Teaching sustainability to accounting students: reducing their ecological footprint (EF)

Abstract

Purpose: To analyze the changes in ecological footprint (EF) composition of accounting students caused by the teaching of sustainability.
 Methodology: Qualitative and quantitative approach, descriptive techniques and analysis of the collective subject discourse (CSD). Introduction to the topic and guidance to the WWF Brazil website to calculate EP.
 Results: In the first round, EF was 1.96 global hectares. Relevant components: food, government and transport. After cluster analysis, CSD analysis of the three clusters generated was performed, with red meat consumption being the main cause of the result. Students were instructed to reflect on changes to recalculate EF with new habits, revealing a reduction in the second round.
 Contributions of the Study: Consisted of a robust methodology to EF analysis, including the combination of cluster analysis with CSD.
 Conclusion: Confirmation of the academic role in environmental awareness to achieve sustainable development. It illustrated the importance of education for sustainability by changing students' attitudes.