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Can Young Generations Recognize Marine Plastic Waste as a Systemic Issue?

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  • Takuro Uehara

    (College of Policy Science, Ritsumeikan University, Osaka 567-8570, Japan)

Abstract

This study reports preliminary survey results exploring whether children can recognize marine plastic waste as a systemic issue, especially regarding stock–flow relationships and delays. A systemic understanding of this issue is key to reducing marine plastic waste and to avoid its irreversible effects. Reducing the inflow of waste does not necessarily reduce the waste accumulated in the ocean, unless its rate becomes smaller than the outflow (e.g., cleanup). Delays due to a wait-and-see policy will result in irreversible effects, such as animals swallowing plastic waste, and plastic waste becoming microplastics that are difficult to clean up. A questionnaire survey was conducted during workshops and poster sessions at an event for sustainability in Japan. Participants were children from fourth grade to high school (9–18 years old). Participants were shown to have a limited systematic understanding of marine plastic waste. The majority incorrectly adopted pattern matching (70.6%) and failed to draw correct inflow and outflow curves (94.1%). The majority (83.6%) did not point out delay issues. This study indicates a need to correct mental models to understand the issue by introducing system education.

Suggested Citation

  • Takuro Uehara, 2020. "Can Young Generations Recognize Marine Plastic Waste as a Systemic Issue?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-11, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:7:p:2586-:d:336692
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jay W. Forrester, 2016. "Learning through System Dynamics as Preparation for the 21st Century," System Dynamics Review, System Dynamics Society, vol. 32(3-4), pages 187-203, July.
    2. Frank Draper, 1993. "A proposed sequence for developing systems thinking in a grades 4—12 curriculum," System Dynamics Review, System Dynamics Society, vol. 9(2), pages 207-214, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Nguyen, Hien Thi, 2023. "Impacts of Education and Perception on Vietnamese High School Students' Behaviors Regarding Plastic Waste : The Mediating Role of Attitude," OSF Preprints zn2k7, Center for Open Science.
    2. E. I. Ahmad-Kamil & Sharifah Zarina Syed Zakaria & Murnira Othman, 2022. "What Teachers Should Know for Effective Marine Litter Education: A Scoping Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-21, April.
    3. Hosany, A. R. Shaheen & Hosany, Sameer & He, Hongwei, 2022. "Children sustainable behaviour: A review and research agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 236-257.
    4. Antonio Torralba-Burrial & Eduardo Dopico, 2023. "Promoting the Sustainability of Artisanal Fishing through Environmental Education with Game-Based Learning," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-15, August.

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