(Person) Percentage - Sabanci University Research Database

The Asian Media & Mass Communication Conference 2010 Osaka, Japan
According to the same survey 22% of the european people trust television about
environmental issues while only 8% trust the teachers at university (Eurobarometer Report,
2008). Scientists were also found trustable, but the Professional engineers could not take part
in that list. These values also indicate the unawareness or insufficieent awareness of public
about the technical people. This needs to be increased by the help of extensive media
coverage about their solutions.
The european people were also asked to point out the five main environmental issues they
worried about, and the percentages of environmental issues having place in the first five were
indicated in Figure 2 (Eurobarometer Report, 2008). Note that except the natural disasters, the
top five was all about man-made pollution-related issues. Actually, Environmental Engineeris
do work extensively about each of them, feasible solutions are generated and most of these
solutions require public awareness, attitudes and participation. Participation is not expected in
design stage. Engineers only demand the contribution in keeping the work during application
stage of the solution.
Figure 2. Percentages of environmental issues having place in the first five.
In another study by Abdul-Wahab (2008) questionnaire indicated that respondents were
knowledgeable about international environmental problems such as climate change, global
warming and the depletion of the ozone layer. Correct answers up to 79% was addressed by
the author to TV programs, daily newspapers and the internet by which the public are often
exposed to such issues. When asked to select the 3 most useful methods to increase
environmental awareness, respondents considered television (24.7%) as the most important
method in the study of Abdul-Wahab (2008). Iozzi et al, (1984) indicate that many students
report the mass media (primarily television) as their major source of environmental
knowledge. For most adults, mass media is rated as an even more important source of
environmental knowledge. Mass media, particularly television, has made a significant impact
on students attitudes and values.
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