What are the Good Life Goals (GLGs) and Why Do They Matter?
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a collection of 17 interlinked global goals designed to be a “blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all.”
Adopted in 2015, the SDGs address a broad range of issues, including poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace, and justice. They aim to create a comprehensive and ambitious framework that encourages countries to take actionable steps towards sustainable development by 2030.
While the SDGs are primarily aimed at governments and larger institutions, there has been a growing recognition that achieving these goals requires widespread participation from individuals and communities as well. This is where the Good Life Goals come into play.
What are the Good Life Goals?
The Good Life Goals are a set of 17 personal actions that align with each of the SDGs, designed to help individuals understand how they can contribute to achieving these global targets. Developed by the charity Futerra, the United Nations, and other partners, the Good Life Goals translate the often complex and large-scale ambitions of the SDGs into simple, everyday actions that everyone can take.
Each Good Life Goal corresponds to one of the SDGs, offering practical steps and tips on how individuals can make a difference. For example:
- No Poverty: Help to end poverty in all its forms everywhere.
- Support local businesses.
- Donate what you don’t use.
- Zero Hunger: Help to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture.
- Avoid wasting food.
- Support local farmers.
- Good Health and Well-being: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.
- Vaccinate your family.
- Stay active.
- Quality Education: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
- Help educate the children in your community.
- Embrace lifelong learning.
- Gender Equality: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.
- Respect and support women and girls.
- Speak up against gender discrimination.
…and so on for each of the 17 goals.
Why Do the Good Life Goals Matter?
The Good Life Goals matter not just for companies, but also for policy makers, educators, creatives – and for each individual person.
The Good Life Goals matter for several reasons:
- Individual Empowerment: They empower individuals to take meaningful actions that contribute to larger global objectives. By breaking down the SDGs into manageable actions, the Good Life Goals make sustainability approachable and actionable for everyone.
- Increased Awareness: They help raise awareness about the SDGs and their importance. By relating the global goals to everyday actions, the Good Life Goals educate people about the broader context of their actions.
- Collective Impact: Small actions, when taken collectively, can lead to significant change. The Good Life Goals emphasize that everyone’s actions matter and that collective efforts can drive substantial progress towards the SDGs.
- Community Engagement: They encourage community engagement and participation. By fostering a sense of responsibility and community spirit, the Good Life Goals help build stronger, more cohesive communities that are committed to sustainability.
- Behavioral Change: They promote long-term behavioral change. The Good Life Goals are not just about taking action once but about integrating sustainable practices into daily life, leading to lasting change.
Every action by each person makes a difference because individual contributions collectively drive significant change. When one person decides to reduce waste, support local businesses, or promote gender equality, they set an example that can inspire others to follow suit. These actions, when multiplied across communities, create a ripple effect that amplifies their impact.
The Good Life Goals make it easier for everyone to contribute to making the SDGs reachable.
Making the SDGs actionable
The SDGs set out an ambitious vision for a sustainable future, but achieving this vision requires everyone to play their part. The Good Life Goals provide a practical roadmap for individuals to contribute to this global mission. By aligning personal actions with the SDGs, the Good Life Goals help to bridge the gap between global aspirations and individual capabilities, demonstrating that every action counts towards creating a better world.
In summary, the Good Life Goals are a crucial tool in translating the high-level ambitions of the SDGs into everyday actions that individuals can take. They matter because they empower individuals, increase awareness, enable collective impact, encourage community engagement, and promote lasting behavioral change. By adopting the Good Life Goals, we can all contribute to a sustainable future and help achieve the SDGs.
