Pengabdian Masyarakat melalui Edukasi Lingkungan untuk Mendukung Pengelolaan Sampah Berkelanjutan di Kawasan Ekowisata Karimunjawa

Abstract

Waste management in the Karimunjawa ecotourism area faces significant challenges due to increasing tourism activities, household waste generation, and marine debris transported by ocean currents. This community engagement program aimed to enhance community capacity to support sustainable waste management through environmental education. The program employed environmental socialization, Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), and in-depth interviews involving the Karimunjawa National Park Authority, village government, village consultative board, tourism awareness groups, local businesses, and community members. The findings revealed that waste originated from households, micro and small enterprises, tourists, and marine debris, while household- and community-based waste management remained suboptimal. Environmental education improved stakeholders' awareness and strengthened their commitment to implementing the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (3R) principles through cross-sector collaboration. An integrated community-based waste management approach is expected to contribute to environmental conservation while supporting the long-term sustainability of the Karimunjawa ecotourism area.