World Sustainability Plan

Moved by the Pope's Encyclical a few years ago, I've established my own sustainability plan. I've also been inspired recently by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development's 17 Sustainable Development Goals so much that I've decided to rewrite my sustainability plan in context of those goals.

One thing I notice is that these goals do not focus much on civil or personal rights. In other words, it is a bit light on calling for democratic institutions, free and fair elections, representative government, etc. It is also light on other civil matters like government/corporate spying, free access to information and a right to privacy.

My efforts should be focused towards the following 3 goals:

• Global Policy/voting/political activity/charity to support, implement and maintain goals on a global level
• Local Policy/voting/political activity/charity to support, implement and maintain goals on a local level
• Personal goals to ensure I myself am taken care of

"We are truly stewards of the earth." - Pope Francis

1: No Poverty

• Global: Support a charity which supports business and economic development and education
• Local: Support a charity which supports business and economic development and education
• Local: Support policy/vote for fair taxation and reasonable debt reduction
• Personal: Implement financial goals from the hierarchy of integrity

2: Zero Hunger

• Global: Support a charity which provides aid for groups in famine/distress
• Local: Support policy/vote for social services and a basic safety net
• Personal: Implement financial goals from the hierarchy of integrity

3: Good Health and Well-being

• Global: Support charities to help end disease
• Local: Support policy/vote for affordable, quality health care for all
• Personal: Implement health goals from the hierarchy of integrity

4: Quality Education

• Global: Support charity which supports access to information and education
• Local: Support policy/vote for free high quality primary and secondary education for all
• Local: Support open access to life skills, family planning, investment and soft skills training
• Local: Support/vote for policy that supports ubiquitous, free, high speed internet
• Personal: Continue to engage in life long education

5: Gender Equality

• Global: Support charities committed to reducing corruption and eliminating systemic inequality
• Local: Support/vote for policy that is committed to reducing corruption and eliminating systemic inequality
• Personal: Ensure my personal choices are not affected by bias

6: Clean Water and Sanitation

• Global: Support/vote for charities that implements and maintains sustainable water and sanitation infrastructure
• Local: Support/vote for policy that implements and maintains sustainable water and sanitation infrastructure
• Personal: Implement health goals from the hierarchy of integrity

7: Affordable and Clean Energy

• Global: Support/vote for policy that implements and maintains sustainable power production
• Local: Support/vote for policy that implements and maintains sustainable power production
• Personal: Consume only renewable energy

8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

• Global: Support charities that are working to end trafficking
• Global: Support/vote for policy that develops more Fair Trade
• Local: Support/vote for policy that supports worker rights
• Local: Support/vote for policy that significantly reduces income inequality
• Local: Support/vote for policy that supports open access, sustainable and diversified economic growth
• Local: Support/vote for policy that moves away from profit and towards quality of life
• Personal: Only purchase imported goods that are Fair Trade or from countries with a good track record
• Personal: Pursue my career plan

9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

• Global: No Action
• Local: Support/vote for policy that builds roadways, trains and airports to move people and products
• Local: Support policy/vote for new technology development
• Local: Support/vote for policy that reforms patents
• Local: Support/vote for policy that encourages local manufacturing and purchasing
• Local: Support/vote for policy that enables equal access to resources
• Personal: Buy locally or American made or regional products when possible

10: Reduced Inequality

• Global: Support charities committed to reducing corruption and eliminating systemic inequality
• Local: Support/vote for policy that is committed to reducing corruption and eliminating systemic inequality
• Personal: Ensure my personal choices are not affected by bias

11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

• Global: No Action
• Local: Support/vote for policy that implements disaster preparation
• Local: Support/vote for policy that implements housing for all
• Local: Support/vote for policy that implements public transportation for all
• Personal: Implement contingency plan
• Personal: Purchase a home and make it sustainable
• Personal: Use public transit as much as possible

12: Responsible Consumption and Production

• Global: Buy from countries that have sustainable practices in place
• Local: Support/vote for policies which support a sustainable food chain
• Local: Support/vote for policies which support sustainable production of goods
• Personal: Buy only what I need and with long lifespans
• Personal: Buy things that can be recycled or easily return to soil (including packaging)
• Personal: Buy things that are sustainable (low/no ecological footprint to source, build and transport)
• Personal: Reduce waste and food waste as much as possible

13: Climate Action

• Global: Support Paris Agreement
• Local: Support policy/vote to make all human activity sustainable
• Personal: Bring water, food and energy consumption within 1 Earth
• Personal: Bring greenhouse gas production within 1 Earth

14: Life Below Water

• Global: No Action
• Local: Donate to conservation
• Local: Support policy/vote for wildlife co-habitation
• Local: Support policy/vote to eliminate pollution
• Personal: Respect wildlife
• Personal: Buy sustainably produced food
• Personal: Buy ethically produced food
• Personal: Eat meat in moderation

15: Life on Land

• Global: No Action
• Local: Donate to conservation
• Local: Support policy/vote for wildlife co-habitation
• Local: Support policy/vote to eliminate pollution
• Personal: Respect wildlife
• Personal: Buy sustainably produced food
• Personal: Buy ethically produced food
• Personal: Eat meat in moderation

16: Peace and Justice Strong Institutions

• Global: Support policy to end all border disputes
• Global: Support policy to end all trafficking
• Local: Support/vote for policy that reduces corruption
• Local: Support/vote for policy that mitigates crime
• Local: Support/vote for policy that reforms the justice system and eliminates discrimination
• Local: Support/vote for government transparency
• Local: Support/vote for policy that makes government accountable to the people
• Local: Support/vote for policy that respects human rights, integrity and dignity
• Local: Support/vote for policy which does not exploit or injure children
• Local: Support/vote for policy that implements a multi-party voting system and democratic election of leadership
• Personal: Treat people with respect
• Personal: Respect the justice system

17: Partnerships to achieve the Goal

• No Action

Sustainable Buying Guide
Before Purchase:

1. Energy: are the energy inputs (electricity, gas, oil, wind, etc) from renewable resources?
2. Labor: was the product produced by people who are treated and paid with dignity and respect? Is the work environment safe and clean?
3. Manufacture/Assembly: is the product and are all the materials required to produce the product handled in such a way as to not cause pollution or landfill? Is water used sustainable? Was the factory and equipment sustainably manufactured?

After Purchase:

1. Utility: primary function of the device
2. Landfill: when you are done with this product will it be recyclable or compostable?
3. Pollution: does it produce any pollution (air, land, sea, space) while it is being used? Is your device connected? What pollution does the server farm cause?

Updated: August 2021