The Effectiveness of Waste Segregation Training on the Environmental Attitude of Female Members of Isfahan Municipality Cultural Centers

Subject Areas : Promoting and improving the culture of environmental protection

Mohammadali Nadi ¹ , Hamid Reza Rezvani ²

1 - Department of Educational Management, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran
2 - Department of Environmental Sciences, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran

Received: 2023-05-29 Accepted : 2023-12-09 Published : 2023-12-22

Keywords: Effectiveness, Waste Management, Quality of Life, Women's Awareness.,

Abstract :

The rapid population growth, urbanization, continuous economic development, industrialization, and increased well-being of people have led to a rise in the production of municipal solid waste. One effective approach to promote recycling in waste management is to educate individuals on waste separation at its source. In this study, we investigated the effectiveness of waste segregation training on the environmental attitudes of female members of Isfahan Municipality Cultural Centers. This study is practical in its purpose and follows a two-stage exploratory research design, utilizing a mixed-methods approach (qualitative and quantitative). The first stage involved qualitative research, where a waste segregation training package was developed based on thematic analysis. The second stage was quantitative, aiming to determine the effectiveness of the waste segregation training. In the quantitative phase, a semi-experimental study with a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up design was conducted. Sixty female members of cultural centers in Isfahan city were selected and assigned to experimental and control groups. Data analysis was performed using SPSS23 software. The results revealed a significant difference in the environmental attitude variable between the control and experimental groups in both the post-test and follow-up phases (p < 0.001). The average environmental attitude scores in both the post-test and follow-up stages were higher in the experimental group than the control group. Considering the study's findings and the importance of waste management, we recommend that the government and high-level officials provide financial support for environmental training programs in society. Environmental education, particularly waste separation education, supports environmental preservation and leads to substantial savings in energy consumption.

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