Week 4: Top 5 World Problems

1). Ranking the top 5 problems from most to least serious:

            1. World hunger and poverty

            2. War and terrorism

            3. Overpopulation and high birth rates

            4. Energy and available resources

            5. Environmental degradation

2). Ranking the top 5 solutions from the most possible to least possible to implement:

            1. Energy and available resources- Investing money and research into other technologies such as solar, wind, and hydropower is essential to find other sources of power. We never want to reach a point where there is a crisis when we run out of resources we are so dependent on, so the best solution is trying to find other sources of energy that can be used in mass quantities so we can lessen reliance on nonrenewable resources. Our reliance on oil, coal, and other nonrenewable resources are a serious issue moving forward because those resources won’t be available forever.

            2. Environmental degradation- Solutions to help reverse some of this damage are the simple reduce, reuse, recycle that we have learned since elementary school. In that order, it is best to reduce the amount you use, reuse the items you can, and recycle any other items for other purposes. When each individual does their part, it can add up and provide a more stable future for upcoming generations.

            3. World hunger and poverty- Tackling world hunger has been at the top of the list for decades, and there is no simple solution. A large majority of financial aid does go toward feeding the hungry and I think it is important to do all we can to help. On a similar note, when donating money, be sure to find programs and charities where every penny goes toward the cause. You don’t want to be funding a program where the relief efforts hardly impact those you are trying to reach, so just be sure to do your research and send your money will it will make the most difference. I recently took a nonprofit leadership course, and this was a main topic of concern because it is important to fund the actual cause, not corporate headquarters.

            4. War and terrorism- Any act of terrorism is scary, but repeated attacks from the same group are when it becomes a reality that they are a major threat. The best way to go about being safe is just to trust that our government and security know what they’re doing, and to never put yourself in a compromising situation if possible. Doing your own part as an individual to stay safe and trust your own instincts is important as well. Although oversimplified, I feel that this is the most practical solution because it helps hold citizens responsible for themself. If you are on alert and continuously aware, it is the most basic way to increase awareness and safety. This solution does not stop terrorist attacks and will not end wars (that is why it is at the bottom), but if these things do occur, it is a way to do the best with what you are given.

            5. Overpopulation and high birth rates- The most practical solution here would just be to not take on more than you can handle if possible. Try to live in an affordable area and not have more children than you can afford to clothe, house, and feed. Obviously that is easier in theory and it’s not always practical to move or control how large your family is, but if every individual did their part, it would certainly help. Again, it is not possible to tell every person to follow a strict set of guidelines for number of children, where to live, family size, etc., but in theory, if every individual could do their part in some way, it could all add up and make an impact as a whole.

I chose world hunger and poverty as my top problem because you have to eat to survive. The percentage of the world that lives under the poverty line is still extremely high, and food is a basic necessity of life. All of factors listed are horrible, but don’t really matter if you are starving to death and won’t live long enough to make it to the next day. I chose investing money and research into other sources of renewable energy as the most practical solution because I feel like it is the most feasible solution on my list. Between solar power, hydropower, wind energy, etc. there are numerous underutilized sources of energy that are yet to be used to their full potential. We need to back away from our reliance on oil, coal, and other nonrenewable sources of energy, and that is an area that we could see results begin to pay off quickly.