Building Ecological Citizenship Through Students Engagement in ‘Green Youth’ Community in Wonosalam Jombang

Abstract

The issue of the ecological crisis has become a global issue that often approaches every country throughout the world. As the implication of the development of Indonesian’s industry among many countries where the environment is damaged. Illegal exploitation of the forest, the rest of the industrial processing in the form of waste or waste that results in an imbalance in the efforts to care for the environment. Leaving aside the role of citizens, in guarding the environment from damage and extinction is a factor in the destruction of the country's future environment. The function and role of educational institutions (schools) has not been maximized with learning that has a sense of crisis towards the environment to building the behavior of educated citizens (students) who have a reflective ability towards themselves as citizens of the surrounding environment. The typology of the character of such citizens is more familiarly referred to as eco citizenship, in addition to having knowledge it also plays an active role and cares for its environment. Therefore, how important is the effort to build student character with the concept of eco citizenship which has moral and ethical competence in caring for, managing and preserving the environment with full responsibility. The aim of this research is to find out how students are involved in the 'green youth' community in building eco citizenship.
 This study used a qualitative case study approach. The subjects include the student group and the 'green youth' community. The data collection techniques are interviews, observation, and documents. This study expected that the involvement of students in the 'green youth' community with the programs has succeeded in building students who cares about the environment, such an environmentally conscious lifestyle point of view of Civic Education as the development of civic virtue become the estuary of the Civics learning objectives. The virtue of citizens by attending and playing an active role in caring for the environment is achieved thanks to the involvement of the 'green youth' community in developing cognitive competencies, skills, ethics and participation in caring for the environment.