2021 Sustainability Goals for Rhode Island
Goal #1: ZERO HUNGER
In Rhode Island, 120,970 people are struggling with hunger -
36,270 are children.
That comes out to:
1 in 9 people
struggles with hunger
1 in 6
children
struggles with hunger
The Feeding America network is able to reach 40 million people, largely thanks to the commitment of volunteers. Our communities are stronger when we join together – help give your neighbors a hand up by volunteering at your local food bank.
To make progress toward ending hunger in Rhode Island, we need to make sure our lawmakers in Washington are fighting for those struggling back home. You can help make sure they see how great the need is in Rhode Island – call on lawmakers to make ending hunger a priority.
Goal #2: Shop Smart
FACTS:
Average family spends $7,000+ annually on groceries.
Shoppers make at least 2-3 trips to the grocery store every week
Most shoppers do not make a grocery list
GET WITH IT!
Make a grocery list
Order online to avoid impulse buying
Get creative with leftovers
Use apps to locate sales and coupons
Consider joining a co-op market like Urban Greens
FOR IDEAS, CLICK ON THE LNKS BELOW
Goal #3: Support Local Farms
The benefits of eating Rhody Grown are many. Supporting local farmers ensures our future food security. Minimizing transportation of food preserves fossil fuels, drastically reduces pollution, and can eliminate much of the final cost to the consumer. Buying direct enables you to see just exactly where your food comes from, for health and peace of mind. And of course the ability to get the freshest of the fresh produce is no small factor.
Goal #4: Stop Water Waste
Water covers about 70 percent of our planet, which is why it’s so crucial to understanding and stopping climate change. Water also intersects with a lot of political and social issues like who is in the White House, reproductive rights , indigenous rights, racial justice, and food insecurity.
It can get overwhelming to sort through all the information and figure out what you can do to help — but we’re here to help. You don’t have to know everything or do everything to make a difference. Start small, with your own personal water consumption, and take it from there.
Here are some easy ways to get started.
1. Calculate your water footprint- click on the link below
2. Do only FULL loads of laundry
3. Run only FULL dishwashers
4. Take fewer baths
5. Turn the water off when you brush your teeth
6. Eat less meat- the livestock industry uses up about 8% of the world's water
Goal #5: Youth Education
Teaching youth about sustainability and the source of the foods we eat and the relationship between society, our own health, and the health of our environment is an important goal for our state. Empowering young people to pave the way today and become tomorrow's leaders depends on education. Please click on the link below to find resources about educational programs and projects available through Progreso Latino Fund, Child and Adult Care Food Program, and Feeding America.
Goal #6: Live Trash Free
In the US there is 250 million tons of trash generated annually — that’s 4.5 pounds per person per day — all that is sent to the state landfill on garbage collection day.
To live without trash:
Avoiding products with packaging
Bring reusable containers to the store to buy bulk groceries, then line kitchen shelves in glass jars
Put food scraps in the compost bin
Grow a garden to use the composted soil
Buy all clothes secondhand
Knit and sew your own clothes
Use wood scraps to make homemade furniture
Goal #7: Increase Food Security
For Rhode Island to have a sustainable food system, all of our residents must have enough to eat. The state food strategy, Relish Rhody, sets a goal to reduce the overall level of food insecurity by maximizing participation in federal meal programs, reducing transportation barriers to food access, and making healthful foods more affordable. A core element highlighted in the plan is to improving nutrition for Rhode Island residents is to promote healthy eating habits and active living, in our public schools, day care, and workplaces. Relish Rhody also sets an objective to develop a system of community gardens throughout the state to increase access and allow communities to grow culturally appropriate produce. Lastly, the plan lays out activities designed to create innovative partnerships with healthcare providers will improve public health, lower rates of obesity, and provide basic nutritional knowledge for families.
Goal #8: Protect Local Environments
To protect the environment and preserve the planet for our children and future generations, we all need to take proactive steps toward cleaner living habits.
So here are ways you can start to protect the environment today:
1. Consume less
2. Compost
3. Choose reusable over single-use
4. Upcycle more
5. Shop secondhand
6. Use fewer chemicals
7. Walk, bike or carpool
8. Conserve electricity
9. Do not litter
Goal #9: Avoid Plastics and Styrofoam
Goal #10: Promote Good Health
Goal #11:
Increase Affordable Clean Energy
