of Solid Waste Management in Onitsha Metropolis, Nigeria

Abstract Background: Despite efforts at making municipal solid waste management (MSWM) effective, one key challenge faced by the state and local environmental protection agencies in Nigeria has been inconsistencies in the pattern of solid waste management by households. Objective: To determine the practice, pattern and challenges of solid waste management in Onitsha Metropolis. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study of 425 households in Onitsha Metropolis, selected using multistage sampling technique was done. Quantitative data was collected by interview using a pretested semi-structured questionnaire and analysed using computer Graph Pad Prism version 5.3. Tests of statistical significance were carried out using ANalysis Of Variance followed by multiple comparison done using post hoc Tukey's HSD (honestly significant difference) test. A p value of < 0.05 was considered significant. Qualitative data was obtained using key informant interviews. Results: The mean age of the respondents is 36.84±12.21years. Whereas 244 (57.4%) use government facilities / services, 47 (11.1%) dump theirs on streets and drainages. Two hundred and ninety five (60.90%) practice some form of waste segregation. There were statistically significant differences between the areas of residence and household solid waste disposal personnel (p<0.05), patterns of solid waste disposal (p<0.05) and solid waste separation (p<0.05) respectively. Conclusions: The study revealed poor waste management practices as well as some relationship between area of residence and waste disposal personnel, pattern of waste disposal and waste separation respectively. Strategies for improving the MSWM in Onitshaare thus suggested

Investing in the Transition to Renewables: Understanding the Infodemic on Climate Change among Undergraduates of the Faculty of Environmental Sciences in a Nigerian University

Background: A close interlink exists between the health of man and his environment Therefore, committing to sustainable practices, building thriving communities, securing future growth potentials and strategies on adaption to related global challenges, remain key. Objective: To assess the knowledge and perception of climate change among undergraduate students of the faculty of environmental sciences, Imo State University Owerri, Nigeria. Methods: This was a cross-sectional analytical study of 337 undergraduates selected via multistage sampling technique. Data were obtained using self- administered semi-structured questionnaires, and analysed using statistical package for social sciences software version 22. Statistical significance was done using Chi-square test at p value < 0.05. Results: Three hundred and twenty two (95.5%) respondents reported awareness of climate change and cited their sources of information on climate change thus: 270 (83.9%) from social media, 256 (79.5%) from television. Two hundred and thirty two (72.3%) of these 322 respondents reported the understanding of climate change. Only 90 (26.7%) of respondents had good level of knowledge on Climate change. The level of knowledge of climate change among respondents significantly vary with age (p= 0.0000), cum gender (p= 0.0000). Conclusions: This study found apparently high awareness on climate change. The level of knowledge on climate change was poor and varies significantly with age and gender. We recommend comprehensive but, need- based environmental education to sustain awareness, impart knowledge, improve perception and equip these students with requisite interventions strategies to handle challenges linked to climate change