Goal 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

Ø  By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment.

This target, let alone goal, is a global lifestyle change. Changes need to be made to make our current production and consumption patterns sustainable such as only generating “waste” that decomposes and returns to be beneficial to the system. Even waste that isn’t human-made is causing serious pollution problems when manipulated for human consumption such as methane emissions from manure because of our increasing production of animals. All countries can and need to make progress on this comprehensive goal but there are some that have more influence to do so.

Tanzania is developing its capacity for public service provision but currently access and availability of garbage and recycling collection services are inadequate as many people resort to burning their garbage in small piles around their homes or near buildings also causing concern for structure fires. The litter though, while visibly more noticeable, is not as severe as what developed countries are emitting and producing. Also, the specific environment is such that certain garbage is particularly beneficial to human health as there are few other readily available alternatives. Bottled water is one of these since water from the tap or river cannot be trusted, unlike in Canada, and causes many cases of diarrhea and subsequent death among children and adults. This does not mean that improvements can’t be made, though.  More effort can be put towards public campaigns and services to keep plastic bottles and other garbage from entering the ocean or streams. While less litter would be aesthetically pleasing and more environmentally friendly, there are (albeit low-paying) jobs for those who are picking up bottles and this might render them without work or on the other hand, if they can get into the bins, make their lives easier. It is important to ensure that within the green movement there are not job losses for the obvious reasons but also for public perceptions and willingness to get behind the movement.

Reusable bag uptake can be significantly improved but part of the culture here is to get breakfast on the way to work in the form of chapatti (an “Indian pancake”) or mandazi (Swahili bun) and hand-washing might not be available so the bag acts as a clean eating utensil. I don’t see any easy way around this other than promoting a paper bag substitution or a less versatile napkin for a substitute. Tanzania can make improvements but there needs to be serious changes coming from the production stage in the form of renewable sources, simplified packaging, biodegradable material and efficient recycling strategies created for every material in order to have a cradle-to-grave closed production cycle. An issue that has been mentioned a few times by locals here is the quality of the products available to buy. Products tend to be cheap, break quickly and end up in the garbage pile faster than they should. Intervening in business is always difficult and when people can’t afford better quality products, the mechanisms to pressure producers need to be creative as consumers have few options.

In Canada, public attitudes towards recycling and garbage reduction are positive, but sustainable materials and production patterns are lagging.  Consumption is very high for processed foods and materials. Generally, Canadians can start to make progress on this target by consuming less, supporting and promoting biodegradable or reusable materials for foodstuffs and general products. The Canadian Government’s role needs to extend into the large international mining and extractive industry, the manufacturing and agriculture sectors with progressive targets on reducing exposure and the amount of harmful chemicals and trash in the environment. Regulations on chemicals and the review process is key to improving human and environmental health and creating safer, more environmentally friendly products. The regulatory process should ensure that extensive testing filters out harmful products to humans and the environment and that which is approved has a way to be recycled and/or reused efficiently, or it should not be approved.  Improving government coherence with natural systems would make Canada’s role one of leadership rather than the laggard it has been on sustainable products.

There are many challenges facing both countries for this goal, some similar and others specific. For Tanzania, public campaigns and facilities like garbage cans will markedly reduce the visible trash and keep more out of the ocean and streams. To improve product longevity, international advocacy efforts should promote better quality, cleaner products, as those who buy cheap products don’t usually have the time or influence to do so. For Canada, people should spearhead the campaigns for better, cleaner products, sustainable sources and invest in technologies that will advance this target, not just for Canada but for everyone. This includes ensuring our international economic activities don’t destroy the environment for others. This target requires people in every country to come together in order to push for sustainable consumption patterns because the alternative is to continue sabotaging our ability as a human race to survive successfully from our own poisonous creations.