Towards sustainable consumption: an examination of environmental knowledge among Malaysians

TLDR

Environmental problems largely stem from human impacts on natural systems, and in Malaysia rapid urbanization and consumption‑oriented lifestyles have worsened solid‑waste management, making public environmental awareness a key potential solution. The study assessed environmental knowledge levels among Selangor households, examined knowledge sources, identified factors influencing knowledge, and analyzed its relationship with environmental attitudes, behaviors, and participation. Respondents had high general environmental knowledge but were unfamiliar with most scientific terms; their main information sources were newspapers, television, and radio; lower education was associated with lower knowledge, while participation in environmental activities increased knowledge and knowledge positively correlated with environmental attitudes, behaviors, and participation.

Abstract

Environmental problems are mainly attributable to the impact of humans on natural systems. In the case of Malaysia, rapid urbanization and Malaysian consumer' pursuit of consumption-oriented lifestyles have intensified the solid-waste management problem faced by the government. Increasing public environmental awareness is a potential way of addressing this. The objectives of the study described here were to assess the level of environmental knowledge among households in Selangor in Malaysia, examine the sources of their environmental knowledge, determine factors that lead to different levels of knowledge and analyse the relationship between knowledge and environmental attitude, behaviour and participation. The results of the study indicate that, in general, respondents' basic or general environmental knowledge was high. However, when questioned on various scientific environmental terms, the majority of the respondents were not familiar with most of them. Respondents indicated that their main sources of environmental knowledge and information were newspapers, television and radio. Lower levels of education were reflected in the level of environmental knowledge. Participation in environmental activities had a positive influence on knowledge. The study also found that knowledge correlated positively with environmental attitudes, behaviours and participation.