The Sustainable Development Goals Essay

1. The term menu implies the existence of free choice between options, without a large impact on the overall efficiency of the project. When a firm or a nation follows the menu approach, they might practice as many or as little of the options presented as they wish. However, with the sustainable development practices this framework does not apply. Current sustainable development goals exist in connection with each other, each enabled by the contributions of the rest. Therefore, if a company was to pick and choose which practices it finds the most convenient, none of the goals could be achieved. However, the roadmap analogy implies the continuity and consistency in corporate actions, governed by a step-by-step approach (Moretto et al., 2018). It better illustrates the relationships that exist between different sustainable development goals and the ways in which they are interconnected.
2. Within the range of SDG between 4 and 17, the goals number 6 and 10 stand out as the most relevant to the healthcare field. Goal number 6 states the commitment to achieving the worldwide access to clean water and sanitation for everyone. Water is an essential resource required for the human body to function in a healthy manner and is therefore a basic human right. Furthermore, when denied access to clean sanitized water, a person is likely to develop various health conditions, many of which, such as cholera and dysentery, are lethal (Moumen et al., 2019). Goal number 10 admits the need to reduce the level of structural social inequalities. Within the current society, marginalized groups of people often have their access to healthcare reduced or altered due to financial constraints and social prejudices. For example, studies have indicated the widespread bias against non-white patients in the healthcare system (DallaPiazza et al, 2018). The reduction of inequalities on a structural level would lead to better medical treatment for all.
3. Out of the targets outlined for goal 3 I believe numbers 5 and 7 to be the most critical in increasing the universal levels of health and well-being. Substance abuse prevention and treatment, prioritized by the fifth target, require proactive yet empathetic attention from the healthcare professionals. At the moment treatments from alcoholism and drug addictions are heavily stigmatized, with patients often experiencing criminalization and social ostracization (Birtel et al., 2017). By putting an emphasis on both long-term efficiency of the treatment procedures and the prevention mechanisms, SDGs could make a tangible impact in the field. Target number 7, in turn, discusses the importance of sexual and reproductive health and well-being. Sex education programs and facilitation of the contraceptive methods availability affect the variety of related social and medical dynamics, such as maternal & infant mortality rate, children’s healthcare and STIs.
4. As a community member and an earth citizen, I could follow a variety of recommendations from the UN’s The Lazy Person’s Guide to Saving the World. To focus on the two, I could begin with shopping in a smarter way by planning meals in advance and using purchase lists (“The Lazy Person’s Guide to Saving the World”, 2021). Thus, I could avoid buying more groceries then I require and prevent myself from throwing food items away. Additionally, I could continue to recycle my personal and household waste, as well as encourage my friends and family members to do the same. I could educate myself more on the recyclable materials to avoid the contamination of the recyclable section with soft plastic food wrappers or other inappropriate items.

References

Birtel, M., Wood, L., & Kempa, N. (2017). Stigma and social support in substance abuse: Implications for mental health and well-being.Psychiatry Research, 252, 1-8.

DallaPiazza, M., Padilla-Register, M., Dwarakanath, M., Obamedo, E., Hill, J., & Soto-Greene, M. (2018). Exploring Racism and Health: An Intensive Interactive Session for Medical Students.Mededportal, 14(1).

Moumen, Z., El Idrissi, N., & Tvaronavičienė, M. (2019). Water security and sustainable development.Insights Into Regional Development, 1(4), 301-317.

Moretto, A., Macchion, L., Lion, A., Caniato, F., Danese, P., & Vinelli, A. (2018). Designing a roadmap towards a sustainable supply chain: A focus on the fashion industry.Journal Of Cleaner Production, 193, 169-184.

The Lazy Person’s Guide to Saving the World. United Nations Sustainable Development. (2021).