Emeka: Because being good, your one and only Mummy G. O sends her greetings. And my name is a mecca area, and I’m excited to be here again, and another episode of The Good Citizen radio show, which is brought to you by CSR-in-Action, and proudly sponsored by ACT Foundation. Let’s continue to be open minded and celebrate our diversity and build our nation Nigeria. We’ll go for a commercial break now and we’ll be back shortly.

Did you know that Nigeria is facing significant waste management challenges due to a rapidly growing population and a lack of adequate infrastructure and resources. According to the report by the Federal Ministry of Environment, the country generates an estimated 32 million tons of solid waste by e $2.5 million in plastic waste, most of which ends up in the landfills, surveys, beaches and water bodies. So today, we’re talking to a member of the advisory board of SustyVibes on the zero waste movement. Hi, Sonia. Hello, we have Sonia Ugwunna, member of the advisory board of SustyVibes. Hi Sonia Let’s give it up for Sonia.

Sonia: Hello Thank you.

Emeka: How are you today?

Sonia: I’m fine. Thank you. Hope you’re good too?

Emeka: I’m good. Okay, so elections are over. So let’s talk about waste management’s today. Okay, so can you tell us a little bit about SustyVibes?

Sonia: Okay, so, SustyVibes is a nonprofit organisation of young people in Nigeria and in Ghana just recently expanded to Ghana. We’re working to make sustainability actionable, relatable, and fun for young people. Yeah, we are young people. So we like fun things. Yeah. So we basically provide a platform for young people to acquire knowledge, acquire skills and have a firsthand experience and also connect with likeminded people in the sustainability industry. And we do this through a lot of community centered projects, including cleanup projects, and where we connect communities with waste management options. We have lots of master classes, we have seminars, we have webinars on sustainability and waste management. Because we’re also young people, we do a lot of fun things. We have movie screenings, we have open mic sessions. We also have parties where we talk about sustainability, like young people do.

Emeka: I think I like this organisation, I might just join, please hook me up. Okay, good stuff. This week is the first ever Zero Waste day. So what exactly is zero waste? And how is it different from recycling?

Sonia: Okay, so first, I would just like to send a shout out to the United Nations for like making or creating the first because there was there it’s timely.

Emeka: So shout out to the United Nation. Yeah.

Sonia: Okay, so zero waste is like a lifestyle, or if it has a fee or a campaign get to reduce the volume or the quantity of waste, been sent to landfills. So the entire goal is to assure the circularity of waste, whereby instead of being transferred to landfill as the endpoint, waste has a continuous lifecycle. So there is no end of waste it waste material is then transformed as a raw material to make another product. So the zero waste campaign is targeted towards the 12 Sustainable Development Goal, which is responsible, consumption and production. It differs in recycling in that recycling is a subset of zero waste campaign. Recycling is just one way, one system of ensuring that waste is actually managed or reduced. So recycling just don’t confess with the products into new materials, but the zero waste campaign is like, all-encompassing of all the activities or the systems, or the products that are put in place to minimise waste.

Emeka: Wow, wow, wow, this is good stuff you guys are doing here right now. Okay, so what are the challenges that exist to zero waste in Nigeria? And how can they be solved?

Sonia: Okay, so the first thing I would say is a challenge is the lack of awareness among people in Nigeria on the impacts of poor waste management. And even though I like to say that we see the impact of negative impact, it still takes a lot to be able to tie it in and say, Okay, what is happening, for example, flooding is as a result of an indirect result of poor waste management. So there’s lack of awareness on the impact of poor practices. There’s also a lack of awareness on alternatives, we know that there’s a problem, how do we solve this problem, there’s also the problem of cost and funding, some ecofriendly alternatives tend to be a bit expensive than conventional stuff. So getting people to access it, especially in a country with low income level, kind of gets tough. There’s also the current behavioural behaviour among people. You know, when your consumer has a set behaviour, we know what we do here, we always call it nylons, then it just, yeah, it’s going to take a lot to tell people know, your next shop and get it. So there’s a whole consumer behaviour that you have to take into consideration as one of the challenges and also limited infrastructure. Let’s say we want to collect all the waste product we want to sort waste want to recycle? Do we have enough infrastructures? Do we have enough capacity to be able to manage all that? So I think that the solutions to this challenges are also very, it’s just like reversing the challenges, for example, in terms of infrastructure, how can we invest more in infrastructure that will be able to, should I say, sort waste? That we’ll be able to provide alternatives to the current existing institutions? How do we ensure that people are aware of the impacts of their actions? How do we ensure that people have access to alternative solutions? For example, if I want to start recycling my waste? How do we ensure that people have the access to it in terms of affordability in terms of accessibility?

Emeka: And I think that’s one thing a lot of people do not know about that you can actually recycle your waste. Because we have this mentality in Nigeria, that it’s waste, it’s waste can be used anymore, right? So I just hope that we can push this for there so that it’ll get out there. It did get out there. So how can businesses and organisations in Nigeria, adopt the Zero Waste practices in their businesses?

Sonia: Okay, so, before we get there, I would like to point out something you said, I think a lot of Nigerians actually practice sustainable methods. It’s just not what is recognised, for example, we have all mothers at home, you know, when you get to the fridge, and you get ice cream container, and it’s filled with ecosystem reusing, so it’s something that we’re actually keeping those plastic bottles.

Emeka: So we’re basically doing those things without even knowing

Sonia: Exactly what because it’s not the conventional way. But at the point, we have to recognise our own local context. For example, I know I’ve used them, you know, this biscuit containers for your earrings place, that kind of stuff. So it’s like recycling. So it’s like reusing. Okay, so back to the question. I think the first step will be for organisations to conduct a waste audit to be able to understand or obtain information on the quantity of their waste the type of their waste, it will then guide their decision making so that they know which part of their operations is generating the most, or the highest quantity of waste, following that then they can engage a consultant to help them to guide them throughout the whole process of switching to alternatives and then like I said, it can be the whole big structured, it can also be little things like sorting out the source, and just registering with the recycling company to come out and take their own recyclables and then just ensuring that our actions, our activities, our operations are sustainable. They could also partner with organisations like SustyVibes, engaging in advocacy campaigns. Yeah, you can also partner with the government a lot of government initiatives regarding Zero Waste campaign.

Emeka: Yes, that’s good. That’s good stuff, right. Okay, so, we’d like to hear from the list our listeners today, because we have an event interesting conversation in studio right here with Sonia. So we do hope that you can call us on our phone lines, our phone lines, desires 0700923923923 or you can send us a WhatsApp message on 08173136193 while we wait for your calls, the conversation continues. So Sonia wastes to energy can free up the landmass. But will boost the growth of the economy through generation of clean energy. Yeah. So do you agree with this statement? Because you’re already saying yeah, yeah, yeah.

Sonia: Yeah, I absolutely agree with the statement. Like I said that the Zero Waste campaign is one of the major goals is to reduce the quantity of waste being generated or being transferred to landfills and you know, landfills. They’re like permanent sites. Permanent dump sites. So we term waste to energy plants. Yeah, we know that instead of being sent to the landfills to just lie dormant onto the finally degrade after 100 years. We can use them for we can put them to other uses. And yeah, it reduces the greenhouse gas emissions. We know that landfills when they are not controlled, they actually release methane into the air. So instead of just transferring them to landfills, we can use them to generate clean energy. Also, it reduces operational costs, because after a while the landfill gets filled up. And then you have to create another one, or when we’re using it for a continuous process because we’re always in energy. We don’t have to create new landfills and also reducing operational costs, is also generating revenue and economic growth in the sense that it promotes or it provides jobs, you have a waste to energy, infrastructure or a factory, you employ people, you employ technicians, you even employ admin staff. So that in a way is generating income or revenue for the staff. Also, the energy that is also been created. Waste to Energy is actually the process of converting waste materials into clean energy, through incineration, which is burning classification, which is converted to gas, and even anaerobic digestion, that’s an organic way of doing it. So you just use waste materials and convert to clean energy. So this energy can be sold can be used on site for big companies, you can use your energy on site, or you can resell it, and that’s a source of income to for the company anymore for the location with which incited. So I believe that or I agree with the statement that it helps in reducing greenhouse gases and it also has a lot of financial benefits.

Emeka: Thank you very much for that some clarification. Okay. So as SustyVibes, I think I’ll have to pay a lot of fine for that. Okay, so what are some of the examples of zero risk programs that you guys undertake?

Sonia: Okay, so one of our major projects is the cleanup. We run it annually. And last year, we did it in seven communities in the same day in Nigeria; we had in Lagos, two locations in Lagos. Yeah, we have big we had in Abuja, we had in Enugu; we also had in Ogun State and Oyo State and some other locations like that. So our cleanup programs we go to underserved communities to conduct advocacy on the importance of proper waste management, and then we connect them to the local PSP. PSP is the local agency that works with LOMA (Lagos State Management Agency) that’s the biggest waste management agency in Lagos state. So in other communities, we connect them with their local waste operators will then register them for waste disposal. We also go along with recycling agencies, we’ve worked with recyclers, we recycle points, so they sign up the interested local community members, who then be carrying their plastic or their recyclables to them in exchange for an extra fee. So that’s what we do with our cleanups. We also routinely organise them beach cleanups to basically just get people aware of the impact of waste in the beaches. We also have movie screenings, like I mentioned. Yeah, so we have screenings where we host people, mostly young people. We host them to movies, and then we talk about the movie so the movies are usually environmentally themed. Last year we held movie screenings in four locations in Nigeria. That’s the movie on Netflix. Yeah. So after that we had a an interactive panel session, where we’re able to talk with people about what they feel about their thoughts about climate change, and how they feel like they can be better for change their lifestyles. So we’ve had other movie screenings over the past years, we also have parties we call it Susty Parties.

Emeka: I like to attend the next party.

Sonia: Yeah. It’s in April actually

Emeka: April is starting by tomorrow

Sonia: Yea April 29 we are having Susty party, we having young people talk about their emotions, how climate change makes them feel. So that’s just one of the ways in which we raise awareness about climate change and sustainability. We also conduct master classes and seminars and trainings for young people who wish to know more background in environmental. We also do the Susty Schools project basically catch them young, where we go to primary or secondary schools and teach them about the SDGs. And to just make them aware that even as young as they are, they have impact, or there’s so many things that they can do. We’ve also worked with informal waste, because we’re because we know that they’re also part of the people ensuring that the economic circular walk with him, because we often don’t see tree planting here. Tree planting is recognised as one of the affordable ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Yeah. So we replanted 5000 trees in Lagos and Abuja in 2021. Those are just some of the ways we contribute, or we lend our voice and our hands to everyone made easy to zero waste companies in Nigeria.

Emeka: Wow, I must really commend you guys. You guys are doing a lot. There’s a question I’m going to ask you, but that’s after this break. Okay. We’ll take a short break now. And when we return, we’ll continue the conversation with Sonia

Okay, welcome back on the steal the good citizen radio show. And if you’re just joining in, we’re talking to Sonia Ugwunna. Yes, I would still love to hear from you all about your opinions, questions or suggestions about the zero risk movement in Nigeria, and you can reach us on our phone lines on 0700923923923 or you can send us a WhatsApp message on 08173036193. So, Sonia, let’s go back to the question. I said I was going to ask you, somebody will come back. So how long have you guys been brought in this?

Sonia: Okay, we actually started in 2016. So this year is our seventh anniversary. So we’re having big events, having the Susty party in Lagos, also having community events in various communities, in Kwara, in Ibadan, in Abuja, in Enugu in I think, Ogun state, we’re having lots of lots of anniversary communities. We’re also going to have Twitter spaces and webinars to in commemoration of the anniversary so you can always check us out on our social media pages to follow up on our activities.

Emeka: Wow, I didn’t know that. You’re really making me see let them rot today, right? That’s good. So what steps can individuals’ organisations and government right, take to transition to waste and zero waste?

Sonia: Okay. I always like to say that it’s a collaborative effort. Not one person can do it. No one category can do we all high income together individuals, businesses, government agencies, they have to come together to ensure that we are able to achieve our goal, and I think the first step would have to be a commitment a personal commitment, a business commitments, when I show that I’m committed to zero waste, and in all my activities, I’m going to ensure I minimise my footprint, my carbon footprint. And then after the commitment is then setting goals, depending on your level, depending on what’s available, what’s accessible to you, we then have to set levels for individuals, or let’s start with minimising or the three R’s, which is basically reducing your waste, reusing your waste and recycling your waste.

Emeka: Can you take that again?

Sonia: I’m going to take it slowly, reduce your waste yeah. So in short, for example, the nylon example I gave, yeah, you can get tote bags, you could get big soft pads for your shopping and all of that, to just reduce it, even the quantity of food you make, making food that you know that everyone’s going to finish instead of so imaginary instead of throwing it away. So that’s reducing your waste. Reusing your waste, the example of Egusi soup in ice cream bowls. Yeah, that’s also an example of reusing your ways. How can you reuse your waste? For example, on campus, we have lots of containers, your own ice cream container; you see lots of stuff there. Yeah, there’s a way we’re also reusing our waste. And there’s recycling. I like to also add up cycling there. So recycling is conversion of waste materials into products of higher value. And up cycling is also conversion of products, but they don’t actually take a new form, they are in the same form. So for example, you can use your tires to make tools. Yes, this will be used tires.

Emeka: I think I have seen some of that, right, yeah.

Sonia: Discarded clothes make tires. You could also use your glass bottle drinks to for your flower stand. Yeah, you could also grow your trees, plants, mostly food plants in this Jerry cans because you just cut off the head. And then you put your soil inside. So that’s like your potted plants.

Emeka: So that’s up cycling yea? It sounds funky

Sonia: In the same shape. You can see out that it looks like a keg. But our recycling Converse the new product. Oh, yeah. So your your sweater, you can convert it to a polyester sweater, you won’t know it’s actually plastic bottles that converted it to that that’s recycling.

Emeka: Okay. Yeah. Okay. You got me there right now.

Sonia: Yeah, these possibilities are a lot. And the good part is that it’s continuously expanding, there are lots of innovations coming up in the environmentally sustainable space. And I’ve just say you should think creatively, as an individual on how what you can do, how you can ensure that you’re contributing to protecting our environment, then for government agencies, I would say, a lot of government when is needed to be able to implement policies, because sometimes the policies are there. But then there is no commensurate action being done there. And then for businesses, you have the capacity to be able to stick a stand and say, Yes, myself and my business, we’re going to commit to ensuring that all our products, all our activities, all our operations, they have minimal impact on the environment.

Emeka: Thank you very much. Thank you very much, because I’ve learned something today. Up cycling. Yeah. So I’m going to be up cycling a lot of stuff by the time I get back home this weekend. This weekend is up cycling weekend for me. Thank you very much to join us on the show today, Sonia. And we do hope that we’ve all learned from this discussion about zero waste movement in Nigeria. Thank you very much everyone for listening. We do hope you have a lovely weekend ahead. And let’s continue to be a light to one another. The show is brought to you by CSR-in-Action, and proudly sponsored by ACT Foundation, and now remain your one and only celebrity show host Emeka Aaron. Until next time, stay safe. God bless you. Bye bye