SIGN POST

INTRODUCTION

“Where the signposts end, the trail begins.” - Marty Rubin

Imagine having symptoms from a mild fever, coughing, chest pain or pain with breathing and constant fatigue. Perhaps unintentional weight loss too. Would you ignore them as just off shoot of late work hours? Will you be concerned? Should you be concerned? Of course yes. And in all probability, you would not have delayed and immediately consulted your doctor.

For now few decades, our planet has been showing similar symptoms from tsunamis to epidemics. Yet, we are blind to it. Like ostrich burying our heads in sand, and wishing that the storm would pass by. Vain wishes would get us nowhere. The signs are evident as sunlight and yet we conveniently choose to ignore them.

The Earth needs us to show our gratitude. The Red Indians always have a prayer for the earth and thanking the crops, the forces of nature (such as wind/breath) and the “wakan” or animal spirit in us from the coyote, raven to the great white hare. Least we can do, the 21st century modern giant of an individual is to acknowledge that we owe it to the planet. As so rightly suggested, the Earth does not need us, we need it. The planet was there and lived harmoniously with the dinosaurs and the Neanderthal, it's us who need to appreciate the place we call home.

The Sign Post are milestone indicator and it reflect a lot of work need to be done. Some of them are alleviating human suffering from the food crisis or fighting disease. Others are finding more sustainable source of energy. A lot of work has gone to make the 17 United Nation's Sustainable Goals. Yet, most of us in the education fraternity are unaware or vague aware of the SDGs. Perhaps the papers are too academic and the writing it too formal. This series of three books is an attempt to reach out to the most important section of the world demographics. The educator and the educators. The teachers and the students.

Sign Post focuses on the first six goals from No Poverty to Clean Water. The aim is to recreate the SDGs in simple language, interesting information, add trivia, case studies and activities, so that the SDGs become a part of our daily vocabulary. The milestone indicators are there for us to see, it's time we take the action needed.