IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v16y2024i12p5217-d1418040.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Higher Education Institutions’ Students’ Literacy in Sustainable Use of Potable Water

Author

Listed:
  • Ana M. Barreiros

    (UniRE—Unit for Innovation and Research in Engineering, ISEL—Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Lisboa, Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa, 1959-007 Lisboa, Portugal)

  • Anabela Durão

    (Department of Engineering, Polytechnic Institute of Beja, Rua Pedro Soares, 7800-295 Beja, Portugal
    MARE—Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ARNET—Aquatic Research Network, Associate Laboratory, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal)

  • Ana Galvão

    (CERIS—Civil Engineering Research and Innovation for Sustainability, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal)

  • Cristina Matos

    (ECT—Escola de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
    CIIMAR—Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões Avenida General Norton de Matos, S/N, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal)

  • Dina Mateus

    (Techn&Art—Centre for Technology, Restoration and Art Enhancement, Instituto Politécnico de Tomar, Estrada da Serra, 2300-313 Tomar, Portugal)

  • Ivo Araújo

    (proMetheus—Unidade de Investigação em Materiais, Energia e Ambiente para a Sustentabilidade, Instituto Politécnico de Viana do Castelo, Rua da Escola Industrial e Comercial de Nun’Alvares, 4900-347 Viana do Castelo, Portugal)

  • Luís Neves

    (Department of Electrical Engineering, School of Technology and Management, Polytechnic Institute of Leiria, P.O. Box 4163, 2411-901 Leiria, Portugal
    Department of Civil Engineering, School of Technology and Management, Polytechnic Institute of Leiria, P.O. Box 4163, 2411-901 Leiria, Portugal
    INESC Coimbra—Institute for Systems Engineering and Computers at Coimbra, 3030-290 Coimbra, Portugal)

  • Sandra Mourato

    (Department of Electrical Engineering, School of Technology and Management, Polytechnic Institute of Leiria, P.O. Box 4163, 2411-901 Leiria, Portugal
    Department of Civil Engineering, School of Technology and Management, Polytechnic Institute of Leiria, P.O. Box 4163, 2411-901 Leiria, Portugal
    MED—Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, Universidade de Évora, Polo da Mitra, 7006-554 Évora, Portugal)

Abstract

Higher education institutions (HEIs) play a key role in fostering sustainability, since students will be future active society members. By providing them with the knowledge, skills, and mindset needed to address environmental challenges, they can contribute to increasing sustainability in a long-term approach. With the effects of climate change strongly affecting water availability across the planet, it is increasingly relevant to understand whether higher education students are aware of this situation, in order to develop adequate measures to promote sustainable behaviors regarding water use. This study aimed to assess students’ perceptions regarding water efficiency through a questionnaire submitted in seven HEIs in Portugal. Students acknowledged the importance of water, with older students, women and science students demonstrating a greater awareness. Despite this, 27% of students do not know what the average water consumption in Portugal is, and only 18% accurately reported the consumption range in Portugal. There is also a lack of knowledge (>50% students) regarding whether common water efficiency measures are applied in their HEI. The main information sources identified by the students were “social communication” and “internet/social media”, revealing that water efficiency knowledge transfer in high education can be improved.

Suggested Citation

  • Ana M. Barreiros & Anabela Durão & Ana Galvão & Cristina Matos & Dina Mateus & Ivo Araújo & Luís Neves & Sandra Mourato, 2024. "Higher Education Institutions’ Students’ Literacy in Sustainable Use of Potable Water," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(12), pages 1-21, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:12:p:5217-:d:1418040
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/12/5217/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/12/5217/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ana M. Barreiros & Anabela Durão & Ana Galvão & Cristina Matos & Dina Mateus & Ivo Araújo & Luís Neves & Mário Matos & Sandra Mourato, 2023. "Analyzing Green Behavior and the Rational Use of Water in Portuguese Higher Education Campi," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-16, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.

      Corrections

      All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:12:p:5217-:d:1418040. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

      If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

      If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

      If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

      For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

      Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

      IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.