between the studied variables. Findings This study revealed that the awareness of environmental sustainability was increased in both groups [face-to-face students and online students], after taking the course. In addition, around 80% of the students were interested to participate in sustainability initiatives on the UAEU campus. The students’ perception of the statements about the UAEU campus environmental sustainability varied from Spring 2020 (53.3% were not sure that the UAEU campus is environmentally sustainable) to Fall 2022 (63% of the online students believed that the campus is environmentally sustainable). Originality/value Students’ awareness and perception are very important to improve the environmental sustainability of the University campus. The novelty of this study is to examine the awareness of entry-level students among the environmental sustainability focussing on the UAEU campus and examine the effect of COVID-19 [online classes] on delivering the course knowledge. The findings of this study provide the information for the improvement of the course for the future semesters.

The Effect of Recycled Spent Coffee Grounds Fertilizer, Vermicompost, and Chemical Fertilizers on the Growth and Soil Quality of Red Radish (Raphanus sativus) in the United Arab Emirates: A Sustainability Perspective

“…Simultaneously, the worldwide urban population is projected to reach 8.6 billion by 2030, leading to a rise in food and waste production demands [9]. This creates a sense of urgency and becomes a crucial obstacle for sustainable management, necessitating inventive solutions that address environmental issues and enhance crop production quality and quantity [9,10].…”

“…Simultaneously, the worldwide urban population is projected to reach 8.6 billion by 2030, leading to a rise in food and waste production demands [9]. This creates a sense of urgency and becomes a crucial obstacle for sustainable management, necessitating inventive solutions that address environmental issues and enhance crop production quality and quantity [9,10]. This issue can be resolved by implementing a promising and encouraging strategy that focuses on repurposing different food waste materials, including SCGs, to produce organic fertilizers with fewer chemical side effects [1,2,4,6,11].…”

Green-pesantren and environmental knowledge and awareness: case study at Pondok Pesantren As Salafy Al Asror Semarang

“…This effort has been made in China by adding environmental education content in schools [15]. Student environmental knowledge and awareness increased significantly after taking environmental education [16]. Student environmental interests and knowledge are significant predictors of their involvement in promoting a sustainable environment [17].…”

Effect of Spent Ground Coffee, Vermicompost and Chemical Fertilizers on Organic Red Radish (Ravanello Cherry Belle) Plant and Soil Quality

“…Simultaneously, The global urban population is expected to reach 8.6 billion by 2030 [9], leading to an increase in both food consumption and food waste that give pressure and emerged as a critical challenge for sustainable management, and this requires innovative solutions that not only mitigate environmental concerns but also contribute to the enhancement of crops production quality and quantity. This issue is identical in the United Arab Emirates [10,11]. This could be solved by the promising and encouraging approach, which involves reutilizing various food waste materials, such as SCG for fertilizers [12][13][14][15][16][17].…”