A temática compostagem como estratégia de educação ambiental no ensino médio

Abstract

This study addressed the importance of Environmental Education (EE) and sustainability, highlighting the need for awareness of environmental issues, environmental justice, diversity, and equity in relation to the environment. The impact of composting practices as an EE tool in the formation of sustainable subjects among third-year high school students at a public school in Ponta Grossa, Paraná state, was investigated. The research was justified by the need to raise awareness about the promotion of more responsible and sustainable consumption habits in a society characterized by high levels of solid waste production and food waste. In this sense, the objectives of the study included the analysis of students' perceptions about composting as an alternative to waste treatment and the identification of the contributions of this practice to environmental awareness and changes in habits. The methodology adopted a mixed approach, with the application of questionnaires before and after a didactic sequence on composting, and the principles of content analysis were used as a data analysis method. From a Freirean perspective, it was observed that many students were initially at levels of intransitive or naive transitive awareness, demonstrating a lack of knowledge or superficial understanding of the causes of environmental problems arising from environmentally incorrect disposal. As the activities developed, it was possible to notice advances towards critical awareness, with a greater understanding of the relationships between consumption, waste and sustainability. The results indicated that, although most students recognize composting as a practice, not all showed a willingness to apply it in their daily lives, with 50% of participants considering the likelihood of implementing composters in their homes to be low. On the other hand, 55.6% of students reported that the new knowledge contributed significantly to the adoption of more sustainable practices. Although not all expressed an intention to apply composting in their daily lives, there was a significant advance in the students' critical perception and in the recognition of their individual and collective responsibility regarding environmental issues. It is concluded that, despite advances in theoretical awareness, there are still challenges in transforming this knowledge into practical actions, reinforcing the importance of continuous EE strategies integrated into students' daily lives to promote effective changes in consumption and waste disposal patterns.