Increasing Environmental Literacy to Support Environmental Conservation: Case Study in Jebres, Indonesia

Abstract

Efforts can be made to reduce disparities and protect the environment by increasing literacy, education, knowledge, and environmentally friendly behavior. The library of UNS was supporting/inhibiting factors and the benefits of increasing environmental literacy to support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Jebres Village, Surakarta. Society is part of a social system consisting of interconnected and integrated structures to achieve balance. The research employed qualitative methods with a semi-structured interview, Focus Group Discussion, and documentation. The main informants were waste bank managers, librarians, lecturers, pawnshops, and informants supporting librarians and the community around campus. The results indicated that technical guidance on waste bank management, environmental book donations, reading promotion, writing about environmental preservation, and organic waste management were all efforts to increase environmental literacy. These supporting factors were the availability of human resources, stakeholder support, and collaboration with Soekarno-Hatta Smart Park. Inhibiting factors include low public awareness of environmental concerns and weak coordination with local governments. The benefits were that people were environmentally aware and actively participated in wise waste management. As a result, the environment can be well maintained, and people’s income can be increased through proper waste management. This study highlights the role of academic libraries in promoting environmental literacy.