Social Media And Single-Used Plastic Campaigns In South-East, Nigeria
Obayi Paul Martin Ph.D
Department of Mass Communication, Godfrey Okoye University, Enugu, Enugu State
Keywords: Campaigns, Plastics, Pollution, Social Media, Single-Used Plastic
Abstract
Single-used plastic pollution has become a great challenge and a threat to the lives of both the terrestrial and aquatics beings. Various campaigns against environmental hazards have been floating on social media. Popular among these campaigns is the single-used plastic campaigns. These campaigns such as “Beat Plastic Pollution” seek to discourage the continuous used of plastics and indiscriminate disposal of the plastic. This study examined the awareness level and perception of southeast residents on social media campaigns on single-used plastic in Nigerian. The study adopted survey research design with questionnaire as instrument of data collection. The population of social media users in the southeast is 1,216,215. The Australian sample size calculator was used to derive a sample size of 384. The multi stage sampling technique was adopted for the distribution of questionnaire to respondents in Southeastern Nigeria. Result of data analysis revealed that, to a very high level, 81% of the of social media users who are resident in the Southeast region of Nigeria were exposed to social media campaigns on single-used plastic pollution. Also, it was revealed that, on an average mean of 3.2 (N=374), there is positive perception on the need for proper disposal of single-used plastics. Further analysis revealed that, at an average mean of 3.2 (N=374), social media users indicated that they have poor practice towards the handling of single-used plastics. They indicated that, despite their exposure to the single-used plastics campaigns, their practice is still to the contrary. The researcher concludes that the practice of the people on southeast as regards the disposal of single-used plastic is still contrary to the dictate of the campaigns. The researcher recommended that social media campaigns on single-used plastic should be intensified by both government and non-governmental agencies so as to bring out the needed change in behaviour among the residents in Southeast, Nigeria.