The effect of the environment-based education program applied to adolescents on environmentally friendly behavior and ecological footprint awareness

This study was conducted in non-randomized groups, with a pre-test-post-test control group quasi-experimental design in order to examine the effect of the environmental education program applied to adolescents on environmentally friendly behavior and ecological footprint awareness. The research was conducted between April 22 and May 24, 2024 with 10th grade students studying at a vocational high school in Konya province. The study group consisted of 104 students, 52 experimental and 52 control. The environmental education program consisting of three weeks and three sessions was applied to the experimental group students. Data were collected with the Personal Information Form, Environmentally Friendly Behavior Scale and Ecological Footprint Awareness Scale. Chi-square, t-test in dependent groups and t-test in independent groups were used in the analysis of the data. It was found that the total mean scores of the Environmentally Friendly Behavior Scale of the experimental group increased in the post-test compared to the pre-test after the applied environmental education program and the difference was statistically significant (p<0.001). It was found that the total mean scores of the Ecological Footprint Awareness Scale of the experimental group decreased in the post-test compared to the pre-test, but this decrease was not statistically significant (p>0.05). As a result, it was found that while the environmentally-based education program applied to adolescents increased the environmentally friendly behaviors of adolescents, it was not effective in increasing their ecological footprint awareness. In line with these results, environmental education programs for adolescents should be organized periodically and school visits should be planned by public health nurses. Keywords: Adolescent; Environmental education; Environmentally friendly behavior; Ecological footprint awareness; Nurse