Students explore Sustainable Development Goal 12

But what exactly does this goal mean? And why should we know more about it? Ultimately, it is many things. Like sharing what we have with others and not taking more than our share, it is about cleaning up your own room, but also about keeping tidy an even bigger “room” that belongs to everyone!  It is thinking about what you need rather than taking what you want and taking care of the planet and its creatures through our actions.  We looked at some of these definitions at the international school during an SDG Educational outreach that focused on SDG 12.

We had an interesting discussion with the 4th graders on each individuals’ contribution toward waste production. The students reflected on their habits and contributions to the creation of waste. We also unpacked where our waste ends up and envisioned the “mountains” of garbage at the local dumpsite. A fun activity had students guessing how long it takes garbage to decompose. The students enjoyed guessing the period but were simultaneously shocked at how long some of our household items will lie at dumpsites.

There was brainstorming on ideas for actions students can take at school and home to reduce their footprint on the environment.

At the end of the session, there was agreement that being a responsible consumer means cutting waste and making conscious decisions based on the impact on the environment. The environment has no voice, and it is important to speak out on its behalf. Many businesses are already implementing coordinated activities to ensure responsible consumption and production in the manufacturing process and in economic activities. Under SDG 12, there are 11 targets to achieve which include reducing food waste, sustainable management of resources, reducing waste generation, responsible management of chemicals and waste as well as promoting a sustainable lifestyle around the world.

We also discussed food waste and ways to reduce it; we looked at recycling, compost heaps, less packaging, and ways to upcycle and reuse items such as clothing, toys, etc. The students made deductions on the goal’s meaning from the SDG 12 logo; discussing the symbol used and what the infinity symbol means. They could also draw the connection between resource use, that some resources in nature are finite while others are infinite and how this affects the production of certain things in the economy.

The class committed to sharing their ideas with the UN Information Centre team and the UN Resident Coordinator on ways they can make a difference and take action at school. The class participated in a recycling activity and enjoyed a special video message explaining responsible consumption and production by Thomas the Tank Engine and friends.  What an exciting occasion for the UN Information Centre to meet 44 new champions for the SDGs and for the environment. Thank you to the teachers for the invitation and the students for their active participation during the visit. Small steps and small actions can go a long way!