SDG 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions

In an attempt to disrupt the flow of carbon into the atmosphere, I will be disrupting the flow of my money to coal, oil and gas. Like many others, I have switched to a plant-based diet, carry a keep cup and drink bottle and get heated about environmental issues. However, neither my bank nor my super account aligns with my environmental values. The concept of divesting is simple. Without our money, banks cannot keep funding the companies that pollute for profit. I would like to put my money where my mouth is, as the money that you deposit in a bank may be financing projects that fuel the climate crisis. In the last five years since the signing of the Paris Agreement, 35 of the world's leading banks have invested more than US$2.7 trillion in fossil fuel investments and have made over $16.6 billion in profits. Moving my money away from fossil fuels is one of the most powerful and easiest actions that I can take to leave behind the unviable trend of coal. This one step of divestment is proof that small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world. Finally, I would like to use my social media platforms, such as Instagram, to blog about environmental activism. I pledge to use my following to spend more time talking about climate change as there is far too little discussion around the issue in the public sphere. Ultimately, we know that a rapid transformation of our world is possible - evident in how fast corporations, communities and governments have acted throughout this pandemic. Notably, the recent 2021 Sustainable Development Report by the United Nations revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic is a setback for sustainable development everywhere. For the first time since the adoption of the SDGs in 2015, the global average SDG Index score for 2020 has decreased from the previous year. Now more than ever, we must take simple and powerful steps towards healing our one planet.

Paper is an essential part of the world. It is used in many areas: education, business, commercial, etc. We have relied on it for most of our life and one common use of paper is writing and printing. The process of manufacturing paper releases nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and carbon dioxide into the air, contributing to pollution such as acid rain and greenhouse gases. We can reduce these detrimental effects by switching to electronic documents and changing the way we use paper. By ensuring that less paper is being produced, we are able to combat pollution and reduce our carbon footprint on the planet.

- Stop using plastic bags and use reusable bags instead. - Use keep cup to reduce plastic and paper cups - Reuse, reduce and recycle more - Use an alternative source of energy, cleaner version such as solar and focus your future on that.

I will raise awareness for the inequalities in global health, starting with the Fred Hollows Foundation. I will run 50km over next month and use social media to connect with my community to raise awareness of the need for equal access to healthcare. I really like how this foundation supports Indigenous Australian people as well as people without adequate access to healthcare from around the world. I think sight is something we can often take for granted but it is a lens in which we interpret the world. I chose to advocate for more accessible healthcare for all because simple and inexpensive treatments can help many people minor treat eye problems before it regresses into blindness. https://www.fredsbigrun.org/fundraisers/chloejensen To achieve this goal I will endeavour to walk, run and ride my push bike to work and within my immediate area to reduce my carbon footprint. Infographic: sourced from the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness

In regards to "Small Changes Count ", This step is that with one small action done by one person can change someone's life .During this pandemic we are in Lockdown and that should not stop us from being environmentally friendly and also being more healthy. Small changes we make in our everyday living will make a big difference in the environment .

One of the things that a lot of people don't realize is how wasteful and socially unethical fast fashion is. According to the World Watch Institute it takes approximately 2,700 liters of water just to make one cotton t-shirt, correlating to an amount of drinking water that accommodates one person for 900 days. The cotton industry itself is responsible for 24% of the world's insecticide use and 11% of its pesticides. Not only this, it takes on average 10,000 liters of water to produce just one kilogram of cotton. So it is our responsibility to quit fast fashion and support more sustainable and ethical brands. The likes of Adidas, Nike, Uniqlo, Rip Curl, H&M, Cotton On, Primark, Wish and Urban Outfitters (plus many many more) are associated with at least one of the following disastrous social and environmental impacts: 1. The use of toxic chemicals 2. The severe contamination of water used for washing and drinking 3. The failure to care about animal rights - use of animal products for clothing (leather, fur etc.) 4. The use of child and forced labor 5. The violation of labor rights 6. Poor working conditions and unfair wages - prioritizing profits over individual wellbeing's 7. The authorization of unsafe factories 8. Failure to protect the environment and all natural resources The overproduction and overconsumption of cheap disposable clothing is due to the ever present clothing trends present throughout social media, magazines and online articles. Unfortunately a large sum of people succumb to cheap, new and trendy clothing, and therefore ultimately support the conditions in which these fashion brands uphold. Therefore, as consumers we have the opportunity to care more about the environment, how our clothes are made and the people who made them. We can do this by: 1. Buying less - asking ourselves if we really need this new piece of clothing. 2. Buying higher-quality clothing 3. Buying from ethical and sustainable brands - eg. Patagonia, Kathmandu, Pact, NICO, Etiko 4. Avoiding fashion trends 5. Buying secondhand 6. Re-using, repurposing and up-cycling

With the global pandemic, there was a rise in digital innovation and an increase usage of technology. The one group that are affected by this would be the elderly due to the lack of understanding of technology. Learning should not be restricted to a certain age group. I pledge to include elderly in our community and educate them on the basic digital and financial literacy to gain control over their finances and work. I would learn the right way to educate elderly and others on this and hope to one day extend it to all people regardless of age, gender or race. It would be great to see youths and elderly working alongside and helping each other.

I would like to see more pet-friendly public places like restaurants, gardens in China. Every pet would be taking good care of and no more stray animals

My One Step pledge is to adopt impact investing so that my investment approach is done through an ESG/SDG lens. Initially, when I began my investment journey, I invested with only aspirations of maximising monetary gains, setting aside or placing less emphasis on, the social and environmental impacts offrom the business operations. Whilst financial gain is still a key objective of my portfolio actions, it is now imperative to me that I invest in companies which value transparency and have transition plans that are aligned with the SDGs. I do this because I recognise the importance and influence that multinational cooperation’s play in this fight against social injustice and climate change. If we continue to financially support the types of businesses who are not adopting ESG principles and are not aligned to the SDG’s, it only reinforces harmful behaviour which further exacerbates our deteriorating global situation. The investments I make now and into the future will be for positive environmental, social and climate impact enabling me to participate in transitioning to a sustainable future.

Looking after the environment is something that should bring people of all beliefs together. At a governmental level, this is of course never the case. However, at a local and communal level, we can work together to depoliticise environmentalism. Institutionalising sustainable practices is one way we can ensure individual responsibility. By breaking down what seems like a big goal into bite-sized, actionable, specific, and time-bound steps, we can collectively engage in protecting our environment. I want to work with, educate, and be educated by others as to the best means to achieve this goal.