In an era of plenty, our world is grappling with the urgent and complex challenge of waste management. Rapid urbanization, population growth, and changing consumption patterns have led to an unprecedented rise in waste generation. The Philippines is no exception, with the country generating an estimated 2.7 million tons of plastic waste each year*. Given the recent implementation of the Extended Producers Responsibility (EPR) Law, disseminating critical information to the right channels has never been more urgent.
Nevertheless, amidst these pressing concerns, a potent tool to influence behavior and foster sustainable practices has risen to prominence: social media. With its pervasive presence and enormous sway over our daily lives, social media provides an extraordinary opportunity. It empowers us to reshape mindsets, steer behaviors, and inspire collective action for more effective waste management.
Social media's influence in our daily lives offer an opportunity to reshape perspectives, steer behaviors, and inspire collective action towards better waste management.
For example, in the 2022 International Coastal Cleanup Campaign organized by the Lighthouse Marina Resort Legacy Foundation in Subic Bay, They partnered with Darbie Kim Estrabilla, a.k.a. Real Talk Darbs (RTD), a popular vlogger known for his catchy and thought-provoking videos. RTD used his unique style to create a 12-minute educational video while also featuring the cleanup event. The video was so compelling that it's been watched over 2.6 million times so far! That's 2.6 million people who've learned more about waste management - all thanks to one well-crafted social media post.
In his video, RTD highlighted the notable efforts of YouTube creators MrBeast and Mark Rober, who initiated the #TeamSeas campaign with the ambitious aim of extracting 30 million pounds of trash from the ocean by the end of 2022. The project, fueled by a combination of social media awareness and public engagement, has successfully raised over $33 million, translating into more than 15 million pounds of ocean waste removed. This triumph serves as a testament to social media's potential to contribute positively to environmental preservation efforts, raising awareness and securing resources for crucial cleanup operations to safeguard our oceans and marine life.
These are just some examples of how social media can be used to promote sustainable practices and make a difference in the fight against waste. While the problem of waste management may seem overwhelming, social media presents us with a unique opportunity to influence change on a large scale.
By using these platforms to inspire a shift towards sustainable consumption and waste practices, we can move closer to a world where abundance doesn't mean waste, but denotes a balance between human needs and environmental stewardship. As more individuals adopt sustainable practices, we create a ripple effect, turning the tide in our fight against waste, one post at a time.
If you are a content creator or a social media influencer and you want to be involved in these kinds of campaigns, please contact us at inquiry@parms.com.ph
* Source: https://www.worldbank.org