Top 5 World Problems (Week 4)

This photo was taken in a chapel located on the Vanderbilt University campus.

Problems 

1. One of the most prevalent problems in the world is the destruction of the planet. People have been polluting and exploiting the earth for hundreds of years, and now we are starting to face the consequences. 
2. Inaccessibility of quality education is a major issue that exists in the world today. One of the biggest reasons why people can't get a good education is because it has become so expensive. 
3. The issue of sex trafficking has increased tremendously in recent years.
4. This might sound contradictory following #4, but prejudice against other races and religions is another major problem this world faces. You can't expect everyone to have the same beliefs or cultures, but violence is not (and has never been) an effective or acceptable method of addressing our differences. 
5. Society has gotten to the point where people are so afraid of offending anyone that they just tolerate everything. The morals and beliefs that used to guide world leaders and everyday people have been abandoned for an "anything goes" mentality. 

Justification for ranking: Each of these problems is extremely serious, and I found it difficult to rank them since they vary from environmental to societal issues. This is the ranking I settled on. I made the destruction of the planet the biggest problem because without a place to live, the rest of the problems are irrelevant. Then, I made inaccessibility of quality education the next-biggest problem because I think if people were more educated, it might help them adjust their perspective, a key part of solving the remaining problems.

Solutions (most implementable to least implementable)

1. Even though it sounds cliche, in order to prevent the issue of being overly tolerant from getting worse, people should consider the idea that if you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything.
2.  The answer to the issue of prejudice against other races and religions is simple: people just need to treat each other with more respect and consideration. 
3. In order to put a stop to the destruction of the planet and reverse the damage we have caused, people everywhere need to make a conscious and concerted effort to live "greener" lives.
4. One implementable solution to the issue of sex trafficking would be to get involved with one of the countless organizations and campaigns than ever that address this cause. 
5. In order for this to change, schools need to stop being run like businesses with the goal of making a profit, and focus more on sharing knowledge.

Justification for ranking: Again, the implementation of all of these solutions are vital for the preservation of our world and society. I consider the first two solutions to be most easily implemented because they are personal changes that can be made by individuals. The next two solutions are moderately easily implemented because they would require a change in people’s daily life/routine. The final solution is least easily implemented because it would require changes to be made not just to businesses but also government policies.