World's Biggest Problems

    1) Poverty, hunger, and lack of drinking water

          I believe the biggest issue facing the world today is the abundance of poverty and immense hunger in the world coupled with a lack of drinking water.  Hunger and malnutrition continues to be the leading issue for risk to ones health worldwide.  According to the Hunger Project, one in nine people do not get enough food to eat on a daily basis.  The Hunger Project works with communities to develop new water resources, ensure clean water and improved sanitation, and implement water conservation techniques.  Even with the efforts of companies like the Hunger Project, 1.7 billion people still lack access to clean water and 2.3 billion people each year suffer from water-borne diseases each year.  Yes, we are making changes to help improve poverty, hunger, and a lack of drinking water but I think much more still needs to be done for this issue.  Fighting hunger and malnutrition requires the effort of many in the process of improving roads, setting up clean water systems, getting politicians to make smart and informed policies and laws, creating an environment where people have sustainable access to healthy produce and food selection.  

    2) Rapid climate change

          Climate change is a global issue that effects everyone on Earth.  The rapid change in climate has caused a rise in sea levels and temperatures, change in landscape, increased risk for wildlife animals and their ecosystems, more heat-related illness and diseases, and stronger storm systems.  Climate change is an environmental issue primarily effecting our generation and an issue our generation needs to find a solution to in order to save the health of our planet.  I believe climate change can be reduced and monitored by conserving energy on everyday activities like turning your thermostat down two degrees during the winter and vice versa during the summer, sharing carpool rides, switching your lightbulbs to energy conserving safe light bulbs, and turning off lights when you're not in that room to conserve energy.

    3) The downward trending economy

          The world economy is not in good shape.  Trends show that the worst global economic issues are in continental Europe where German growth has stumbled, causing the euro area to be approaching its third recession in six years.  The economy can be fixed by creating new money through new jobs and new wealth.  Don't simply create new money but find a means to create new jobs and new wealth.  Use this restart as an opportunity to build the new green economy, eradicate fuel poverty, and tackle the climate crisis at the same time.  

    4) Terrorism 

          Terrorism is a rapidly growing global issue.  The war on terror began in 2001 when the Islamic terrorist group al-Qaeda attacked the twin towers in New York City, killing over three thousand people.  Recently, the terrorist attacks in France and Denmark have further increased the awareness of terrorism as a global issue.  The U.S. along with other nations have sprung into heavy security to prevent further acts of terrorism.  I think the best way to prevent further terrorist attacks is to eliminate the problem from the root and declare war against terrorism.  But I believe such attacks and strategy should be led by the United Nations or a new alliance should be formed against terrorism with an army and means to fight these vicious attacks.  

    5) Increasing global population
          First off I would like to point out that population growth is a choice and not a inexorable force of nature.  If we as a global population see a significant increase in global population, then we the inhabitants of the Earth have a the choice to solve that ourselves. I see population growth as an issue because it's placing immense pressure on the Earth and the environment with more carbon emissions into the atmosphere, more stomachs to feed, more available and fresh drinking water will be needed, etc.  I believe the population is already pressuring the atmosphere and environment and the population growth rate continues to increase.  

    6) Spread of infectious diseases
          Infectious disease scares me because a global epidemic could wipe out mankind.  The spread of infectious diseases is aided by increased movements of people, expansion of international trade in foodstuffs and medicinal products, social and environmental changes linked to urbanization, and deforestation.  I think the best solution to the spread of disease is to monitor international imports as well as furthering research and studies on vaccines to monitor the spread of diseases.

    7) Growth of nuclear weapons
          The proliferation of nuclear warfare and use of nuclear power can lead to the Earth's tragic downfall.  Nuclear weapons are powerful enough to kill large sums of people at once.  Nuclear weapons were first designed in the 1930's and 1940's and first use in the conduct of war against Japan in the second world war where the nuclear bombs destroyed both Nagasaki and Hiroshima.  The effects of the bombs still linger on the city with aftershock and leaking radiation.  The growth of nuclear weapons has become an issue today because of the further development of nuclear technology as well of the multitude of countries with nuclear capabilities.  In these coming months after the Iran nuclear deal, the monitoring of underground arms needs to be increased because the US and other nation's services will be monitoring Iran's nuclear use.  

    8) Gender inequality
          Gender equality is a human right yet the Sharia Law still exists.  Gender inequality is a global issue as women still see trends where their salaries are still less than the average salaries of men.  Additionally, women are seen as sex objects in many cultures and societies today.  In many societies, women are beaten and raped and defeated.  I think society needs to elevate the average salaries of women to be equal to that of the average mens salary for that said position.  I also believe stricter global gender laws need to be implemented to protect women in countries like Islam.

    9) Species extinction
         The recent decline of major species begins with the changes in climate and increase in symptoms of global warming.  Global biodiversity is dying off much faster than natural extinction due to changes in land use, unsustainable use of natural resources, invasive alien species due to chemicals seeping into waterways, pollution, etc. Additionally, the need and importance of land conservation has increased as deforestation and pollution have both increased.  There are several things we can do today to immediate help prevent the extinction of more species.  We can start with trying to reduce our carbon footprint and pollution rate.  Also we can donate to national parks and learn about the endangered species in our area and things we can do for a specific environment.  

  10) Availability of energy and renewable resources
          Many issues arise from the use of energy every day such as greenhouse gas emissions, acid rain, climate change, etc.  Energy use is a global issue due to the immense power energy draws causes analysts to fear a blackout from overuse.  We can help to monitor energy overuse by furthering the use of alternative energy as well as using energy wisely.