2022 Ripple Conference

Exploring the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: Our Gateway to Lifelong Prosperity
Jessica Bast, Program Coordinator for  North Carolina State University Office of Sustainability, Elon Alum

This breakout session will focus on exploring the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which provide us with a universal language to discuss sustainability in social, environmental, and economic contexts. The significance of each goal will be explored, as well as the interconnectedness between all of the addressed issues. However, special attention will be given to SDGs 3 (Good Health and Well Being) and 10 (Reduced Inequalities) to dive into the importance of equality and justice and their impact on human well-being.

This session allows all participants to divine deeper to explore how addressing social and environmental injustices is not only crucial to a sustainable future for all but also how they impact human health and well-being. Such injustices I'll be discussing will include global environmental justice issues that plague marginalized communities and issues like restrictions on religious and spiritual identities and forms of expression.

Attendees will leave able to
 1. Understand the interconnectedness of social, environmental, and economic issues (triple bottom line) 
2. Enhance their knowledge of global environmental and social injustices 
3. Brainstorm strategies to personally contribute to the sustainable development goals