Advancing Sustainable Development Goals Lesson: Systemic Change to Reduce Consumer Impact

As preparation for class, have learners read and take notes on the article by Bengtsson et al. (2018), paying special attention to the highlighted portions and the content from page 1543 to the end. Learners should also review the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals for an overview of the areas of action and intersections among these broad goals. They should pay special attention to SDG #12, Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP), which includes an “overview,” “targets and indicators,” and “progress and info.”

(10 min.) Review the major concepts of SCP and the Bengtsson paper using these lesson PPT slides.

(15 min.) Divide learners into small working groups of three to four, either by asking their preferences or by assigning them to focus on one of the following five action areas that Bengtsson et al. identify to achieve systemic sustainable consumption:

1. Curtailed paid labor
2. Good, quality public services
3. Support for cooperatives, worker-owned companies, community ownership, and small-scale business rooted in communities
4. Spurring health benefits of exercise and a high-quality diet, with universal healthcare access
5. A new social order beyond normative consumerism and ecological bankruptcy

The last of these ideas is broader and more revolutionary; it might be considered as an achievement based on global, aggressive gains in the first four initiatives. Have each small group quickly review the description of their systemic change in the Bengtsson paper and spend a few minutes in online research seeking real-life examples of their action area, as well as challenges and setbacks. From this lightning introduction to the topic, each group should create a short list of their initiative’s benefits, challenges, and real-life examples.
 

(10 min.) Now, have groups consider the differential challenges between wealthy, developed countries with high levels of elective consumerism (The Global North), versus developing countries where most consumerism is limited to necessities, though elective consumerism may be a future goal (The Global South). How do people in these contrasting economic and cultural situations experience consumerism differently? How does that inform the design and implementation of the group’s action area to achieve systemic sustainability in different situations? Have each group list two to three ways The Global North could help The Global South in improving quality of life without structuring their economies on unsustainable consumerism and cultures of waste—the poor example of the Global North. Then, list one way the Global South might provide models for a more sustainable Global North.
 

(15 min.) Groups should now focus on their action area within their local culture—most likely in a Global North country. The challenge for each group is to creatively imagine ways to revolutionize normative consumerism, by reducing the individual’s need to consume products and replace consumerism with collective ownership, reuse and closed material loops, economies of service and creativity rather than material goods, and public services that improve quality of life and reduce the environmental impact of a decent lifestyle. At this point, groups should design “carrots,” or enticements to voluntary participation, rather than “sticks,” or policies and regulations that impose systemic changes. Ask each group to create and detail one initiative within their action area that their community could implement. As part of this creative work, have groups sketch out a publicity campaign that could attract a critical mass of participants.
 

(20 min.) Each group now has 3-4 minutes to present their ideas to the whole group and 1-2 minutes to field questions. Instructors may compile these ideas that demonstrate five new or upgraded areas of systemic change toward a new paradigm of sustainable consumerism: consuming less and more wisely.
 

As homework, have groups post their action area initiative to the course discussion board and have learners contribute comments to all initiatives to help groups hone their ideas.
 

As an optional extension, learners at all levels may benefit from having the opportunity to use their college or university community, or the local area, as a testing ground for their initiative. Learners in small groups could act as societal change-agents by implementing semester-long projects where they design, publicize, and launch ideas. These might include second-hand and upcycling outlets; shared pools for tools, electronics, and transportation; incentives to support local businesses that invest in their communities; invitations to no-buy or low-buy weeks or months; health-building communities of exercise, care, and therapy.