"THREATENED AND THREATENING SEAS" Children’s Perceptions of the Marine Environment and Environmental Attitudes towards Marine Pollution in Kuta, Lombok

Abstract: Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate early childhood learners’ (5-8 years old) perceptions of the marine environment (beach and sea) and their environmental attitudes towards marine pollution through an educational intervention consisting of a drawing exercise and an in-class discussion. Theory: Social-cognitive theory was used from which to explore environmental perspectives environmental attitudes, and the human-nature relation/connection. Method: Early childhood learners’ perceptions towards the marine environment and environmental attitudes in relation to marine pollution are researched by collecting qualitative primary data through children’s narratives, self-created drawings and an in-class group discussion. Results: The children in this study perceived the beach as a place for entertainment, a place for recreation, and a place for consumption, entailing positive thoughts. The sea evokes, in contrast to the beach, negative thoughts and is viewed as a threatening part of the marine environment. Children were simultaneously, however, fascinated by the beauty of the marine environment and marine life. Forms of marine life were humanized, which resulted in the emergence of selective empathy, exclusively shown towards animals in the marine environment that are perceived as ‘beautiful’ and/or ‘large’. Plants were considered of less importance compared to animals. The children showed moral concern towards the way in which marine pollution impacts animals and the environment and reported solutions to help solve the issue. However, socio-cultural factors entailed by the Islamic culture withhold girls from connecting to the sea and may contribute to the emergence of negativistic, ecologistic, and utilitarian attitudes among the participants in this study. At the same time, Allah’s contradictory trust in his followers to protect the environment might offer opportunities for the development of religion based environmental education programmes in the field of education for sustainable development.