Environmental education in a university environment: awareness-raising activities at Feevale University, in Rio Grande do Sul - Brazil

Abstract

This paper presents discussions about environmental education at a university in southern Brazil. Initially, a diagnosis of the environmental situation was carried out on the institution's Campus II, later, a survey of the users' environmental perception so that with these data it is possible to have subsidies to build environmental awareness actions. This survey included the application of 200 questionnaires. The diagnosis and perception survey pointed to the need to work on the theme of solid waste management, which today presents itself as a major challenge for achieving sustainability in any segment in the Brazilian scenario. Articulated projects enabled campaigns to discuss the importance of separating solid waste, collecting electronic waste, totaling 10 campaigns and more than 5 tons of waste collected throughout 2014. Parts of the electronic waste received will be reused for the assembly of new computers. The construction of a composting unit for organic waste was the strategy found to sensitize the academic community about the importance of separating organic waste, since they add up to more than 50% of the waste generated.