Pathway 4:
Consumerism
* Also U.N. Sustainable Development Goal #3: Good Health & Well-Being and #11: Sustainable Cities and Communities Read More
Days to Celebrate in December
2nd: National Pollution Prevention Day
5th: World Soil Day
11th: International Mountain Day
Guides and Curricula
Sustainable America’s Waste Less At Home Toolkit
Greenpeace Guide to Greener Electronics – The tips in this guide will help you create a healthier environment for you and your family, as well as for the Earth.
University of Colorado Green Living Guide – For College Campus
My Sustainable Living Challenge – Created by the UN System Staff College and UN Environment Programme, this online gamified learning platform channels learning towards behavior change through actionable commitments.
UN Sustainable Lifestyles – This course explores Sustainable Lifestyles in the context of the 2030 Agenda, advancing the understanding of how lifestyle choices impact the world around us and how we can find ways for everyone to live better and lighter.
UN SDG: Learn Resource Efficiency – This course introduces the key concepts of Resource Efficiency, how to measure it, and why it is important in the context of sustainable development, as well as policy pathways for promoting Resource Efficiency with a focus on Asia and the Pacific.
Apps
GoodGuide – Find safe, healthy, green, & ethical product reviews based on scientific ratings.
MeterReadings – Closely monitor your household energy and water usage and the chances are you will save money.
Seafood Watch – Seafood Watch recommendations help you choose ocean-friendly seafood at your favorite restaurants and stores.
Videos
Try a Laundry Pod to Wash Clothes
Useful Links
Your Family’s Carbon Footprint Calculator
National Geographic Great Energy Challenge
Fun Times Guide to Living Green
7 Sustainable Ways You Can Fight Fast Fashion
25 Sustainable Alternatives to Replace Single-Use Items in Your Home
Buying Less Helps the Environment and Improves Consumers’ Happiness
Tips to Change Your Habits
- Pick up litter you see outside
- Keep pet cats indoors
- Donate some of your allowance to charities, like the Sierra Club, Good Food Institute, and Center for Biological Diversity. You can ask your parents how to do this online.
- Use your local library or the internet to learn about causes of environmental issues
- Walk, bicycle, or take the bus to school
- Volunteer with an environmental nonprofit, local nature preserve, or animal shelter
- Don’t chew gum
- Plant native plants
- Avoid using AI. It wastes electricity, often produces inaccurate information, and does not help you learn as much as if you did the work yourself.
- Look for citizen science projects on SciStarter.org
- Use your library or the internet to learn about your local ecosystems and what wild plants and animals live in your area
- Look into the requirements for one day working a sustainability job in environmental sciences or the environmental humanities, such as jobs in renewable electricity, sustainable agriculture, park management, and teaching environmental studies. To learn more about which university majors and career paths can most further positive change, visit: https://80000hours.org/