Thursday, September 13, 2012

Taking Responsibility

Dear All,

Our present world is in a serious crisis in many respects: global warming, pollution, the extinction of numerous species of animals and plants, the destruction of wildlife habitat everywhere, the abuse of animals and humans in all parts of the world, racism and discrimination, wars and violence, greed for money and control, etc.

It has been proven over and over that one person can make a difference and create positive change. Martin Luther King, Mahatma Ghandi, and Nelson Mandela are just some of the most obvious examples. As educated people we have the responsibility to take the lead in creating a better future for all of us.

I would therefore like to invite you all to create positive change in one of the many areas that need change - and in a way that makes use of your personal talents and skills. Please share your projects and other ideas with the rest of us!

Thank you,

gudrun

69 comments:

  1. To me, the biggest problem in this world right now is the selfish nature of human-beings. If every individual on this planet all agreed to work together as a group, then there is not a problem in this world that cannot be solved. Some people, like Martin Luther King, are born with the talent to influence and unite a group of people, and they can make a huge difference by boldly taking the advantage of this talent. Others, like myself, have talents in other areas. I am majoring in computer science, and I will most likely be working with computers and software designing in the future. In order for me to help create a better future for all of us, perhaps I should focus on tying entertainment to information technologies to draw people's attention. I can then work around inserting messages which promote the importance of teamwork and the power of unity into those new inventions. It will take a very long time before people will actually want to work together, yet I will be satisfied if I could just motivate a few people every day to help shape a better future. I don't know exactly how that's going to work, but I know that as long as I give it my effort, even I can make a difference.

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  2. Like I said in class, I believe that the greatest power is the power of knowledge. Once we gain knowledge, a plethora of opportunities and choices become accessible to us and this is something that many less fortunate people in the world are not able to achieve.

    Although I am hoping to major in something to do with commerce, I always imagined myself as a teacher somewhere down the road. I have worked closely with orphanages in Taiwan, as a leader of the service committee in my high school's student council. We would visit the orphanages and teach the children how to speak English, play games with them and teach them how to sing English songs. We also taught them how to bake so they could sell their goods on the weekends at a local market and earn a bit of extra pocket money. Although this was a rather small project, I love the idea of teaching people new things so that they can make a better future for themselves. After all, isn't this why every single one of us chose to attend university? We want a better future for ourselves which we believe can be accomplished by further education. This wealth of knowledge right at our fingertips isn't available to everyone, so it then becomes our responsibility as global citizens to not be selfish and share our knowledge with others so that we can all make the best of what we have.

    Although I probably won't become the next Martin Luther King, I would like to believe that I will live a life that has brought change to others. I know that each individual can make a difference, regardless of their power, status, wealth or age.

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  3. I believe that the greatest threat to humanity in the 21st century is the general lack of scientific awareness and rational thoughts. Like Ariel mentioned, knowledge is the greatest power bestowed upon humanity, yet people are often quick to discard rationality for superstition, ignorance and absent-mindedness. With the world facing dire problems such as global warming, resource depletion, and environmental destruction, it is critical for society to nurture and educate as many thinkers, scientists and engineers as possible to create viable solutions.

    Yet in the US, only 40% of the population believe the theory of evolution and only 37% of Americans can locate their country on the world map. The cultural attitude berates studying and learning while promoting excessive entertainment, and emphasizes reality TV shows and video games at the expense of education. Although the level of ignorance may be lower in other countries like Canada, the general lack of passion for knowledge is a common global trend.

    This is problematic because in order for critical government initiatives such as reducing the emission of carbon dioxide and allocating more resources on discovering cures to diseases can materialize, sufficient public interest in science must exist, and such thing can only be achieved through education. When the public becomes more aware and educated, democracy can reach its full potential and empower humanity to solve the most complex issues our species has encountered.

    The only talent I possess is my passion for science and my ability to work to my fullest ability. Therefore, I hope to be a part of the scientific community to not only contribute in expanding the boundary of science, but also to spread that knowledge to the public. If I can help others to be more scientifically literate through either direct educational campaigns or by inspiring others through my work and research, I will be satisfied in knowing that I played a small part in helping to make the world a better place.

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  4. I believe it is in human nature to dwell on things we don't have. Our world is developing at an incredibly fast pace, with a vast increase in technology and knowledge, discoveries of new and innovative ideas, and an incredible ease of life. And yet, many people cease to see that these are things we should appreciate. In my opinion, as people living in a first world country, we are languishing in not just a comfortable but luxurious lifestyle. It may be difficult to see our lives as "luxurious", but it is evident when our living standards are compared to those of others around the world.

    One of my biggest concerns is poverty and low standards of living. Everyone has the right to a healthy environment, and basic necessities for survival. Yet there are people who live without a home, clean water, and nutritious food. There are places where children are unable to get an education and move forward in life. There are countries where war and violence is normal and unavoidable. It is unfortunate to see that in the 21st century, we have still been unable to achieve peace, worldwide education and health. Even with the growing wealth of knowledge, we are still unable to address and solve these issues.

    I’ve always been passionate about global issues, but also about science. I’ve learned in high school and in university, that there are many scientific approaches that can be taken to improve and eradicate the problems we are facing today. Therefore, I aspire to become a biomedical engineer. As a biomedical engineer, I can improve technology in the medical field and hopefully bring this to countries where health care is not prioritized or well developed. In the future, I would like to partner up with Engineers without Borders. This is a group that promotes sustainable living and addresses various issues such as transport of clean water, and the building of schools and homes in undeveloped countries.

    I truly hope to use the knowledge I gather in my years of learning to make a change for the better. I know I can’t change the whole world, but if I can change the life of one person, I feel that I have fulfilled my goal.

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  5. In my opinion, the greatest thing that is wrong with the world is the terrible distribution of wealth, and the lack of any sign of things levelling off. By no means do I believe that the world should be constructed to model that of a marxist system; however, I believe that we are too extreme to the other end of the capitalist spectrum. I would like to be careful not to be arguing the point that everybody should have all the same things and that, no matter what, everything should be equal, but I argue that everyone should have the necessities of life, being food, clothing, and shelter.

    To realize that their are people in the world that do not have enough food to eat or any water to drink, while there are others out there with automobile that cost as much as it would to feed someone for a life time is appalling. There are people in our world that do not have access to drinking or even any water while others are using ten thousands of gallons to fill swimming pools for leisure.

    Given that I am enrolled as a first year engineer, and plan to be an engineer in the near future, I belief I can help this problem with the skills I will be equipped with. I believe that through my future jobs I will be able to better this situation through construction of better technologies and improved infrastructure. Beyond this, I am hoping that by the time i get a job and work for a couple of years, I will have a sufficient amount of money where I will be able to provide food and water to at least a handful of hungry children across the globe. It is great for people to aspire to achievements which will benefit society as a whole, but it is equally important to make little differences too. Hopefully at some point too I would be able to go to a area with a lack of water and engineer a project which could be used to better their abilities to have water.

    I honestly believe that every step in the right direction makes a substantial difference in the overall well being of the human population. Also it is by the masses that any true improvements and achievements are made, not the individuals. Having said this it is the individuals that create the masses so everyone needs to contribute to the greater purpose for effective change to occur.

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  6. I would like to draw on what a few people have said and take the discussion of education and of technology in a different direction. There is no disagreement that access to technology, and thus information, is allowing society to develop at an extraordinarily fast pace. Every year, 7 billion people are linked closer together despite vast physical detachment. It’s unfortunate that even with this extensive network between educators, innovators, scientists, artists, philanthropists, etc…we continue to think and act independently. This causes development that is far from positive.

    We cannot rise to take responsibility for the economic, environmental, or social state of affairs until we have decided that ‘to achieve’ we must join together and not compete. How do we accomplish integration when it conflicts with the standard of education in schools? We learn that to excel we must leave the masses in our shadow, we must compete to attain high marks, and we must study one discipline to realize its complexity. In an article called ‘Slow Knowledge’, David Orr writes that society is made to believe new knowledge is more valuable than wisdom (slow knowledge) and the resulting mistakes made can only be fixed with more new knowledge. He writes the fundamental problem with human progress is that we too often define it by newer and faster knowledge.

    I believe in order to accomplish anything positive in today’s world we must take a step back in time and ‘unlearn’. Fragmentation in education does not yield greatness. Rapid innovation (fast knowledge) should not always be praised as it leaves very real problems with rushed and unstable solutions. Sometimes, it’s best to look toward the wisdom in cultures that sustained themselves for hundreds of years. To solve the problems the world faces we must build an integrated education system that recognizes the value of slow knowledge and its' potential in our fast paced world.

    I often try to live by this motto: Live, unlearn, change.

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  7. The five others above me, for the most part, share my major concerns for humanity.

    Stuck at a type 0 civilization, as a human species we continue to struggle with our own self inflicted problems. The transition to a type I status (the ability to control our planet in order to maintain a prospering future) is not as inevitable as we may believe it to be. Humanity continues to rank below this Kardashev scale.

    What actions we decide to take within a hundred years has the power of propagating through centuries and ultimately deciding our fate. It is well within our power to plunge our species past the brink and into total annihilation, but only if we capitulate to superstition, greed and stupidity. Examples of such have already been mentioned by those before me in this thread such as the terrible distribution of wealth in our world and various environmental problems.

    As far as we know, we may be the only intelligent civilization within our local cluster or perhaps even our galaxy. It ever so important that we make sure we survive and continue and learn from our mistakes. The horrify theory that perhaps most civilizations destroy themselves within the 0-1 transition stage should encourage us to prosper and avoid fatal mistakes. Sure we may have the power to kill ourselves but we are also capable of using our vast intelligence and compassion to unite as a species as opposed to race or religion.

    As a mere UBC student, I can only hope to become the change I seek by aiming to do what I can in order to guarantee the prosperity of future generations. My dreams of venturing to dark space and the vast unknowns of our galaxy have already been crushed. I can only help the future of others from here. Whether that means opposing racism, educating others, saving trees left and right or perhaps inventing a method for interstellar travels, I hope to make a difference nonetheless.

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  8. Negligence of our responsibility as human beings will be the downfall to mankind. It is easy to forget, with our busy lives, that we are so fortunate with what we have. From a quality education brought to us by some of the greatest minds in the world to stylish clothing and delicious food, we are all well off. I'm no philosopher or spiritual leader but I do believe that everyone was born with equal potential. Potential to change the world, to build a monument, learn to read - all of it flows through us. Only a spark is needed to ignite a blaze that will light up the future and impact the world. With equal potential deserves equal opportunity.

    I'd like to create those opportunities in our world. There are many activist groups that travel around the world building schools for people who are less fortunate then us. I would like to join them and do my part in a brighter future. I firmly believe that knowledge is power but without wisdom power corrupts. I have not lived a long life but I have learned lessons that I would like to pass on. The worst thing anybody could do is nothing so I plan on doing something for the future that we all have to live in.

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  9. In my opinion, the current state of society as we perceive it today is the result of the complete opposite of this blog's title, people not taking responsibility. Much of the reason behind the world's slow progression towards beneficial change is the lacking of persons involved. Many turn their backs towards the conflicts particular areas of the world face due to the mindset that it does not affect them. Well, undoubtedly the effects of diffusion are unknown to such individuals. The world is a connected place of being; the actions of one become the effects for another. Thus, one should engage themselves in the occurrences that are taking place in the world so it can be terminated before it can spread. Though, the assumption of possessing elevated statuses and being ‘too important to care’ causes individuals to detach from their community and subsequently the functioning of the world itself. They say 'knowledge is power', but it depends if the power if over others and for others. If knowledge becomes the key to one's mindset of superiority rather their involvement and sympathy, then such knowledge is foolishness.
    Keeping such in perspective, I believe that it should not matter of what an individual is capable of or how many digits their salary contains; if everyone takes up the initiative to make a change to the deteriorating state of the world, then a change is truly possible. I do not say that knowledge is not necessary, it is actually the optimum tool for success, but I say the correct implication is knowledge that truly brings out its competence. And those who are learned of such tactics are the ones who possess the greatest capability to make a change. In essence, these are the very people who are also bestowed with the most responsibility in keeping our world protected from harmful shadows, people like us. We are blessed to be attending a highly reputable post-secondary institution and should be every more grateful that we are also being given the chance to be leaders of our planet, to direct, to teach, and to change.
    I hold the goal to gain an abundance of valuable education and consequently get a career in the medical field. With such an occupation, I believe that I will consequently have the chance to both resolve and prevent issues in the world and spread beneficial knowledge among all citizens that comprise this world.
    Moving together, as one, symbolizes true progression. As Henry Ford said, "If everyone is moving together, then success takes care of itself." The desire to promote the well-being and prosperity of another brings about one's own success. If one truly believes, the path will pave itself, if one truly aspires, the outline will fabricate itself, and if one truly exerts, the responsibility will fulfill itself.
    I conclude with Chief Seattle's words that possess the capability to forever compel us to involve ourselves with our surrounding, with all the events in our proximity, and truly prove ourselves citizens of the world, to not only be present, but actually be there.
    "Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect."

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  10. In my opinion the real issue, which is connected to most other worldly issues, is disparity on a global scale.
    This problem isn't just on an economic level but expands itself to every facet of life such as the justice system, infrastructure, education, working conditions, and many more areas.
    How is it clean drinking water and education, which seem like such trivial things to our society, are very tough to come by in other countries.
    My plan to attempt to solve issues like these is fairly simple. With my education path in the faculty of engineering I can venture into the civil and chemical field. With this sort of knowledge I will be able to work on things such as de-salination processes which is the process of making salty ocean water drinkable. Research like this is vital to increasing the accessability of such a basic necessity.

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  11. As discussed in earlier comments, there are a variety of reasons that the world is not such a bright place. Knowledge, selfishness, awareness, ignorance, and disparity were some of the words mentioned.
    I’d like to add another word in; on the sums up everything I'm about to say:

    Compassion.

    We need compassion to make the world a better place. Compassion compels us to walk miles in the shoes of someone less fortunate. Without compassion, we cannot be generous and give freely. We cannot expect the world to change if we can’t feel compassion for those less fortunate.

    And I think it’s really important for us to do the things we say we will do. It’s important that we not only talk the talk, but also walk the walk.

    So I intend to start small. I’ll start making a change in the world one step at a time, so as to not to overwhelm myself. I’ll identify the haves and have-nots, the necessities and the unnecessary expenses, and what I can do about them. I’ll educate first myself, then others on the issues plaguing today’s society. I’ll look for opportunities to help in any way that I can, whether it be volunteering weekly at a residential care centre, or organizing a mass rally to fight for social justice. I know that if I make a difference in the life of at least one person, I’ll continue on until I make many more differences in the lives of many more people. My only requirement is that I never lose my sense of compassion for those I works with.

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  12. Our society is obsessed with consumption. We always want the, not to quote Daft Punk or anything, better, faster, and stronger versions of the items that we currently possess. If a phone is over a year old, it is unappealing. If a laptop doesn’t use the newest processor or have “retina display,” it is automatically old, outdated, and in many minds, worthless. Our possessions, contrary to those of our grandparents and before, significantly depreciate with time as there is no longer any appreciation for retention.

    So why is this a problem? Well, other than the cliché, but true, figures that everyone has heard (X% of the world’s population uses Y% of its resources, we are consuming at such a high rate that we will run out of resources in Z amount of years, if the whole world consumed at the North American rate we would need W number of planets just to hold our waste), we are also creating an unsustainable consumerist economic environment. Other than the fact that we cannot physically support our consumption, we cannot monetarily support it either. To uphold to our consumerist values, we borrow, and not a little but a lot. Now, don’t get me wrong, debt allows us to purchase houses, to own cars and to go to school. Debt can be good, as long as it is manageable. The problem exists when we begin to indulge ourselves in unmanageable, uncontainable debt, when we borrow on credit cards at 20% or higher interest rates, when we only pay the minimum on our bills, and when we make purchases that we either cannot afford or show tangible assets for.

    With a degree in commerce, and hopefully a specialization in finance, I hope be a part of the solution to these problems. I want to see capitalism done right, consumerism in control, and debt as a last resort. That’s my goal, but, to be completely honest, I’m not exactly sure how I am going to achieve it. But, over the next four or so years here, I hope to find the answer to that and figure other ways that I can try to make the world just the slightest bit of a better place to live.

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  13. For me, my interests focus mostly on animals. My whole life I have been an animal lover and animals are a huge passion of mine. With my life, I plan become a veterinarian. As a veterinarian, I will be able to help numerous animals each and every single day. I want to be able to give animals a higher quality of life. Along with my practice, my plan is to offer free services for those who cannot afford basic care for their animals. The reason I want to do this is because I know how much an animal can mean to a person. For myself, my dog, Luke, is honestly like a child to me. I cannot imagine not having him in my life. He is what gets me through the tough days. He just has this way about him that shows that he cares. As bad as this may sound, Luke is the one I have missed the most in my family since I have moved to residence. I know that I’m not the only crazy one out there. Many are crazy animal lovers like me. Yet, many animals do not receive the care they deserve because their owner cannot afford it. Does that mean that person should not be allowed to own animal? I think not. I believe in the joy an animal can bring to one’s life. For some people, their animal is what keeps them going when times get tough; their animal is their source of strength. So I believe that offering free animal care for those who cannot afford it is something I can do to change the world. I know that my initiative is not as big as other people have previously mentioned. It does not target some of the world’s biggest problems. However, it is something I believe I can do and will follow through on. This project means a lot to me and I know that it will change people’s lives.

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  14. My interests center around debating and hearing about public views and opinions. As a free thinker I think it's important for people to adopt secular views over time, not through force but under their own realization on how to progress to a harmonious society. Personally I don't see religion as an infection, I don't blame it for starting wars or conflicts (that blame lies on the people), but in the category of human progression I see it as a huge obstacle. Humanity has been set back centuries in terms of science and technology, because people allowed themselves to become deluded by supernatural tales instead of questioning and objecting the against the status quo. We can never get back the time humans have wasted diagnosing medical conditions as demonic possessions, or oppressing astrological curiosity. Can humanity really afford to waste anymore time debating whether evolution is true or not, or whether gay marriage should be allowed when we are already so behind as a species? Not at all am I suggesting that people shouldn't be allowed to still have views based majorly on their religion, of course not, that would make me no less ignorant then the people I allude to. What I do suggest is that current generations decrease religious influence on the lives of children, and allow them to steer life under their own control, without the influence of their parents or community.

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  15. Yes, it is certain that there are many problems in the world today. Several examples include: global warming, inequality, and racism. Clearly, it is impossible to solve all of these problems all at once. Therefore, I believe that we should solve the major problems first because in the process of solving these major problems, other problems will either be solved or their negative impacts will be reduced. I have faith that if education problems are solved first, then all other problems can be resolved easily. For example, if everyone has had education, then fewer people would get sick from drinking contaminated water because they are taught that they shouldn’t drink dirty water. Also, with education people would be able to get better jobs, which means that they can earn more money to support their family and be out of financial problems.

    I plan on pursuing an education in Pharmaceutical Sciences. With the knowledge that I gain from this, I may be able to help create new drugs that cure diseases that aren’t curable right now and save lives. Also, with the money that I earn, I can help support and fund schools in developing countries so that the poor will have access to education. It’s very important to educate people, especially children because they will be the leaders of the future. As for now, I can try my best to change the world by volunteering and doing what I can do to help, hoping that I will influence people to volunteer and help others.

    Talking about this topic reminds me of a movie that I watched several years ago. This movie is called “Pay It Forward” and in it, the main character receives an assignment to think of something that will change the world. So he thinks of a way that he can do this, which is by paying someone’s favour to him forward by doing good deeds to three other people. Then in turn, these three would do the same thing for others and so on. I believe that if everyone did this, then the world would be a much better place in no time.

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    1. I think that perhaps it is a bit more complicated than you make it out to be. The world is so dynamic that I don’t think there is really a “quick fix”. I do agree that education is very important. However, I don’t think that even if everyone were educated it would solve all our problems. Like the example of the contaminated drinking water—it isn’t always that people don’t understand; it’s that due to lacking infrastructure they have no other option.
      Even if everyone was educated, that doesn’t mean that they will automatically get good jobs and have no financial problems. I think there are so many other things that need to be considered; the world is not black and white, it’s grey.

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  16. Imagine the world is constructed by different mechanical parts and the parts are made up by humans. The light one uses to read a novel, the chair that one seats on during breakfast time, the elevator that one takes to work and himself/ herself is the door that another person uses to go back home. Each part is interconnected with each other just like everyone in the society does and if everyone in the world does one good thing then isn’t the world will make up of billions of good things?

    One thing I did and I will keep doing is something called the indirect impact. Indirect impact is something that helps the society without causing an effect directly and the most often seen is youth development. Just like this summer, I went to Bahrain and helped to coordinate a conference about leadership, global mindset and project management to local high school students. More than 100 students joined and 10% of them actually decided to run a volunteer project after the conference. This is what I mean by indirect impact, where I did not exactly cause something good in the society, however, I created changing agents where they will do many more goods and change other people as well. I believe that this is the best way to keep the world goes on positively because it will not just stop by one person and is actually going on as a cycle.
    Of course indirect impact does not limited by space or events. No matter the place, the time, or the thing one is doing, one can spread indirect impact as well. A human is a walking brand for other people, the behaviour and the action can affect others just like the butterfly effect. Therefore, I will not limited myself by doing youth development works, even the smallest part in my life should live to respect others, the environment and the world and by this way, I can create more changing agents in the world and create more indirect impact.

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  17. Our world is undoubtedly one filled with countless problems. If I had to extrapolate a common cause for most of these problems I'd say it's the arrant obsession for money and power, together with lack of consciousness and compassion, that characterizes humanity today. These characteristics are built into the very nature of the ways things function in our world, thus often preventing us from being aware of, let alone questioning, the great effect they have on the course we will take together as one sole species; one sole species, I'd like to emphasize, that inhabits one (relatvely) small planet in the midst of thousands of other species, and that has been (and probably will be) a part of this universe for a very short time in cosmic terms. (Think of light years, the big bang, etc etc).

    The repercussions to these negative habits touch our world in a wide range of ways, a lot of which have been discussed in this forum. In an effort to be brief I’ll just talk about two consequences that are solely pertinent to our species’ non-conviviality and not in relation to the negative effects we have on the environment, other species, etc. Inequality, something so evident in our contemporarily famished and luxurious word, is unavoidably propagated as we are brought up to focus on reaching a personal state of comfort rather than a collective one of peace and tranquility. Mass consumption has also been brought up several times as a major flaw in today’s world. Although I understand very well where everyone is coming from in characterizing our society as a consumerist one I strongly disagree. In my opinion, to a much larger extent we are a productive society rather than a consumerist one. Most of us are built to find an unquestionable positive value in production and this is a direct consequence of the obsession for money and power. Production is the direct means of attaining money, whether it be production of resources, services, gadgets, anything basically, and money is a necessary condition to achieve power. In production (at least as its seen today) the main goal is to achieve maximum output from the minimum input. This notion is furthered to such extent that consequences such as outsourcing, child labor in thirld world countries, and increase in the precariousness of jobs (workers are like interchangeable parts) arise, yet the inherent value ascribed to production is seldom questioned. Consumption on the other hand is something we usually take, on itself, to be a negative thing. This notion makes no sense to me. Production and consumption are two complementing parts of one sole mechanism. We cannot expect to produce without consuming in the same way we cannot expect to consume without producing.
    Instead of ascribing any value to either consumption or production I believe these two things should be looked at consciously and compassionately. We should not seek from production and consumption to egotistically further our personal gain but rather try to find the balance between the two that will propitiate the greatest advantage to the greatest amount of people and things.

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  18. There are many problems in the world today that affect all life on earth. My talents are in the area of sciences. To utilize my talents, I plan to pursue a career in medicine. I hope to volunteer with the Doctors without Borders organization to provide free health care to those who cannot afford it. I am also hoping to contribute to medical research and find cures/medication for diseases. In the meantime, while working towards my big dream, all I can do is just be a responsible global citizen. This means taking care of the environment, recycling, saving energy, reducing excessive use of water, being compassionate and loving towards everyone. What I can do right now may not be a grand-scale project to change the world, but I believe if everyone did their part in doing the small things right, the world would not be where it is right now. Simply put, treat everyone, including nature and animals, how you would like to be treated.

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  21. Like a few people mentioned above, “Knowledge is the greatest power”. After gaining considerable amount of knowledge, the opportunities of having satisfying jobs and possibilities of having high quality of life seem more possible and achievable to us. Undoubtedly, the most common and easiest way to gain knowledge and get educated is to go to school, but nowadays, it has been an increasingly urgent problem that children and teenagers in third-world countries and poor areas are facing a hard time to receive proper and sufficient education due to the imbalance distribution of education resources and lack of access, according to CNN’s research, approximately 77 million children worldwide are not able to go to school. As one of the citizens of the globe, I have responsibility to help those children who are in trouble to get education.
    Last summer me and some fellows organized a project called Hand in Hand, which intended to raise money to help those children who did not have access to education in northern part of China. We went to different places and used different ways to propagate our ideas of raising money to build educational facilities and information about those unfortunate children who are struggling with poverty. Eventually we successfully achieved our goals of in fundraising and gave all the money to the ministry of education.

    Even though I am not able to completely resolve the problem about children who are not able to go to school and gain knowledge due to different obstacles, I still strongly believe that if every individual works towards one goal and takes their own responsibility, there is no such problem that we cannot get through. Trying to imagine our world as a machine with chains of saw-toothed gears interlocking smoothly together, if one fails to catch with the flow and messes up, the chain breaks up thereby influencing the whole negatively, hence everyone has to take responsibility in order to cooperate with each other and receive benefits reciprocally.

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  22. The point of knowledge that was brought up in earlier posts is essential to what I believe would completely change the world. I feel knowledge is an undexpendable tool that can definitely improve or worsen the future for essentially everything. The world has already witnessed the horrors of what knowledge could produce in misguided hands (such as the catastrophes of nuclear warfare, biological weapons, etc), but also has witnessed the miracles of what this powerful tool called knowledge is capable of. Some of which are cures to devastating diseases, and new technological advances that make an overall improvement on life. Knowledge, although extremely vast, is still progressing and new information is constantly being gathered, refined, distributed, and shared among the millions. With this essential tool, problematic crises can be eliminated gradually, but surely.

    Flaws are always going to be inevitable with the world that we continue to live in; however, with the advancements that humans are achieving, these flaws will slowly fade. Just like the world, humans also have flaws by nature, and I believe that in order for all these large scale problems to be solved, the foundation first has to be firm and secure. I believe that the foundation (which I would like to hope is us humans) is the essence to eradicating these global crises. I have always wanted to help others, whether that is a miniscule or dramatic improvement on another’s life, but I never saw only one way of doing this. Teaching someone to dance, or play an instrument is just the same as helping someone get through a difficult time (whether that be medically, financially, etc); however, hopefully through my studies, I will be able to take the knowledge I learn and apply it to improving the overall health of people. This may inevitably lead me to the studies of health, or medicinal practices, but people are the foundation of our future. Everyone should be given a chance at success, and I believe that if people are in their optimal condition, they will be able to pursue whatever dream they have without hindrance, just like Martin Luther King or Mahatma Ghandi. I want to continue to aid others, and allow them to attain their hopes, goals and dreams, one that hopefully will lead to an extraordinary improvement in our future.

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  23. I believe that there are many leaders born in a world filled with followers. I, myself, used to be a follower who just acted upon other people’s directions. I always depended on others to lead me to the right direction. I feel that the world today has too many followers that are afraid to speak up for themselves and about what is right. They rely on others to take responsibility for them because they don’t have it in themselves to do it. It’s not easy being a leader but to evolve into one is one great challenge. After following a path throughout my whole life, I’m free to choose my own path and take responsibility for myself.

    What I’m planning to do in my future is undecided. I’m currently taking the route to become an engineer where my skills of problem solving fit perfectly, but that doesn’t mean I can’t go on a different road. There are plenty of paths to head down on but, regardless of what kind of engineer that I want to become, I just want to contribute my part in the world to make life easier and simpler. Because as an engineer, we are innovators who think about society’s needs and figure out ways to improve life.

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  24. Coming from a third-world country where I see a lot of families with barely one meal a day, I have a desire to eradicate hunger. In relation to this dream, I choose to be a Chemical Engineer who will revolutionise the food industry.

    Reflecting how food is becoming a product of large-scale industrial processes over the world, I decided to achieve my dream to nurture the world with healthy food by pursuing a Chemical Engineering degree.

    I once had the idealistic image of building shelters for malnourished children like the ones I encountered when I did a volunteer work, feeding the malnourished children in Payatas, where food can be provided for the needy. However, it is simply not practical to provide food that way for this boundless world.

    Particularly, milk is under-provided, and hence, under-consumed, in my country. With the current “White Revolution” (a campaign emphasizing the importance of milk in the development and growth of children in Indonesia started in 2009), being a Chemical Engineer will allow me to address my first concern: how to distribute fresh-milk affordably by increasing the efficiency of milk-production, processing and packaging.

    I want to apply my knowledge of Science and develop mathematical models to process food so that it can be easily distributed, without reducing valuable nutrition or adding harmful chemicals. In enhancing the methods of processing food, I will consider health and safety, also price and energy-efficiency. Ultimately, my long-term career to revolutionise the food industry aims to give back to society by creating jobs and improving the lives of people.

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  26. I believe a major problem in the world today is the lack of nutritious foods in developing countries. Children especially experience from malnutrition because they cannot get the necessary micro and macronutrients that the body needs for basic functions. As a result, they suffer from serious diseases and illnesses that are easily curable by simply ingesting the vital foods that have the vitamins and the minerals that counteracts those diseases. Since I am in the Faculty of Science and interested in the field of Biology and Chemistry, I thought that I can contribute to the solution of solving world-hunger by doing research in the area of genetically modified organisms or foods. I will work to increase the nutritional value of staple food products such as rice and make them more resistant to environmental factors such as droughts or floods. GMO’s will be more accessible to people in developing countries as they are cheaper and easier to produce. A healthy diet can promote learning and education in developing countries as meals will motivate children to go to school and to receive an education that will allow them to contribute to the society. In short, having access to food can improve the state of developing countries as more people will be educated and literate.

    In order for me to be able to do research, I will first need to have a more short term responsibility which is to take initiative in my learning for the duration of my undergraduate years at UBC. I will undoubtedly have to work hard and have the courage to overcome any challenges I face in the process gaining knowledge. Having a firm base of knowledge will allow me to pursue the research I want to do and hopefully, I can make a small contribution in solving world hunger. In addition, I will volunteer for “Feed the Children,” an organization devoted to ending or reducing poverty on children. This way, I believe I can make definitely make an impact. My short term goal can allow me to accomplish my long term goal of making a small difference in the lives of millions of starving children in countries that desperately need international aid. Mother Teresa once said, “We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.” I’ve always wondered how my actions can contribute to society but now I realize that with my goal, I can finally join the vast ocean and fill up that missing drop.

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  27. The world today is filled with numerous problems that future generations must fix. These problems are so vast that one person cannot take all of them on. Instead it must be the work of the global community as a whole to take responsibility. If each person just chose one thing or one way to affect change, the world could become a much better place.

    I personally would like to focus my efforts on working with children. I believe that if the future generation is properly educated and mentored, the change in the world will be lasting. For the past couple of summers, I have been working with underprivileged children who have moderate behavioral disorders such as ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and FASD (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder). In the classroom, many of these children are seen as a burden because they act out and are often marginalized as “bad kids”. This stigma then surrounds them throughout there schooling and because they are told it enough, they begin to believe it and then act like it. I believe that with proper mentoring these children who are so wrongfully labeled can feel like a wanted and worthwhile part of society and can reach their true potential. Often it is just as simple as being someone who will listen to them and treat them with the respect they deserve.

    While I can connect with the emotional side of this endeavor I would also like to learn more about the science and psychology behind behavioral disorders like ADHD. I am currently in the Faculty of Science and I think by having a more scientific background of the disorder I can further understand and help.

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  28. I find in very interesting to see the amount of people who are interested in teaching and education, as that is something I feel very strongly about. Despite going into engineering, I have wanted to be a teacher for almost my entire life and still envision myself eventually going into teaching. I feel that this is one of the biggest ways to bring about change in the world. As one of the other commenters said, it’s an indirect impact. I feel that if you are able to become an influential figure to children, especially while they are forming their identities separate from their parents, the values you instill in them will become a part of that identity. I would want to encourage them to think about the same issues we are discussing now: to be probed for how their skills and interests can influence the world.

    Although teaching is my passion, I also look forward to what I will be able to do as an engineer. I have a strong interest in public transit, and would love to go into that as career. Coming from a town where public transit is present enough to be an option, but too limited to be convenient, it was not seen as a viable option by most of my peers. I want to be a part of innovative changes to the public transit system that makes it a superior option to cars.

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  29. One of the issues that I believe is of major importance in our society today is greed and corruption. Even though these two elements are aspect of society that have existed since ancient times, I believe that we should still try and fight against them. Everyday someone can turn on the TV of read a newspaper and see how the greed of a few men has caused massive suffering for so many others. An example of such a situation could be that of those few men and women that in the past years have gambled with the life savings of many people on the stock exchange market, losing most of this money, for sole purpose of making a greater margin for themselves. Greed and corruption could in my opinion actually be traced back to many of the issues that we have today, from the millions of starving people in every corner of the world to global warming. I see a much better future for everyone if everyone was a bit less greedy and was more willing to share or to act not only for personal interest but also for the community.
    This may all seem obvious but too me it appears that in many situations people seem to completely forget of the world that lives around them. It is for this reason that my initiative is quite simple, whatever action I take I will always try and think of how it may affect the people around me. I will ensure that in whatever job I may have in the future this initiative continues, to ensure that on every project I complete I ensure that none of my actions are a risk to the people around me in any way. In the field of engineering this could mean ensuring that what I build is safe under every prospective.

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  31. I have a great passion in meeting and working with people. So far, I find myself good at building responsible relationships with children ever since I became a Swimming Instructor. This job has allowed me to bring out the influential side of me. Throughout trainings as well as annual events/activities that I have participated with coworkers and my children, I have made an impact on others by sharing my leadership skills, knowledge, dedication and with them. I believe that a big change in the world starts with small changes. As we get more involved and experience around our communities, we will be influenced and influence others too. These small changes can lead to bigger changes. As we get more open-minded, and clear about our society, we will use our talents that we have gained to make a difference. For me, I am yet to discover more about the world. I am confident with interacting with diversity of people, and observing organizational behaviours. Therefore, I want to use my psychological talents, and the knowledge of business/commerce/marketing I will gain in my University studies to create a difference in the future. Perhaps I will create an ideal working environment for people, or become a psychologist or a counsellor to balance lives of others and give influential advices.

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  32. Hi All,

    Thank you all for posting. Some of you have really great ideas! I very much hope you will follow through with them!

    gudrun

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  33. I am going into the field of business and my goal for the future in taking social responsibility is to improve society by promoting altruism. My vision is to influence businesses to promote and participate in generosity and donation to those in need. Take the brand of shoes TOMs for example; for every pair of shoes somebody purchases, the company donates a pair to a child in Africa. Every company should take some initiative in doing something like this.

    Now, I know this is a marketing technique, but who says we can’t be in a win-win situation? After all, companies do need to make a profit to stay in business. In reality, many people don’t willingly donate, if not for something in return (i.e. recognition, rewards, etc.). We can still work with that; if they want a little piece of “thank you”, we can give it to them if it means that more people will donate and donate higher amounts.

    Does anybody remember those Livestrong bands people would buy to donate to cancer? Those are the type of things we can use to help donations increase. It is sad to say that consumers need to find satisfaction in order to donate, but sometimes that is the case. That’s not to say there aren’t unselfish people out there, because many of you are selfless and giving. However, for those that are a bit more reluctant to give – we must find a way to help them step forward and take action.

    To do so, we must openly promote charity campaigns and who else has more publicity than the companies in the world that advertise every day? They can get on board the train of social responsibility by endorsing charities and promoting awareness. There are millionaires and billionaires like Richard Branson who are actively involved with philanthropy. I know if I ever make it to the top, I will definitely do all that I can to give back to society and push others to as well.

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  34. Also, I know this is only kind of relevant but I found this a clever way to promote awareness for causes.

    https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/282200_515176401841838_1778946992_n.jpg

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  35. I believe that a big problem with our world today is that people are unwilling to drop their stereotypes and open their eyes to the knowledge around them. I agree completely that "Knowledge is Power", but also would like to add that it is the motivation to seek knowledge and having the strength to carry out actions to initiate change that is what is truly important.

    I enjoy learning about other cultures and also possess great interest in languages. I do not like to learn about other cultures through only surface-touching acts, such as eating in a Greek restaurant and claiming that I understand their culture, but by truly going to places like Africa and teaching English to children or exchanging ideas with people from different parts of the world and sharing our unique philosophies of life. A catalyst that sparked my interest to build intimate connections with people from different ethnicities and cultural backgrounds was my trip to the Galapagos Islands in my sophomore year in high school. The dissimilarity between the elementary schools in Ecuador and the elementary schools in Canada is still rooted in my mind today. In the sparse poverty of Quito, the young children’s eyes shone with wonder at our shiny, digital cameras. I wonder why children of the First World are so blessed in contrast to the hungry gaze of the children of Quito. I have a drive to offer these less-fortunate children education, health, and security. I believe that in order to accomplish such feats I must first learn to communicate and interact with many different groups of people. I hope that my willingness to understand, share, and gain knowledge builds a bridge of intimacy. I hope that through these small intimacies, a wall of stereotype that prevents positive change can be broken down and new opportunities will arise.

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  36. One of the many areas that need change is people's attitude towards global warming. Even though many people acknowledge that there is indeed global warming, not many people are actually doing something substantial enough to change it, such as changing their habits. There may be many reasons behind this, and one of them may be the cost of changing their habits outweighing the benefits derived from their actions, hence, making it illogical for people to change.

    As I am passionate about music, I can form a group with a couple of friends having the same interest and goal. We can come up with projects such as creating music videos with lyrics encouraging people to take public transport instead of traveling in their personal vehicles, especially when there is only one person traveling in it. At the same time, it should also educate the public on how cars release greenhouse gases which leads to the greenhouse effect. This music video should be made available on social networks, such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, and hopefully, increase its popularity and reach a wider variety of audience. Also, witnessing the huge popularity of the music video, governments and public transport companies will realize that people are now paying more attention to environmental issues and make an effort to show their support as well. For example, governments can increase the subsidies on public transports to make them more affordable and hence, encourage more people to commute via public transports instead.

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  37. In my opinion, preserving the natural habitat that we live in should be the most important mission of our lives. However, the issue of recycling is an obstacle that we have difficulties overcoming. No matter where I go, I always see plastic bottles or aluminum cans lying on the ground, so I cannot imagine how many of those containers actually end up in the garbage. The materials that make those containers are reusable, and if they are not disposed properly, they would slowly ruin our environment. Personally, I recycle all the bottles that I use and I try to use my own drinking mug to reduce the number of bottles that I use. I am aware that my actions have little effect in saving our environment, so I am planning to build robots that could have a greater impact. I have always been interested in building robots that could move around and pick up objects. I think that one day I could build a robot that could go to all the different garbage cans in the city or simply walk along the sidewalks and pick up all the plastic bottles or the aluminum cans. This way all of those containers could be recycled and the environment could be preserved. Recycling does not only benefit the public right now, but recycling will also benefit the future generations. Therefore, we should all begin to recycle and give a preserved habitat to our future generations instead of taking it from them.

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  38. I agree that there are countless problems in the world today that seem to have no hope for resolution. However, what society as a whole needs to do is have an optimistic view and utilize our individual skills and interests to better the world for everyone. Personally, I have a particular interest in academic courses such as biology, chemistry, and mathematics. In order to apply my interests to chip away at one certain problem, I plan to pursue a career in medicine using my knowledge and determination so that I can eventually give back and help others. One specific idea I had was that I could volunteer in third world countries that don't have access to medical care. To help even a small town in a country that doesn't have the same possibilities and benefits as us does more than meets the eye. Providing less fortunate people with medical care is no doubt a huge positive contribution, but what may be equally important is setting a good example for others. By helping out in this way, I plan to encourage other people in the medical profession, or even those who aspire to one day be doctors, to use their skills to help others. If everyone did their part and helped out in any ways that they can, we as a society can solve the world's problems one step at a time. Since my goals are long-term, I know that I have to do my part in the present. Some basic things I can think of that I as well as all humans should do is treat everyone with kindness and equality. Treating others with care and benevolence is a simple, yet eluding concept that humanity would benefit from. One by one, everyone can do their part to help eliminate or reduce the problems looming in today's stereotypical and judgemental society. I believe taking responsibility for problems indirectly affecting oneself should be a major focus for all of us and I will personally do my part by putting my skills and interests to good use.

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  39. The world’s biggest problem is that most people in the developed countries are not aware of the conflict that is happening on the other side of the Earth. Even though there are other serious issues such as environmental or energy problems, I believe that war is the most fatal and destructive act that humanity faces. For example, there are wars going on in Syria and Afghanistan and literally hundreds of people are killed each day. Some of these wars can be stopped by a strong intervention of other countries and the globalized organization such as United Nation. The war in Afghanistan is meaningless, and the US has no reason to stay there, but many Americans are too busy with their lives and ignorant of what is happening in the world. Imagine a ten people are killed each day in the North America or in Europe, people in the world would do anything to stop it. However, when thousands of people have been already killed, and the hundreds will be killed everyday in the world, people aren’t doing anything about it. Personally I like watching and analyzing movies; I always watch a movie per week. Because I have watched so many movies, I know some main components for great movies. In the future, I can apply my knowledge by making films about these wars to raise the awareness. Hopefully, people will be more engaged and interested in stopping these conflicts. I believe that people do not have to use violence to solve problems. Instead they can always negotiate and discuss internationally to avoid wars and conflicts.

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  40. I have a couple different things to say, so I have split my post in two. The first part is similar to what other people have written and the second part is a different issue that highlights general ignorance.


    So far, a lot of these blogs have been about education and world hunger. Yes, these issues are important. I do believe that the next generation will bring change to the world because of what we’ve been taught. The newer generations have the ideals they have developed based on what they have been told and shown. We will work to fix the things that we believe need fixing. We will try, even though we won’t be right about everything; the world is very dynamic and there is no end to our world’s problems.

    I do little things to try to be a responsible citizen. I recycle and I try not to be too wasteful, and I plan to continue to do my small part for the world. I try to set a good example because honesty and kindness are important to me and I want to make a positive influence in someone’s life. But I do not like to make promises that I am not sure I can keep, so what I say I will do may not seem very helpful, but I always make plans to do more. We all seem to be planning to start small, but what I worry about is that we will only ever “think” big. People constantly make plans and then never follow through with them. The excuse it always that we are busy right now, we will do it later, always: we will do more “later”.

    Part 2
    My Ignorance:
    I agree with what some other people have mentioned, there is a big problem concerning the people of the world. People are starving, suffering from diseases, and being killed in genocides. In general we are very ignorant about a lot of things that go on in the rest of the world. What we are told is rarely the full story, we are only told bits and pieces as the government and the media see fit, so we usually only hear about a few stories at a time. Sometimes I hear about a genocide happening in another country like Sudan’s Darfur and I am told that it had been happening for years, but I have never heard of it before, and I don’t hear about it again later either. It seems that we don’t even care that much; we care for only a short while, then we forget about it or we decide that we’ve heard enough about it and it is time to move on. People are being persecuted right now, and we barely mention it, yet the outcry for the injustice done to the Jews in World War II is still fresh in our memories. We rightly have compassion for those who died in the Holocaust, but the people who are dying now seem like they are fading into the background. It seems like we do not care as much because they are not in a place we’re familiar with like North America or Europe.

    There is also starvation and disease in places like Africa, but if you think about it, do we know exactly where? And then there are places like North Korea where no one really seems to know what is going on. We know fragments of things that are wrong, but we are poorly informed on so much that is actually happening in the world.

    Educating ourselves with the real facts of sad realities will help us identify the enormity of the problems around us and the critical role we have in being a part of improving our world.

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  41. The place we live in today is full of problems; ranging from small mishaps such as simply just missing the bus escalating to world-wide issues such as poverty which to me is the most serious crisis in the world today.
    After recently attending an informational meeting about third-world living conditions, it came clear to me how fortunate I was to be living in one of the top resourceful places on earth; I was struck by the fact that places like Peru, Mozambique, and Laos, people were suffering from easily curable illnesses such as malnutrition, that has been considered nearly a historical case in North America for 50 years. Therefore, I thought I can contribute to this dire situation by volunteering my upcoming summer with the organization “Reach out Volunteers.” This non-profit organization is intended to rid the deprivation of well being for less unfortunate people. In coordination with other volunteers, we will be introducing a sustainable, long lasting way of food resources by sowing vegetable gardens across the town. This will ensure them a healthy diet. By giving them a decent food source, they will be motivated to pursue their dreams. All in all, I believe all the factors causing poverty are interconnected; and are in relation to a reverse domino effect. If one of the factors causing poverty is solved (a domino stands up), then the other contributing factors to poverty may also be solved (another domino stands up).
    In many senses, my goal is still a long ways, but I feel like if start small by volunteering; the things I encounter first-hand can be shared with the ignorant people whose life only revolves around their “community.” Ultimately, I want to enlighten them to join a good cause of getting rid of poverty. Although volunteering in this organization is only solving a piece to a complicated puzzle, but if everyone takes initiative in finding their unique puzzle piece, it will be in no time before the puzzle is solved.

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  42. In my opinion, the failure of most projects is high aspirations. Now, I'm not saying that you shouldn't aim high. In fact, I highly recommend setting lofty goals. No, the problem lies with the fact that most projects have lofty goals with absolutely no plan as to how to go about achieving said goal. As a result, motivation is lost and the project dies out.

    With that in mind, I believe it is imperative to start small and work your way up. Start close to home within the reasonably near future.

    One way in which I would like to help the world in which I live is by tutoring underprivileged children in Elementary schools. I plan to do so a fair bit during this year. I believe that it will not only help the children by helping their grades, but I believe it will also help immensely for them to have someone that they can look up to as a mentor (is it egotistical for me to assume I'm a good mentor? Well, I always say modesty is one of my many great qualities).

    Eventually I would like to spread out and diversify, solving more complex problems. Since I plan on going into mechanical engineering, I'd like to apply my learning in an area where I can help the world whilst still making a living. That sounds like a win-win if you ask me! Although I am unsure of what I would do at this time, I know that I have a burning passion for cars. It is likely that I will end up working somewhere in the automotive industry, so I'd love to apply myself to advancing the technology of electric cars and continuing to move our transportation systems away from fossil fuels and toward sustainability.

    I believe that it is up to all of us to create change and take responsibility for the world we all share. If we all do our part, we can ensure that the world will be better for our children and our children's children.

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  43. The world faces significant problems in many different areas, from climate change, to pollution, to violence. I believe however, that the primary problem of mankind is in-fact themselves. The ignorance, negligence, and unwillingness that humans have towards the world's problems is humanity's greatest threat. If the people of the world put aside their differences, worked together, and took initiative to help solve the challenges the world faces, then much of this could be resolved. The starving and homeless would get help from those more fortunate, the pollution and destruction of our environment would decrease dramatically and violence in general would end. The only thing that is needed is for the world to change their mentality, which is easier said than done. Many people would say that this is impossible, this idea of a unified world working together is simply a pipe dream, but as I've learned from people such as Martin Luther King, dreaming is important. No matter how ludicrous the dream might be, no matter what odds are put up against it, and no matter how improbable it might be, you must always follow it.

    I feel that the only way to get this point across is simply through communication. Convincing my friends and family to share this ideal is a great way to start, yet there is still more to do. Given that I'm an aspiring engineer, I can use my skills to improve the technologies used for communication. This can be from working with phones, to computers and internet. Regardless, I hope to help improve these technologies and make it accessible for everyone. With such, it will allow people from all countries to communicate with one another and hopefully help create this unity. Besides this, my hobbies revolve mainly around music, which is also a great means of communication. Music brings people together and helps send a message to the public. As we've seen with many songs, a talented musician can change the mind of an entire generation. I could use music as a mean to help spread my message, and help unify the public.

    As I mentioned before, the likely hood of the world to change entirely is almost impossible, it is however still important that I try. Despite if I'm successful or not, as long as I've affected a few people, it is a small step in the right direction.

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    3. I agree that there are many different world issues that we must deal with and take responsibility for contributing to. I am not alone in the widespread agreement of the many things that are wrong in our world. However, these issues just always seem too distant from our daily, routine lives to care about. It is this kind of attitude permeating in our society which truly is the problem. It is rarely the fact that there is a lack of media coverage to these issues. Actually, our situation is quite the opposite, where we know that there are problems with our world but we continue to cling to the comforts of our daily lives while war, famine, and even epidemics occur in distant countries and continents. If these were the only things that were wrong then we could simply blame ourselves for not being informed of things happening on the other side of the globe. However, this is not the case for global issues such as pollution and global warming.

      Many think that individual actions are too trivial to affect the grand scheme of things. However, humans are social animals and likewise follow their chosen leaders and role models. One person’s first step can easily become ten people’s first steps. This could then become even more people’s first steps towards doing something about all sorts of issues. My point being, if one would simply be willing to take the first step, many others would follow suit. I want to spark real motivation in people. The most powerful way for this to occur is when something actually connects to you. It must be an encounter that leaves an impression and stimulates your emotions to create motions and movements.

      I want to take responsibility by starting trips to places where people can see the effects of an issue first hand, to create those connections with these issues. It is common to hear the phrase “Seeing is believing” and seeing how pollution slowly kills multitudinous animals species may just be enough to bring someone to boycott certain products that create toxic by-products. This person can then act as a catalyst for an actual change if they can convince their friends to check it out as well. To make these trips more effective they will be close to our homes. This is because if we travel too far, it simply becomes another “world issue” that we have nothing to do with. If we can encourage others to become motivated, then we really can initiate change.

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  45. I believe one of the largest factors for creating many of the global crises of the world is the greed for money. This driving force has been the root of many of the mentioned dilemmas in the world. But most importantly of all this greed for money has fueled the grand scale notion of ignorance and negligence. Because of money people, take short cuts and favour quantity over quality leaving devastated ecosystems and withering economies in their wake. This desire for money has also affected humans internally as they are cruel to each other, egocentric, and only look out for themselves. They ignore the daily cruelties that they inflict upon each other and choose to neglect the state of our world environmentally. I believe these aspects need to change and everyone must take responsibility for their actions as it is a crucial step to rebuild and revitalize our world.

    I would try to make a difference as a future engineer by being a part of a generation of engineers that are aware of the way we affect out ecosystem and environment. I would try to push for more sustainable practices so that we do not deplete the little resources we have left on earth. As an engineer I would also try to educate people on sustainable practices and how their actions affect the environment and what the consequences are. Next I would also help develop new easily accessible technologies that are more cost efficient, while being able to help the public without causing irreversible damage to our world. With these new technologies I aim to lessen the focus on monetary value and try to create a world where everyone has access to resources. Lastly I would try to undo the damage that generations have already done to our environment. I would try to create new solutions and repair our battered world.

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  46. Even though there are many areas in the world today that needs immediate changes, I believe the most significant area to be the huge gap in the wealth between the people. For example, when I first saw this topic, I immediately thought of the situation I encountered in Fiji that I would never forget. Fiji is consisted of many small islands with two main big islands. When I first landed in Fiji, I thought 'what could I possibly do here that would help them?'. This was because what I saw was too different from what I thought. Fiji was a beautiful island just like the pamphlets we see, full of wealthy tourists. Then we had to take another plane to go to our actual destination, which was the other island. When I landed there, I could not believe what I was seeing. Even though the two places were only 30 minutes apart, the life styles were totally different. The people in the second island did not have anything to eat, did not have water to wash themselves, and did not have shelter at all.
    What I realized after coming back from Fiji was that that issue of inequality does not only exist in third world countries but is everywhere in the world. However, I believe that if there is more awareness of this inequality in the society in general, it would be much easier to find ways to help them.
    Raising awareness is not that complicated. What I started doing was I started a blog dealing with this issue and posted pictures, ideas, and discussion boards for people to participate. It was very rewarding to see how people who had no previous interest or knowledge on this issue got interested and started doing their own campaigns and events.
    Since we are living in a very technologically advanced world, if we use the internet wisely and effectively, there is going to be more awareness in the society and it would gradually lead towards positive changes.

    -by Jenny YoonJi Lee

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  47. There are too many problems to count in the world, how am I able to focus writing about just one? That was my initial thought about this topic.

    However, after much thinking, I think the majority of our problems all have roots in the mentality of society today. We are just too apathetic. I admit I am also guilty of being like this.

    We are too self-absorbed and too concerned about the littler things in our personal lives that we fail to see the problems in bigger picture. Yes, there will be instances when we feel a pang of guilt when we are reminded of the things wrong with the world today, but we often brush it off by telling ourselves that there will be always “someone else” to take care of it. We expect others to take responsibility rather than do it ourselves.

    When we see the situations of those in poverty, we either feel pity for them but do very little, or shut our eyes and ears and pretend they do not exist.

    When we hear of ecosystems ruined by our actions, we despair over the state our dying beautiful and complex world, yet we barely spare a second thought when buying things we might not need.

    When we see someone in pain, we back away and distance ourselves, rather than sympathize and help.

    I am far from being an inspiring role model, but I can begin with being a little more responsible and do my part to help fix the problems in this world. I will try to cut down my waste, try to donate a little more, and try my best to do something kind to someone in need of some kindness, but more importantly, I will ask the people close to me to do the same, and tell them to pass it on. If everyone can make little changes like these, they will add up to something significant.

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  48. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  49. To me the biggest problem that the world faces today is, Pollution and by pollution I am not talking about increase in the levels of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide in air or the poisoning of the river water, but I mean to draw the attention towards the polluted minds of the people. Trust and faith in humanity is lost and people are unwilling to help others out of a genuine problem they might face. The rich wants to get richer and for that he is willing to crush the poor.

    Whenever something bad happens, everyone starts playing the blame game and no one is willing to take up the responsibility for something that was caused by them and whenever something good happens, usually the more powerful people take away the credit and there is a perfect example for that, ‘The Government’. When a new bridge is built, the political leaders take the credit for the development of the town and if that same bridge collapses and hundreds die, he blames it on the engineer who made it, ignoring the fact that corruption within the system ate up most of the funds that were meant to make a sturdy bridge.

    My grandparents used to tell me stories about their lifestyle when they were little and they would talk about how everyone in their town would keep running if someone was in distress and the fact that they did not have ‘locks’ on their doors indicates that people had mutual understanding and trust upon one another.

    Today, the scenario is different altogether. A person might be craving for help but no one would ask him What? Why? How? Everyone is busy in their own work. People have become self-centered and no one really cares about others. This is a big problem in the social world and needs to be eradicated.

    The problem I mentioned is huge and one person might not be able to cause the change necessary but I, as a university student, am doing my bit. If someone knocks my door at 4 in the morning, I would give away my comfort to help that person; I would go to everyone and care about people whom I know or whom I see in some sort of distress. I try to keep everyone smiling and if anyone tries to slap one of my cheeks, I put forward the other one, this way the other person takes time to think that what he is doing is wrong and then he starts talking to his conscious and no matter how hard a person is from outside, one voice from the inner conscious might change his attitude towards something.

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  50. Some people view the idea of an individual global movement to change the world as a hopeless situation . Although I agree at some parts of this argument, I also believe that change is possible. One of my ideas of taking responsibility for the world is simply promoting anything that's local.

    If we compare the living lifestyle back in the 1900's to the lifestyle now, the modernized world has changed various things such as how we communicate or run our businesses. With this idea in mind, we are tied back into the idea of globalization.

    "Globalization is the connection of different parts of the world that results in the expansion of international culture, economic, and political activities." stated in a segment about globalization in the National Geographic website. Due to improper use of globalization, large companies such as Walmart and McDonalds exploit people in developing countries as they establish their businesses worldwide. They outsource these countries by paying them low wages, providing them no union or any work safety.

    Little do we know that purchasing an apple that is regularly sold in our market is an example of a tiny movement supporting large companies' pernicious actions. Individual consumers are not made aware of how our food were processed, where our food came from and how much environmental harm companies have done to get the food to us.

    We take for granted the resources made available close to us. We don't value the importance of communicating with our local producers. Ultimately, what is at stake here is that we are not aware of how these big companies are crushing our local businesses. As a result of losing some of the local pieces of our community, we also lose some of our culture.

    Vancouver is located in the west coast of British Columbia. We are close to the best places to purchase local and fresh products in season therefore, why not start a local movement? Get to know your local producers and get to know your products. Through this local movement, you promote the importance of supporting local producers, help the environment and strengthen your community.

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  51. A problem in today's world is the neglection of our third world countries. The only time any country seems to want to even come in contact with these countries in dire need of our help and care. Instead of using the excuse of oil to only to give these countries temporary aid, there should be a greater obligation in us first world countries to help out our poorer but equal brothers and sisters.

    In my own situation a country that I would like to concentrate on would be on my ancestral home of India. Although born in Canada I have strong ties to India. I want to give back in some way or another, and I think I can use my knowledge that I have, and the knowledge and skills that I'm about to acquire in my university studies.

    One thing I'm really concentrating on in my post-secondary studies is on the effects of drugs on the body and the different utilization of some drugs, in my major of Pharmacology. I can take this knowledge overseas and run clinic's to shed some light on such issue's that these small village's in India have no idea about. I can also use some of the money I acquire that I would never use on anything useful and invest in building small clinic's in small village's that have no access to medication or an educated doctor. I can also spend some time investing in small schools for young children to build a strong base before they move on to tougher upper year schooling. Overall just give things to small villages that they would never in their entire lives see.

    Of course I can't do this on my own. I would have to build a network of people who could assist me. Together we could create something special and efficient. All at one time we could go to different villages and do the very same things for them. This in effect allows us to create a new educated brand of a generation, that can grow up with things their parents never had the access to. Of course this is a lofty goal, but it is something to put out there for myself. It's something that I can work my way toward, essentially a purpose in life is what it will give me.

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  52. If we take a step back, we can get a bigger perspective of human life. Humans have caused global warming, extinction of species, poverty and discrimination throughout history and in present. We are trained to not only sit and watch through a television screen, but also imagine that these problems do not affect us whatsoever. We are told by others to make a difference, but when we realize that our life in society plays only a minuscule part on earth, most of us lose motivation and gives up on change. Even though each of us may seem to insignificantly affect the human race, the initiative to change the world can begin by taking small steps.
    Deepak Chopra once said that “art can play a role in our collective health and it must assume responsibility”. In Chopra’s view, humans are apathetic and not in touch with reality as humans are selfish beings who only care about ourselves. Through art we are able to express ourselves instead of creating a façade that covers reality. For example, instead of expressing the anguish from warfare on earth, we have created video games that endorse violence. The only reason for concealing the pain and anguish from violence, is for people to make money. Through the creativity of art, I believe that we can change how people think, act and live.
    In order to minimize the façade of reality in society, I wish to promote creativity through art, in particular music. I believe the simplest way to change society is to begin by educating children. I have yet to begin being a volunteer teach children music; however, my first goal in joining the Music Box Club is to teach children how to enjoy music and expand their creativity to express themselves. Although I understand that teaching a few children will not impact the earth at large, I know that if more than one person is willing to take the first steps to improve our society, in whatever way they see fit, we can all work towards accomplishing a change for the better.

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  53. We, as humans, often focus on what we don't have. Our goals in life are often representative of this idea. We become so narrow minded and focused on our goal that we often forget that there are others around us. They get left behind, struggling for survival, while others are ploughing ahead discovering new ideas, concepts, planets, and pretty much anything that hasn't been discovered yet. Our growth in terms of knowledge and inventions has increased exponentially in the past 100 years. That means that, while some people (namely those who can afford the education) are quickly learning this knowledge, many others are falling behind and unable to catch up. While the basic needs (food, shelter, clothing) of many have been taken care of since they were born, just as many do not have these needs.

    Goals become intangible when one thinks about the big picture. So I'm going to start small and gain momentum from there. I wish to visit poorer countries and see with my own two eyes what the living conditions are. Although pictures and videos are online, I feel that something as important as this cannot be captured by film alone. One must see the problems in their entirety in order to understand the problems in developing countries. I will share my knowledge, I will teach, and I will (with my own two hands) attempt to bring a single person from barely having the basic needs to guaranteed basic needs every day. Only when the basic needs are met can developing countries begin to think about improving the world.

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  54. After reading a few of the above posts, I have come to believe that although there are many people who care about the world around us, there are also many more that find it far to easy to ignore the many problems happening “far, far away” where they cause no direct effect on their lives. How is it that a group of 63 students can be so filled of good will and diverse ideas for our world yet go nearly unnoticed from the outside? Surely the small impact we will create in the power we have at hand today will grow if we work hard at it over time, but in our technological age, there are ways to maximize the impact of small actions. Even a single idea can burst into meaningful and considerable actions on a large scale with a little help.

    Terry Fox is an extraordinary example of a single idea that became an eternal legacy of contribution to improving the lives of others. My point is that his bravery and generosity struck a chord in the people he ran into on his journey, which allowed his cause to grow beyond the strength of a single leg. Nobody needs to attempt to change the world on his or her own.

    While there were people who became aware of Terry’s cause through first-hand experience, the media coverage certainly held a great deal of credit in amplifying his efforts. However, in our generation, internet social networks have become the perfect platform for many of the ideas posted in this blog. As Jacqueline posted above, the use of Facebook, YouTube and Twitter, will allow broaden the audience and therefore, effects of her music.

    My idea for this assignment, myself, our class, and above all, our world, is to use social networking as a platform for increasing the awareness of the many issues that affect us. Specifically, I hope to increase my contribution of news stories, ideas, and groups concerning both local and world issues in the social networking, which I already use on a near daily basis. By contribution, I mean sharing my ideas and the ideas of others and encouraging discussions. The direct consequence is increasing compassion and concern for our world and hopefully inciting change.

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  55. Whether it be on a personal, local, national, or international scale, today's world is so full of a variety of problems that affect us all, directly and indirectly. It is so tough to consider one single issue in society, but when I really think about the biggest problem's that we face, what seems most important to myself is finding a common foundational factor. When considering problems associated with religion, race, politics, sexuality or gender discrimination, one word that consistently appears to myself is that of intolerance. Defined as an "unwillingness or refusal to tolerate or respect contrary opinions or beliefs", intolerance is something that we experience on so many levels.

    Intolerance boils down to a nature of ignorance and selfishness, completely portraying a lack of respect by putting oneself before others. As a confident speaker and an emotional advocate of issues such as intolerance, raising awareness of this seemingly simple issue is an extremely enticing field for myself. People need to live life optimistically, willing to express their own beliefs and values while leaving themselves open to share in the differences of other people. Battling intolerance stems from an eagreness to act respectfully, and this is an extremely basic concept that not enough attention is paid to. It is remarkably important to understanding that we live in a world that is a completely heterogeneous mosaic of cultures, and there is no chance of progressing society if we dont acknowledge and respect this variety. Combating intolerance is an addictive movement, something that will be replicated and passed on. Any individual movement will make a difference to someone, and all it dumbs down to is a willingness to be open and respectful.

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  56. There are so many things in my opinion that need changing in this world. Like so many of my classmates have already addressed, worldwide unity should be a strong and deliberate focus. I know the concept seems unobtainable to some because of what we have seen in the history of our existence and the competitive nature of human beings, but this is not to say it shouldn't be our goal. The hostility between nations, races, and religions, just to name a few, are serious threats in the evolutional advancement of mankind. To a certain degree, competitive hostility is what compels everyone to the be their best, like in the wild where survival of the fittest is inherent law. The problem arises, when this competitive nature leads to the destruction of our home, planet earth. We neglect the environment; the only thing here to support life. We kill innocent people in meaningless wars for power, resources and wealth. We shelter ourselves from the truth under blankets of naivety and ignorance.
    From an ancient Chinese piece of wisdom, “Our greatest enemy is ourselves.” This is true on the global scale. We have the power to change all of this, we just have to choose to do so. Trillions of dollars are wasted on military spending in the United States alone. Imagine what could be accomplished with military funding worldwide. Diseases would be cured. Space exploration could discover never before answered questions. We could feed the hungry and educated the poor. The possibilities are nearly endless, but it requires teamwork, and not just from a few, but all of us need to join hands together, as Martin Luther King Jr. previously preached, as one where anything then becomes possible.
    I think the best way to take responsibility is to pursue a personal path that will benefit the world. People are unique with different talents, therefore designed for different careers and purposes in life. Be true to yourself and do what is right. Be aware of these problems the world is facing and do not hide from them like they will eventually disappear. The world needs our help; the process of repair will be a long journey, but the first step is admitting there are problems and knowing together we can make a difference.

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  57. What I believe is debatably one of the greatest problems that exists in our world today are the barriers that separate people across our world. These barriers are present in the form of race, religion, colour, gender, and many others along the same line of thought. The main differences can be simply explained between the clashing ideologies of the new, modern scientific era and the traditional, conservative religious way of life. Although, there is nothing wrong with one or the other, it is a constant proving ground for conflict in our world. This conflict is shown in many of the Middle Eastern countries in which terrorism is running the land to try to keep the old “godly” way of life. In a world of change, the outbreak of questioning whether letting religion run our lives in this manner is perfectly acceptable. However, there exists a lack of further debate on this issue as arguably both sides, modern scientific ideologies and religious ideologies, are unwilling to progress further in this debate.
    A lack of attempting to understand each other is exactly what I think we can fix to help better our world. If the two clashing philosophy could just try to better understand each other in the form of healthy conversation, our world wouldn’t be at a standstill on this issue. This, however, is not what the general consensus believes because many people think that two ideologies that are so dissimilar to each other cannot engage in a discussion about their views and come out with a better perspective about the other. But I believe even in the most spirited of debates where in the end both parties are reluctant to give in and agree that the other group has a valid argument, there will eventually be a mutual understanding upon on the issue. I am certain that until this understanding is reached on a grand scale basis, our world will continue in this path of turmoil as ignorance and arrogance is worsening the situation. For example, situations like those happening in the Middle Eastern countries, as stated above, where radical groups believe they are on a mission from god to cleanse the land and are stripping the human rights of the people to live in a world that supposedly god wanted.

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  58. I agree that most problems in modern society are rooted in humans themselves. Their lack of compassion and perception eventually led to suffering of all the organisms living in this world. Animals are constantly being tortured in countless ways. It is difficult to imagine the extreme misery that animals are experiencing. Since I am in the faculty of science, I would like to pursue a career in the field of veterinary medicine in attempt to aid animals that are in need of care.

    A while ago, I occasionally read an article which depicted some despicable witnesses who refused to offer help to a dog who was ran over by a truck. While looking at the emaciated and wounded body of the severely injured dog, I was nettled by the inhumane and irrational act of the passersby. I could not understand the possibility of a person to exhibit this kind of nonchalance towards a wounded and struggling animal. This extremely unfortunate incident acted as an impetus to drive my determination to end the intolerable abuse and abandonment of animals. I would like to raise awareness to those who still remain oblivious to this significant problem. I would like to terminate the agony and hopelessness that animals are facing in their everyday lives. I would like to use my knowledge to help animals overcome obstacles and to enhance their living conditions.

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  59. Pollution is a very real and very scary problem that has been rising exponentially over the past few decades. Since I plan to go into Aviation and Aerospace, one of the most obvious ways of reducing pollution is increasing the efficiency of our aircraft engines and aerodynamics. Just think about it, every day there are hundreds of thousands of flights to different destinations all around the globe, these inter-continental flights are actually a big contributer to global warming. Aircraft are dumping tonnes of burnt fuel and exhaust right in the stratosphere where our ozone layer lies. If the exhaust is inefficient, then the gasses will slowly destroy the ozone layer that we need to protect the earth from harmful UV rays and speed up global warming.

    As the need for aviation is increasing for our mode of transportation globally, more and more planes will be in the skies polluting the ozone layer. If we don't come up with methods that can reduce the effects of pollution by aircraft, well we all know where we're headed if the ozone layer depletes. So my vision is that since we are already developing electric cars for automotive transportation, maybe we can begin looking at implementing solar/electricity into aircraft's engines and reduce pollution or increase efficiency and at the same time improve the aviation industry in any way shape or form for the better.

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  60. I believe a big problem in this world is the increase in pollution. Many people, including my classmates, have and are discussing this topic. In North America, or at least in Canada, pollution is not heavy at all compared to some other parts of the world. But we still complain and try to reduce pollution, which is an excellent choice because we are preserving the healthy state of our environment. Through scientific research and statistics, people are somewhat aware of the causes of pollution to the environment and to people’s health. As always, firsthand experience is much more reliable, trustable, and most of all has a meaning much stronger than if someone else tells you.

    Reducing pollution has been in people’s minds for long, including mine. Living 7 years of my life in Nepal, and then visiting back after living 8 years in Canada, I saw major changes within such little time. On the way to Nepal in 2008, I stopped by Hong Kong to board another plane. From inside the airport, I could barely see buildings or mountains across that could have been at furthest 10 km. It was the pollution covering the view, with a mix of clouds. I thought this was bad.
    As I was stepping out of the plane in Nepal’s capital city, Kathmandu, the air felt heavy and smelled much different than the fresh air in Vancouver. It was the smell of pollution. It was disgusting. In fact, pollution is so heavy that some citizens there in Kathmandu, wear masks. And it is definitely mandatory for a tourist or a visitor to wear one if you don’t want to be sick. Without a mask, phlegm comes out in the colour grey, and sore throat is inevitable. Going out for a walk with a white t-shirt turns grey too. People burn tires and plastic as ‘garbage reduction’ in their backyards, and garbage is thrown out on the streets. All these lead to the state of the land at present day. Artificial ponds are dirty and smoggy within a few months. However, in 2000, when I was still living there, there was no heavy pollution like this, a mask was not necessary; my white t-shirt would remain white. And I could go out in the streets to play for an unlimited amount of time with my friends without any worries of being sick. If within such short (8 years) time, pollution has drastically increased, imagine the terror within a few decades in the future; many people's lives will be at risk.

    I could hardly bear the situation there, and understood more of what pollution actually is, and how pollution can change our lives in an atrociously negative way. With my very limited power to change the situation all I could do was inform my relatives of the situation there , and how each one can take an approach to reduce the pollution by taking actions themselves in their daily lives. In the future I have plans to educate, and fix the problems somehow. For now, as I live in Vancouver, I do my tiny share and tell people of my experience so the Canada’s environment does not revolve into the present environment of Kathmandu’s.

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  61. There are many problems arising in our world, but one problem hits me the most. We have water everywhere. We could open the tap and basically have an unlimited supply of safe drinking water. While we have that privilege, many do not. For example, more than 3.4 million people die a year because of water, hygiene and sanitary issues. If that doesn't hit you, 3900 children die EVERY DAY because they don't have clean water to drink. We all know, water is essential to life, and when not hydrated, a person will die. A study shows that the average rural African resident only uses 30L to 40L of water a day, while the average American uses over 700L each day. I just feel that when someone is so plentiful for us, shouldn't we just share? I mean if everyone just gave $5, we could definitely supply clean water to 3rd world countries for years and years. The problem is, no one is taking action. I hope we can all realize this soon enough.
    -Davin Chan

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  62. I believe that although it may not one of the most pressing issues, a topic that is extremely important is the negative impact of the internet of youth. The internet today has two devastating impacts on youth, one is the distortion of acceptability and the other is cyber bullying. Distortion of acceptability comes in a wide variety of different things. For young girls this often comes in the form of eating disorders. Sites that call themselves "pro-ana" or "pro-mia" actually promote eating disorders as a "lifestyle choice and not a disease". For males this distortion often comes in the form of violent online video games. Since 1995 the number of cases of bulimia in youth has tripled, while violence in youth has also dramatically risen. These can feelings of loneliness and detachment. To combat this many youth turn to cyber bullying. Up to 35% of youth in the USA have admitted to cyberbullying. Cyberbullying clearly heightens feelings of loneliness and depression in youth. Today's youth are the leader of tomorrow, and with all these negative influences it is hard for them to become the people they want to be.

    My idea is to create a website for youth where they can express themselves through art. Youth can submit any form of art (painting, poems, music, video or dance). Art is therapeutic to both the creator and can cause change in a community. Since most teenagers as the internet as a community this is a great medium for youth interact in. If one life is changed it it worth it.

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  63. Taking Responsibility
    IPod into iPod shuffles into iPod touches into iPhones and finally into iPads: The technology in our modern world is constantly being developed on in order to further create more complicated devices that benefit this world and simplifies the life of us humans. For example, the advances of computers into laptops has made it easy for us to access websites, personal files, and online socializing connections anywhere we go. The development of steam locomotives into airplanes opened up a more diverse world for us to travel to, allowing us to visit countries on the other side of the globe in a mere ten hours.
    However, even though such technology exists, it is not made available to every single person in the world. Due to the governmental system in several countries, and others that still have a hierarchy system for society, poverty is a problem that never diminishes in our world. The selfishness of the government and economic breakdown in most countries prevents numerous citizens from being introduced to the experience of modern technology. With barely sufficient wealth to sustain life, it would be much less possible for them to have the income for obtaining a PC, much less afford an airplane ticket across the world. This inequality in society is unjust. Although there are fundraising services that are trying to support the poverty class, the amount of donations made cannot support each and every person into a better living condition.
    Instead of trying to improve the lives of each individual, I believe it would be more beneficial to improve the society as a whole to make living for all humans easier. As an engineer, a method for me to achieve this goal is to improve on the modern technology. Even though the devices that are currently being used worldwide is convenient and allows our living environment to be eased, they are not perfect and still enables for improvement space. The materials used to make these devices are costly, and they are not 100% efficient. Thus, I would like to influence society by inventing further enhanced technology by advancing on the technology we have now. By doing so, more cost-efficient inventions with a greater power output can be introduced into our lives. This then would allow for a more stabilized economy and enable an opportunity for the poverty society to experience the world that we as normal humans are living in.

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  64. Today’s society is too heavily dependent on non-renewable or heavy polluting energy sources such as coal power plants. These polluting energy sources, although efficient in the short run, will not only destroy the environment we love in the long run, but also increase global warming. Thus, I am planning to go into environmental engineering, and one responsibility of an environmental engineer is to promote the use of renewable and sustainable energy sources, such as biofuel or wind energies. However, the problem with these sustainable energy sources is that they are not really practical. In other words, they do not have the efficiency or power of other energy sources. Thus, by becoming an environmental engineer, I can find ways of making sustainable energy sources more efficient and more effective. I have this dream that, within this century, green energy will become a practical solution to our energy problems. Go green!

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  65. Many people in the world would put profit, pleasure, and convenience over the "pain" of doing things that would help the environment. Companies would rather stick to creating pollution instead of spending extra funds to adapt to ways that would least pollute the environment. People find the task of separating recyclables from trash a waste of time and would rather put it to having fun. I think finding an environmental solution that fits the three points of profit, pleasure, and convenience would be very effective. If we find a method that makes it enjoyable and "worth" the time to all people, more people would choose to help the environment. At the moment, I can not do too much other than do my part in protecting the environment through reducing the amount of waste I discard, looking at environmentally friendly alternatives, and promoting other around me to do the same thing. I am not sure where science will lead me, but I hope to find something that will benefit both humans and the world around us.

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