Media Coverage in Creating Environmental Awareness and its Impact on Environmental Behavior

Globalization had a significant role in the society nowadays due to its rapid movement in spreading information around the world using several tools, such as mass media, so people can easily access information. Many people who are aware about environmental conservation start using mass media in campaigning the importance of environmental sustainability. Hence, the aim of this study is to identify the role of mass media such as television, newspaper, internet and social media in improving the people’s awareness in maintaining the environmental changes because of ecological changes. The method of this study is qualitative method using interviews. Semi-structure interviews were conducted to 30 participants from three different categories including students, people living in the riverbanks and the general public. The results show that most students agree that mass media, especially internet and social media are effective in helping them to improve their awareness to decrease the consumption of plastic bags and straws, even they also used them to promote their organization related to environmental sustainability. However, only few people from the other categories feel that mass media that they access, especially television and internet, may change their behavior to reduce plastics or other conservation activities.