Towards a Reduced Pollution Society: Systematic Review on the Role of Storytelling, Social Media, Humor and Celebrities’ Influence for Research Communication

: Humanity's pollutive activities pose significant threats to biodiversity, agricultural productivity

Thousands of youngsters had unsafe levels of lead (Pb) in their blood, and hundreds of kids and animals have perished throughout the region because of lead (Pb) tainted ore pollution (CDC/NCEZID, 2016; Otitoloju, 2016).The neurological system, kidneys, bones, and the brain are some of the physiological systems vulnerable to the deleterious effect of lead contamination in the human ecosystem.Other potential sources of groundwater contamination include leaking septic tanks, oil spillage, pesticides, and fertilizers (Raimi et al., 2020;Hussain et al., 2021;Asiegu et al., 2022;Modupe et al., 2023).These can cause epidemics of disease that can decimate populations, such as cholera and typhoid fever (Raimi et al., 2017).However, the suffocating tide of plastic waste brought on by high volume production, heavy single-use, and careless disposal of plastic wastes may encourage the spread of microplastics as the oceans are teeming with plastic, with upwards of 170 trillion particles floating around (see figure 1 below).Plastic entering the world's waters is predicted to rise to roughly 2.6 times its 2016 level by 2040 (Lebreton et al, 2020).According to reports, drastic policy changes are required to shift responsibility from consumers to producers.Producers of plastic products should bear greater responsibility for managing the waste generated by their products.The research findings underscore the imperative for the formulation of new policies geared towards addressing various facets of pollution (Dine et al., 2023).Notably, there is a pressing need to concentrate efforts on curbing the production and usage of single-use plastics, advocating for the adoption of sustainable alternatives, and enhancing waste management infrastructure (Omoyajowo et al., 2021;Omoyajowo et al., 2022a, b).Also, pesticide misuse, exemplified by substances like DDT and other persistent chemicals, represents an additional environmental challenge with the potential for severe consequences.These chemicals can accumulate in the food chain, posing a significant threat to ecosystems and disrupting their natural balance (Raimi et al., 2021;Raimi et al., 2022a, b;Saliu et al., 2023;Sylvester et al., 2023;Jacob et al., 2023;Ayibatonyo et al., 2024a, b).While, air pollution remains a multifaceted problem, is predominantly attributed to various sources, including automobile emissions, open-air burning of waste, careless disposal of e-waste, and the combustion of fossil fuels (refer to figure 2 below) (Raimi et al., 2018;Raimi et al., 2020;Raimi et al., 2021;Clinton et al., 2022;Raufu et al., 2023;Yusuf et al., 2023;Rauf and Raimi, 2023).Particularly in densely populated cities of developing nations such as Nigeria and India, elevated levels of air pollution are a recurrent issue.This arises from the persistent accumulation of particles and greenhouse gases emitted by industrial OMOYAJOWO, KO; RAIMI, MO; OMOYAJOWO, KA; MAKENGO, MB; ADEGBOYO, S; INNOCENT, DC; ONI, S; OGUNTUYI, J; OYEDIRAN, A; OGUNYEBI, A; KAKWI, D activities, heating processes, and transportation.Notably, methane and carbon dioxide emissions stand out as significant contributors to global warming, posing serious threats to both human health and biodiversity (Raimi et al., 2021;Raimi et al., 2022a, b;Saliu et al., 2023;Sylvester et al., 2023;Jacob et al., 2023;Ayibatonyo et al., 2024a, b).A striking statistic further accentuates the global scale of the issue, revealing that the United States and China are responsible for 14% and 30% of the world's emissions, respectively (ClimateTrade, 2021).The overarching goal of pollution control efforts is to mitigate the adverse impacts on human health, wildlife, and ecosystems while steering towards a sustainable future for the planet.However, the challenge is particularly formidable in less developed nations where the scale of pollution frequently surpasses the capacity of existing control measures.Examining a specific case, the Niger-Delta crisis exemplifies the dire consequences of overexploitation and gas flaring activities, leading to a series of misfortunes for local communities (see figure 2 below).In the core Niger Delta, decrepit refineries and illegal refining operations significantly contribute to air pollution, affecting areas as far as 120 miles south in Port Harcourt including Bayelsa and Delta state, a city with a population of 1.4 million and situated at the heart of Nigeria's oil-producing region (Searcey, 2018).The bustling metropolis of Lagos, formerly Nigeria's capital and currently home to approximately 22 million residents, is grappling with a multifaceted pollution challenge emanating from the extensive use of aging buses, cars, and trucks.These vehicles predominantly rely on high-sulfur diesel and gasoline, resulting in not only road congestion but also posing significant health risks to the densely populated city.The health implications for Lagos residents are alarming, with an estimated 6-10 million people anticipated to suffer from enduring health defects.These consequences span a spectrum from fertility complications to a heightened risk of succumbing to non-communicable diseases (NCDs), particularly cancer.The prevalence of NCDs has exhibited a worrying trend, with the global incidence of cancer alone witnessing a 40% increase in just over a decade.In 2019, NCDs accounted for a staggering three out of four deaths worldwide, a stark rise from 57% in 1990 (Gunsburg et al., 2017;Denny et al., 2017).This upward trajectory served as a catalyst for the United Nations' political declaration on NCDs and the subsequent adoption of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) target 3.  (Ogunyebi et al, 2018;Omoyajowo et al, 2018).The gravity of the situation calls for a concerted effort from policymakers, urban planners, healthcare professionals, and the community at large to enact sustainable changes that will mitigate the immediate risks and pave the way for a healthier, more resilient future for Lagos and beyond (Raimi et al., 2018;Raimi et al., 2020;Raimi et al., 2021;Clinton-Ezekwe et al., 2022).The prevalence of chronic obstructive lung diseases among these vulnerable populations is underscored by the data presented in (figures 3, 4, and 5 below).Ebi (2019), the illustration provides instances of potential exposure pathways, susceptibilities, and likely health outcomes that establish the connection between climate change and the health of children.The term PTSD signifies post-traumatic stress disorder.

OMOYAJOWO, KO
Adding to the gravity of the situation is the prevalence of fine black soot, attributed by some to official refineries and by others to illegal oil processing operations outside the city.Amidst the bureaucratic debates between federal and state governments over culpability for the pollution soot in Port Harcourt, the visible fallout is the city's infrastructure and its inhabitants being coated with the black dust.A radio host and co-founder of #StopTheSoot, a grassroots campaign in Rivers State advocating for clean air, aptly describes the situation, stating, "It's covering my feet's soles.It's contaminating my food.It's just a little frightening."This vivid depiction underscores the urgent need for comprehensive and coordinated efforts to address the multifaceted challenges posed by air pollution in Nigeria.Unfortunately, Nigeria and many developing climes are grappling with a lack of essential statutory capabilities and financial provisions to effectively manage the far-reaching consequences of industrialization.A prevailing belief among government officials persists that "pollution is the price to pay for much-needed industrialization." Despite the considerable revenue generated from petroleum exploration, which significantly underpins the country's investments and expenditures, the detrimental aftermath of oil spills from wells and pipelines presents a dire environmental challenge.Numerous studies, including those by Raimi and Sabinus (2017), Suleiman et al. (2019), Afolabi and Raimi (2021), Ifeanyichukwu et al. (2022), and others (Raimi et al., 2019;Raimi et al., 2022a, b;Raimi and Sawyerr, 2022;Raimi et al., 2022a, b, c;Olalekan et al., 2023;Raimi et al., 2023), have meticulously documented the pervasive impact of oil spills on farmland and water bodies.This has led to the contamination of crucial resources and exposed residents to toxic chemicals.The compounding effect of these environmental disruptions includes catastrophic fish extinctions and a significant decline in local food production, exacerbating poverty in communities within the Niger Delta.The World Bank's 2016 report sheds light on the staggering volume of gas flared in Nigeria, amounting to 15.1 billion cubic meters (BCM), equivalent to one-sixth of the total gas flared globally (see figure 6 below).This chart visually emphasizes the extensive prevalence of gas flaring in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, often occurring in close proximity to densely populated areas.The ramifications of these industrial practices extend beyond immediate environmental concerns, creating a socio-economic crisis with profound implications for local communities.The lack of effective governmental oversight exacerbates the challenges, underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive policies and regulatory frameworks to address the environmental toll of industrialization in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, scientists have regarded pollution as the largest environmental cause of premature death on the planet.It was estimated to have killed 8.3 million people in 2019.In 2018, it was reported that air pollution caused by PM led to the death of about 11,200 persons, the highest number in West Africa for that year (Croitoru et al, 2020).It was further reported that the highest number of casualties (about 60%) were children under five years of age mainly because of lower respiratory infections (Croitoru et al, 2020).For 2019, UNICEF reported that this figure had risen to 78% (UNICEF, 2021).The adverse effects of pollution are felt globally not just in terms of premature deaths, but also the impacts on health and ability to enjoy a normal life (see figure 3, 4 & 5 above).The DALY (Disability-Adjusted Life Year) metric can be used to assess and quantify the health impacts of pollution, as exposure to environmental pollution can contribute to disease burden and disability.Pollution, especially air pollution, has been linked to a wide range of health effects, including respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, cancers, and other adverse health outcomes that can result in years of life lost and years lived with disability, which can be captured by the DALY metric.On the other hand, the burden of disease caused by pollution can also contribute to the overall disease burden of a population, affecting the DALYs.
For example, a study conducted by the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) project estimated that ambient particulate matter pollution was responsible for 4.1 million premature deaths and 103 million DALYs globally in 2019 (Cohen et al., 2020).Another similar study estimated that household air pollution from cooking with solid fuels was responsible for 2.6 million premature deaths and 74.9 million DALYs globally in 2019 (Dandona et al., 2018).These studies highlight the significant health burden associated with pollution and its impact on DALYs.Furthermore, pollution and its associated health impacts can also have overwhelming social and economic implications, potentially exacerbating existing inequalities and affecting vulnerable populations disproportionately.For example, populations living in lowincome communities or in areas with high levels of pollution may experience higher exposure to pollutants and suffer from increased health impacts, leading to a higher burden of disease and disability, as well as reduced quality of life, which can be captured by the DALY metric (Hogben et al., 2020).

OMOYAJOWO, KO; RAIMI, MO; OMOYAJOWO, KA; MAKENGO, MB; ADEGBOYO, S; INNOCENT, DC;
ONI, S; OGUNTUYI, J; OYEDIRAN, A; OGUNYEBI, A; KAKWI, D   et al., 2019;Afolabi and Raimi, 2021;Raimi et al., 2022a;Raimi and Sawyerr, 2022).Outrageous numbers of cars and trucks in developing nations won't even pass emission tests, lots of these vehicles are very obsolete and in bad shape which undeniably releases noxious oil vapors, fumes, noise, radiation and heat, all of which are detrimental to the environment.In many instances, commuters held by traffic gridlock especially in the cities directly inhaled these poisonous substances.In many low income populations, indoor air pollution, largely caused by poor ventilation and smoke from cook stoves and heating fires, and water pollution from unsafe sanitation is rampant.Addressing the pollution issues in developing nations may be quite difficult and more so, with the huge deficit in environmental awareness, waste disposal infrastructure coupled with the increasing population and high demand for industrialization, hence, it is even more complicated.
It is easy to understand that combating the current tragic ecological trend necessitates new ecological solutions, multilateral strategies, and careful navigation.This is because the devastating COVID 19 pandemic has added to the already overwhelming burden of global environmental pollution (Raimi and Raimi, 2020 al., 2020;Raimi et al., 2020;Omoyajowo et al., 2021), particularly through increased single use of health and safety products such as masks and gloves.Individuals, communities, and enterprises must consciously alter our modes of production, distribution, and consumption if we are to leave behind a clean planet for future generations.Hence, only through environmental education, which informs the populace of how their actions affect the environment, could this attempt be made realistic.The OECD (2018) has offered quite a few suggestions and doable actions to reduce the pollution threat on a worldwide scale.These comprise performing a thorough examination of nitrogen transfer channels while utilizing a risk approach that is geographically targeted.Reducing the dangers associated with water, soil, and air pollution as well as the threats to connected ecosystems is the aim.Other recommendations center on using a global risk approach to manage the ongoing rise in nitrous oxide concentrations in the atmosphere.A precautionary approach must also be used to anticipate the sometimes-significant long-term implications and the uncertainties surrounding the cascading effects.The saying "If you are not part of the solution, you are going to be part of the problem," as famously said by Leroy Eldridge Cleaver, can be related to environmental responsibility in the sense that it emphasizes the importance of taking an active role in solving environmental issues rather than contributing to the problem through inaction or indifference.By merely inspiring and educating others to actively participate in discovering answers, storytelling, humor, and celebrities' influence could help individuals or communities be part of the solution rather than being part of the pollution.
These initiatives could inspire people to collaborate and pique their sincere interest to actively participate in efforts to protect and sustainably manage natural resources, reduce pollution, and mitigate the impacts of climate change.There are many connections between people and the environment.The environment determines human behavior because humans are at the mercy of the environment (environmental determinism), but it also acknowledges that humans can shape and control the environment (environmental possibilism).This is a complete synthesis of environmental determinism and environmentalism.Therefore, human activities have a significant impact on the environment, and those effects have a negative impact on human health and quality of life (Amiolemen and Omoyajowo, 2016).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
How could storytelling entrench pro-environmental behaviors?: Storytelling has long received great momentum as a tool of positive impact enabling civil society to execute their humanitarian obligation specially to raise awareness, sensitize, educate, mobilize, and inform the communities about a reasonable course of action.One thing is to communicate, another thing is to effectively communicate and draw the attention of the audience (Rasplus, 2017).Storytelling has that power to connect the critical essence of a message, awareness program or campaign to the audience.The reality is that more than just awareness, or sensitization on environmental discourse is needed to reinforce pro-environmental behaviors.Constant environmental education, advocacies and mentoring would be required to make a big impact on this learned course.More so, specific details about environmental events need to be consciously conveyed through storytelling to attract attention.The question "Who are storytellers?Ensures.Storytellers are literally individuals that bring to existence strong seductive and convincing power that very often involves the vivid description of ideas, beliefs, personal experiences and life lessons to people or organizations (Simmons, 2001;Serrat, 2008;Weedon, 2018).Storytelling is therefore an interactive art that consists of using words and/or actions to reveal the elements and images of one or more stories while encouraging the imagination of its audience in the sense of convincing, seducing, or impacting them of something-capturing their attention, stimulating their desire for change, and winning their conviction using reasoned arguments (Denning, 2007;NSN, 2021).These stories, which can be simple anecdotes, narratives, or entire speeches, can also serve to convey complex [or latent] messages more effectively and powerfully, based on the principle that "emotion makes one more receptive" (Durand, 2011).Imagine the great outcome of communicating an environmental crisis or the impact of people's action towards environmental degradation through storytelling.Flurry of articles have pinpointed how storytelling could help reduce air pollution in vulnerable regions, populous cities, and severely polluted regions (Baden, 2020;NCAS, 2022).For instance, when air pollution hit alarming levels in India, a few years back, Tamseel Hussain and a group of mobile storytelling and social media experts built the platform "Let me breathe" taken to the streets to tell pollution stories, connecting their stories to the global narrative on sustainability and climate emergency.Baden (2020) opined that increasing awareness, news and fiction stories with positive role models which focus on the positive outcomes of solutions are more likely to inspire actions to solve it.A recent study explored how people respond to stories that frame environmental issues in different ways.Respondents were made to read two short stories that had a solution focus with a positive tone and two with a negative tone and catastrophic focus (order counterbalanced).They were asked how each story made them feel directly after reading it.
Result of findings revealed that positive stories inspire greater action and interactions to change behavior and more positive emotions for most people (Baden, 2020).Indeed, it has become a global necessity for all human societies to acculturate eco-friendly behaviors across the spheres and strata of such society.Hence, in an age where people are more present on social media platforms than physical workshops, where tweets have more distant reach than television announcements and where there is a new language of interest and passion, storytelling presents a more effective tool for communicating the findings of research.Unlike traditional strategies for research communication, the potentials of storytelling cut across age, culture, and religion.
In recent times, storytelling has evolved in dynamic dimensions.The contemporary forms of storytelling include the use of cartoons, animated movies, creative artworks such as paintings, short film skits, live comedy performances, etc.Beyond the reach of folklore, these recently emerged channels of storytelling present more effective tools of communication and dissemination of ideas.Hence, there has never been a more ideal time to explore and strategically harness the potentials of these channels of storytelling as a medium by which the proenvironmental behaviors are effectively communicated.For instance, Disney movies have established its reach in hundreds of millions of homes across the globe for over two decades.In assessing its influence on its audience, usually teens and adolescents, it has been argued that Disney movies have changed the way the world is seen (Gray, 2019).In late 2022, the New York Times published a story of how a four-year-old boy learnt about climate change and global warming through the Netflix cartoon that he watched.The creative manner by which the effect of global warming was staged through animation had a long lasting impact on the mind of the preschooler.(Davenport, 2022).In fact, these animated films portend an effective way of infusing basic teachings on eco-friendly behaviors into the academic curricula at the elementary and high school levels.More importantly, the animated movies truly present the effective medium by which pro-environmental behaviors are graphically demonstrated and psychologically imprinted on the minds of teens and adolescents.In 2016, one of the most-watched trending videos on the internet was a short video skit Problem" narrated the illuminating story of the effects of environmental pollution on the soil.In his story, he described the loss of carbon from the soil, the movement of the carbon into the air, the effects on the greenhouse and concluded on how the planting of trees can help to reabsorb carbon from the atmosphere back into the soil.Similarly, the Conservation International produced a very sensitizing two-minute video where the voices of popular celebrity narrators were used to portray the voices of various elements of nature: ocean, rainforest, water, etc.In this video titled "Nature is Speaking", the influences of these known story celebrity narrators were harnessed to propel environmental stewardship (Melkonian, 2016).Yet again, creative artists use their paintings or drawings to narrate stories that often have strong imaginative impacts on the minds of people.Throughout history, creative arts are a medium by which historical events or culture are preserved or an idea is critiqued.In recent years, the creative art industry, especially in Europe and America, has shown profound commitment to the broad-based collaborative efforts to promote environmental sustainability.Hence, some notable artists have used the power of creative arts to tell the story of how human activities have decimated the earth (Serota, 2018).One of those renowned artists who has committed his arts into promoting the environment and telling the story of the effects of climate change is Olafur Eliasson.Eliasson's artworks titled "Earth Perspective" described the inclusion of plants, animals, and other natural elements as part of humanity that needs to be protected (Lee, 2020).During the 2019 United Nations Climate Action Summit, Eliasson made a powerful art presentation which is described as "art's ability to provoke emotional, visceral responses to climate changesomething that data points and statistics often struggle to do" (Lee, 2020).Eventually, he was appointed as a Goodwill Ambassador for Climate Action by the United Nations Development Program.In the same vein, the artworks of Mary Mattingly, John Akomfrah, Agnes Denes, Tomas Saraceno are also recognized for eco-promoting creative arts which has demonstrated strong influence on people's perspective about global warming, climate change, etc.The global concerted efforts geared towards environmental sustainability must be strategically complemented with the adoption of unconventional mechanisms of communicating research on environmental issues.One of these potent methods is storytelling.

How could Celebrities help to influence an ecofriendlier world?:
The entertainment industry across the globe has, in recent times, experienced a wave of sensitization on environmental issues such as global warming, climate change, pollution, etc.Thus, there has been some developing focus on the actors within the entertainment industry and their potential influence in promoting an eco-friendly society.Celebrities in various parts of the world have used their platforms and influence to drive awareness about environmental pollution and encourage individuals and organizations to take actions to combat it.In 2020, Billie Eilish, an American young artiste, announced that she would be voyaging on a 'Green Tour'.Being one of the country's most popular teens, as at then, her announcement went viral and received wide social media attention, especially with respect for her ecoactivism (Campbell, 2020).In her statement, she said: "there will be no plastic straws allowed, the fans are going to bring their own water bottles.There's going to be recycled cans everywhere, because it's like, if something's recyclableit doesn't matter unless there's a recycle bin" (Campbell, 2020).Indeed, this presents a classic example of how celebrities can strongly promote eco-friendly behaviors, considering their influence on millions of people across the globe.Similarly, in the year 2020, one of the popular UKbased pop rock bands -The 1975 announced that its next performance concert would be powered by Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), which is a ecofriendly renewable diesel fuel with almost 90% carbon reduction.(Campbell, 2020).This posture sends a very strong message to their fans as to the need to cultivate activities that are eco-friendly.Moreover, it provides clearer understanding to their fans on what behavioral patterns should be adopted or otherwise reduced in OMOYAJOWO, KO; RAIMI, MO; OMOYAJOWO, KA; MAKENGO, MB; ADEGBOYO, S; INNOCENT, DC; ONI, S; OGUNTUYI, J; OYEDIRAN, A; OGUNYEBI, A; KAKWI, D order to promote environmental responsibility.In practical terms, the involvement of celebrities in promoting sustainability helps in the wider spread of environmentalism into spaces where convention campaigns do not reach.Consequently, eco-activism is sweeping through Europe's creative entertainment industry.In the United Kingdom and Ireland, many eco-promoting initiatives by several nongovernmental organizations have been established within the industry to galvanize awareness among the fans about eco-friendly responsibilities (Campbell, 2020).Some of the ways in which these celebrities have helped include: Raising Awareness: Some celebrities have used their social media accounts to share information about environmental issues and encourage their followers to act.They have also used their fame to bring attention to environmental issues that may not be well-known or receiving enough media coverage.For instance, the renowned actor and environmental activist, Leonardo DiCaprio, has been using his social media platforms on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook to share information about environmental issues, climate change, and wildlife conservation (DiCaprio, 2020).Participating in campaigns and events: Some celebrities have participated in environmental campaigns and events, such as tree-planting, beach clean-up, and conservation awareness campaigns.DiCaprio has also promoted environmental documentaries and campaigns, such as the documentary "Before the Flood" and the Global Citizen campaign for climate action (DiCaprio, 2020) Advocating for policy change: Some celebrities are using their influence to advocate for stricter regulations and enforcement of environmental laws.Some have also used their platform to call for the protection of endangered species, and the reduction of carbon emissions.For instance, the actor and environmental activist, Mark Ruffalo, uses his social media platforms to raise awareness on climate change, renewable energy, and anti-fracking campaigns and has also used his social media presence to advocate for policy changes and promote environmental initiatives (Ruffalo, 2021).Supporting environmental organizations: Some celebrities are using their financial resources to support environmental courses and organizations.They have also used their platform to promote environmental organizations and encourage their followers to donate or volunteer.The supermodel and environmental activist, Gisele Bündchen, uses her social media accounts to raise awareness about environmental issues, sustainability, and conservation and to educate her followers about the impacts of deforestation, climate change, and other environmental challenges.Bündchen also uses her social media presence to advocate for sustainable lifestyle choices and support environmental organizations (Bündchen, 2019).Using their art to raise awareness: Some celebrities are using their arts e.g.; music, acting, and writing, to raise awareness about environmental issues.For example, In the United States, celebrities such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Al Gore, Mark Ruffalo and Cameron Diaz have used their fame to bring attention to issues such as climate change, deforestation, and conservation.In China and Nigeria, celebrities like Jackie Chan, Li Bingbing, Yao Ming, David Adedeji Adeleke (Davido), Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome Kuti (Fela Anikulapo Kuti), Innocent Ujah Idibia (2Baba), Tiwatope Savage (Tiwa Savage), Olawale Ibrahim Ashimi (Brymo), Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun (Wizkid), Inetimi Timaya Odon (Timaya), Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu (Burna Boy) and Adeolu Akinsanya have used their influence to promote environmental causes such as wildlife conservation and pollution control.In India and other parts of the world, actors and musicians like Dia Mirza, Aamir Khan, John Abraham, Celine Marie Claudette Dion and Michael Joseph Jackson have been actively working on creating awareness about environment and sustainability.Recent communications are mindful of the role of celebrities in the fight against environmental degradation.Celebrities are literally those who gained fame through their art of creativity, those famous humorists, storytellers, boxers, sports celebrities, prolific writers, cartoonists, journalists, cartoonists, songwriters, film writers and performing artists, TV/Radio presenters etc. Celebrities are known for their strong social influence on people through their talents or acts of creativity on virtual platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, Twitter, Youtube.Prominent personalities use their fame as a platform to influence others on issues or topics of interest (Brown & Tiggemann, 2021).One of the many attributes of celebrities is their gigantic audience, they have millions of followers, mentees and proud supporters who are active listeners of their messages.Yoo (2015) argues that because people often chose celebrities as role models, hence, the influence they promote ostensibly impacts population and/or societal culture in either a positive or negative way.Hence, it is easier for them to get the message on the crusade against pollution easily across to their gigantic audience through various channels (Penz, 2021;De Andrade Júnior, 2018;Arnold, 2018).Of course, some celebrities, the likes of Leonardo Dicaprio, Shailene Woodley, Robert Redford, James Cromwell have started this movement (Finn, 2020) Their messages and lifestyle would therefore awaken genuine interest in environmentalism, more people will be aware, sensitized, educated, and even be mobilized to take serious steps towards saving the planet from further environmental degradation.In other words, through their great commitment and increased influence, they can quickly give weight to collective ecological actions and positively increase the trend of wanting green economies via them.Society can quickly change its ecological behavior both in production and distribution and in consumption.By having not only a word at the marketing point of various production and distribution industries, but also influence on consumption and lifestyle, these social actors have strong potential to push both towards green industries and ecological households thus to the production units and populations respectful of the new environmental deals, which should most likely lead towards a reduced pollution society.(Tabares, 2009).Therefore, some people believe that since humor eliminates fear, it can easily be used to influence people's behavior depending on how it is channeled since humor is one language that everyone can understand.With humor, great hurdles and anxiety are dealt with and hence, making your audience feel relaxed and comfortable.Humorist refers to an author whose intellectual, written, or visual production contains and manifests humor, that is, causes amusement or laughter (McGhee, 1979;McGhee and Goldstein, 1983;Carlson, 2011).Humorists may largely embody the playwrights, writers, cartoonists, journalists, cartoonists, songwriters, film writers and performing artists.A recent report described humor as viable means of communicating with diplomacy and tact to ameliorate awkward situations and assuage tense ones and more so, to help initiate and perpetuate a cycle of individual and social-level positive affect (UC, 2022).Humor events are defined as "discrete social behaviors that a producer (humorist) intentionally creates for an audience that influences audience positive affect."Such positive effects can be transmitted to others through emotional contagion, or the idea that emotional states are contagious; to illustrate, consider how you feel when you are around someone who is depressed, versus someone who is happy and uplifting (UC, 2022).We believe humor events especially when tailored within the "environmental responsibility context" may exert influence on individual and group feelings (affect) and build a foundation for additional behavioral change.
The incongruity theory asserts that humor "results from the experience of incongruity and its appreciation or resolution."For example, stand-alone jokes work because they simultaneously evoke two seemingly unrelated systems of expectation.The "punch line" bridges these systems to resolve the incongruity.It can generally get your point across with less effort and verbiage.The Wheel Model of Humor argues that individual humor events between just two people are important for a few reasons.From the first standpoint, they create positive feelings (positive affect) in the other person and in the other part, this positive affect can be shared with others, influencing a group or the two-person dynamic (UC, 2022).Humor events easily break down barriers between people regardless of the situation, race, color, gender, religion etc.People believe that If you can share a laugh with someone, you have connected with that person.The defenses come down, and there's a desire to continue the dialog.Shared amusement and laughter help assure that both participants in the conversation will remember the good feeling they had long after the content is forgotten.People with a great sense of humor when adequately sensitized on environmental issues, they would be able to create humor events that may shape environmental attitudes and further influence societal norms and values.For instance, laughter has some unique properties of its own.Humor will make you laugh, and the sound of hearing people laugh will make others laugh, physiologically.Humor is central around the world pressing environmental issues (e.g., climate change which is a real and undeniable threat to our entire civilization.The effects are already visible and will be catastrophic unless we act now) will awaken genuine concerns for environmental responsibility (figure 8).Through education, innovation and adherence to our climate commitments, we can make the necessary changes to protect the planet.These changes also provide huge opportunities to modernize our infrastructure which will create new jobs and promote greater prosperity across the globe.This is because people who are lost in the middle of a humor event are most likely to ask their colleagues, or counterparts on the jokes that have been said.In other words, humor can be important to developing a sense of identity, learning and community responsibility.Therefore, a comedic message against environmental damage will echo in a listener's mind, unconsciously reminding themselves of the issues at hand.Eventually, this constant reminder will develop a mere exposure effect towards sustainability, connecting themselves with the topic.This humor effect towards environmental protection will further stimulate a determination to contribute to this movement.For instance, many hotels ask guests to make a general contribution to eco-friendly action, such as turning off lights when leaving or reusing towels.Without further motivation, consumers act in the same way they always do.However, customers are more inclined to participate and take eco-friendly action when hotels give a "Friend of the Earth" lapel pin to those who are more devoted (UK Essays, 2018).Humor eases tension, which further fosters civil discourse to propagate sustainable ideology and encourages more individuals to mention environmentally good practices.In similar circumstances, encouragement increases people's selfesteem and fosters a positive attitude toward the challenging sustainability issues.

Conclusion:
This paper systematically reviews the import of storytelling, humor, and other elements of social influence as another paradigm perspective to consider in environmental campaigns especially towards advancing a cleaner society.Whilst creating awareness, sharing impactful narratives of proenvironmental behaviors, climate solutions and fostering genuine concern for environmental sustainability via inclusive engagement of the public, government, and civil society actors is pivotal, storytelling, and the innovative use of humor, and social media emerges as a powerful tool to reinforce positive behavior change and motivate collective action for environmental protection.

Fig 1 .Fig 2 .
Fig 1.The average number of plastic particles in the world Ocean.Source: Adapted from https://qz.com

Fig 4 .
Fig 4. Major Health Risks Associated with Climate Change.Illustrated are instances of potential health outcomes and exposure pathways that establish the connection between climate change and human health, accompanied by factors influencing the extent and nature of associated risks.This figure draws from various sources, such as Ebi et al. (2018),Smith et al. (2014), the World Health Organization (2014),Hallegatte et al. (2015), andMissirian and Schlenker (2017), and is not intended to provide a comprehensive overview.

Fig 5 .
Fig 5. Pollution, Climate Change, and Cardiovascular Disease.Positive and negative signs signify factors that amplify or alleviate pollution, respectively.The shorthand notations include As for arsenic, BPA for bisphenol A, Cd for cadmium, Hg for mercury, NOx for oxides of nitrogen, O3 for ozone, Pb for lead, PCBs for polychlorinated biphenyls, PFAS for perfluoroalkyl substances, PM for particulate matter, PM2.5 for particulate matter with an aerodynamic mass median diameter less than 2.5μm, SOx for oxides of sulfur, and VOC for volatile organic compounds.

Fig 7 .
Fig 7. Factors affecting Disability Adjusted Life Year Global Alliance on Health and Population (2019).

Fig 3. Susceptibilities in Fetuses, Infants, and Children Associated with Climate Change and Exposures. Adapted from Haines and
. With the rise of Towards a Reduced Pollution Society: Systematic Review on the Role…..