Integrating Ethnomathematics of Zero Waste Culture Based ESD to Enhance Students' Creative Thinking and Sustainability Consciousness

This study explores the integration of Ethnomathematics within the Zero Waste cultural framework, grounded in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), to enhance students' creative thinking skills and sustainability awareness. Conducted in several elementary and middle schools in Surabaya, Indonesia, the research employed an Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) model combined with cognitive, affective, and behavioral questionnaires and tests. The findings indicate that embedding local cultural elements in mathematics learning significantly improves students' understanding of sustainable practices, particularly in waste management, recycling, and resource planning. Observations revealed that students demonstrated greater enthusiasm, creativity, and critical thinking when engaging with mathematical concepts contextualized in real-world environmental issues. Additionally, the application of Zero Waste principles in traditional market settings allowed students to connect mathematical theories such as geometry, data analysis, and spatial planning to everyday sustainability challenges. The study concludes that the ethnomathematics approach not only fosters academic achievement but also cultivates responsible environmental behavior. However, the scope was limited to specific cultural and geographic contexts, suggesting the need for further research across diverse settings. This research contributes to the growing body of knowledge emphasizing the importance of culturally responsive pedagogy in sustainability education and recommends expanding such models to broader educational environments.