Disaster mitigation comics as a communication medium for youth regarding the impact of water pollution

Water is an important natural resource in life, and its quality decreases in meeting human needs. This happens because human activities do not care about the environment, resulting in various disasters due to water pollution. This condition occurs in several countries, including Indonesia, with abundant water quantities at sea and on land. In education, preventive action in disaster mitigation efforts is needed, especially for teenagers, to instill knowledge and concern in the new generation. A media approach in the form of comics was used in this educational effort. The comic, a popular culture product, raised the theme of mitigating water pollution disasters and was created using a popular visual approach and digital platforms. The use of comic media has yet to produce a significant impact on mitigation actions. However, this effort has been able to generate enthusiasm from teenagers because the issue of concern for water pollution is conveyed using language that is understandable and interesting for them.


Introduction
Almost 75% of the earth's surface consists of water, of which 1,386 million cubic kilometers of water is salt water or 96% of the earth's waters, and the rest is fresh water.In human life, fresh water is needed to fulfill daily needs, supplied from lakes and rivers, amounting to around 93,100 cubic kilometers or 0.007% of the total water on earth.This small amount of freshwater capacity currently needs to grow in terms of its suitability for consumption [1] [2].This is caused by several things, such as breeding locations for disease-causing organisms (bacteria and viruses) [3][4] [5], as well as microplastic contamination [6] [7].Drinking water containing bacterial or viral organisms will undoubtedly cause the impact of contracting disease on all living creatures, including humans, if it does not have antibodies or the processing steps are not carried out appropriately before consumption.However, microplastic contamination causes a more dangerous impact with its influence on changes in aquatic ecosystems with chain effects.
Indonesia is one of the countries facing the problem of microplastic contamination [8] [9] based on the Ministry of the Environment of the Republic of Indonesia stating its monitoring that 75% of rivers are heavily polluted from household waste.Apart from that, Indonesia is in second place as the country that produces the most plastic waste in the sea in the world, reaching 187.2 million tonnes after China, which reached 262.9 million tonnes [10].The amount of microplastics in Indonesian seawater is the same as in the Pacific Ocean and Mediterranean Sea, which is around 30 to 960 particles/liter.The decline in quality due to pollution is undoubtedly a disaster for humans; some daily human activities produce this disaster or can be considered part of human culture.
Efforts with a particular approach must be taken as a preventive measure to break the cultural chain in society that produces ignorance towards water and its ecosystem.Apart from that, efforts must be made because the worrying condition of microplastic pollution is something that the general public is not aware of.The sustainability of a culture will be determined through the education and information received by the younger generation as the next generation in society.So, the steps taken are to approach this generation.One of the educational and information media that is close to the style of the younger generation is comics.
Comics are a communication medium synonymous with light and entertaining content [11].The role of comics as a communication medium offers a narrative visual presentation, which presents a message with a particular narrative structure and dramatization and uses passive visuals as a representation of the narrative structure [12].Comics are a popular cultural product [13] that is popular with the public; this is, for example, shown by the global popularity [14][15] [16] of comic styles and products from Japan (manga) or Korea (manhwa) as well as superhero comics from America.Both types are experiencing global popularity, thus influencing interest in international visual styles.Manga and manhwa offer a dynamic dramatization experience on static media so that it seems to make the reader become part of the story, as well as creating anatomical deformations in the character design, which brings out a feeling of cuteness or Kawai from the readers and attracts their attention [17].This Kawai element then influences collective visual interest globally.People often use this opportunity to create comics with persuasive narratives with diverse content, including its function as educational media [18].
Mitigation efforts are a series of actions to reduce disaster risks, both in physical activities and awareness and increasing the ability to face disaster threats [19].Awareness efforts are carried out by providing education with various approaches.This approach is carried out using different methods for specific segmentations.Comics have often been used as a medium to convey descriptions of disasters, education on disaster management and management, campaigns to prevent disasters and to encourage people to care about [20][21] [22] in the interest of popular culture, which produces icons of favorite products.Comics as descriptive narrative media are not only limited to entertainment media but are also media capable of conveying persuasive educational content as well as information with aesthetic packaging.
Efforts to prevent and increase environmental awareness using comic media have indeed been widely carried out, especially since the existence of various digital amusing platforms [23] and social media, which are the lifestyle of young people in Generation Z or Alpha [24] [25] who are currently in their teens: teenagers or early adults.However, research or production of comic media with content on preventing the decline in water quality due to pollution aimed at the younger generation is rarely carried out.This research tries to provide insight and alternative solutions to the problem of disaster mitigation due to water pollution, especially microplastics, in the young generation of teenagers.

Methods
The research method consists of creating educational media to communicate about water pollution and testing the impact of this media on the younger generation as segmentation targets.The data search was carried out in three ways, namely distributing questionnaires to respondents and conducting literacy studies related to water pollution to create a prototype for mitigation comic media.As well as conducting beta tests to carry out quality control and determine the impact of comic prototypes on mitigation efforts.The respondents used in the process of creating comic media were 13 to 17 years old, 50 respondents who were randomly selected from locations in cities that have a track record of water pollution, especially rivers, namely Jakarta, Surabaya and Surakarta.Meanwhile, the beta test respondents consisted of media experts, parties who are competent in the field of water pollution, as well as respondents from the research product segmentation.Collecting data from respondents produced data regarding experiences with disasters, experiences with various educational media, and choices regarding comic visualization.Most respondents only know about the issue of mitigating water pollution theoretically from learning materials and extracurricular activities at school.So they want education outside the scope of school and with a popular culture approach with a manga visual style.To complete the comic content data, a literacy study was conducted [26] regarding disaster mitigation and water and river pollution.
The results of this data series are compiled into a script, a narrative structure to convey the message, and a dramatization to attract the reader's attention.Semiotic analysis [27] was carried out to see the correlation between the text and messages regarding water pollution disaster mitigation efforts.
Based on data from respondents who expressed interest in the visual style of manga as a reference for creating graphic comics.Both in terms of narrative and visual aspects, this comic requires comparison in the form of other comics with the themes of environmental conservation, mitigation, and water pollution, namely disaster mitigation comics [28], which can be accessed via the Webtoon digital comic platform, namely Sobat Bumi (Figure 1) and Tap Water Pollution (Figure 2).Komik Sobat Bumi is a digital comic with a slice-of-life genre that tells the story of the friendship of three elementary school students, where each episode raises environmental issues, including water pollution.Tap Water Pollution comic is a digital comic in the horror genre that tells the story of the impact of water pollution on the human body.This comparison is essential to get references and to differentiate it from other comic products.The results of this comparison produce narrative and visual connections with the same comic theme as the research product plan.The similarities are in the primary narrative ideas and visual style of manga or manhwa.To maintain the correlation between narrative, message, and visuals, an aesthetic analysis [29] was carried out on the visual content of the comic.The media design stage is divided into three phases; each location has specific steps, consisting of pre-production, production, and postproduction [30].
Pre Production is the beginning of designing comic media, namely preparing a script with the theme of disaster mitigation efforts due to water pollution targeting the young generation in their teens wrapped in dramatization.Apart from that, at this stage, comic characters were also created based on currently popular visual styles, namely manga and manhwa (Figure 1).

Figure 3. Character Design
Production is the primary step in creating comics by translating the script into a specific visualization.Production is carried out digitally using graphic and comic creation software (Figure 2).The steps include layout sketches, drawing and coloring, layout, and texting.Post Production is the ends of the production series as a quality control stage for comic products regarding visuals and content.On the visual side, evaluation is done on word writing, color adjustments and layout format.Meanwhile, on the content side, efforts are made to translate and correlate the text and the message conveyed.

Development.
This process involves uploading the work as a beta test to the digital comic platform Webtoon (Figure 3).Webtoon is one of the digital amusement platforms that is popular among the younger generation, especially those familiar with gadgets and comics.This is intended to make it easy for respondents to access the work test stage.

The Process of Media Test 2.2.1. Beta test.
The process of beta testing [31] effectiveness and collecting data as evaluation material is carried out at this stage.The resulting data is related to media access, comic content and visualization, and the role of comics in disaster education efforts.Respondents from the beta test of the research work were also randomly distributed among 13 people aged between 13 and 17 in Jakarta, Surabaya, and Surakarta.Because the profession is on a digital platform, it can be accessed anywhere an internet network is available.There were fewer respondents from the work test compared to data search respondents; this was intended to focus on those with interest and competence in comic media with the theme of disaster mitigation.The results of this beta test stated that the comic prototype had a series of narratives that were too short to explain a water pollution disaster mitigation problem.The suggestion put forward to improve the work is to add an edition.
The comic products support efforts and campaigns to mitigate disasters caused by water pollution.Communication steps aimed at increasing human awareness; for this reason, attitude scale tests [32] towards the media were carried out on respondents.This attitude examines the function of the media in changing human attitudes towards water pollution.This attitude response test is also included when beta-testing the press.So that respondents respond to the function and content of the media as well as the respondents' perceptions and attitudes towards the impact of the media.Apart from respondents, comics as beta test products were also consulted with media experts and parties competent in water pollution.They stated the same about narrative content, while visual content is appropriate for segmenting the younger generation.

Implementation and Evaluation.
The results of the beta test are used as a reference for quality control of comic media products at the next stage, namely, the implementation stage, which is used to perfect the media to produce humorous works that support disaster mitigation efforts due to the impact of water pollution.Quality control of the amusing press is done by evaluating and making adjustments based on the beta test results by changing several visuals, verbals, and narratives.The final results of quality control of comic products uploaded to the Webtoon digital comic platform use narrative and visual content as the final stage of a series of evaluations.

Results and Discussion
The results of the research carried out consist of two points, namely research on media content and media effectiveness.Media content research is based on the definition of mitigation contained in Indonesian Regulation Law No. 24 of 2007, stating that mitigation is an effort to reduce disaster risk through physical actions or awareness [33].There have been many campaigns or outreach activities regarding disaster mitigation to the community using various communication media and approaches.Compared to physical actions that are carried out with impacts experienced directly, communication media or campaigns as steps to raise public awareness do not immediately feel the impact.One of these communication media is comics, which participate as part of public awareness actions.
A digital comic about the long-term impacts of throwing rubbish in water is intended for teenagers in Webtoon, which provides a Webtoon Canvas feature so that anyone can upload their comics to the Webtoon platform for free.The digital comic Second Chance uses the fantasy drama genre in three series with colorful visuals (Figure 6).The results of the beta test and attitude scale test showed that 88.9% understood and liked the content and comics as an approach to the youth generation.So the next action in the form of awareness not to pollute water increased to 66.7% from previously only 54.3% because the education delivered did not use a special approach for teenagers.In addition, the younger generation of teenagers understands more about microplastics and their impacts.They hope that there will be more media such as comics, animation or films with a narrative and visual approach that they understand, one of which uses a popular culture product approach.
The following research point is regarding the effectiveness of media, where comics act as a disaster mitigation tool as a communication medium.Comics as a communication medium are one of the media that is often used to convey mitigation messages through visual narratives with descriptive or persuasive content.A visual approach that is entertaining and follows visual culture trends, such as the visual style of manga or manhwa comics, is an action to attract attention and sympathy from the younger generation or adolescent segmentation.Publication of comic media using digital platforms is an action that is in line with the progress of the times; besides that, the use of gadgets and the dissemination of information using internet-based platforms is a trend in the attitudes and activities of today's young generation.
The digital comic Second Chance has yet to make an immediate change in its readers becoming more concerned about water pollution.However, he tries to instill knowledge and information in implied messages to teenagers cognitively.Today's teenagers who belong to Generation Z or Generation Alpha [34] are a generation that is adept at using internet-based information technology, so they have more opportunities to know about various problems broadly and in-depth, including environmental problems and pollution.The effect of comics as a medium is that it takes time to overcome or solve problems; it requires time and various supporting activities, such as campaigns or outreach to the public.
This research product comic acts as a trigger for teenagers to be interested in environmental problems and pollution, especially those in water.Limitations in the format and nature of the media are factors that cause the effects of mitigation actions not to be immediately visible and felt.Comics, which are entertainment media, only help convey educational and informational messages [35].
The relationship between research products in the form of comics, teenagers, and water pollution produces a pattern based on educational efforts and information dissemination (Figure 7).Teenagers are the target of education and information who have a confident attitude towards a problem.To attract the target's attention to this problem, an approach is needed using the fads and trends among their group and age.The result of this triggering effort is to cognitively plant the problem in readers' minds, hoping they will slowly convey the issue of concern and change attitudes about water pollution.

Figure 7. Chart of the role of comics as part of water pollution disaster mitigation
Water, as an essential element in human life, has experienced a decline in quality due to pollution.This pollution is partly caused by waste disposal, starting from the individual, household, and industrial levels [36].Waste concentrated in certain water areas causes biological reactions to emerge as nests of bacteria and viruses.Garbage that rots and causes an unpleasant odor attracts living creatures, such as flies or other animals, which play a role in spreading disease.
Microplastics are pollutant elements that can be considered eternal because they are tough to decompose and tend to increase in quantity.Daily human life in this era still coexists with plastic materials, where plastic waste is often not recycled.Plastic recycling is only carried out in specific communities or pockets of waste disposal areas in the community [37].Other community groups do not recycle but use it as equipment or media for everyday life.Meanwhile, other groups do nothing due to a lack of knowledge and information or take an attitude of not caring.Efforts to mitigate water pollution disasters are carried out with an attitude of responsibility for the quality and quantity of water, which concretely is by increasing awareness to protect water and its ecosystem through various educational efforts and providing information.

Conclusions
Water, as a natural resource needed by living creatures, including humans, is currently starting to experience a decline in quality and quantity.Therefore, mitigation efforts are needed to increase collective awareness in society to care more about and understand water problems.For this reason, steps are needed to stop behavior and activities that have the potential to damage water by expanding knowledge about water and its pollution to the younger generation.The lack of explanation and activities

Education and information
Teenagers as Targets

Increased awareness and changes in attitudes
Comic media as a tool for raising awareness and mitigating water pollution The approach uses favorite factors and popular culture trends carried out by the young generation in their teens to mitigate water pollution is causing societal concern.So, an approach is needed using media, which is currently his favorite.
Comics, popular culture products, act as media to raise awareness among the youth segment by highlighting the theme of water pollution disaster mitigation, created using popular visual style approaches and digital platforms.The use of comic media has not produced a significant impact on mitigation actions.However, this effort has been able to generate enthusiasm from teenagers because the issue of concern for water pollution is conveyed using language that is understandable and interesting for them.Efforts to mitigate the water pollution disaster are not simply felt but require time and various other supporting activities, such as campaigns and outreach, with various approaches and media in different segmentations.

Figure 1 . 2 .
Figure 1.Earth Friend Comic Figure 2. Tap Water Pollution Comic 2.1.2.Design.The design was based on questionnaire and literacy data and referred to a series of scripts and dramatizations.To maintain the correlation between narrative, message, and visuals, an aesthetic analysis[29] was carried out on the visual content of the comic.The media design stage is divided into three phases; each location has specific steps, consisting of pre-production, production, and postproduction[30].Pre Production is the beginning of designing comic media, namely preparing a script with the theme of disaster mitigation efforts due to water pollution targeting the young generation in their teens wrapped in dramatization.Apart from that, at this stage, comic characters were also created based on currently popular visual styles, namely manga and manhwa (Figure1).

Figure 4 .
Figure 4.The digital comic production process uses graphic software

5 Figure 5 .
Figure 5. Comic display that has been uploaded to the Webtoon platform as a media test prototype

Figure 6 .
Figure 6.Sample several pages of the Second Chance digital comic