SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

Responsible consumption and production are essential for the society. In fact, the humanity should control and regulate the consumption and production to sustain survivability. Efforts must be done by all the active bodies to ensure good consumption and production process. The sustainable management of the resources is one of the most important cultures to be taught and spread worldwide. Universities are charged to fulfill this mission, through collaboration with all potential communities and to organize events, in order to raise awareness about consumption and production.

Responsible consumption is the use of material products, energy, and immaterial services in a way that their use minimizes impacts on our environment, especially in our present time where our planet faces not one, but many obstacles that are affecting our environment. In order to achieve sustainable consumption, two developments must take place: the increase in the efficiency of consumption, as well as a change in the consumption levels in industrialized countries. Sustainable developments as well as sustainable consumption rely on certain premises such as, effective use of resources and minimization of waste and pollution, and fuller product life cycle. Sustainable consumption and development establish a better future not only for us, but also for our future generations. Consumption does not refer only to individuals and households, but also to governments, businesses, and other institutions. For example, and in our universities, the new generation is paving its way to the outside world. We hold responsibility to teaching our new generation, about sustainable consumption and development in their day to day life, from energy and water saving within institutions, to recycling and waste management. Many consumers are aware of the importance of their consumption choices and care about environmental issues; however, most of them do not translate their concerns into their consumption patterns. Let us aim to implement frameworks, in order to move towards more sustainable patterns of consumption and development within our societies, as a sustainable lifestyle will minimize ecological impacts while enabling a flourishing life for individuals, households, communities and beyond.

At national scale the industrial sector in Lebanon plays a major role on both, financial system and sustainable employment, also it represents a major contribution on the Lebanese exports. And on the behalf of the Lebanese country, the Ministry of Environment (MoE) in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry (MoI) and other partners (Governmental institutions, academic institutions and NGOs), proposed a SCP Action Plan for the Industrial Sector in Lebanon. Lebanon has developed an array of policies and plans covering sustainable development issues at national and sectorial levels and providing Lebanon with an important understanding of sustainable development challenges to be addressed in the wake of socio-economic and environmental challenges facing Lebanon. As a part of a 10 years’ project duration, Lebanon SCP Action Plan for the Industrial Sector in Lebanon has identified 3 Operational Objectives which are the following:

Adopt Best Available Techniques to promote SCP in the industrial sector
Introduce SCP approaches related to the industrial sector in the policy and institutional frameworks
Educate and raise awareness of consumers on SCP in the industrial sector as part of the 2015 adopted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Particularly the twelve’s goal (SDG12), LEBANON’s SCP plan will contribute to poverty alleviation, environmental sustainability and the development of a green economy.

IUL and responsible consumption and production:

The Islamic University of Lebanon (IUL) has the intention of improving the outcomes of operational waste on campus, but we still in an early phase of adopting strategies around Sustainable consumption and development.

The university has a verbal policy on ethical sourcing of food and supplies and waste disposal.

According to Lebanese government policies and recommendations, and on a daily basis, the wastes are sorted into different categories: plastics, papers, organic, and other general waste.

Fiber wastes (papers, cartons, etc..) are sold to private factories in order to be treated and recycled following standard regulations. Based on student initiatives that help deaf persons, the idea of collecting empty plastic bottles in order to be recycled later has become a new project. For this purpose, dedicated baskets were distributed inside the buildings which encourage all students to be involved in this act. Collected bottles are sold to factories in order to be recycled, whereas all the program benefits are used to help deaf persons.

The Islamic university (Wardenieh campus) generates around 50-60 tons of waste annually. On a daily basis, the wastes are sorted into different categories: plastics, papers, organic, other general waste. Once sorted, part of these waste is stored within large containers.

On a weekly basis, organic wastes are collected by the Wardenieh municipality. Following the Lebanese government policies and recommendation, the wardenieh municipality is in charge of burying organic wastes in specific landfill, while other types of wastes are recycled.

Fiber wastes (papers, cartons, etc..) are sold to private factories in order to be treated and recycled following standard regulations.

Based on student initiatives that help deaf persons, the idea of collecting empty plastic bottles in order to be recycled later has become a new project. For this purpose, dedicated baskets where distributed inside the buildings which encourage all students to be involved in this act. Collected bottles are sold to factories in order to be recycled, whereas all the program benefits are used to help deaf persons.

At the invitation of the Islamic University in Lebanon and the cultural movement in Lebanon, the Minister and Deputy Dr. Inaya Ezz El-Din a lecture entitled “Approach to Waste Management: Between Sustainability Principles and Practical Reality” this morning in the university branch hall in Tire, attended by the Secretary-General of the University, Prof. Hussein Badran, and the Dean of the College of Political Science and Diplomacy, Prof. Ramez Ammar, the organizational officer of the Jabal Amel region in the Amal Ali Ismail movement, the director of public relations at the university, Dr. Hisham Al-Husseini, educational and social events, heads of municipalities, university professors, students, and interested persons.

According collected data and statistics, amount of wastes is depicted in the table below.

Percentage of waste recycled
Amount of waste generated	50-60 Tons
Amount of waste recycled	30-38 %
Amount of waste sent to landfill	62-70%

Conclusion and future perspectives:

The management of the consumption and production is a very important to well use the resources. To reduce the asymmetrical consumption of resources, this problem requires collective efforts of all the active bodies, such as policy makers, educational institutions, etc. In order to reduce the consumption and to enhance the production, the Islamic University of Lebanon (IUL) takes important care to spread the awareness concerning these issues. In order to be part of the worldwide efforts regarding the consumption and production, some activities are done to sort and recycle the wastes.