Problems in todays society part 2

Problems in Todays Society Part 2 5 The issue of the Russian Ukrainian war is still ongoing Going through the news channels in the past couple of weeks has been daunting as more and more information e.

Problems in Todays Society- Part The issue of the Russian-Ukrainian war is still ongoing Going through the news channels in the past couple of weeks has been daunting as more and more information emerges about the atrocities emerging from the Russian-Ukraine conflict However, it seems as if coverage of the invasion has begun to die down even though Russian aggression has increased A trend has emerged between American media coverage and large-scale global events due to Americans’ infamously short attention spans, whether they are far from home or knocking right on our doorstep That’s just the American way But why? American media culture has descended from providing reliable worldly news to serving the whims of whatever seems to hold the interest of the public at the moment, whether that be Russia invading Ukraine or the new name of Kylie Jenner’s son World news has been deemed trivial in light of popular culture defying the bounds of American society, such as Will Smith’s viral Oscar slap that left American media rocked for nearly a week The distance of the Russian-Ukraine conflict serves the indifference of the American public to the Ukrainians’ predicament as they feel little to no connection to an invasion that has nothing to with their lives past the initial emotions of shock and horror The apathy and lack of interest that set in have stemmed from a long history of indifference towards horrific events happening in the United States itself, such as gun violence and rampant racism PHOTO BY MICHAEL GAIDA FROM PIXABAY In a world where violence has become habitual, it becomes easy for society to look to the future and move on with their lives Time and time again the world has watched as the United States hops from movement to movement before discarding it and moving on to the next piece of news as if they are nothing more than social media trends on Instagram George Floyd’s murder at the hands of the police in June 2020 saw American society rally behind the Black Lives Matter movement throughout the rest of the summer However, as the leaves began to fall, support began to lessen as voices faded and interest decreased in favor of the next controversial topic that has locked our society in a vicious cycle The issues brought up by the BLM movement only became relevant to the American public with the drama surrounding the 2020 presidential elections as if these issues aren’t running rampant every day versus just during times the media decides to cover them We have stood as bystanders as the same thing has happened with the crisis in Afghanistan, the Michigan school shooting and the #MeToo Movement Now, we are watching as the same happens with the Russian-Ukrainian conflict “Don’t forget about Ukraine,” the words spoken by President Volodymyr Zelensky, echoes across deaf ears President Zelensky has consistently spoken on behalf of his people during the crisis within his country, begging the world to not forget about his people and their plight The UN has done little to de-escalate Russian aggression due to the deadlock between the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, two of which are Russia and China While offering their support for President Zelensky and the Ukrainian people while condemning Russian actions, they can little to prevent the situation involving the ongoing invasion As other countries have placed economic sanctions on Russia in the hopes of slowing their aggression, they have also shown little to no enthusiasm for engaging beyond diplomacy with military efforts out of fear of nuclear war And rightfully so It falls to the people and media to continue to raise awareness for the issues at hand and the experiences of the Ukrainian people But how can they achieve this while faced with such a cynical, selfcentered society only engaged with news in relation to their own lives? PHOTO BY JON TYSON FROM UNSPLASH In the eyes of many, the American public has been falling from the grace of the world as they continue to turn a blind eye toward circumstances unrelated to them It has only served to shed light on the plague that has infected American media and its need to feed into the American hunger for drama and juicy entertainment to hold their short attention spans rather than coverage of ongoing world events It’s only when the conflict threatens to affect Americans’ way of life does care for the invasion begin to heighten, such as when gas prices skyrocketed in response to economic sanctions on Russia American outrage exploded as they were forced to pay an extra dollar, and it was only then did more attention shift to the outcomes of the conflict across the world As interest in the conflict wanes, so does the Ukranians’ support from those across the world as their country is forgotten and their people ravaged by war It is up to us to continue our support for the Ukrainian people and their fight against Russian tyranny We must continue to raise awareness and not forget about the recent series of events to reverse the cruel media cycle we have become entangled in to accentuate our empathy and humanity The problem of environmental pollution is occurring Pollution is the contamination of the environment by introduction of contaminants that can cause damage to environment and harm or discomfort to humans or other living species It is the addition of another form of any substance or form of energy to the environment at a rate faster than the environment can accommodate it by dispersion, breakdown, recycling, or storage in some harmless form Environmental pollution is one the greatest challenges that the world is facing today It began since industrial revolution, increasing day by day and causing irreparable damage to Mother Earth Environmental pollution has its own causes, effects and solutions Looking into these will help you identify the causes and what steps you can take to mitigate those effects Broadly, environmental pollution consists of six basic types of pollution, i.e air, water, land, soil, noise, and light When people think of environmental pollution, most focus on fossil fuel and carbon emissions, but there are different contributing factors Chemical pollution in bodies of water contributes to illnesses Electromagnetic pollution has effects on human health but is uncommonly considered in present times despite the fact we essentially expose ourselves to it on a daily basis Taking a look at causes and effects of environmental pollution will pull any mind on a rapid downward spiral Solutions are in the works and, if we work together across the world, there is hope remaining, at least for the time being The environment will continue to deteriorate until pollution practices are abandoned ~ B F Skinner Causes of Environmental Pollution  Pollution from cars, trucks, and other vehicles is and has been our major environmental pollution issue for almost a century now The problem is we did not realize this until the problem had manifested to monumental proportions  Fossil fuel emissions from power plants which burn coal as fuel contributed heavily, along with vehicles burning fossil fuels, to the production of smog Smog is the result of fossil fuel combustion combined with sunlight and heat The result is a toxic gas which now surrounds our once pristine planet This is known as “ozone smog” and means we have more problems down here than we in the sky  Carbon dioxide is another product from all of the vehicles on the planet as well as unreformed power plants and other industrial facilities A continually growing population of humans and clear cutting of forests has exacerbated this problem so natural defenses are no longer present and carbon dioxide levels are on the rise  Water pollution is a major issue Many industries dump wastes into rivers, lakes, ponds, and streams in an attempt to hide wastes from EPA inspectors These water sources feed major crops and food becomes contaminated with a variety of chemicals and bacteria, causing rampant health problems  Radiation comes into play as well This is an exceedingly nasty pollution issue and requires extensive description Primarily, there is radiation from the sun As the natural ozone layer around the Earth has become depleted The sun is wonderful, but the only reason we are able to survive on this planet so close to the sun is due to the fact of natural shielding against solar radiation As the protective ozone layer around the planet has become thinner, ultraviolet radiation has risen significantly, causing increases in skin cancers and other types of cancer in all countries, killing millions of people every year  More radiation is a problem The sun shining brightly on a naked planet is not the only source of radiation we are exposed to Electromagnetic radiation is another insidious culprit Once upon a time, the major concern around this type of radiation was due to high tension wires which carry huge amounts of electricity to cities Now, we even carry sources of this radiation with us as cell phones, laptops, tablets and other wireless devices READ: The Carbon Cycle Effects of Environmental Pollution  The polluting gases mentioned above have an interesting effect on climate Essentially, these gases form a veil around the planet which holds heat in, increasing the overall temperature of the planet The rise in planetary temperature, or global warming, is not immediately noticeable However, even a rise of a few degrees Centigrade causes catastrophic changes in weather This is happening now  Pollen has increased It is ironic, but even with fewer trees in the world; the increase of carbon dioxide emissions induces plants such as ragweed and many trees to produce more pollen than ever before This has resulted in rampant allergies across the world, affecting the health of billions of people   One of the solutions to tamp out carbon monoxide emissions from coal burning power plants was and still is to use radioactive power plants While this does cut down on gas emissions significantly, there is radioactive waste which causes various cancers to bloom in major cities and small towns all around while destroying ecosystems entirely Global temperature has risen significantly over the years The protective atmosphere is further being polluted by methane gas released from melting icecaps This is causing rampant weather issues around the planet This all seems like a fairly bleak outlook for the planet and all the creatures on it It is, in fact, a load of dark and very real truth For much of it, there is little turning back Being realistic, though solutions are in the works to combat global warming, the hope is dim Radiation does not go away quickly either, especially in a technological age requiring more power, more gas, and intensified depletion of protective gases around the planet We are on a significant downhill snowball ride to hell There are things we can Let us take a look at some of the solutions which are currently being implemented to reduce pollution Race to the Moon Between Nations China and NASA are racing to the moon Side-by-side photos hint NASA has the edge, but China's secrecy makes the race hard to call Morgan McFall-Johnsen    China and NASA are racing toward the first human moon landing in 50 years Two recent launches suggest NASA has an edge, but China could be close behind Side-by-side images show how NASA and China are overlapping in the new space race for the moon China and NASA are racing toward the moon, each vying for the first human moon landing since 1972 Two recent launches show that NASA may have the edge, but there is no clear winner yet NASA just launched its new lunar rocket for the first time on November 15, carrying the Orion spaceship, designed to ferry astronauts on future moon missions Now Orion is circling the moon, uncrewed, in a test flight to ensure it can safely take human passengers next time China, meanwhile, launched a new crew of taikonauts (Chinese astronauts) toward its new space station on Tuesday The rocket roared through the Gobi Desert skies, past a quarter-full moon looming low on the horizon China built the Tiangong station over the last year and a half, and just completed it in October This launch establishes the beginning of regular rotations of taikonauts staffing the orbiting laboratory While NASA is testing its moon hardware in lunar orbit, China is stuck firmly in Earth's orbit Chinese officials say their space station is a crucial step toward the moon, and they're developing the hardware for a lunar landing With the limited information China has shared about its lunar program, it's hard to assess how close it is behind NASA NASA's chief sees China as an 'aggressive competitor' for the moon On paper, NASA is aiming to land its astronauts on the moon's south pole by 2025, but many experts and the agency's Inspector General say that timeline is unrealistic China could land its own people on the moon by 2030, Chinese lunar program designer and engineer Ye Peijian told state broadcaster CCTV in November 2021, according to Andrew Jones, the leading English-language journalist covering Chinese space programs The secrecy of China's lunar program makes it difficult for outside analysts to assess that timeline, but NASA's chief has expressed a sense that the race is tight "We have every reason to believe that we have a competitor, a very aggressive competitor, in the Chinese going back to the moon with taikonauts," Bill Nelson, NASA's administrator, said in a press briefing in November 2021 "It's the position of NASA and, I believe, the United States government that we want to be there first, back on the moon after over a half-century," he added Nelson, other Congress members, and past NASA administrators have previously pointed to China's ambitions in space as cause for concern, and a reason to increase NASA funding "The Chinese space program is increasingly capable of landing Chinese taikonauts much earlier than originally expected, but whatever," Nelson said, adding, "We are going to be as aggressive as we can be in a safe and technically feasible way to beat our competitors with boots on the moon." Base-building on the moon is groundwork for the bigger space race: Mars China and NASA have identified some of the same target landing sites on the lunar south pole, Jones reported Both have long-term plans to construct permanent stations on the lunar surface, and they're building coalitions to work with other nations there — but not with each other The south pole of the moon could become especially valuable real estate, since it seems to hold much of the moon's water That will be a critical resource for space programs that plan to send astronauts from the moon to Mars — as NASA plans — since they can break the water down into hydrogen and oxygen for rocket fuel Mars is the tighter space race, according to Doug Loverro, NASA's former associate administrator "If the target is to land on the moon and back, clearly the US is going to beat China There's no question about it," Loverro told CNN "But if the target is landing the first humans on Mars, the answer is a lot less certain." The trend of investing in the virtual currency market The Path Of Virtual Currencies: The Trends To Watch Out For Benjamin Bilski, who’s been named in Forbes 30 under 30 and is the Founder and Executive Director of The NAGA Group AG, a publicly listed FinTech that unites financial, cryptocurrency and virtual goods markets, discusses upcoming trends and predictions for the future of the cryptocurrency sector When it comes to virtual currencies, 2018 will go […] Benjamin Bilski, who’s been named in Forbes 30 under 30 and is the Founder and Executive Director of The NAGA Group AG, a publicly listed FinTech that unites financial, cryptocurrency and virtual goods markets, discusses upcoming trends and predictions for the future of the cryptocurrency sector When it comes to virtual currencies, 2018 will go down in history as the year in which experts and renowned economists proclaimed the death of cryptocurrency, yet again, due to the deep plunge of the global market cap from its all-time high of over $850 billion in January to below $200 billion at the time of writing this Bitcoin has faced a price decline of almost 70% from its peak of $20,000 in December 2017, tech giants imposed bans on crypto ads and the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) just suspended ETF trading in two crypto-based securities The list of negative news goes on However, cryptocurrencies have been declared ‘dead’ over 300 times to date and after resurrecting so many times, it is fair to say that “what doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger” Pessimists often disregard the fact that cryptocurrencies once again have demonstrated their resilience against volatility and price shocks To put things into perspective: in 2011, Bitcoin was valued at only $0.23, a year ago – at $2500 and today, it’s worth almost $6000 – despite the plunge Therefore, it’s far too early to say farewell to cryptocurrencies Technologies that shift the paradigm often take a long time to be fully understood before they gain real traction I believe that the recent cryptocurrency bubble burst marks the beginning of a far more interesting era cryptocurrency trends to watch out for 7.1.Maturity kicks in after the bubble The recent burst of the crypto bubble is the result of a rampant ‘gold rush’ and everyone’s fear of missing out Ventures without strong fundamentals or good tech embarked on unrealistic projects, trying to gain the attention of investors who were driven by the prospect of getting rich quickly $5,6 billion in 2017, a staggering $6,3 billion in the first quarter of 2018 (or 118% of the total for the previous year) – sums in ICO funding were skyrocketing However, many of them were scams, and under the pressure of price collapse, over 800 coins went dead But this is actually good news Certainly, the losses many investors had to face are infuriating, but the disappearing of ‘dead coins’ will also sort out the bad apples As part of a self-cleaning process of the market, remaining projects with real value will have a better chance of showing stable and organic growth Eventually, naked greed for short-term profit will give way to long-term projects of true Blockchain utility that investors and interested parties can track This process of maturation with serious players emerging is likely to decrease volatility and increase market stabilisation 7.2.More regulation to come – though limited on national levels At the same time, the crypto economy can expect more regulation to come across the globe as a result of the recent bubble and the underlying ICO fraud Whether we look at South Korea’s decision to recognise crypto exchanges as regulated financial institutions and banks, or the recent legislative developments in Australia: regulators are looking to catch up Although one would think that regulation may be detrimental to cryptocurrency, it will eventually be central to its future Without proper regulation, cryptocurrency investors and those participating in ICOs will have little protection, should their digital wallets be compromised Recent surveys have shown, however, that 40% of traders see lack of security as one of the biggest concerns As regulation of cryptocurrencies rises, investors’ faith in them will rise, too However, the capacity of regulation will not create a panacea for the cryptocurrency sector Across the world, we will see more regulation on nationstate level but not so much on international This is likely to maintain some uncertainties for investors since national regulation runs contrary to the global and transnational conception of cryptocurrencies 3.Crypto attracts new investors, becoming mainstream Though cryptocurrency has previously garnered minimal investments from larger institutions and hedge funds due to its volatile nature and non-regulatory framework, the industry as a whole can expect major shifts in the long run Plans of multinational investment banking giant Goldman Sachs to open a cryptocurrency trading desk have laid out, although there’s no official confirmation that the project will be realised However, Goldman Sachs CEO’s comments that it’s too “arrogant to deny cryptocurrencies” signify that even institutional investors see imminent winds of change for the entire financial sector thanks to the evolution of cryptocurrencies These indications of further mainstream adoption will have an impact on price, even before there is significant institutional activity Eventually, this will encourage many pessimists to enter the cryptocurrency market which will further lead to a legitimisation of virtual coins as an asset class 7.4 Crypto will create more jobs As the adoption of cryptocurrencies by start-ups and more established institutions is gaining ground under the new frameworks, the higher demand for Blockchain technology talent will fuel a next generation of engineering jobs across the globe Even now, Blockchain jobs are the second fastest growing market and the future is promising more The latest quarterly skills index by global freelancing website Upwork shows that the fastest growing skill in the United States during the second quarter was Blockchain On the other side of the globe, Asia has seen a 50% increase in the number of roles related to Blockchain or cryptocurrencies since 2017 Education plays a crucial factor in here As demand for greater understanding of these technologies grows, business schools and universities are rushing to launch courses on cryptocurrencies and Blockchain Currently, 42% of the top 50 universities offer at least one class related to Blockchain or cryptocurrencies And I’m sure there’s more to come The Outlook While the cryptocurrency landscape is still nascent, there are a lot of exciting developments happening With the market maturing after the bubble burst, growing regulation, the attraction of new investors and the ensuing creation of crypto-related jobs, the future promises a lot of exciting things for the sector All these trends will pave the way for mass adoption of cryptocurrencies and its acceptability as an asset class Plastic bags have a great impact on the environment The negative environmental effects of plastic shopping bags Kelvin Chidi Ujeh Introduction People use plastic bags to carry items like food and clothes, which are bought from shops Plastic bags are commonly used, even though we know they can damage the environment For urban solid waste, plastic bags have become major items in the litter system This has resulted in many detrimental environmental effects including animal choking, pollution, blockage of channels, rivers and streams, and landscape disfigurement As a result of these effects, the public at large, activists and legislatures have voiced outrage to the degree that some national governments have banned the use of plastic bags for shopping There are many root causes to attribute the problem of plastic bag waste in Nigeria and other countries South Africa, for example, has restricted the manufacture and usage of plastic bags by enacting parliamentary legislation Several European countries have adopted a fee for plastic bags, taking into account the negative effect of plastic bags on agricultural production The Japanese government has also levied a plastic bag fee to limit production and use (Md-Jalil et al., 2013) Prohibitions on the use of plastic bags and the development of alternatives are a most welcome step when compared to putting pressure on people's production and use of plastic bags Even though charging a levy on plastic bags has a positive effect on protecting and preserving the fertility of agricultural land, the resulting continued and dominant use of plastic bags itself would negate the benefits or advantages of the levy Impact on the environment The major impact of plastic bags on the environment is that it takes many years to for them to decompose In addition, toxic substances are released into the soil when plastic bags perish under sunlight and, if plastic bags are burned, they release a toxic substance into the air causing ambient air pollution Simons (2005) suggests that, owing to the unregulated accumulation of carcinogenic compounds, the use of plastic bags may allow inroads into cancerous diseases Plastic bags are dumped indiscriminately into landfills worldwide that occupy tons of hectares of land and emit dangerous methane and carbon dioxide gases as well as highly toxic leachates from these landfills during their decomposition stage Waste from plastic bags poses serious environmental danger to human and animal health If plastic bags are not properly disposed of, they can impact the environment by causing littering and stormwater drain blockages Animals may also get tangled and drown in plastic bags Animals often confuse the bags for food and consume them, therefore blocking their digestive processes Animals becoming entanglement in marine debris, including plastic bags, may cause starvation, choking, laceration, infection, reduced reproductive success, and mortality (Katsanevakis, 2008) There were instances where large endangered tortoises were found to have suffocated because of the mistaken swallowing of plastic bags combined with seaweed (Thiel et al, 2003) Plastics are now omnipresent in the marine environment and this worsening trend needs urgent action Plastics have been identified as a problem in the marine environment since the 1970s, but the issue of plastic pollution in marine and freshwater environments has only recently been identified as a global problem As a consequence, marine plastic bag pollution has become noteworthy environmental concern for governments, scientists, non-governmental establishments, and the international community (Carpenter and Smith, 1972) The presence of plastics in the marine environment poses several challenges that hinder economic development Trapped plastic bags along coastlines produces an environmental challenge that has detrimental effects on tourism Economic losses are linked to lower tourism earnings, adverse effects on tourist activities, and harm to the marine environment Trapped shoreline plastic has a negative effect on shipping infrastructure, energy production, fishing, and aquaculture (Sivan, 2011) Plastic bags in ocean waters is a significant and growing global pollution epidemic It is an increasing source of contaminant, either introduced during processing or absorbed from the atmosphere Compounds leaching from plastic bags has been found to be responsible for increasing levels of reported toxicity Leaching toxicity from plastic waste should also be weighed when determining the effects of plastic pollution in oceans Plastic bags pose a threat not only to marine life, but also to agricultural land Plastic bags are accountable for the dilapidation of the atmosphere and agricultural land, which has inadvertently used up precious earth resources, in particular oil (Sugii, 2008) This now poses a major challenge to environmental and agricultural production Discarded plastic bags that have already made their way into the field are not only particularly detrimental to farming but also severely harmful The consequence of this would be the environmental deterioration of the so-called developed global society It is very unfortunate that, although plastic bags have been seen to have reduced agricultural production worldwide, there has been little significant awareness-raising to undertake proper, effective and concrete proactive action Indeed, few serious scientific investigations have been made by international organisations and the international community to reduce the ever-increasing consumption of plastic bags Plastic bags should be prohibited globally and their biodegradable equivalents should be implemented to address these gross and harmful issues Recommendations The public should be informed not to use plastic bags, but to use eco-friendly alternative bags made from fabric, natural fibres and paper to reduce the problems associated with plastic bag wastes Regulation against the indiscriminate use and recycling of waste from plastic bags is strongly recommended, as well as restriction of the free sale of plastic bags by retailers In the United States, the single-use plastic bag is a significant worry for local governments Plastic bags remain a major source of land-based litter and marine debris, which obstruct stormwater management systems due to their tremendously low re-use and recycling rate In reaction, local governments have taken a number of steps designed to minimise the store-level use of single-use shopping bags in the following main categories: bans, fees and levying taxes; minimum product size of bags; public awareness requirements; and retailer takeback initiatives Convery et al., (2007) also explains that the Republic of Ireland introduced a levied tax on plastic shopping bags in 2002, which had hitherto been provided free at points of sale to customers The consequence of the tax on the use of plastic bags in retail outlets was intense There was a greater percentage decrease in use, with a related benefit in the form of reduced littering with adverse effects on the environment In an effort to monitor the environmental issues posed by plastic shopping bags, the government of South Africa merged regulatory elements with a ‘per-bag tax’ similar to that imposed by the Irish government Plastic bag charging started with a fixed nominal price per bag across all retailers With the implementation of the tax, the use of plastic bags dropped dramatically across retailers However, the paid levy only had short-run success, and as soon as the price was set to a lower rate, the demand picked up The levy’s effectiveness has declined, despite its extensive application at checkout points, and customers have continued to steadily increase their consumption rates Even so, the combination of legislation and pricing has successfully curbed the short-term use of plastic bags Additional investigation indicates that the legislation’s impact may rise over time (Hasson et al., 2007) They further elucidated that the single-use plastic shopping bag is one of the leading causes of environmental and socio-economic problems worldwide, which has led to universal calls for use reduction intervention strategies Conclusion There is a need to minimise our plastic use to effectively minimise plastic waste This means modifying our everyday habits, not using plastic when there is a good alternative and only using plastic when it is strictly necessary Plastic bags can be reused or used for different purposes It is necessary to think about how they can be reused before disposing of them Education is another critical tool for behavioural improvement by educating people about the environmental and health expense of using plastic bags We need to raise awareness in communities about poor waste disposal activities Other actions that can be taken to limit the impact of plastic bags on the environment include taking part in neighbourhood clean-up efforts, voluntarily recycling household waste, avoiding littering and illegal dumping of plastic shopping bags, using eco-friendly materials as an alternative and adopting legislation which would make the use of plastic bags less attractive  ... administrators have previously pointed to China''s ambitions in space as cause for concern, and a reason to increase NASA funding "The Chinese space program is increasingly capable of landing Chinese... by 20 30, Chinese lunar program designer and engineer Ye Peijian told state broadcaster CCTV in November 20 21, according to Andrew Jones, the leading English-language journalist covering Chinese... a very aggressive competitor, in the Chinese going back to the moon with taikonauts," Bill Nelson, NASA''s administrator, said in a press briefing in November 20 21 "It''s the position of NASA and,