At Epson, our continued commitment to sustainability is inspired by an ancient Japanese design philosophy: of Sho-Sho-Sei – meaning “efficient, compact, and precise.”

What began more than centuries ago as a principle for traditional craftmanship now guides how we address the modern environmental challenges. Its’s the blueprint behind our Environmental Vision 2050, where we aim to become carbon negative and achieve zero waste.

Ancient wisdom, modern impact

The clearest example of Sho-Sho-Sei in action is our EcoTank range. Unlike traditional printers that rely on disposable plastic cartridges, EcoTank printers feature refillable ink tanks built into the solution.

This single innovation cuts plastic and metal waste by 86% over five years – while also saving users time and money.

In South Africa, the cost of living is rising, and plastic pollution is increasing. Solutions like EcoTank help address these issues.

Households, schools, and small businesses can print more for less money while also helping to keep the environment clean. This is especially important as we deal with growing waste problems in both cities and rural areas.

That efficiency extends to energy use. Our Heat-Free PrecisionCore technology uses up to 85% less power than comparable laser printers. And with fewer moving parts, our devices are more reliable and last longer, reducing waste even further.

This thinking also informs our AM printer range, where we redesigned the internal layout to reduce product volume by two-thirds and cut weight by 30%. As a result, CO₂ emissions during production dropped by 36%, and total lifecycle emissions are down by around 33%.

By the end of 2025, we’re taking this further by fully phasing out laser printers globally shifting entirely to energy-efficient inkjet models that align environmental responsibility with business performance.

Rethinking supply chain

Sho-Sho-Sei does not only stop at a product level – it extends to how we source, package and manufacture. We’re now using up to 30% recycled plastics in our printer casings and have transitioned from foam packaging to paper-based alternatives, drastically reducing unnecessary plastic.

Our goal is to go even further. By 2030, we aim for 50% of our product materials to be renewable or recycled – reducing our dependence on virgin resources and aligning with circular economy principles.

A philosophy for industry transformation

What makes Sho-Sho-Sei powerful is its universality. While it’s rooted in Japanese culture, its principles can guide any industry ready to embrace them. It challenges the idea that businesses must choose between performance and sustainability, and shows that the two can go hand in hand.

Plastic waste is a major problem in South Africa, harming our ecosystems and filling landfills. The country produces over 2.4 million tonnes of plastic waste each year, but only a small amount is recycled. Adopting ideas like Sho-Sho-Sei can help local businesses reduce their environmental impact. This is important for industries such as retail packaging, manufacturing, and electronics, where being efficient and simple in design can really make a difference.

New ideas are already showing promise. Startups and small businesses are looking into refillable systems and biodegradable materials.

At the same time, big companies are focusing more on sustainable design in their purchasing decisions. The challenge is to grow these ideas into successful, everyday business models, not just eco-friendly experiments.

As we reflect on this World Environment Day, we encourage our peers to look beyond pledges and toward principles that can drive lasting change. Sho-Sho-Sei has helped us align profitability with purpose, and it can do the same for others.

Because building a sustainable future isn’t just good business, it’s the only business worth doing.

*Bella Tobing is the head of Corporate Sustainability & Government Affairs, Epson META-CWA.

Speaking at the event was held at Airtel Head office, Banana Island, Lagos, Carl Cruz, the chief executive officer at Airtel Nigeria, represented by Femi Adeniran, Director, Corporate Communications and CSR, said that Airtel believes in leading by example, and has taken deliberate measures to ensure that the organization promotes a healthy environment.

 “In line with this year’s global theme of “Land Restoration, Desertification, and Drought Resilience”, we are drilling down to focus on plastic reduction, waste disposal, and recycling, which are critical to achieving the goals being set by the global theme. These are not just environmental issues; they are pressing challenges that require immediate attention. By reducing our plastic usage, managing waste efficiently, and embracing recycling, we can significantly lessen our environmental problems,” he remarked.

Environmental scientist and advocate Dr. Eugene Itua, who served as the facilitator at the event, shared insights on the pertinent strategies to adopt in combating plastic pollution.

His presentation covered a wide range of topics, ranging from the history of plastic use, the detrimental effects of plastic pollution on the environment and human health, and potential solutions to mitigate the pressing issue of plastic pollution.

“As the population grows, so does plastic waste. Since the 1950s, plastic use has become a norm, leading to the pervasive issue of micro plastics. These tiny particles, resulting from the degradation of plastic bottles left in the sun, enter our bodies through the food, water, and drinks we consume, thereby posing threats to our health,” he said.

Dr. Eugene further stressed the urgent need to take a paradigm shift from the traditional “take, use, and dispose” approach to a more sustainable “reuse, recycle, reorient and diversify” principle, embodying the circular economy.

He concluded by urging Airtel employees to take proactive steps to prevent plastic pollution and safeguard the environment.

In his words “To tackle the challenge of plastic pollution, we must adopt practices such as recycling and reusing. Without action, the average flow of plastics into the ocean is projected to triple by 2040.”

According to Airtel, several other activities have been put in place to encourage plastic reduction and proper waste management.

These activities include strengthening of policies to ensure responsible plastic use within the company, organizing of clean-up initiatives and educational seminars, internal sensitization on reusable alternatives and responsible disposal of plastic items, and utilization of social media and SMS campaigns to educate customers about plastic waste management.

The world environment day event reflects Airtel Nigeria’s dedication to fostering environmental awareness and sustainability within its corporate culture and the broader community.

In line with this commitment to the broader community, the organization is set to commission a facility newly constructed for the Green Fingers Foundation, a Non-Governmental organization dedicated to environmental protection and wildlife conservation.

Every year, nearly 23 million tons of plastic waste leaks into the world’s water systems, polluting the oceans, lakes, and rivers.

This kind of pollution is not only detrimental to the planet and wildlife, but it poses a risk to human health as well. As such, it is vital that we take bigger steps to mitigate further damage, and social media has the power to help us do that.

The Problem: Plastic

The world is drowning in plastic. We are choking on it. The planet is essentially orbiting the sun with a plastic bag over its head, which is slowly cutting it off from the things it needs to survive — air, nutrients, and water. This is a brutal image, but it’s necessary to point out how serious of an issue plastic pollution is.

In 1950, only around 2 million tons of plastic were produced but in 2018, the world produced 359 million tons. That’s a 357 million increase over the course of only 70 years, which is a lot, and it’s only getting worse.

The problem is primarily single-use plastics, which are used for a wide range of products, such as grocery bags, food containers, and product packaging.

We use these kinds of plastics once and then throw them away, which leads to mountains of plastic piling up as the material can take hundreds of years to break down. And while these plastics are breaking down, they are leaching toxic chemicals into the ground and water systems.

Not only does plastic harm nature, but there is so much plastic all around us now that it is becoming detrimental to human health as well. Humans are now inhaling and ingesting thousands of microplastic particles each year, which can lead to respiratory issues, increased cancer risk, birth defects, fertility issues, and more.

The problem is also that despite recycling efforts, only a very small percentage of plastics actually get recycled, which leaves the rest to end up in landfills or polluting the oceans. Thus, the answer isn’t recycling, it’s a more effective change that comes from eliminating the unnecessary use of plastic in the first place.

The Solution: Social Media Campaigning

Social media isn’t the direct solution to plastic pollution, but it does have the power to effect greater change. Tackling plastic pollution is a collective responsibility, and social media is a tool that enables the collective whole to more easily work together to spread awareness and push for change.

Already, we are seeing the powerful effects of social media campaigning. For example, in 2015, photojournalist and activist James Wakiba started a social media campaign in Kenya using the hashtag #banplasticsKE to call for a ban on plastic bags, which led to others creating the hashtag #IsupportbanplasticsKE. And now, Kenya is banning all plastic bags.

Today, numerous social media campaigns around the world have contributed to increased awareness and even action being taken to combat the problem. Some examples include the Save Our Shores campaign, Zero Plastic Hero, Clear on Plastics, as well as the UN’s #BeatPlasticPollution and #PlasticFreeJuly campaigns.

These campaigns and more are so effective because, through social media, they’re able to reach so many more people than traditional campaigning methods. And once these campaigns reach the masses, they enable people to more easily come together to put pressure on local and global organizations and governments to take action.

How You Can Help

Though tackling plastic pollution might seem daunting, it’s really as simple as creating a hashtag and then using it in all of your social media posts.

The more posts you generate with that hashtag, the more the information you are sharing will spread.

Thanks to the power of social media, it can quickly spread like wildfire and easily reach thousands, even millions, of people in a matter of days or weeks.

When you create your hashtag, think of something specific that will stand out or even make it personal. For example, let’s say you want to start a campaign to stop the use of plastic packaging, you could create the hashtag #100DaysofNoPlastic and then use that hashtag to make posts about how you aren’t buying any products that come in plastic packaging for 100 days.

Every time you go shopping at the grocery store or anywhere else, make a post about the products you are buying and the ones you are avoiding because of plastic use.

The more you use the hashtag and the more you post, the more others will see what you are doing and share your content, and they will likely even start following suit and commit to their own #100DaysofNoPlastic.

The key is to weave the hashtag into all of your content, including Instagram posts, stories, reels, Twitter posts, and TikTok videos. You can also bolster your posts with other related hashtags to help your content reach more people, such as #plasticpollution, #climatechange, and #banplastics.

If you really want to get serious about it, you can even use analytics tools to track and measure the impacts of your social media campaigns. This can give you insights into what is working and what is not so you can make changes and adjustments to help your campaign be more effective moving forward.

Wrapping Up

Though you are only one person and creating your own little campaign might not seem like a big deal, it can rapidly turn into something significant when you wield the power of social media. The more people start doing things like this on social media, the more it will put pressure on the companies that are responsible for the manufacturing and use of plastics. It can even help put more pressure on governments to enact more effective policy changes to help cut down on plastic use.

[Featured Image Credit]

The world is in a struggle with plastic. It can’t seem to do without it and definitely can’t live with it. It litters the landscape, cloaks the drains and gutters and fills the canals, rivers and oceans.

The UN says ‘the world is choking on plastic’ and National Geographic says ‘the world is drowning in plastic’. 

ALSO READ: Nigeria Generates 1.5 Million Tonnes of Plastic Waste Every Year

Plastic is in almost everything. It is nearly everywhere. It is the true definition of ubiquitous. Experts concede that plastic waste is one of the major challenges to the environment and human existence.

Indeed, plastics hold the world in a vice-like grip. It is impossible to escape plastic. Plastic waste is a plague. 

The Principles for Responsible Investment in its 2019 report “The Plastics Landscape: The Challenges and Possible Solutions” asserts that across the globe plastic production and consumption are on the rise. And with less than 20 per cent of plastics recycled globally, it is no surprise that plastic waste is becoming more prevalent. 

Another factor here is that 40 per cent of global plastics production is for packaging and 95 per cent is single-use. So, growth in production and consumption pattern along with an inefficient waste management system continues to precipitate an increasing volume of plastic waste. 

Lagos alone generates 9000 metric tons of waste daily; 86% of the waste generated consists of plastic bottles and bags according to The Lagos State Waste Management Authority.

The real problem with plastic is that it does not break down naturally. The very properties that led to the rise in the adoption of plastics (durability, low density and non-degradability) are precisely why they are today an environmental nightmare. 

To tackle the threat of plastic overwhelming the world every hand has to be on board. The public, as well as private, sectors, must be involved and necessarily be willing to work together.

Plastics may be an environmental challenge, but they are equally a path to immense opportunities. Plastics can be a source of a great number of jobs and they are reused as raw materials for the production of other goods. Think of the circular economy: design, reuse, repair and recycling.

The Minister of Environment, Barr. Mohammed Abdullahi while speaking in Abuja at the inaugural meeting of the project steering committee for the plastic circular economy project, lamented that “only 45 per cent of waste in Nigeria are collected, 80 per cent of plastic waste goes to dump site while only 10 per cent is recycled.” The statistics are worrying. Suffice it to say that Nigeria has no efficient waste management system in place. Plastics are a menace. 

At the core of the plastic menace are PET bottles, or polyethene terephthalate bottles. PET bottles pose a significant environmental threat due to their non-biodegradable nature. When they end up in landfills or oceans, they can take hundreds of years to decompose and release harmful chemicals into the environment.

Additionally, discarded PET bottles can cause harm to wildlife, with many marine animals consuming them, leading to serious health consequences. The scale of the issue is significant, with billions of PET bottles produced annually, and only a fraction of them being recycled or properly disposed of.

To address the issue of plastic waste, we must explore how to tackle the proper disposal of PET bottles. 

To make a meaningful impact in addressing the issue of PET bottles, collaborative efforts are needed from bottlers, governments, and NGOs. In the fight for a sustainable future, collaboration is indispensable.

Firstly, bottlers can collaborate with governments and NGOs to support initiatives aimed at reducing plastic waste, such as awareness campaigns, recycling infrastructure improvements, and the promotion of reusable bottles.

Secondly, governments can work with bottlers and NGOs to establish policies and regulations that promote sustainable packaging practices and support research and innovation in alternative packaging materials and recycling technologies.

Thirdly, NGOs can play a critical role in raising awareness of the issue and promoting behavioural change among consumers. NGOs can work with governments and bottlers to support initiatives aimed at reducing plastic waste, including education and awareness campaigns.

Without active and sustained collaborative efforts the battle to curb PET doesn’t stand a chance. 

Specifically, while several potential solutions can be explored to curb the menace of plastic (PET) waste, four of them can be implemented immediately: 

Firstly, promote the use of reusable bottles, such as stainless steel or glass bottles. They can be used multiple times and do not contribute to plastic waste. This can be done through education and awareness campaigns, or by incentivizing the use of reusable bottles through discounts or other incentives.

Secondly, improve recycling infrastructure. This may include setting up more recycling centres, implementing effective collection systems, and creating markets for recycled PET. This can ensure that more PET bottles are recycled into new products, reducing the amount that ends up in the environment. Governments at the state and local levels must take the lead here.

Thirdly, governments can implement a bottle deposit system. Under this system, consumers pay a small fee when purchasing bottled drinks and receive a refund when returning the empty bottle. This system can incentivize consumers to return bottles for recycling, reducing the amount of waste that ends up in the environment. Bottlers must champion this and work actively with relevant government agencies. 

Fourthly, bottlers of drinks can explore the use of biodegradable alternatives to PET bottles. Here we are talking about plant-based materials that can decompose naturally in the environment. Additionally, bottlers can reduce the amount of packaging used, and support recycling efforts.

There is no one size fits all solution to the problem of plastic (PET) waste management. Every option must be explored; every solution considered. 

But more importantly, collaboration must be the watchword. In collaborating to tackle the menace of plastic pollution, we are engaged in a collective struggle for a sustainable future.