Top 5 World Problems

Previously I listed out what I thought were the world's top 10 problems. You can find that blog post here. Today I'll be picking 5 problems and solutions from that list and ranking them separately.

Top 5 problems:

1. Species around the world continue to go extinct or become endangered due to human involvement. Habitat loss, pollution, and poaching all contribute to the increased rate in which we see species disappear from our planet.
2. Not enough emphasis is placed on the role factory farming has on the environment. Many people are not aware that factory farming creates 1 million tons of manure per day (3 times the amount created by the U.S. human population) or that methane levels have increased dramatically due to the emission of the gas from farm animals (Source).
3. Our societies dependence on fossil fuels leads to an increase in the harmful compounds that cause global warming. Contrary to popular belief, the automobile industry is not the largest contributor of greenhouse gases (this industry only accounts for 1/5th of emissions in the U.S. Evidence). Global warming affects natural events, such as the timing of seasonal events (flowing of plants for example) and agricultural productivity.
4. Poorly controlled refugee influx in Europe. Refuge resettlement and planning is handled by local officials instead of the federal government.
5. The cost of a university education is approaching a bubble that will inevitably burst (Source). Very few college students receive enough financial aid to fully finance their education, leaving most students with no other choice than to take out loans (both private and federally subsidized). In 2012, 71% of students graduated four-year institutions with student debt and Americans as a whole owe more in student loan debt than credit card debt (Source).

Top 5 solutions:

1. The easiest action that people can undertake is stop creating a demand for products that are produced from endangered species. Tortoise-shell and ivory souvenirs create a large amount of demand for poachers to continue hunting down more species. Herbicide and pesticide use also contributes to this problem. Alternatives exist (such as using plants that naturally ward off pests to keep crops healthy) but the most important factor is in changing the perception of what a "good looking" yard looks like. While it may be nice to have green grass in one's front yard, non-native plants require constant upkeep which drain resources and negatively affect species in the area.
2. A much greater emphasis should be placed on plant-based diets. Low fat, plant-based diets not only help in treating/preventing deadly diseases (cancer, heart disease, diabetes) but they also reduce the demand for meat from the factory farming industry. 
3. Increase the intensity of the screening process, both in Europe and in the U.S. (if we are to allow a large number of refugees to come into this country). A greater amount of help (economically and militarily) needs to be provided to the Syrian refugees in Syria and their surrounding nations. When examined from a long-term and realistic point of view, the influx of refugees found in Germany and France will eventually have to leave as they inevitably put pressure on the culture and infrastructure of the country.
4. More funding and importance should be contributed to the development of clean energy, not only in the U.S. but all over the world. Solar and nuclear energy are two prominent fields that could help turn our cars, factories, and homes greener.
5. College education rates must be dramatically lowered before the debt bubble bursts and most students are left without way to pay off their loans. I personally believe that (assuming a student has good grades), at least a quarter to half of the cost of education (including housing, tuition, food, etc.) should be paid for by the school or the federal government. While some states, such as Florida, do offer scholarship programs that can greatly help with the burden of paying for educations (Bright Futures), funding for these programs has declined in recent years. A greater emphasis on finding relevant internships and paying positions while in school (not just during the summer) should also be expressed by more four-year institutions to help students pay the other half of their education on their own.

My reasoning behind the "top problem" from the five problems listed above was that this problem, in my opinion, has the most urgency. If habitat conservation and species protection is not taken seriously, we will soon be living in an empty planet. The extinction of a species extends beyond that species due to the fact that other species often depend on each other.  We owe to the other living beings on this planet, as well as to future generations of humans, to keep the environments these species live in alive and well.

I believe my "top solution" is the most implementable because it involves education and consumer demand. When consumers are made aware of the impact that buying products made from endangered species (or that directly affect them) has on the ecosystems of these species, it is much easier to make a difference. This is especially true in markets that hold the greatest amount of demand for these products, such as China, where rhino horn is still used in traditional "medicine" (Source). Many of the other solutions included in my top five also require significant action to be taken by the U.S. government (or the governments of other countries). While the government definitely has the power to induce change, this change often comes far too slow to address problems in a realistic manner.