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