An investigation of educators’ awareness of and attitude towards green consumption

Abstract

Mounting concern about the environment has resulted in consumers’ consumption patterns changing to green products that are considered environmentally friendly and less damaging to the environment. Environmental education and educators’ role may influence consumers’ attitude towards green consumption from an early age. Little is known about educators’ awareness of and attitude towards green consumption and if they will be able to educate learners based on their own convictions about green consumption. This study aimed to determine educators’ general awareness of and attitude towards green consumption practices. The influence of consumption values on the consumption of green products, and educators’ views on implementing green consumption in the school curriculum were also considered. An exploratory design was followed within the qualitative paradigm that employed focus group discussions to obtain data. Using eight focus groups, this qualitative study solicited the opinions of educators from Ekurhuleni with at least three years’ teaching experience in Natural Science and or Technology. The findings suggest that educators had a well-contextualised awareness of green consumption that was supported by a concern for the environment. The desire to protect the environment reflected attitudinal differences among educators and, less favourable educator attitudes were attributed to a lack of green knowledge. Findings on the five consumption value components of green consumption revealed differences among educators (as consumers) on each of the components. The findings point to the importance of educating consumers and educators in general to promote awareness, knowledge and informed consumer decision-making related to green consumption. Research to establish the content of environmental education is recommended if green consumption awareness is to be improved from an early age within the South African school curriculum.

Ukukhathazeka mayelana nemvelo sekuholele ekutheni kube nezinguquko kwizindlela-kuthenga zabathengi lapho kubonakala sebethenga ikakhulukazi imikhiqizo ebhekelela futhi ivikele imvelo, okuyimikhiqizo ethathwa njengeyiphatha kahle imvelo futhi engadali umonakalo omkhulu kwimvelo. Indima yemfundo yezemvelo kanye nendima edlalwa ngothisha kungaba nomthelela kwindlela-kubuka yabathengi kusukela besebancane ngokweminyaka ngokuthi kubenze baqoke ukuthenga nokusebenzisa imikhiqizo ebhekelela imvelo. Kuncane okwaziwayo mayelana nokuthi othisha banolwazi olungakanani futhi bakuqonda kangakanani ukuthengwa nokusetshenziswa kwemikhiqizo ebhekelela imvelo futhi kuncane okwaziwayo ngendlela-kubuka yabo maqondana nalokhu kanye nokuthi othisha bayokwazi yini ukufundisa abafundi uma kubhekwa izinkolelo zabo mayelana nokuthengwa nokusetshenziswa kwemikhiqizo ebhekelela imvelo. Inhloso yalolu cwaningo wukuthola ukuthi othisha baziqonda kangakanani izindlela-kuthenga ezigxile kwimikhiqizo ebhekelela imvelo kanye nokuthola ukuthi bona bacabangani ngalokhu, ngokubheka umthelela wezimo-mpilo zokuthenga nokusebenzisa imikhiqizo phezu kokuthengwa nokusetshenziswa kwemikhiqizo ebhekelela imvelo kanye nemibono yothisha mayelana nokuqaliswa kwemfundo yokuthengwa nokusetshenziswa kwemikhiqizo ebhekelela imvelo kwikharikhulamu yezikole. Kwenziwe ucwaningo lokuphenya nokuhlola olugxile kwimininingo yocwaningo olukhwalithethivu kusetshenziswa amaqembu ocwaningo ayisishiyagalombili njengendlela yokuthola imibono yothisha abavela Ekurhuleni abanesipiliyoni okungenani seminyaka emithathu befundisa isifundo samaSayensi Emvelo kanye/noma isifundo sezoBuchwepheshe. Imiphumela eyatholakala ocwaningweni ibonisa ukuthi othisha banalo ulwazi futhi bayiqonda kahle ingqikithi yokuthengwa nokusetshenziswa kwemikhiqizo ebhekelela imvelo okuyinto edalwa wukhathazeka kwabo ngemvelo kanye nesifiso sokuvikela imvelo. Ukwehluka ngokwendlela-kubuka phakathi kothisha kanye nezimo ezinomthelela omuhle kanye nalezo ezinomthelela omubi ekuthengweni nokusetshenziswa kwemikhiqizo ebhekelela imvelo kwacutshungulwa, futhi kwatholakala ukuthi indlela-kubuka yothisha enokuphikisana okuthile noma enokungayithakaseli kahle eyokuthengwa nokusetshenziswa kwemikhiqizo ebhekelela imvelo kwabe kubangelwa wukungabi nalo ulwazi mayelana nesidingo sokubhekelelwa nokuvikelwa kwemvelo. Imiphumela yocwaningo ehlobene nezingxenye ezinhlanu zalokho okuwusizo lokuthengwa nokusetshenziswa kwemikhiqizo ebhekelela imvelo ibonisa ukwehluka ngokwemibono phakathi kothisha njengabathengi maqondana nengxenye ngayinye kulezi ezinhlanu. Imiphumela yocwaningo ibonisa ukubaluleka kokufundiswa kwabathengi kanye nothisha ukuze baqwashiswe futhi bahlinzekwe ngolwazi, futhi lokhu yikona okwalekelela futhi kwahola umthengi ekuthatheni isinqumo mayelana nokuthengwa nokusetshenziswa kwemikhiqizo ebhekelela imvelo. Kunconywa ukuthi kwenziwe ucwaningo lokuthola nokuhlonza ulwazi okumele lube yingxenye yemfundo yezemvelo ukuze kukharikhulamu yezikole yaseNingizimu Afrika kwenziwe ngcono ukuqonda kanye nokuqwashiswa wabantu ngokuthengwa nokusetshenziswa kwemikhiqizo ebhekelela imvelo kusukela esikhathini lapho abathengi besebancane ngokweminyaka.

U vhilaedzisa ha vhupo ho bveledza tshanduko kha nḓila ya kushumisele nga vhashumisi hu tshi khou tikedzwa zwibveledzwa zwi dala zwine zwa dzhiwa zwi zwavhuḓi kha vhupo na u tshinyadza vhupo zwiṱuku. Mushumo wa pfunzo ya vhupo na mushumo une wa itwa nga vhagudisi zwi nga ṱuṱuwedza vhuvha ha vhashumisi zwi tshi ḓa kha kushumisele kwa zwibveledzwa zwi dala u bva murahu. Hu na nḓivho ṱhukhu nga ha u dzhiela nṱha nga mugudisi na vhuvha zwine zwa itelwa kushumisele kwa zwibveledzwa zwi dala na uri naa vhagudisi vha ḓo kona u funza vhagudiswa zwo ḓisendeka nga kuhumbulele kwavho nga ha kuvhonele kwavho nga ha kushumisele kwa zwibveledzwa zwi dala Ndivho ya ṱhoḓisiso ho vha u ta u dzhiela nṱha nga u angaredza ha vhagudiswa na vhuvha hu tshi itelwa kushumisele kwa zwibveledzwa zwi dala nga u dzhiela nṱha ṱhuṱhuwedzo dza ndeme dza kushumisele kha kushumisele kwa zwibveledzwa zwi dala na kuvhonele kwa vhagudisi kha kushumisele kwa u shumisa zwibveledzwa zwi dala kha kharikhuḽamu ya tshikolo. Ho bveledzwa ngudo nga ṱhoḓisiso i sa athu u bviselwa khagala nga kuitele kwa khwaḽithathivi, hu tshi khou shumiswa zwigwada zwo sedzwaho khazwo zwa malo sa nḓila ya u wana mihumbulo ya vhadededzi u bva Ekurhuleni vha re na tshenzhemo ya u funza ya fhasisa ine ya vha miṅwaha miraru kha Saintsi dza Mupo na/ kana Thekhinoḽodzhi. Mawanwa o dzinginya uri vhadededzi vha na thuso ya u dzhiela nṱha kushumisele kwa zwibveledzwa zwi dala zwo tikedzwaho nga mbilaelo ya u tsireledza vhupo. Vhuvha ho fhambanaho vhukati ha vhadededzi na zwiṱaluli zwavhuḓi na zwi si zwavhuḓi zwine zwa nga ṱuṱuwedza u rengwa ha zwibveledzwa zwi dala zwo wanululwa, zwi na vhuvha hune ha takalelwa zwiṱuku nga vhadededzi zwi tshi khou itiswa nga u shaya nḓivho ya zwibveledzwa zwi dala Mawanwa a elanaho na khethekanyo dza ndeme dza u shumisa ṱhanu dza zwishumiswa zwa zwibveledzwa zwi dala o bvisela khagala phambano vhukati ha vhagudisi sa vhashumisi musi zwi tshi livhiswa kha khethekanyo iṅwe na iṅwe. Mawanwa o sumbedzisa ndeme ya u funza vhashumisi na vhagudisi nga u angaredza u itela u dzhiela nṱha, u ḓisa nḓivho na thikhedzo ya u dzhia tsheo yo ḓivhadzwaho kha mushumisi zwi tshi elana na u shumisa zwibveledzwa zwi dala. Ṱhoḓisiso u bveledza zwine zwa ḓo katelwa kha pfunzo ya vhupo. I khou themendelwa arali u dzhiela nṱha ha u shumiswa ha zwibveledzwa zwi dala hu tshi nga khwiniswa u bva murahu kha kharikhuḽamu ya tshikolo Afrika Tshipembe.