By Diran Laolu

Professor Aina O. Adeogun, Head of the Department of Zoology, University of Ibadan, has urged students to adopt environmentally responsible habits and reduce their dependence on single-use plastics to protect human health and the environment.

Professor Adeogun made the call during activities marking World Cleanup Day at the University of Ibadan on Saturday, September 19, 2026.

Speaking on the relationship between human activities and environmental health, Prof. Adeogun said, “Whatever we are giving to the environment, the environment is giving back to us.”

She noted that changes in lifestyle and the increasing use of disposable materials had contributed to growing environmental concerns.

According to her, earlier generations relied more on reusable materials, particularly glass containers, before the widespread adoption of disposable plastic products.

“We didn’t have plastics that much then. It was more of glass. And that’s why when there’s a party, you are struggling after your Coke bottles because you need to get your money back,” she said.

Prof. Adeogun explained that the pursuit of convenience had encouraged the production and use of single-use items such as sachet-water nylons, disposable plates, plastic bags and PET bottles.

She expressed concern over the indiscriminate disposal of these materials, particularly among students and other members of society.

“Some of us, when we go to the market to buy things, we want to collect a nylon for everything we buy, even if it’s 50 Naira. And all those 13, 14 nylons, we drop them,” she said.

She also raised concerns about chemicals used in some plastic products, including phthalates, and urged people to be more conscious of how plastics are handled and exposed to heat.

Prof. Adeogun linked environmental practices to public health, noting that environmental exposures can contribute to health risks alongside other factors.

She urged students to look beyond attributing health challenges solely to supernatural causes and to pay greater attention to lifestyle and environmental factors.

“Most of the time, it is because of our lifestyle and the way we interact with our environment,” she said.

The Head of the Department of Zoology identified prevention as an important approach to addressing environmental challenges.

“The easiest way to save our world is to do what we call prevention. Prevention is better than cure,” she stated.

She therefore encouraged students to minimise their use of single-use plastics, dispose of waste responsibly and become more conscious of their individual contributions to environmental pollution.