Environmental Communication Through Duitin Indonesia: A Qualitative Descriptive Study on the Duitin Application

Abstract

This study analyzes how Duitin Indonesia, a digital recycling startup, implements environmental communication within the framework of Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovation theory. Drawing on in-depth interviews with three key informants—the CEO, COO, and Lead of UI/UX Design—the research explores how Duitin promotes recycling behavior through mobile technology and participatory communication. The findings reveal that each diffusion stage—knowledge, persuasion, decision, implementation, and confirmation—is supported by deliberate communication strategies. Duitin raises public awareness through educational content, motivates users with reward-based persuasion, and fosters adoption through trust-building and user-friendly design. The implementation stage demonstrates collaboration with informal waste sectors, while the confirmation stage emphasizes sustained engagement through storytelling and impact visualization. Duitin’s model exemplifies how digital platforms can transform environmental awareness into collective action, positioning recycling as both a technological innovation and a social movement. The study concludes that effective environmental innovation depends on the synergy between communication design and user participation, offering insights into sustainable digital transformation in developing contexts.