Academic Community Awareness and Compliance to Environmental Laws

Abstract

The study aimed to know the community of Camarines Norte State College-Labo Campus (CNSC-LC ) awareness and compliance with environmental laws. Specifically to: describe the profile of the respondents; determine the awareness and the compliance of the academic community with regards to R.A. 9003 (Ecological Solid Waste Management Act), R.A. 8749 (Philippine Clean Air Act), and R.A. 9275 (Philippine Clean Water Act); determine the sources of information on environmental laws, determine the relationship between the respondents profile and their awareness and compliance to environmental laws and describe the problems encountered in complying with the environmental laws. Results revealed that respondents were most aware of R.A. 9003 (Ecological Solid Waste Management Act), followed by R.A. 8749 (Philippine Clean Air Act) and the least they were aware of was R.A. 9275 (Philippine Clean Water Act). The school had not conducted yet any seminar regarding the three environmental laws. The three most effective sources of information regarding the laws were television, first; followed by school lectures, second, and number three was through radio. With regards to compliance to RA 9003, the majority of the respondents recycle wastes such as pieces of paper, plastic bottles, and other wastes coming from agricultural activities such as corn husk and rice hulls. Most of the respondents participate in activities related to solid waste management. On the other hand, they comply with the Clean Air Act by not engaging in burning wastes; did not smoke inside the school’s vicinity. However, the majority of the respondents helped in conserving water, in compliance with the Clean Water Act. Most of the respondents said they did not inject or allow any substance or material that may cause water pollution. Findings show that the gender, age, and educational attainment of the respondents were not significantly related to the level of awareness and compliance to environmental laws of the CNSC-LC’s academic community. The top three most common problems encountered to comply with the three laws were the following: first was the negative attitude of the students, non-teaching personnel, and faculties involved in the implementation of the laws. The second was the lack of awareness and the last was the lack of discipline of the people towards the laws. It was recommended that to enhance the level of awareness on R.A. 9003, R.A. 8749, and R.A. 9275 related seminars, symposia, and other educational activities must be conducted.