If anyone asks me what the most interesting thing is about the SDGs, I’ll say it is that they promise a better and safer world for everyone, irrespective of gender, age, or social class. The 17 goals target inequality, poverty, peace, and climate change, among other things.
When we look at these goals, we often feel overwhelmed by them. We imagine them on a global scale, which scares us to ask questions like, can hunger be eradicated worldwide? Or can climate change be stopped? Getting a “no” answer to these questions can be discouraging.
Thankfully, these goals can be achieved. It may not be done in the next ten years, but countries, organizations, and individuals are working to ensure they are achieved.
Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals is not just for governments, big corporations, or billionaires. Everyone can do something about it. You may feel like what you can do may be too little, but you’ll be surprised how much impact it can make. What did they say about little drops of water again?
If achieving these goals is something you want to be a part of, you should read this article. I’ll tell you what to know about each goal and how to contribute to the 17 SDGs in your way. Swipe to read and thank me later.
No Poverty
“End poverty in all its forms everywhere”
The focus of this goal is to kick hunger out of every corner of the world so that people can live happier and healthier lives. One thing you can do about this goal is to create exposure for the poor.
Many people are poor because they lack access to the tools and opportunities that will lift them out of poverty. They have a better fighting chance if you provide these tools and opportunities.
You can train them with basic skills that generate a decent income. Then, you can provide them with the tools they need to offer these skills. You can teach them how to run simple small businesses (the concepts of profit and loss, savings, expansion, reinvestment, depreciation, etc.) so they can keep their businesses going and growing.
Some skills to teach are cloth making, carpentry, creative writing, and social media management. A carpenter may need drilling tools, hammers, saws, etc, while a cloth maker would need sewing machines, scissors, thimbles, etc. Equip them based on their needs, and you will have done your part.
Donate to a charity that already does such empowerment if you don’t know how to go about doing it. That way, you’re still doing it, just from a distance. Also, encourage people who need such help to embrace and make the most of these tools and opportunities. Show them how it benefits them.
Zero Hunger
“End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture”
This cause is not just about wiping out hunger but also ensuring that people can eat nutritious meals and have no fears about where their next meal will come from. It’s also a struggle to ensure that agriculture is sustainable. Here are some ways we can contribute to making this goal a reality:
Food Drives and Food Banks
Food drives and food banks are charities that aim to feed those who need some help to eat. The main difference between them is that food drives mostly use an event model—once in a while, date, time, venue, all that stuff—while food banks tend to have a consistent physical location and be around pretty much all the time.
A food bank may be more expensive to run because it involves renting, buying, or building space, hiring staff (if volunteers are unavailable), and always making food available. You would need partners who are consistent with donations to keep you running.
Food drives are more flexible as you can do them when you can afford them or get donations and involve others, then re-strategize and plan another. You can have a food drive in one city this month and another the next month, or even in a different country.
Both have their place in fighting hunger, even though it may seem like food banks do more. All you have to do is pick the one you can handle and go for it.
Encourage Eco-Friendly Farming
Food is the bane of hunger, so producing food, whether to sell or donate, contributes to the fight against hunger. That’s agriculture. The growing of plants and the rearing of animals for food and other uses.
You can start a little farm in your backyard or garden or go all out and start a large one if you have much land space. The first may require less manpower and financial investment, but the latter would take its fair share of both, and you may even want to consider making it a business, too.
However, your farming methods should be eco-friendly. That means you shouldn’t make food at the expense of the environment. You can adopt many eco-friendly practices, from crop rotation to organic farming and planting cover crops. Try them and see what difference they’ll make to your land and those around you.
Good Health and Well-being
“Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages”
For this goal, the deal is to ensure everyone lives as healthy as possible, regardless of age. So, how do you come in? It’s simple. Take care of your health.
It’s easy to think of hospitals, medical equipment, and drugs when you hear that you should care for your health. Well, that’s one part of it. You have to do occasional checkups so you can catch hard-to-detect issues and stay ahead of potentially severe problems.
But it goes beyond that to diet, exercise, and other aspects of your lifestyle. Check what you eat, and learn how it affects your body. Understand your body and know what foods need to go. It may be fried foods or those that contain too much sugar or salt. Including fruits and vegetables in your meals is a great idea.
Exercise is another thing that keeps you active and healthy. There are countless exercise options; you can always find one to stick with and be consistent with. It’s also fine to switch to different exercises every few days. What matters is that your body remains in good shape.
As you go through life, ensure you rest and care for yourself. Ensure you’re also looking out for your mental health, as it’s as important as the physical one. Encourage others to do the same; the goal is to reach everyone, not just you.
Quality Education
“Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”
This goal would be achieved when people of every gender, race, and other demographics have great access to high-quality education, and everyone can learn, no matter their age or where they are. I’d mention two ways you can help to achieve this goal.
Sponsor Learning
Many people can’t afford the quality education they deserve, so they settle for the one they can get. Here’s an example: a child studying a science course in a public school with no labs may miss out on practical experiences. That’s not their dream learning environment, but it’s the best they can afford. Their inability to afford expensive private schools has denied them the practical learning experience.
It’s a good idea to set funds aside for sponsoring students every term or semester. Even if you sponsor just one child, you can make a difference. You do that and encourage your friends to do the same, and you’d have done a great part in achieving this goal.
Another way of sponsoring is creating an educational facility with learning resources that poorer schools may not offer and allowing their students to use it for free. For example, you can build a facility with physics, chemistry, and biology laboratories, then let schools without labs in your area know they can register to use it on certain days of the week or certain weeks of the term.
Focus on Unfavoured Groups
Are there people around you who are denied access to quality education because of their skin color, gender, or disability? Then, you can start a program that educates them so they can catch up with their peers or at least come closer.
It can be a program as simple as a crash course or something done online if you’re in an area where many people can access tech devices like smartphones and computers. You can also go all out and start a school to educate these people.
Do you know of any such programs or schools focusing on overlooked groups? You can sponsor them or offer your skills as a volunteer. Another way you can help is by telling people in these unfavoured groups about these learning opportunities and nudging them to go for it.
Gender Equality
“Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls”
For this goal to be achieved, every gender should be looked at equally, and women should get the boost they need to thrive in a society that doesn’t favor them. You can play your part in several ways, including these two:
Voice Against Discrimination
You may notice little signs of discrimination around you: parents leaving female children out of their wills; landlords refusing to rent out their spaces to female tenants except a man signs the lease agreement; parents raising their daughters for chores while teaching their sons business skills; etc.
Your contribution to achieving this goal can be to speak up against these practices. You can do physical awareness events in communities where such discrimination is the order of the day so they can learn how to live better.
Besides events, you can voice out your concerns on social media. You may think you’re just ranting, but you never know who will hear you and change their ways. Also, look among your friends, neighbors, and family members for gender discriminatory activities. You can talk to them one-on-one about it.
Empower Women
Many women are already at a disadvantage, while many men enjoy unfair advantages over them. Creating a balance between both genders will require giving women a hand. Look out for women in your community who could do with some assistance and empower them.
Assistance for women comes in many forms, like job opportunities, financial support, business coaching, etc. If you have women in your workplace and men dominate the leadership, give women who show promise a chance to lead and shine.
Now, I’m not saying you should keep men on the sidelines. Or that women should be pushed to leadership when they aren’t qualified. I’m saying try to balance it. You may even find that in some spaces, it’s men who need the boost. Give it to them, too. Gender equality is something that should benefit women as well as men.
Clean Water and Sanitation
“Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all”
This goal can be summarized in two focuses. One is for everyone to afford to enjoy sufficient quality water. The other is to ensure that our environment is clean enough to support healthy living for everyone, especially those who are most vulnerable to being affected by pollution.
While the heavy work here may be best done by the government, like protecting water sources, you have your role. And one thing you can do is to keep your environment clean.
Keeping indoors tidy is one thing, but how are the outside parts of your home fairing? Are there overgrown grasses or clogged gutters? No, fam. It shouldn’t be so. Ensure your place is clean not just because you want to get rid of disease-causing organisms and pests but also because a clean environment is beautiful.
Some states and cities have sanitation days to encourage residents to clean up. You may not face a penalty if you don’t join in, but you should because it benefits your health and those around you.
What if there are no sanitation days where you live? Then make up yours. You can invite your neighbors to join you, or you can just do your thing and hope that your efforts and the beauty of your surroundings will inspire them to clean their spaces too.
As you clean your surroundings, dispose of trash properly. Don’t empty your trash in water bodies so there is no water pollution. Also, be careful how and where you burn your trash so it doesn’t contribute to pollution in your locality.
Affordable and Clean Energy
“Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all”
This goal is about everyone enjoying electricity without breaking the bank and ruining our planet. And as your contribution to this goal, I’ll easily recommend that you encourage people to swith to energy-efficient appliances.
Televisions, HVAC systems, bulbs, fans, and countless other home appliances now have energy-efficient versions. When you switch to them, you’ll start spending less on electricity. The makers of these items have played their part in achieving the goal; yours is simply to use them and encourage others to do the same.
You can also give the modern versions of these items as gifts. These gifts may be the motivation others will need to change to newer versions. When they use a version appliance that consumes far less power, they may be moved to enjoy more of it and buy more of such appliances.
Decent Work and Economic Growth
“Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all”
This goal covers economic growth that is healthy for the environment and is fair to all groups of people and job opportunities for everyone, not just as employees but also as founders of businesses.
To support this goal, I’ll suggest two things: one, that you ensure the working conditions at your place of work are decent, and two, that you help someone to start a business.
Everyone should have a job that pays them well enough to live decently and one where they are treated with respect. If you’re in a position of power at your workplace, you should lend a voice to ensure these things happen there.
Having a job doesn’t only mean one must be an employee. One can also start their own business. You can provide funding and mentorship for small and medium-scale businesses so their founders can earn decent incomes and provide better jobs for others.
You can support new or small businesses with loans or grants. While grants may be what many business owners may prefer, it’s understandable if you’d love to get your money back. Plus, getting your money back ensures that businesses make the best use of it, and you can fund more businesses later.
Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
“Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation”
The ninth SDG leans towards innovation, industrialization, and infrastructure. I can think of two ways you can push us closer to achieving this goal. One is by sponsoring research, and the other by upgrading the infrastructure around you.
Sponsor Researches
Research is one of the backbones of innovation. We need research to be sure of new theories before implementing them to improve our lives. Sadly, many researchers lack the funding to push certain ideas forward.
With your money, you can help researchers to advance their projects. If you’re thinking it requires millions from you, you’re wrong. You can look for researchers who are crowdfunding and send your little contribution. It may be little, but it’ll push them closer to their goal.
Upgrade Infrastructure
As for upgrading infrastructure, you should call the attention of the government or private organizations looking to give back to their communities to roads, water systems, and other infrastructure that need some upgrade.
Sometimes, the government may be slow, but these organizations may be faster, sometimes even supplying the upgrade in less than two years. Petitions can also be sent to wealthy individuals in the area. They may have overlooked the need for these upgrades, but you can help them focus on it.
Another option is to work with residents of your areas to sponsor the upgrade of these infrastructures. Different people may have their issues with these infrastructures but may not say anything about it. However, when someone leads the upgrade of these projects, they’ll be happy to cooperate and make it work.
Reduced Inequalities
“Reduce inequality within and among countries”
Inequalities can happen within a country where certain groups—women, people with disabilities, races, etc.—are sidelined. It can also happen among countries. This goal aims to reduce both forms of inequality. My suggestion for supporting this goal will focus on inequality among countries.
Third-world countries are likely to face discrimination, so you should provide people living there with special treatment. This is because people there earn less yet are expected to pay the same for certain services as those earning from first-world countries. With such assistance, they can live better, like those in first-world countries, without spending beyond their means.
For example, let’s say you have a subscription service. You can make it cheaper for people living in third-world countries based on how low they earn compared to those in the first world. For example, a subscription of twenty dollars can go for five dollars for people who earn a quarter of what those paying twenty dollars earn.
Some services like Netflix and Apple Music have lower prices for my country than first-world countries. I don’t know if this SDG is her aim, but I think it contributes to achieving it.
And while at it, remember to keep employment and promotion opportunities open to people of all races, genders and genders. That will aid in reducing inequality within countries.
Sustainable Cities and Communities
“Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”
This goal is for cities to not only be sustainable but also inclusive and safe. One way you can easily aid the achievement of this goal is by contributing to safety. I suggest obeying the popular phrase, “If you see something, say something.”
In my books, this phrase will never become a cliche. After all, things often go wrong because someone isn’t speaking up. When you notice something wrong, report it to the appropriate authorities. Know the emergency number for your location and dial it once you notice that something is off.
It’s better to report an issue only to find out later that it was nothing to bother about than to leave it alone and later realize it was the difference between life and death. Are you noticing suspicious movement around your neighbor’s house? Report it.
It’s not only your neighbors you’re keeping safe but also your city’s assets, especially its natural and high-value sites. So when you see people tampering with your lakes, rocks, statues, and other features, report them to the police or any authority in charge of this feature.
Responsible Consumption and Production
“Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns”
The aim of this goal is that we produce and use commodities in a way that is healthy for our environment. Two words for anyone who wants to assist with achieving this goal are recycling and reusing.
I’m pretty sure most of us have heard messages about recycling and reusing, especially when it comes to plastic items, but this applies to other items, like those made of glass and aluminum.
Recycling ensures that items that would normally become waste are used to create new items. Reusing, on the other hand, is using items as they are over and over instead of throwing them away until they are no longer safe to use or usable.
When you want to buy items, go for those that can be used over and over instead of those that you’ll use once. And when you buy items that aren’t reusable or have been used to their limits, recycle them by yourself or donate/sell them to an organization that promises to recycle them.
When making orders, you can limit waste by requesting that certain unnecessary additions be excluded; for example, if you plan to eat food you’re ordering at home, you may not need a plastic spoon with the order. You will be a responsible consumer.
Climate Action
“Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts”
As the climate changes, we begin to feel more heat, experience more floods, suffer more droughts, and face some uncomfortable changes. This goal is that we prevent the climate from changing further and enjoy our lives with whatever changes it brings. Raising awareness is something you can do to help with it.
It’s time to share your knowledge about climate change with the world. Let them know what is happening and what they can do to stop it or to take care of themselves despite it. The awareness of the problems climate change brings may be enough to make them seek how to live despite it.
When you teach them things they can do to prevent it, like switching to renewable power sources or upgrading to energy-efficient options, or things to do to live with it, like preparing against extreme weather or voting those who care about climate change into power, you are putting more people on the right climate actions and making the world a healthier and better place.
Life Below Water
“Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development”
This goal’s aim is to see us treat the ocean and the life in it well enough so they can serve us well, too. Of the many ways you can contribute to this goal, I’ll mention two. One is by recycling plastic, and the other is by respecting fishing regulations.
Recycling Plastic
A scary amount of plastic ends up in the ocean yearly, and the more plastic there is, the riskier it is for fish and other species living there. It causes discomfort and health complications for marine life.
Don’t forget that the ocean is a food source for us, too, so plastic can affect the availability of what we eat from there. The ocean also provides recreation space for us, but it won’t be attractive and very usable if there’s too much visible and intrusive plastic waste in it.
When we recycle plastic, we reduce how much of it goes into the ocean, and we reduce the impact of this pollution on marine life. You can start by cutting your use of single-use plastic and switch to alternatives that can be used multiple times.
Respecting Fishing Regulations
Regulations exist to protect marine life and we should respect and follow them if we care about it. If the law requires you to report your fishing activities or catch, please do so. If it requires that you avoid certain fishing practices, follow it. Don’t catch more fish than permitted or than is necessary.
Do these and follow other fishing regulations, and you won’t be harming the ocean. You’ll be preserving the resources there to feed us and serve other human needs.
Life on Land
“Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss”
Goal 15 is about preserving land and its resources, like forests and natural habitats. You can support this goal by encouraging people around you to stop deforestation and organizing reforestation drives.
People should understand that forests serve us in many ways. They provide breathable air for us and raw materials for clothes, furniture and several things we use daily. They also help to protect land from erosion and provide us with food. Make it your job to help people understand why harming forests will bite them back.
Another thing to do is to lead reforestation drives. Look for forests that have been depleted and encourage others to join you in planting new trees there. Doing it alone can be stressful, but if you have the resources to hire hands to help, that would also be great.
Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
“Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels”
This goal, when achieved, will give us a happy society where people feel safer. One thing you can do to help bring us closer to enjoying what this goal offers is to report cases of violence to the appropriate authorities.
Many victims of violence don’t know what to do, and many who do are scared to take any action. You can be the one to help them. Report suspicions of violence to the police or other authorities, and if possible, encourage the victim to be open to law enforcement. Let them know that they can be protected from their abusers.
When abusers are brought to justice, and those who are abused see that there’s a law that cares about them, people are more hopeful and are encouraged not to live under abuse anymore. Abusers will also see that people are willing to report them, and that will deter them from doing more harm to people.
Partnerships for the Goals
“Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development”
This goal concerns industries and countries adjusting their policies to create an environment where other goals can be achieved. One highly recommended way to do this is to vote into power people who care about the SDGs.
Imagine having a president who is big on climate change or cares about strengthening the justice system. Imagine how much they’ll do to achieve the SDGs he or she cares about. Now, imagine how hard it would be to achieve any of these goals with a president who doesn’t care about them.
When voting in elections, remember that those who win will have control over things that happen around you for certain years, and with that in mind, vote for someone who cares about the SDGs and has a plan that will contribute to achieving them.
Also, you can start with your work place. You can ban the use of single-use plastic there or upgrade all appliances to energy-efficient options. That will be your partnership for the goals from your little corner.
It’s SDG Time
There goes my recommendations for contributing to the realization of the SDGs. Pick an SDG you care about or a doable suggestion, and go on with it. Your little contribution is as important as any other big contribution out there.
Imagine how beautiful it will feel when an SDG looks like it’s close to being achieved, and you know you played a role in it. You can even have bragging rights.
Please, let me know if you found this article helpful by dropping a comment. I’ll be looking forward to reading from you.