Yogyakarta, October 2025 – Waste management has become one of the major environmental challenges in Yogyakarta. As a renowned student city, Yogyakarta hosts thousands of young scholars expected to act as agents of change in environmental sustainability. However, findings from previous studies reveal that students’ environmental awareness has not always translated into positive waste management behavior, both on campus and in their residential areas. Responding to this issue, a team of students from the Science Education Study Program, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta (UNY) led by Alya Dwiyussa Herdiyani under the supervision of Dr. Winarto, M.Pd., conducted a study entitled “From Awareness to Action: Exploring Students’ Waste Awareness as an Effort Toward Environmental Conservation.” This research is part of the Student Creativity Program (PKM) – Humanities and Social Research Scheme (RSH) funded by the Directorate General of Learning and Student Affairs, Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology in 2025.

The study focuses on undergraduate and diploma students across Yogyakarta Special Region (DIY), categorized into high, medium, and low university clusters based on Edurank. Using Bandura’s Modeling Theory and Behavioral Theory, the research aims to uncover how students’ waste management attitudes are shaped and the social, cognitive, and environmental factors influencing them. Conducted from July to October 2025, the project involves developing research instruments, obtaining ethical clearance, collecting and analyzing data, and compiling the final report. It provides a holistic understanding of students’ environmental behavior and serves as a foundation for designing more impactful sustainability education programs in higher education.

Team leader Alya Dwiyussa Herdiyani stated, “We believe that small awareness can spark big change. Through this research, we aim to understand how students view and manage waste around them, and how universities can help shape sustainable, environmentally responsible behavior.” The project highlights the importance of turning environmental awareness into action—building a generation of students who not only know why sustainability matters but also take part in how it’s achieved.