The role of media and environmental education components on the behavior of environmental NGOs members in Tehran Province

Today, as environmental problems are escalating with the ever-increasing rise in population, there is an urgent need to protect the environment. Researchers have suggested various solutions for environmental problems, most of which are technological but nowadays due to the high cost of these projects, they are interested in changing people's lifestyles and behavior. They believes the solution for environmental issues should be searched in the change of human behavior and attitude. In this regard the media has a big role to play in making people aware of environment issues and taking actions to protect the environment. Media are known as very influential tools for widening and creating awareness, attitude and behavior about environmental issues. Media including social media apps, websites, TV& radio, print media, etc. play an important role in informing and engaging citizens in environmental issues. The great potential of the media in regard to the provision of information, the construction of knowledge and the cultivation of skills and attitudes, has been proved scientifically over the years. One of the important issues about environmental behavior and environmental conservation, is pay attention to environmental Non-governmental organizations education and training. Environmental education is a process that allows individuals to explore environmental issues, engage in problem solving, and take action to improve the environment. The main components of environmental education are: Awareness, sensitivity, Knowledge, Attitudes, Skills, intention, Participation and behavior. NGOs, according to their mission and goals, has appropriate facilities to increase public awareness through education and training of their members and other people and should support these organizations in order to achieving their goals. The main goal of this study is to investigating the role of media on some environmental education components including: knowledge, attitude, intention and environmental behavior of environmental NGOs members.

The statistical population consisted of environmental NGOs members in Tehran Province. Sample size determined 148 person by using Krejcie and Morgan table and Sampling was done randomly. The main instrument for collecting data was questionnaire which its reliability Obtained based on Cronbach's alpha α=%89.

The results of structural modeling based on partial least squares method shows a significant and positive relationship between the four components (media, knowledge, attitude and intention) with environmental behavior. The results showed that all four variables (media, environmental knowledge, environmental attitude and environmental intention), have a high mean in the environmental NGOs members in Tehran Province. The independent variable (environmental attitude), has the greatest effect on the mediator variable (environmental intention) and also the greatest impact on the dependent variable (environmental behavior), and then media is the most effective variable. Environmental intention as mediator variable 57.1 percent of the variance of the environmental behavior between environmental NGOs members in Tehran Province. Also 34.3 percent of the variance of the environmental behavior is explained by media, environmental knowledge, environmental attitude and environmental intention between environmental NGOs members in Tehran Province.

Environmental attitude has been identified as the most effective variable on environmental intention and environmental behavior in this study and Media has been identified as the second most effective variable on environmental intention and environmental behavior in this study. Media’s role in order to increasing environmental knowledge and attitudes of the population is undeniable. Media should be used more to facilitate the transmission of environmental information and promote more positive environmental attitudes. In recent years internet and social networks are the main sources for environmental information. Since digital media are used widely by young people, new educational material should be created in order to meet the updated needs for information concerning environmental issues. So Different programs should be planned by NGOs in order to sharing environmental information through media especially internet and social networks.