Media and Coastal Environmental Awareness: Documenting Ecological Change through Community Media in GPL West Aceh

Abstract

Environmental degradation in coastal areas, particularly plastic waste accumulation and ecosystem decline, requires active community involvement in environmental protection efforts. Community media plays a strategic role in raising environmental awareness through documentation and the dissemination of educational and persuasive information. This study aims to analyze the role of ecological change documentation through community media used by the Gerakan Peduli Lingkungan (GPL) Aceh Barat in fostering coastal environmental awareness. A qualitative descriptive approach was employed, using in-depth interviews with GPL leaders and members as well as observation of social media content published on TikTok and Instagram. The findings indicate that the documentation of environmental activities represents the dynamics of coastal ecological change, ranging from environmental degradation to recovery efforts through beach clean-up actions, mangrove planting, and wildlife conservation campaigns. Consistent visual content helps shape public understanding of the relationship between human behavior and coastal ecosystem sustainability and encourages greater public participation in environmental actions. Community media documentation also functions as an environmental advocacy tool through social monitoring of improper waste disposal practices. This study concludes that the community media managed by GPL Aceh Barat plays a strategic role in environmental communication by enhancing ecological awareness and promoting community participation in coastal environmental conservation and restoration efforts.