Global Risks Part 2

As with the previous blog, we will now explore further into the risks around the world. Both general and specifics, and then we could link them together and see how they connect.

1. Fragile Societies Under Pressure
 Question: How has income inequality widened the gap since last year?

“Among the members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the average income of the richest 10% has now grown to about nine times that of the poorest 10%. In other countries, the ratio is even higher: for example, more than 25 times in Mexico.”

“The People’s Republic of China has seen its Gini Index rise from about 30 in the 1980s to over 50 in 2010. While extreme poverty (less than $1.25 per day) was reduced from afflicting over 50% of the world’s population in 1990 to 22% in 2010, the same reduction did not take place in those earning under $3 per day.”

2. Growing Worries about Conflict

Question: How has globalization leading to a more self-interested foreign policies?

“Disillusion about globalization is leading to more self-interested foreign policies in combination with a rise in national sentiment fuelled in part by the social pressures described above. Growing nationalism is evident around the world: in Russia, as seen in the Crimea crisis; in India, with the rising popularity of nationalist politicians; and in Europe, with the rise of far-right, nationalistic and Eurosceptic parties in a number of countries.”

“Growth and employment creation are currently expected to remain below pre-crisis levels in both emerging markets and advanced economies, suggesting that the drivers of nationalism will remain strong, and raising the possibility of more frequent and impactful conflicts among states.”

3. Economic Risks: Out of the spotlight

Question: What are some economic risks rising in 2015?

“The global unemployment rate is expected to remain at current levels until 2018, reflecting a growing problem of structural unemployment in advanced economies.”

“The risks of a failure of a major financial mechanism or institution and fiscal crises are perceived as equally impactful and likely as in last year’s report, yet other risks, such as water crises, interstate conflict and the failure of climate-change adaptation, have taken center stage.”

4. Environment: High concern, Little progress

Question: Have we done anything much to help with the current major issues in our environment?

”Both water crises and failure of climate-change adaptation are also perceived as more likely and impactful than average. Global water requirements are projected to be pushed beyond sustainable water supplies by 40% by 2030.”

“The International Energy Agency further projects water consumption to meet the needs of energy generation and production to increase by 85% by 2035.”

5. Technology: Back to the Future

Question: Is cyber security a major issue that we have to be concerned about?

“Security risks are also intensified. There are more devices to secure against hackers, and bigger downsides from failure: hacking the location data on a car is merely an invasion of privacy, whereas hacking the control system of a car would be a threat to life.”

“This reflects both the growing sophistication of cyberattacks and the rise of hyperconnectivity, with a growing number of physical objects connected to the Internet and more and more sensitive personal data – including about health and finances – being stored by companies in the cloud. In the United States alone, cybercrime already costs an estimated $100 billion each year.”

6. Preparedness at Regional Level is Different

Question: What are the weaknesses in the development of developing countries?

“High structural unemployment or underemployment is seen as the risk for which Europe is least prepared, followed by large-scale involuntary migration and profound social instability.”

“East Asia and the Pacific is perceived as least prepared for interstate conflict and failure of urban planning. It is also the only region that reported being least prepared for man-made environmental catastrophes following the 2011 Fukushima incidence.”

Global Risks Report

Each year, we are reported about the problems that are currently risks. The Global Risks Report have shown various aspects of risks and the likelihood as well as severity of the threats. Let us discover and analyze these risks through the following infographics.

In this infographic, we have societal risks. To start off, we can clearly see that the risk have risen since 2014, most of them are very significant. The main reason for these changes are climate change. For example, water crisis has been happening in California for 4 years straight now. They are running of water, and the amount of water left can only sustain the state for a short period of time.

The next one is Geopolitical Risks. Similar to societal risks, there is a significant rise in the problems represented here. Major events that have happened are conflict between Russia and Europe over Ukraine. The Ukrainian civil war. The expansion of ISIS and its influences around the world, gaining recognition of a major terrorist group that threatens the safety of many people.

In this last infographic, we can see the positivity of environmental risks. We can see that most of the problems have the decreasing trend in severity, but the likelihood of them happening is still high. With the changes that we have made in terms of helping and preserving the environment, we have decreased the impact of it tremendously.

Everything correlates with each other. For example, the changes in the environment due to pollution have created the terrible 4-year drought in California (which is still going right now.) Conflicts happen because societal risks, where we do not come to a consensus. Right now, we have so many problems in our hands. The risks are increasing mostly. What can we do to decrease them and once again bring our world into a more peaceful time?

I think that societal and environment risks should be concerned and fixed first. Societal risks could bring war which only makes things worse. Environmental will impact heavily on the world, not just an area. Resolving them would decrease many, many problems.

Pollution

After the Industrial Revolution in England, a watershed point in human history, a new era have opened up where technology assists human in various things. Factories and industries grew from the sheer ground that was once green and full of life. Cars run on roads that have been cut through various platforms of nature. We now live in an era where pollution is everywhere. Water, land, air, we all see it.

The basic definition of pollution is the contamination of the natural environment that cause severe changes. It could be done with chemicals, gases, and other various form of toxic that would bring harm towards nature. There are 3 kinds of pollution: Water, air, and land pollution. Water pollution is when the water is contaminated. Well known contaminants would be sewage, trash, chemicals, oil.

Air pollution is most famous with pictures of factories emitting columns after columns of gases into the air. There are also the exhaust of vehicles, burning fuels, and methane from cows. Air pollution contributes to the Green House effect and global warming. Climate is changing all over the world. Evidently, in Vietnam around this time (end of May,) there should be rain, but instead it is excruciatingly hot and humid.

Finally, it is land pollution. Land pollution can be as small as littering to as big as trash lands. We use many materials that cannot be recycled, and the idea of recycling things we use has only came to be a big thing the past decades. We did not understand that our resources would run out, and also we are polluting the environment that we live in. Would you want your house to be on a pile of trash? 

To save the world, we must act now. Here are methods that we could use. Use materials that could be recycled. Do not waste resources since everything is limited. Strict laws against factories that pollute the environment. Strict control of processing waste and gases. Reduce the amount of energy that you use (turn off lights, ACs, TVs, etc when you don't use). There are various methods, but are we all motivated enough to act accordingly to save the world? Only time will tell.

Motivation

We do the things that we do because we are motivated. Motivation is the sole thing that drives us to our goals. Motivation is the result of process, internal or external, of an individual that give rises to arousement, creating persistent and enthusiasm to pursue a certain goal. When we feel motivated, we created an unsatisfied need which imbalance the equilibrium. We desire to reach our goal to regain the equilibrium by the satisfaction that we would achieve.

Why are we motivated? There are many different factors to our motivation. It could be that we are interested in something. It could be that we set a goal and we want to achieve it. It could be a dream that we aspire. It could might as well be something that imbalance the equilibrium (dissatisfaction), and we aim to get rid of it. If we never had motivation in our lives, we would be listless corpses just working and working without a certain goal. When one is motivated, we would be more enthusiastic, have higher energy, more efficiency, high performance, and we are easily to adapt and change based on the situation. In the first semester, we studied about Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. Our needs motivate us to achieve them, to satisfy the mind and body. We are motivated to reach each level and then move on to the next one. We are humans, and our ancestors were motivated to survive in an environment where we have to do various things to survive and produce offsprings. Producing fertile offsprings is the sole purpose of a species. Without it, extinction will come and wipe out that species. The traits of surviving and achieving certain things to reduce and eliminate discomfort, dissatisfaction are embedded in our genes. They are innate, and we are motivated by them to survive. It is the same thing with fear. We fear because we are motivated to survive. We go on alert and try to avoid or fight the danger in order to survive. We are MOTIVATED to do so.

Maslow's first level is physiological needs, which is obvious because nothing could survive without the fundamental basics that would ensure the survival and development of a species. Humans need shelter, food, water, etc. Once this level is satisfied, we can move on to the next. The same apply for the upcoming ones. Safety needs is the next level. One wouldn't survive for long if there isn't a "safe house" for you to stay in. Our ancestors used caves. Now we use houses, buildings, apartments, etc. Also, there is economic security. This is something new that has just developed along with mankind. One couldn't survive without income/wealth. The system that we use is a "trading" system where we "trade" currencies to obtain various goods. Unless you can get food and water by harvesting, you are obliged to obtain wealth and use it. The third level is social need. The need for love, connection, relationship. If one was to live alone in this world, one would go insane in a few days. We are interconnected. We need to have other people in our lives to survive. It affects mostly our psychological well being. Warmth, love, happiness, etc. all comes from relationships and connections. The fourth level is self-esteem. Our ego, self-esteem determine the "value" of who we are. It is our confidence and recognition. If one lost ego, one would feel worthless in life. The last level is self-actualization. This level is where we begin to explore the world around us. Playing sports, drawing, literature, math, etc. We gain satisfaction through the actions that we do and the subjects that we delve in. Maslow's theory is that all humans go through these levels. If the lower level one (i.e safety needs) isn't accomplished, the next one wouldn't open up. 

McClelland's theory about motivation is that there are 3 different types of motivation, and people behave differently based on what they desire. The 3 types are: Need for Power, need for Achievement, and need for Affiliation. People that desire Power wants to control other people around them, to influence them. They prefer work that involves controlling other people, has an impact on events and people, and brings public attention and recognition. The next one is need for Achievement. The people in this group wants to achieve something that is challenging but not impossible. The last one is need for Affiliation. It is the desire to main a warm and friendly relationship with other people. The people in this group seek work that has interpersonal relationships, provides companionship, and brings social approval.

If we think about motivation and the problems that our world faces at the moment, we could virtually fix all of them. Aren't we motivated to do things to get rid of our discomfort? To get rid of the potential danger that we face? So why haven't we truly achieved any thing that is ground breaking, game changing? Because our motivation isn't enough to do so. For pollution, if the government were motivated enough, there would be a significant decrease in pollution of any kind. Factories wouldn't be able to freely empty sewages into rivers or produce an abundant of virulent gases into the air. We can enforce the law more strictly to bring down those who oppose, and we could eliminate the global threats that pollution could bring. Another example would be inequality in distribution of wealth. Are we motivated to see a society where everyone is equal or close to equal in all ways? The determine factor is wealth. The gap between the rich and the poor has been so wide that it would take an average workers thousands of years to obtain the amount of money a Hollywood celebrity or professional athlete make in a year. The average worker maybe motivated to work harder to earn money, but it is never enough. The government has to step in and regulate the money flow, balancing things out. A prosperous economy is where everyone has the power to purchase essential goods. Last but not least, biodiversity, the various species that live on planet Earth. Biodiversity is in danger. Many species have gone extincted. Some of them are because of natural causes, but others are because of human impact. If we are motivated to save the animals around us, we must act as if they are apart of us. We humans sometimes do not understand the crucial role that other organisms play in the chain of life. Without them, we wouldn't be able to survive. Motivation will give us the desire to save these organisms and maintain there habitat.

Motivation is so important that we are always motivated, but we don't actually realize it sometimes. Driving us forward, that is motivation. Desires and needs are always there. It is a part of human life. It is similar to greed, where there is no end to it.

Challenges in the 21st Century

It all seems like we now live in a century where most of our inconveniences have been eliminated. Turn back 100 years, the thought of an induction phone was still a fantasy, existing only in movies. Now, our technology have advanced to the point that many diseases can be prevented. Laptop, phones, technology, everything has now been very well developed. We human are sucked into this vortex of rapid development. We have seemed to forgotten the fundamental basics of human connection. Everything seems virtual now, that we forget the physical presence of others.

So are our lives better this way? We live longer, we have more help, everything seems to more convenience. There are so many things around us that we need to worry about now. Money, bills, health care, family, etc. We are bounded by these characteristics. We worry so much that we don't have time anymore. We have "ran out" of time. We don't live as we want, but we have to "obey" and "follow" what we need to do in other to survive in our societies. What can we do to free ourselves from these boundaries? Sometimes, we just have to relax, sit back, do nothing, maybe listen to soothing music, and empty your mind. Smile more, and worry less. Our lives are full of happiness, but we seem to miss it sometimes. Stay healthy and stay happy.

Biodiversity

The definition of diversity of life is the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem. Our Earth is a biosphere, where a variety of different ecosystems. There are tropical, subterranean, arctic, etc. Let us explore the diversity and complexity of our sphere.

In Biology, there is taxonomy where animals are classified into a system. The order is: Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species. From the top to bottom, the classification gets more detailed and specific. For example: Squirrels have different species like the Fox Squirrel, Flying Squirrel, etc. It is the same with any other animals. On land alone, there are up to millions of species. In the marine ecosystem, we have explored only 20% of the sea, and it is up to the hundred thousands. Imagine the other 80% that we have not discovered. Our Earth has many enigmas that we have not yet to answered. The species that live in the ocean have not yet surfaced. There are so many different species on Earth, but us human are so ignorant that we think that we are the center of the universe. We create our own destruction by destroying the environment around us. We cut down trees to create profit and utility, but we destroy the habitat of other animals. 

For example the BP oil spill that wreaked havoc upon the Gulf of Mexico, killing various animals. We rely on animals and even plants to survive. There is a chain, a circle of life. We eat animals, animals eat other animals, animals eat plants, plants use materials from soil, microorganisms has its own ecosystem! We are all connected, and without one, we would break the chain and catastrophic events could happen in the world. I cannot stress how important other species are, not just humans. Protect the habitats of other species, for they will bring us boon in life, maintaining our existence. 

G7

Group of Seven (or G7) is a group of countries which are economically advanced and are considered leaders of the world. The group includes the US, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, and Italy.

The G7 was known as the G6 in the beginning, consisting of Japan, West Germany, France, Italy, UK, and the US. The group was found in the 1975, and the annual meeting is primarily to discuss the economical issues of the world. In 1998. In 1976, Canada became the 7th member. In 1998, Russia joined the group, creating the Group of Eight (G8). Until recently, Russia was kicked out of the group because of the intense political issues surrounding Ukraine. The Western countries want to punish Russia and separate it from the rest of the Western countries. The group is currently known as G7 again.

The main purpose of G7 is to maintain the world's economy and helping countries that are in debt and developing. In 1996, the G7 launched an initiative for the 42 heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC).

In 1999, the G7 decided to get more directly involved in "managing the international monetary system" through the Financial Stability Forum, formed earlier in 1999 and the G-20, established following the summit, to "promote dialogue between major industrial and emerging market countries". In 1999 the G7 announced their plan to cancel 90% of bilateral, and multilateral debt for the HIPC, totaling $100 billion. In 2005 the G7 announced, debt reductions of "up to 100%" to be negotiated on a "case by case" basis. In 2008 the G7 met twice in Washington, D.C. to discuss the global financial crisis of 2007-2010 and in February 2009 in Rome.The group of finance ministers pledged to take "all necessary steps" to stem the crisis. 

Many have raised the question whether or not China, India should be allowed to join the Group. They are rapidly growing countries with very robust economies. The G7 consists of countries with highly advanced economies, so why shouldn't China and India be allowed? Evidently, their economies have proven to be one of the best, and China and India's presences in the group would greatly augment the strength of the world economically.

Then again, should they truly be allowed in the Group? More members means more ideas, which, consequently, would lead to more debates and arguments, leading to extenuating time needed to come to a consensus.

Nuclear Energy

Nuclear energy has surfaced since World War II, when the Allies developed the nuclear bombs that destroyed the 2 cities of Japan (Hiroshima and Nagasaki). Since then, after the world have witnessed the level of destruction that these bombs could cause, everyone agreed to use nuclear power peacefully, to generate electricity and other utilities.

There are good and bad things about nuclear power, but first, let us explore the good side of it.
Nuclear energy saves lives. The reason is that nuclear energy emits less pollution into the air. Also, it is much more efficient than using coal. 200 tonnes of uranium equals to 1,000,000 tonnes of coal. The toxic gases from coal creates various problems to our world, such as the green house effect, various respiratory diseases. We have found a new element that is so much more efficient than uranium: Thorium, which requires only half the amount comparing to uranium to produce the same efficiency. There will be new technologies that would develop from nuclear power. We could have infinite energy, flying cars, etc. We have seen the good side of nuclear power so now let us look at the bad side.

On the contrary, there is always a bad side to everything. Nuclear power was first used for military purposes. The bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki killed hundreds of thousands of people in just a blink of the eye. Even now, there are a plethora of nuclear warheads around the world. It is said that Russia alone has the nuclear power destructive enough to flatten the Earth 100 times. There is also unknown, catastrophic disasters that could potentially happen. For example the latest nuclear disaster was in Fukushima, Japan, where after a tsunami and earthquake hit the area, a nuclear meltdown happened. It rendered the area uninhabitable for many years to come. These events could potentially happen in the near future. War is said to be the science of destruction, and human beings will eventually be extincted by their own creations.

The world have created treaties to prevent the use of nuclear weapons, but them alone will not be able to stop nuclear wars when they happen. Others solution could be reduction of production of nuclear weapons. We do not want mistakes that could wipe out the existence of humanity. 

Clean Water

Water covers 70% of the Earth, but only 3% of it is fresh, usable water. The other 67% is salt water. All these years, we have been living on that 3%, and, eventually,  it will run out. Water is one of the most basic and fundamental component for life. Without it, the majority of the organisms would be extincted. Humans can live without food for a few weeks, but we cannot go on without water for more than 2-3 days. We are using up our 3% of water, and we could be facing extinction very soon.

Clean water is water that is usable for hygiene, drinking, and other activities. Clean water, before arriving to our homes, is treated to remove chemicals, particles, bacteria, etc. We go on and use water, sometimes wasting them without thinking of the future. What if one day, water stops running in your pipelines? When you stop receiving freshwater, what would you do? Water pollution and drought are major impacts on the clean water supply. Water pollution happens every year. Untreated sewer leakages cost more than $50 billion dollars a year to get rid of. Also, factories dumping unsanitized waste into rivers (i.e dye, chemicals, radioactive waste.) This polluted water get pumped to homes and cause even more problems. Diseases, illness are spread into the systems of the people who drink this water. For example: The people that live in Africa has trouble getting clean water because of the weather and remote geography. The water they get are not sanitized through a system and, as a result, they get many waterborne diseases. In the U.S, the state of California is facing the worst drought they have ever seen in 1200 years. The state have issued a water restriction law to preserve water. The drought has been going on for 4 years. They could be facing total water cut very, very soon. California needs 11 trillion gallons of water to recover from this drought. That means they have to fill up the Dallas Cowboys Stadium 14 thousand times.

So what can we do? Water is running out, and we are just sitting here waiting for rain? Scientists have found a way to desalinate salt water, turning it into fresh water. The process is very complex and costly. You can turn 2 gallons of sea water into 1 gallon of fresh water. Preserving of water is crucial too. We should not waste water and be as efficient as possible when using water. Always remember that there are people out there, needing fresh water. Help save the world by preserving water!

Ocean Ecology

The ocean takes up 2/3 of the Earth's surface. It is the largest ecosystem we have yet encountered. The ocean has an eclectic amount of species, but we have only discovered 5% of what is underneath. We should not get mixed up with the freshwater ecosystem. In fact, the ocean ecosystem is the exact opposite of it.

Even with our advanced technology, we have only discovered 5% of the species. It is a shame because we live on this planet, and we don't even fully understand it. We know more about space than our own planet. We have discovered 200,000 species of animal, 7,600 species of plants, and more than 1,000 species of fungi. The estimated number of species is roughly 1 million. The ocean plays a vital role in human economy. 

Based on the U.S Commercial and Recreational Fishing Industries in 2012, 1.7 millions jobs are supported, generating 5.1 billion dollars. The ocean is mostly a boon to human society, but we mostly bring destruction. The human impacts on society are: pollution, fisheries, eutrophication, ocean acidification, climate change, and introduced species. The results of these human impacts are virulent, and they will contribute to our extinction. 39% of marine wildlife is gone, there are about 500 dead zones (where marine wildlife cannot inhabit,) 30-35% of global critical marine like seagrasses, coral reefs, are destroyed.

                               

One of the most notorious incidents was the BP oil spill in 2010 at the Gulf of Mexico. The Deepwater Horizon oil rig sunk and the oil flooded the sea. The oil leaked for 87 days, flooding the ocean for 176,100 km^2. It was a terrible blow to the ocean ecosystem. Many species have died. It even made animals that hunt for fish suffer.

We have to save the Earth that we live on, and part of it is the sea. It is vital to our survival, so we must have solutions to reduce the damage that we have caused or may cause in the future. Strict government regulation when it comes to fishing, reduce waste and sewage from industries, using renewable energy, and restore the ecosystem. We need each other to coexist, and the only way to do so is that we have to retain our habitat as best as possible.

Gender Equality

Gender inequality has presented in history for a very, very long time, since the dark age. We have unconsciously established the "role" for men and women. Throughout time, it sinks deeper and deeper into our minds, and women are seen as inferior to men, thus, creating gender inequality.

Gender inequality have created more men than women. People have done cruel things because their beliefs of men are superior than women. For example: In China, some parents would kill their infants if they are girls.

Pink: More female than male

Blue: More male than female

Green: Male equals female

The gender inequality index shows the inequality between gender in different countries. Gender inequality takes away women's rights. People did not see women as equal as men. They did not have rights, until they went on protests. The most famous would be the day women in Iceland went on strike. On October 24 1975, 90% of Iceland's women refused to work, cook or look after children. After this day, women won the rights, the rights they deserved. Iceland is now one of the most gender equalled countries in the world. 

What can we do with gender inequality? the UN has started project 50-50 by 30, a project to equal out male and female in the world by 2030. Women can stand up against men now. This is the 21st century. Our laws and rules apply to both men and women. Women have the rights of men. Women promote feminism, and they are receiving support from governments and many organizations. A world where equality reigns will always be perfect.

Tobacco

Tobacco has existed for thousands of years, and it is still used in our society today. Tobacco is a stimulant, which gives the user arousal feeling. It satisfies the need for arousement, and that is the reason why people keep on smoking. They crave for that feeling again and again. Sadly, the sensational feeling only last for a while, but the virulent effects that come from smoking will scar you for life.

Cigarettes bring no good to society and the people who smoke. Some might argue that you can get a satisfying feeling from smoking, but there are always other ways to get a shot of adrenalin, or being aroused. Smoking has been determined as "uncivilized." It only brings harm to everyone. So what are the effects of smoking? Smoking harms nearly all of the organs in your body. It can cause many diseases and reduce the health of the smoker, and the people that comes in contact with the smoker.

What makes cigarettes deadly?

There are at least 69 chemicals found in a single cigarette. It can cause many terrible disease revolving the respiratory system and cardiovascular system. The people that comes in contact with the smoke from the cigarette can also be affected with diseases like above. Each year, smoking kills 480,000 people, solely in the U.S. That is more than HIV/AIDS, car accidents, murder, firearms deaths combined. 

There are no solution to smoking. You just have to stay away from smokers. The government can enforce the law of no smoking in public, but there are only a few countries that do so. Never, ever try a cigarette, even just one inhale, you will be tempted to try more. You will get addicted. Smoking is a deadly killer, and it will kill you in a very, very slow and painful way. SAY NO TO SMOKING!

Domestic Violence

A family, from the view of someone outside, would look like a happy family. Parents are caring, children are happy. But once you look deeper inside, behind the curtains, you could see the horror of abuse and violence.

What is domestic violence? To stop it, we must first understand what it is.

Domestic violence is the act of violence between the members in the family. The most common violent behavior between husband and wife, parent and child. Domestic violence can be:
Physical abuse: Hitting, slapping, shoving, grabbing, pinching, biting, hair pulling.
Sexual abuse: Forcing someone any sexual contact without permission.
Emotional: Undermining an individual’s sense of self-worth, self-esteem.
Economic: Make an individual financially dependent by maintaining total control over financial resource.

What do you do when you are a victim of domestic violence? The best way is to contact officials, call  hotlines and ask for support. Tell them your story, what happened, and your current location and well being.

Many people would think that women, children are the only one being abused. That is not entirely true. Even men can be a victim of domestic violence. The stereotypical model for men is that they have to be tough and stand up for themselves. Not all men are like that. We are people and we are all different in some way. Some people cannot fend for themselves and fall victim to abuse. Abuse of men are more often than you think. They face resource shortages, skepticism from the police, legal barriers, etc.

Helpguide.org will guide you through ways you an deal with domestic violence. There are a number of hotlines you can call for help too.

If you do know anyone who is a victim of domestic violence and do not know what to do, for the love of God, please help them! No human beings deserve to be treated terribly like that. Please, for a better, greater world, help the people around you that who are in need. Do no stay silent, speak out and tell the world the crimes of others!

Help Our Orphanage

Last Saturday, our class, the 21st Century Issues Class, went to multiple orphanages to give the children there support both physically and mentally. We visited Thao Dien Orphanage for Street Children, where we were met with utmost gratitude. The children were very happy to see that there are people out in the world who care about their existence. We gave them supplies, sweets, and other fundamental resources. At first, the children were a bit shy because of our presence, but after a short moment, we were happily having fun with each other. We gave these children teddy bears, which they really loved. We played many games together and had a good laugh.

Next stop is an orphanage in Go Vap District. We were very excited, but the orphanage got the call too late so they could not prepare to greet us. The children were playing around the neighborhood since it was a Saturday. We did get to take a tour of the house. It was in a mediocre condition. There were leakages on the wall near the stairs. They were trying to fix it but they did not have enough funds to do so. The place was very kid-friendly with pictures, drawings all over the walls. They have beds, lockers, and other facilities to provide shelter for the children.

After the trip, we have discussed that we are going to raise fund to fix the leakages at the second orphanage. We think that they really need them to be fixed because it would potentially bring harm to the children walking up and down the stairs. We have started a project on the indiegogo page, and we would like you to give these children your support. They have a bright future ahead and let us save the home of these children. Thank you.

Link to Indiegogo

Energy and Environment

We have only started using our natural resources for over 2000 years. But we are already starting to run out of these resources. Since the beginning, we have fought over the natural resources like oil, gold, diamond, etc., but we did not pay attention to the consequences of it. We deplete these resources and create even more problems like famine, destruction, etc. It is estimated that by the time 2050, we will deplete all of our natural, nonrenewable resources.

Oil, coal, and natural gas are classified as nonrenewable energy resources. There is an abundant of these resources formed gradually through million of years. These resources are exploited because they are cheap and easily accessed. We take these resources for granted, and eventually they will all be gone. What would happen to human kind when there is no energy source to fuel our daily lives? No electricity, no fuel means there would be no light, no machine working, no transportation. Are there no alternatives?

There are renewable energy resources. These resources can almost be infinite! For example: Water, wind, and solar are currently the sources of our renewable energy. We use the force of water to turn the turbine and generate electricity, same goes for wind. Solar is the power from our sun. It is almost infinite, and we receive that energy everyday. There are solar panels that we have developed to harness this abundance energy. One would ask "If we have this renewable energy, why can't we all use it?" We do not rely much on this energy because it is expensive, and no one likes expensive resources.

What can we do now? The only thing we can do is use our current resources to minimal amount possible. We can save electricity, save water, save power by doing the following things: Turn off the lights when you go out of the room. Turn off/ unplug any electrical device that you are not using. Use enough water for your activities. Save our energy, save our Earth.

Near Earth Objects

We live on a planet that is constantly struck by asteroids everyday. We have found out about 20,000 NEOs that are 1 million kilometers away from Earth. In the present, we care more about the events that are happening on Earth more than what is happening out there in space. One day when we wake up, an asteroid could strike Earth and wipe out almost all organisms, just like what happened in the Jurassic Age. The dust from the impact covered the Earth in darkness for nearly 100 years, which created the Ice Age. The same event would happen if an asteroid with a diameter larger than 300m strikes the Earth.

This event would be catastrophic! Everyday, NEOs hit the Earth, but most of them are burnt up in the atmosphere. Why should we care about something that is out in space and so far away from us, when there are matters that need to be taken care of right here on Earth? Well, we would never survive an asteroid that could pass through the atmosphere. There are no absolute solution. We could try and deflect, change the course of the asteroid by sending spacecrafts or missiles. That is only a temporary solution. We are save, for now. The Earth's destruction is inevitable, so we have to always be prepared. We could go and colonize planets in space, but our chances for doing so are slim. We could never reach any planets that are outside of our solar system, but it is never bad to hope!

Racism

Racism is defined as discrimination based on skin color, origin. Racism is purely made up by human. We are one entity, and our differences vary trivially.

We fear what we do not understand, and different skin color is a sign of unknown. In human history, the Westerners have enslaved all the people around the world: Asian, Africans, Indigenous people, etc. Everything started there, and the enslaved people are seen as lower class, some see them as animals. Discrimination of black people is one of the most notorious racism. They were treated as lower class than white people back in the 1800's. Black people were "shipped" from Africa to the US to work in cotton plantations. They were treated terribly unequal. They had no human rights, low working conditions, and terrible accommodation.

Even after the Civil War, which intended to free all slaves, black people were still discriminated by the white's society. The KKK, or Ku Klux Klan, was a cult that was formed by Confederate veterans. They were a movement that was against black people, and wanted to purify the US's society.

Hitler's Holocaust was because he was racist against Jewish people. He saw them as inferior and should be eliminated from the gene pool. There were many concentration camps, and the casualty was 6 million people.

Even now, racism still exists in our society. Something that is fallacious and made up by human should be abolished. It creates inequality, discrimination, violence, etc. We are the same, and we should unite to create a better world for all eternity. Unite and stop racism!