Solid Waste Management Practices and Environmental Awareness of Senior High school Students

Abstract. This study examined the relationship between the Solid Waste Management (SWM) practices and Environmental Awareness of Senior High School students. Anchored on Environmental Education Theory, the study emphasized that environmental knowledge and awareness influence students’ ecological attitudes and behaviors. It specifically explored how environmental education integrated into the Araling Panlipunan curriculum contributes to students’ waste management practices and environmental responsibility. A descriptive-correlational research design was employed involving 305 respondents from three public secondary schools in the District of Maasim II, Sarangani Province. Data were collected using a validated and reliability-tested survey questionnaire. Mean, standard deviation, Pearson r, and Kruskal–Wallis tests were used to analyze the data. Findings revealed that students generally demonstrated high levels of Solid Waste Management practices, particularly in waste segregation, waste reduction, and recycling and reuse, while participation in environmental activities was only moderate. Students also exhibited high environmental awareness in terms of knowledge, attitudes, and basic environmental practices, although involvement in environmental programs and advocacy remained moderate. A strong positive correlation was found between Solid Waste Management practices and environmental awareness (r = 0.78, p = 0.001), indicating that higher awareness is associated with better waste management practices. The study recommends strengthening experiential learning and school-based environmental programs to further promote environmental stewardship among students. Keywords: Environmental Awareness; Participation, Programs; Solid Waste Management; Senior High School Students