GLOBAL

GOALS
Sustainability Action Week
7th of June
RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION AND
PRODUCTION

Ensure Sustainable Production and Consumption Patterns

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Introduction:
What are the Global Goals?

In 2015, 193 world leaders had created 17 global goals for Sustainable Development, these
goals shall be completed in 2030. The Global Goals were made to end poverty, end hunger,
reduce inequalities and many more. The seventeen global goals are;1. No poverty, 2. Zero
hunger, 3. Good health and well-being, 4. Quality education, 5. Gender equality, 6. Clean water
and sanitization, 7. Clean and affordable energy, 8. Decent work and economic growth, 9.
Industry innovation and infrastructure, 10. Reduced inequalities, 11. Sustainable cities and
communities, 12. Responsible consumption and production, 13. Climate action, 14. Life below
water, 15. Life on land, 16. Peace justice and strong institutions and finally,17. Partnership
for the goals.

The Global Goals are also

known as the SDGs. They
were launched after the
successful Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs)
and now they are aiming to
end all forms of poverty and
hunger, gender inequalities
and waste.

What are the Millennium Development Goals?

The Millennium Development goals were established in 2000, making it the largest gathering
of world leader in history. They made a new global partnership in the hopes of reducing
extreme poverty and waste. The ending date of the Millennium Development Goals was
2015. They were the worlds time bound targets to address the extreme poverty, hunger,
disease, lack of education and other world problems. The following targets were part of the
Millennium Development goals: 1.
Eradicate Extreme Hunger and Poverty,
2. Achieve Universal Primary Education,
3. Promote Gender Equality and
Empower Woman, 4. Reduce Child
Mortality, 5. Improve Maternal Health, 6.
Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other
diseases, 7. Ensure Environment

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Sustainability and 8. Develop a Global Partnership for Development.

What are the similarities between the two?

Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger: No Poverty (1), Zero Hunger (2) and Responsible
Consumption and Production (12).

Achieve Universal Primary Education: Quality Education (4).

Promote Gender Equality and Empower Woman: Gender Equality (5) and Reduced
Inequalities (10).

Reduce Child Mortality, Improve Maternal Health and Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and
other diseases: Good Health and Well-Being (3).

Ensure Environment Sustainability: Climate Action (13), Life Below Water (14), Life on
Water (15) and Affordable and Clean Energy (7).

Global Partnership for Development: Partnership for the Goals (17).

What is Responsible Consumption and Production?

Responsible consumption and production is part of the Global Goals for
Sustainable Development, it is number 12 of the 17. Responsible production and
consumption is a goal that deals with food wastage. Every day we waste food,
whether this is only a cookie or a whole plate of pasta. We should consider the
fact that every year, more than a third of the food that is produced is lost or
wasted, while there are 800 million people on this planet without food. When we
waste food we also waste the fertilizers and water which went into the
production, as well as the fuel used for harvesting and transportation.

Issues:

- 1.3 billion tons of food is wasted every year, while 800 million people are starving.
- Our health and environment are affected by overconsumption.
- Humans are pollution the waters faster than that nature can clean it, while 1 billion
people are still without clean water.

Statistics:

In 2014, an average of 41.8 million tons of e-waste was generated, it is predicted that this
will rise to 50 million tons by 2018, (electronic goods).

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Of all the food that is created and produced in this world, 1.3 billion tons is wasted per year.
As stated before, when we waste food, we damage and waste the chemicals, for example
fertilizers. Rotting food will create harmful methane, a vigorous greenhouse gas.

Water is wasted every day, whether this is intended or by accident. 95% of the water that
enters your house goes down drain eventually. By just letting the tap run while brushing
your teeth can use up to 4 gallons! Every flush of an old toilet uses 3 gallons, while a new
updated toilet uses 1 gallon. Only counting America, the water wastage has increase by 127%
since the 1950s. Halve of the water used in the world is wasted because of food wastage, that
is up to 365 trillion gallons. The amount of water that can be saved by reducing food waste is
much larger than that saved by low-flush toilets and water-saving machines, A reporter from
the Stockholm International Water Institute stated. On average, 1.4 billion people live in
places without clean water, or any water.

Targets:

- Implement the 10-year framework of programs on sustainable consumption and

production, all countries acting, with developed countries taking the lead,
considering the development and capabilities of developing countries.
- By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources.
- By 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and
reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest
losses.
- By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all
wastes through their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks,
and significantly reduce the release to air, water and soil to minimize their adverse
impacts on human health and environment.
- By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention reduction,
recycling and reuse.
- Encourage companies, especially large and transnational companies, to adopt
sustainable practices and to intergrade sustainability information into their
reporting cycle.
- Promote public procurement practices that are sustainable in accordance with
national policies and priorities.
- By 2030, ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and
awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature.
- Support developing countries to strengthen their scientific technologic capacity to
move towards more sustainable patterns of consumption and production.
- Develop and implement tools to monitor sustainable development impacts for
sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products.
- Rationalize inefficient fossil-fuel subsidies that encourage wasteful consumption by
removing market distortions, in accordance with national circumstances, including
by restructuring taxation and phasing out those harmful subsidies, where they exist,
to reflect their environment impacts, taking fully into account the specific needs and

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 conditions of developing countries and minimizing the possible adverse impacts on
their development in a manner that protects the poor and the affected communities.

Actions:
Action 1:
On the 13th of May, me, Nicole, Emma and Bianca decided that we would start our
sustainability actions off with the Keep Clean Singapore. Keep Clean Singapore is organized
by an organization called Public Hygiene Councils (PHC). It was first launched in 2013, from
then on, this organization continued to grow and was now supported by the Singapore Kindness
Movement and the National Environment Agency. More than 12,000 individuals have taken
part in this community to fight towards a litter-free environment. Keep Clean Singapore was
created in the hopes of creating greater awareness of the littering situation in Singapore and
allow us to recognize that when keeping Singapore clean we encourage our younger
generation.

We found this organization through Miss Fryers email. We all saw that this would include
our global goals, global goal 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) and 15 (Life on
land). We decided we would give it a try and attend the clean-up with the four of us. I had no
idea what to expect, I had no idea what our task would be. Of course, we would be cleaning
up but how and what, was unknown to me.

We were told to meet at 7:30 am until 10:30 am at

Cashew MRT. After collecting all the tools needed, we
were sendoff along with the other 15 people. Our
orders were to pick up any litter in sight, all along the
park and upwards. Our first findings were cigarette
stubs, a lot of them. I still find it ridicules that people
just through them onto the ground, why not walk to the
nearest trash bin and through it in there? It can take 10
months to 10 years for a cigarette to decompose. The
four of us walked along the streets and stopped at a
grass field, many plastic bags and cans were found
there, how they ended there so far from the side walk
is still unknown to me. A can will take 200 to 500 years
to decompose and a plastic bag 10 to 1000 years, it is
unbelievable that we leave these items on the ground
when the nearest trash bin could be 35 meters away.

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 We had two bags with us, a trash bag and a
recycle bag. The recycle bag mostly consisted
of plastic bottles and cans, some plastic bags
could be found in there as well.

Not did we pick up the normal litter, the

cigarettes and plastic bottle, but we found a
deflated bicycle wheel, a hand clove and even
a tissue up in a tree. We had to jump to grab
the tissue. There were also candy or chips
bag with still food in it.

We were finished earlier than we thought, 8:45. This was good because this meant that there
was less trash than expected, but in my eyes, it was still a lot. We met back up the hill, there
we received plastic water bottles, which I found weird as we were cleaning up trash, not
producing it.

We met the foreign minister of Singapore after the clean up and took a picture with him and
the rest of the volunteers. I found it a successful clean up, despite the water bottles at the end of
the action.

Action 2:

For our second action, me and Nicole again went with the Life on Land team, Bianca and
Emma, to the organization Keep Clean Singapore! This time we went to the Bukit Timah
Nature Reserve. There were some slight misunderstandings, but it was all fixed in no time.
This time we were told to meet at 8:00.

This group was much more organized and bigger, there were more people including children
and elders, which I found amazing seeing that there were other children and not only adults.
They split us into two groups, one group would go up the hill and back down, while the other
group will go around the neighborhood and back to the meeting point.

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Bianca, Nicole, Emma and I were in group one, the group which will be walking up the hill
and back down. We were given tongs and plastic bags. We were instructed not to take out
any food or drinks on our way up the hill, because of the monkeys. These monkeys are
affected by our waste and food, they will think that plastic bags or cans are food. These
monkeys have turned aggressive because of humans, this can be linked to Life on Land.

I was expecting a lot of trash as it was a common hiking and mountain biking place. But the
only thing we have found is a cigarette bud. Nothing else, which was impressive. It could have
been because there was a cleanup just a week ago, but I would have still expected more trash.

Luckily for this action we did not receive a plastic bottle, but sadly we did get an apple
wrapped in plastic.

Action 3:

For our third and last action was again with the organization, Keep Clean, Singapore. This
time it was at Boat Quay, where all the restaurants were located. On this day, it was Car Free
Sunday, which I found very nice and appropriate for our unit. We were told to meet at 8:30
PM.

We all travelled with the MRT, as it was car free Sunday at boat quay and we arrived right on
time. We were again split up in two groups, one group would take the left side of the lake
and the other group the right side. Before we started, we were given a lesson about what was
found in the water and what rubbish can do to our planet. One thing that was once found was
a street lantern, a chair and a car (for children).

We were once again given a tong and plastic bag and we were send off. The first things we
found were again the cigarette buds and tissues. These are probably the most common thing
in Singapore to be found as rubbish. We were told not to waste our time on the cigarettes
because if we were to pick them all up, we would still be there in the afternoon. One of the
leaders led us to a place where all the bars and pubs are located and that was when the real
cleaning up began. Cashew and the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve were nothing compared to

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this. Everywhere were bottle caps and even more cigarettes. On the side of the roads and
bushes where all kinds of glass bottles and cans.

The leader explained to us that when even the tiniest amount of water or beverage is left
behind in a glass and left over night, mosquitos will lay their eggs there. Birds and other
animals will eat and drink the left overs and that is how diseases are spread.

The pubs and bars close earlier than that the costumers and quests eat and drink. They will
just close the bar and leave. When the quests are done eating or drinking, they will just leave
all the food and drinks on the table. All the left overs stay there overnight and most of the
morning as the bars only open in the afternoon.

Our bags were getting quite heavy because of all the glass bottles. I even found a lighter, but
I had given it to the leader as I did not deem it wise to through a flammable item in the trash.

After we passed all the bars, I noticed that the trash reduced and became less the father were
walked. At the end, there was nothing left to pick up. When we reached the meeting point,
they put all the collected trash together and measured the weight. It was more than I would
have suspected: 16.82 kg of general waste and 11.2 kg of recycled waste.

This was the most successful clean up from all three, looking at the waste we have collected.
I have learned that most of the waste is found at bars and parks, where people are most likely
to come and do their intended business.

We are in the middle of the group. All together we have probably collected over 15 bags
of rubbish.

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Sustainable Action Week
For our sustainable action week, me and Nicole once again worked together with Life on
Land, Emma and Bianca. We had the idea of making booklets out of recycled paper, as both
of our goals are connected to recycling. It was Nicoles brilliant idea.

We first made an example, just to see whether it was worth our time. We collected scrap
paper from the library and made a small production line, Emma and Nicole were gluing the
papers together so the text would not appear. Bianca and I would switch role occasionally,
one of us would draw the lines so the others could cut the papers. I unfortunally do not have
any pictures.

We have used over 500 papers from all around the school. 500 paper made approximately
100 to 150 booklets. Therefor we saved 6% of a tree, which doesnt change a lot but if
everyone starts saving paper than we can really make a difference.

For our own action we, mostly Nicole, found a way to recycle kitchen scraps. When you have
for example a spring onion, you can put it in a bucket of water and keep it there. It will then
slowly regrow. Same goes for carrots, although the green bit must first grow back and then
you can place the carrot in soil and I will grow back.

I made some cards to support our goal. They were made from scrap paper, so no paper was
wasted in this process.

We hung up posters around the school to raise awareness and we have always eaten all our
food, nothing was wasted.

Junior Campus:

I found it really fun and exiting to present our global goal at the Junior Campus. Me and Nicole
had prepaired a lot of things for this day. I had brought balloons to attract the Grade 5s
attention. This had defenitly worked. Grade 5 was very good at listening, but some were only
at our stand for the booklets which I found dissapointing. I was also quite dissapointed in the
other classes Responsible Consumption and Production student as they had done nothing,
Nicole and I had to bring all the stuff and information, while they just stood there.

Main Campus:

On the main campus it was definity hared to get the attention from the students. Most
students were busy with their lunch. ALthought the teachers and parents gave lots of
positive feedback. I had noticed that the Grades 6,7 and 9 were most interested, while the
higher grades gave no signs of attention.

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Conclusion:
During the past weeks of this unit I have learned that the Global Goals can only be really
achieved if we raise awareness. If nobody knows about the global goals than we will have
less manpower to accomplish them, we need all the people we can get. We could start with
raising awareness in schools, like what is happening in the German European School. By
educating the younger ones, they can grow up supporting the global goals for the rest of their
lives. If we hang up posters in public transports and recreation centers, a lot of people will
read and hopefully support the Global Goals and spread the knowledge.

I have found that the DUD model (dig, use and dump) uses a lot of money and pollutes the
environment. We should be able to keep reusing resources, therefor use less DUD and create
a more circular economy. The Government can have a big impact by acting, for example by
removing harmful subsides and make the prices of natural resources more affordable.

We can raise awareness about responsible consumption and production by placing posters
in food courts. The restaurant could put something on their menu stating that no food should
be wasted. Restaurants should have three choices in food sizes, small, medium and large, by
doing this the quests can choose based on their appetites so no food is wasted.

Nature provides us free lunch, but only we can control our appetites

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Works Cited
Websites:

"Global Goal 12: Sustainable Consumption and Production." Global Citizen. N.p., n.d. Web.

28 May 2017. <https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/global-12-sustainable-

consumption-and-production/>.

"Goal 12: Responsible Consumption & Production." The Global Goals. The Global Goals, n.d.

Web. 28 May 2017. <http://www.globalgoals.org/global-goals/responsible-

consumption/>.

"Goal 12: Responsible Consumption, Production." Sustainable Development Goals Fund. N.p.,

17 Sept. 2016. Web. 28 May 2017. <http://www.sdgfund.org/goal-12-responsible-

consumption- production>.

<http://www.globalgoals.org/>."Sustainable Development Goals." United Nations. United

Nations, n.d Web. 28 May 2017.

<http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable- development-goals/>. "The

Global Goals." The Global Goals. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2017.

"Public Hygiene Council." Supported by PHC. Public Hygiene Council, n.d. Web. 30 May2017.

<http://www.publichygienecouncil.sg/events/'keep-clean-singapore!'-2017>.

"SDG 12. Responsible Consumption and Production | www.fao.org." SDG 12. Responsible

Consumption and Production | Sustainable Development Goals | Food and Agriculture

Organization of the United Nations. Food and Argriculture Organization of the UN,

n.d. Web.28 May 2017. <http://www.fao.org/sustainable-development-

goals/goals/goal-12/en/>.

"United Nations Millennium Development Goals." United Nations. United Nations, n.d.

Web.30 May 2017. <http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/>.

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"What Are They?" UN Millennium Project | About the MDGs. Milleunium Development Goals,

n.d. Web. 30 May 2017. <http://www.unmillenniumproject.org/goals/>.

Pictures:

Alert, Fraud. Millennium Development Goals. Digital image. About the MDG's. N.p., n.d. Web.

29 May 2017. <http://un.dk/about-the-un/the-mdgs>.

Global Goals. Digital image. Global Goals. N.p., 2012. Web. 29 May 2017.

<https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/campaign/global-goals/>.

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