Percepção e uso da água pelos educandos do ensino médio de uma região semiárida brasileira.

Abstract

Water is an essential resource for the life of all species, however, this vital resource is increasingly scarce in many regions of the planet. Brazil, despite having a large hydro potential, faces severe shortages and wastage of water. Considering this problem related to water resources, attempted to identify the perceptions and attitudes about water issues, as well as the meanings assigned to it by the students of the 3rd year of high school of the Elementary and High Education State School Jose Luiz Neto, in Barra de Santa Rosa-Paraíba. 62 students were part of this survey, being 38 women and 24 men who answered a questionnaire about water use and perception. Tried to know also how often the theme appears in the classroom environment, as well as students participate in environmental education projects developed in school, addition to sociodemographic survey. In the opinion of the majority of participants (74,2%), issues related to the environment are rarely addressed in the classroom. A small number of students (8,1%) said they participate in environmental education projects. Regarding the water issue, the results evidence that there isn't by the students any knowledge of the real water consumption in the country of the various economic sectors, they ignore the high consumption and waste water in agricultural activities and pollution levels of domestic sewage. Regarding the meanings attributed to water, water for participants is synonymous with life, an essential resource for the welfare, health and human survival. However it was observed that the meanings attributed to water are primarily associated consumption, revealing a quite utilitarian view of the water. The results reinforce the need to develop programs/ projects of environmental education that could contribute to the formation of a sustainable society, expanding the individual and collective actions for the conservation and preservation of common riches such as water. To promote the efficient and sustainable use of water, were proposed environmental education strategies to be developed in the school with parents and students.