Sustainable consumption is the use of services and related products which respond to basic needs and which bring a better quality of life to people. This type of consumption minimizes the use of natural resources and toxic materials and reduces polluting emissions of waste over the life cycle of the service or product so as not to jeopardize the needs of future generations. Sustainable production is the creation of goods and services using processes and systems that are non-polluting, that conserve and preserve energy and natural resources, that are economically viable, safe and healthy for workers and consumers, and that are socially and creatively rewarding.
Food: Each year, an estimated 1/3 of all food produced – equivalent to 1.3 billion tons worth around US$1 trillion – ends up rotting in the bins of consumers and retailers or being spoilt due to poor transportation and harvesting practices. Water: Less than 3% of the world’s water is fresh (drinkable), of which 2.5% is frozen in Antarctica, the Arctic and glaciers. Humanity must therefore rely on this 0.5% for all the fresh water needs of human ecosystems. More than 1 billion people still do not have access to fresh water. Energy: Despite technological advances that have promoted energy efficiency gains, energy use in OECD countries will continue to grow by another 35% by the year 2020.
Why Education is crucial to achieving SDG-12
Quality education contributes to reducing the generation of waste through the introduction and practice of the four 'Rs' - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Recover. By keeping the public informed and educated, the necessary tools to live in harmony with nature for sustainable lifestyles are provided. The scientific and technological capacities, particularly of developing countries, can be strengthened through education efforts, thereby moving towards more sustainable patterns of consumption and production. (Access to Learning objectives for SDG-12)
Early Childhood Care and Education
- At this level, the concept of the 4 ‘Rs’ (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Recover) can be introduced, and already applied i.e. through the reusing of boxes or plastic bottles during play. In this way, good habits regarding waste, water and energy use are developed from an early age. (Access Educational materials here)
Primary Education
- At this stage, the calculation and comparison of ecological footprints is introduced. Learners participate in recycling, composting and other environmental schemes, and are able to take informed purchasing decisions, according to the product's lifecycle implications. (Access Educational materials here)
Secondary Education
- Analysis of the supply chain and knowledge about fair trade is deepened. Students are able to identify strategies respecting the principles of sustainability, and become more aware of the reverberating impacts of their production and consumption choices. (Access Educational materials here)
Pedagogical Resources
- A Day in The Life of A Willow Basket Maker - Description of a daily life
Ideas for Classroom Activities
- Thea Discovers Chocolate - In this story, Thea, a teddy bear, leads us on the journey of Fairtrade chocolate, from a cocoa farm in Belize, on ships and lorries, to Thea’s local shop.
- The World From Our Doorstep - A teaching resource which supports teachers at EYFS and KS1 (ages 3-8) to introduce global learning through the themes of interconnectedness, fairness and sustainability. Contains a wide range of activity ideas.
Multimedia Educational Resources
- How To Make A Plastic Bag Football With Zenah From Uganda - Find out how to make an African plastic bag football (soccer ball).
- Make A Toy Car From A Plastic Bottle With Dennis From Uganda - Dennis from Uganda shows how to reuse a plastic drinks bottle and make it into a toy car. All of the materials needed are recycled.
- Meet Zogg - Meet Zogg! He’s on an adventure to Planet Earth, where you can follow him as he makes new friends and finds out about the people, animals, and environments of this beautiful planet!
Get Inspired
- A sustainable urban atmosphere - A more harmonious environmental balance Technical School No. 13: “Ingeniero Luis Delpini” School District No. 21, Argentina - Page 38 - Under the supervision of Educación Técnica de Jardín de Infantes y de Primaria del Distrito no. 1, primary schools and kindergartens in the area are visited by teachers and pupils from 4th and 5th grades of high school, who undertake Information and Sanitary Consciousness Raising workshops, as well as Urban Settings Sustainability workshops. Pupils and teachers developed a wider and richer perspective and increased their neighbours’ commitment. It should be noted that Villa 20’s population consists of immigrants who came several decades ago from rural Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay.
Pedagogical Resources
- Learning About Trade - This resource explains the global trading market, free trade, the World Trade Organisation (WTO), what difference Fair Trade can make, the Trade Justice movement, Social Enterprises and Co-operatives.
- Learning About Waste & Recycling - This resource explains waste production globally, the role of advertising, marginal communities, whether zero waste is achievable, the meaning of E-waste, the producer responsibility, and how to think critically about waste and re-cycling.
- Responsible Consumption And Production - This resource explores sustainable consumption and production patterns through digital literacy and creative collaboration.
Ideas for Classroom Activities
- An Energy Project For The Global Goals - This resource aims to:
- Analyse and reduce energy and paper use in your school, and to compare with others you are connected to;
- Present and interpret data in tables and charts and in report writing.
- Plastics Challenge - A STEM and enterprise challenge to turn waste plastics into profit.
- The Paper Bag Game - The Paper Bag Game shows how people work hard yet earn so little. Using real cost-of-living prices and wages, players see if they could survive making and selling paper bags.
Multimedia Educational Resources
- Turning Bones Into Art - Jack learned business skills and received vocational training to turn bone into jewelry and sell the pieces. The group has an online shop, and sources bone and horn from butcheries and slaughter houses around the slum.
- Making A Mini Brick & Clay Stove With Charles From Uganda - Charles from Uganda makes clay stoves to reduce his use of wood and keep his kitchen area safe. Smoke can be channeled out of the kitchen using a clay chimney if made indoors.
Get Inspired
- New York City Department of Education 2013–2014 Sustainability Report - In light of NYC’s groundbreaking efforts through PlaNYC 2030 and the DOE’s strong commitment to sustainability practices in school buildings, the research team is exploring which schools are more likely to engage with teaching and learning of environmental issues through a partner programme, such as global climate change, community gardening, etc. The DOE and the research team at Teachers College believe that ensuring all schools, regardless of social background, have the opportunity to engage their students with ESE programmes is not only important, but it is in line with the inspiring idea of a sustainable future in our city and schools.
Pedagogical Resources
- Responsible Consumption & Production: Why It Matters - Technical Note presenting SDG 12, what the goal is, what are some of the current consumption and production patterns that need to change, how we can help as a business and how we can help as consumers.
- Teaching And Learning For A Sustainable Future - Teaching and Learning for a Sustainable Future is a UNESCO programme for the UN Decade of ESD. It provides professional development for teachers, curriculum developers, education policy-makers, and education authors.
- Consumer Choice - The new edition of the Back-to-School kit provides background information and practical exercises for making your students more aware of their consumer choices on: food labelling, advertising and the environmental impact of transport.
Ideas for Classroom Activities
- Understanding Sustainable Living - This resource aims to:
- Explain the concept of sustainability;
- Evaluate lifestyle choices for sustainability using an online ecological footprint calculator to real-life data;
- Identify actions students can take.
- Understanding The Challenge Of Finite Resources - This resource aims to:
- Understand the urgent challenge that finite resources pose to our current economic system;
- Explore economic history since the industrial revolution;
- Critically evaluate our current consumption and production systems.
Multimedia Educational Resources
- The Story Of Stuff - The Story of Stuff, originally released in December 2007, is a 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our production and consumption patterns. It exposes the connections between environmental and social issues.
- Re-thinking Progress - The Circular Economy - 'Re-Thinking Progress' explores how through a change in perspective we can re-design the way our economy works - designing products that can be 'made to be made again' and powering the system with renewable energy.
- Combatting Plastic Pollution With Sustainable Bio-Based Packaging - In this video, FAO highlights the importance of substituting fossil-based with sustainable bio-based food packaging made of agriculture and wood residues. If these are sourced locally, it will also help improve farmers’ livelihoods and enhance rural development.
Get Inspired
- Recycling our waste and reducing our landfill - Foundation for Environment Education - Three years ago it cost us £15,000 a year to pay for waste to go to landfill; now we only spend £3,500 a year. This saved £12,000 a year goes back into the education of the pupils. Girls are much more aware of recycling/landfill issues than they used to be. Many of them have taken these ideas home and have encouraged their parents to recycle. Most of our waste is being recycled or re-used now.
