Building Environmental Awareness through Beach Clean-Up Actions and Plastic Waste Reduction at Kenjeran Beach, Surabaya, Indonesia

Reyfan  Raffa  Adibrata; Nanang Shonhadji; Erdiarti Dyah Wahyuningtyas

doi:10.65280/jscp.v3i2.62

Authors

Reyfan Raffa Adibrata Green Generation Surabaya Community Author
Nanang Shonhadji Universitas Hayam Wuruk Perbanas, Surabaya Author
Erdiarti Dyah Wahyuningtyas Universitas Negeri Surabaya Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.65280/jscp.v3i2.62

Keywords:

environmental awareness, plastic waste, community service, beach

Abstract

Plastic waste pollution in coastal areas has emerged as a critical environmental challenge, threatening marine ecosystems, reducing the aesthetic value of tourist destinations, and compromising environmental quality. As one of Surabaya’s prominent coastal tourism attractions, Kenjeran Beach faces increasing pressure from plastic waste generated by tourism and community activities. This community service program aimed to enhance environmental awareness through beach clean-up initiatives and plastic waste reduction efforts at Kenjeran Beach, Surabaya, Indonesia. The program employed a participatory approach comprising problem identification, stakeholder coordination, environmental education, beach clean-up activities, waste sorting and documentation, and program evaluation. The activities involved lecturers, university students, local residents, and beach visitors. The results revealed strong participant engagement throughout all stages of the program. Plastic waste, particularly single-use items such as bottles, food packaging, plastic bags, and straws, constituted the dominant type of litter collected. Environmental education sessions combined with hands-on field activities significantly improved participants’ understanding of the environmental impacts of plastic pollution and the importance of applying the Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle (3R) principles. Beyond improving coastal cleanliness, the program successfully strengthened environmental awareness, community responsibility, and public participation in coastal conservation. The findings demonstrate that community-based beach clean-up initiatives are effective tools for environmental education, community empowerment, and sustainable coastal management.

Keywords: environmental awareness; plastic waste; community service; beach

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