Misplaced Waste
The Importance of Community Education on Effective Fogo Waste Sorting Practices
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21570255 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Maria Varua (0000-0002-9757-3344, Western Sydney University), Maria Estela Varua (Western Sydney University, corresponding author), Dorothea Bowyer (0000-0003-3613-7351, Western Sydney University), Aemar Sunga (0009-0005-7286-3168, Western Sydney University) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Pages | 1-18 |
| Publication date | 2026-07-06 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Australian Journal of Environmental Education (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0814-0626 • E-ISSN: 2049-775X |
| Publisher | Cambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1017/aee.2026.10189 |
| OpenAlex | W7167510743 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 26 |
In response to New South Wales’ target of eliminating Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) waste to landfill by 2,050, this study investigates how environmental education shapes residents’ awareness and waste-sorting behaviours in multi-unit dwellings (MUDs) across Greater Western Sydney. Adopting an exploratory mixed-methods approach – integrating surveys, bin audits, interviews, and infrastructure assessments – the research reveals persistent knowledge gaps and structural constraints, particularly among culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) households. Guided by the Action Competence Framework (ACF), the findings underscore that effective FOGO participation is not driven by infrastructure alone. Rather, it depends on inclusive, participatory, and culturally responsive education that fosters understanding, builds confidence, and strengthens a sense of shared responsibility. Intergenerational learning emerges as a critical pathway, where everyday household interactions enable behavioural shifts and help reduce contamination at the source. While limited by a small sample size ( n = 33) and its exploratory scope, the study makes a meaningful contribution to environmental education scholarship by extending the application of the ACF to informal residential settings. It also offers practical insights for local governments, highlighting the need to embed community-based learning strategies that can drive sustained engagement and support long-term sustainability outcomes in high-density urban environments
Community education · Community engagement · Environmental education · Exploratory research · Scholarship · Sustainability · Environmental Education and Sustainability · Innovative Education and Learning Practices · Municipal Solid Waste Management
Learning Our Way to Sustainability
Factors Influencing Environmental Attitudes and Behaviors
Environmental education outcomes for conservation
Implementing action competence teaching model as a framework for achieving sustainable development goals
Intergenerational learning as a pedagogical strategy in early childhood education services
Redefining action competence
Identifying effective climate change education strategies
Practice-ing behaviour change
Applying a resilience systems framework to urban environmental education
Mind the Gap
Exploring the environmental value action gap in education research
Students as Catalysts of Environmental Change
Education for the environment
The action competence approach and the ‘new’ discourses of education for sustainable development, competence and quality criteria
The effectiveness of education for sustainable development revisited – a longitudinal study on secondary students’ action competence for sustainability
School Environmental Education Programme Impacts upon Student and Family Learning
New Environmental Theories
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |