Social Media for Social Good: #LitterFreeNigeria is possible if you #JustBinIt

Today, I saw a kid hand an empty water sachet to his mum, and her reply was “throway am- why you dey give me?” and the kid promptly flung it on the floor, on a sidewalk of a Major street, and when I without a word, bent to pick it up and take it to an almost empty bin just 2 minutes away; she shrugged and said “No be me first start am” and points to the streets where quite a number of empty sachets and other used and empty garbage had begun to pile up… Sad!

The Ranting is inevitable:

This is a common sight in Nigeria, it is okay to fling used and empty packs out of moving cars, after all, you are not the only one doing it.
It is a regular thing to see a beautiful girl looking like she stepped out of the pages of a fashion magazine throw her finished Sharwama wrap or gum wrap right on the street like its no big deal.
It is okay to see a handsome dude drop his empty cigarette packet or empty can of right there on the street, like there is nothing to it.
What is worse and painfully sad is that the young Kids see Adults do this everyday and are learning to do the same.

Yet, we would be the first to cry foul and complain that the Government is not doing right by us, the “Government is not doing what it should be doing”, I have heard it said- “the Government should clean this country” “it is an eyesore”, and we have the guts to say, “Nigeria is dirty, Go to the U.S and see how clean it is!”

You and I, we are Nigeria, and if Nigeria is dirty, as difficult as it is to hear, We are dirty. Not the Government, Us!

There is a Solution:
Don’t Despair, there is Good news; there is time to change this, to improve, at least for the Next Generation before our kids are overrun and collapse under a huge Landslide of garbage (okay, that was a bit Melodramatic, but not impossible). It is Our Social duty.

Step 1: Online Interaction:

You are invited to join me a starting an online campaign that can ensure a #LitterFreeNigeria if we all just #JustBinIt.

Step 2: Offline: Engagement:

We know it is not enough to just talk about it so when we have gathered enough support to run it on the streets, we are going to make major noise, teach it in schools, in buses, in the Market Place, at Offices, in communities, Every Where!

Step 3: Recycling:

Finally, we are planning to set up recycling collection centers, where you can drop recyclable trash and pick up gifts in return, it will be a fun and educating place for kids to visit.

How can you help with the campaign? Online and Offline?

• #JustBinIt: Put your trash in a bin and tell others to do same. Even if it is just one person everyday.
• Are you on Social Media? You can also add the hash tag “#JustBinIt” to your handle and when people ask you about it, Educate them on the ills of littering.
• Discuss it on Social Media, using the hash tag “#LitterFreeNigeria“
•  Send in notes, Pictures, Videos, blog stories, to ” zegbua@yahoo.com” advocating the possibility of having a #LitterFreeNigeria if we just #JustBinIt and we will feature as many of them as possible on here.
• Online Promoters, Trend Kings (and Queens) Overlords and Twitter and Facebook Celebs, this is the time to do some Social Good.
• Via the blog, You can also register to volunteer as a peer educator, a teacher, to work with the recycling unit or the Media team.

Thank You so much for deciding its time to Make Nigeria Litter Free.

Yours Sincerely,

Izegbuwa

Photo Credits: DM and the Boys