Percepção ambiental de estudantes de graduação de Ciências Agrárias da Escola Agrícola de Jundiaí (EAJ) da Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio Grande do Norte

Abstract

Within the agricultural sector, some of the professionals would make use of resources which are available in the environment to develop a variety of activities. It is known, however, that some incorrect practices may result into unproductiveness and even the depletion of these so called resources. Throughout Environmental Perception as well as Environmental Education and sustainability, agriculture scientists are well aware of their responsibility as to the space area; also, they awake environmental concern and are able to investigate alternatives that would minimize the adverse impacts on the environment. Therefore, this work aims to outline the profile of undergraduate students of the Agricultural School of Jundiaí (EAJ) of Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte about environmental perception, specifically of undergraduates in Agronomic Engineering (Agronomy), Forest Engineering and Zootechnics, in order to sensitize the academic community in regards to the environmental impacts caused by the execution of daily personal and laboral activities. To do so, a quantitative approach study has been carried out for data collection, using a survey-type researching procedure and also a questionnaire with previously formulated questions, in order to obtain answers whose content indicated the environmental perception of the interviewed individuals. Results have indicated that the interviewees do not participate in educational activities whether these activities were promoted by the university or even other institutions, which might be directly linked to the lack of encouragement and projects focused on the environmental studies. It was also observed that, even being inserted in an academic context which is favorable to the awakening of an ecological conscience, most of the students participating in the study, consider themselves to have little knowledge about the environmental studies, besides that, their actions would not be in accordance with sustainable consumption practices or values. Thus, it is understood that this study can contribute to help elaborating an Environmental Education program which assists the process of environmental awareness among students of the institution.