A Community Project on Waste Management Awareness and Livelihood Training of Residents nearby a Polluted Creek: An Impact Study

Abstract

Policymakers, leaders of nonprofit organizations, and others have repeatedly demanded proof over the past few decades showing how environmental education significantly improves environmental quality and aids in conservation goals. This study investigated the impact of a community-based project on waste management awareness and livelihood training. The program was specifically designed to capacitate community members on waste segregation, reduction, recycling, reusing, and repurposing with the goal of reducing the pollution of a nearby creek. The present study aims to fill in the gap in our understanding on how community-based programs help improve environmental outcomes. A convergent mixed method parallel design was utilized to quantitatively show the residents' knowledge, attitudes, and practices while simultaneously exploring the benefits derived from the said program through a focus group discussion with barangay residents and barangay leaders. Results demonstrate that the participants have possessed sufficient solid waste management knowledge and desirable attitudes and practices towards solid waste. In addition, participants also reported the importance of incentives, community involvement, and political will toward strengthened waste segregation at-source. These results demonstrate a positive impact on the lives of the community residents as a result of a community-based environmental education campaign. While the results provide meaningful clues on the impact community-based programs, caution must be taken in the interpretation of the finds due to some methodological limitations.