Exploring the Associations Between Socioeconomic and Demographic Factors and Literacy in Environmental and Digital Pollution

Abstract

The widespread integration of digital technologies into the industry, institutions, and everyday life has introduced environmental challenges known as digital pollution, including the carbon footprint of data centers, energy consumption of digital devices, and electronic waste (e-waste). While general environmental education is extensively studied, public awareness and understanding of digital pollution remain overlooked. This study investigates how demographic factors, including age, education level, income, and occupation, in addition to the perception of environmental knowledge and self-assessed tech-savviness, are associated with environmental and digital pollution literacy. A cross-sectional survey of 300 participants from the UK was conducted, assessing the associations between demographic characteristics, environmental knowledge, and digital pollution awareness. The findings reveal that education level and income are not significantly correlated with literacy scores, whereas age and tech-savviness display meaningful associations with digital pollution literacy. Additionally, general environmental knowledge is positively correlated with digital pollution literacy, suggesting that enhancing environmental literacy may foster a deeper understanding of digital sustainability issues. Notably, a gap emerged between self-reported and actual knowledge, highlighting the need for educational interventions. These findings suggest practical implications for developing targeted educational programs and policies that promote sustainable digital practices and reduce environmental impacts.