12.3 How to make the world a better place?
When following the news and seeing all the inequality and problems that the world faces, it is easy to think that nothing can be done to improve the world. However, things are not actually quite as bad as the news make them out to be. This is due to the fact that news tend to focus on negative things and events, whereas positive things are often not as interesting to read about. In fact, most of the things on the planet are better than they were before. For example, infant and childhood mortality rates have steadily decreased all over the world, and dangerous diseases can be prevented better than ever. In additon, the amount of people living in absolute poverty has halved after the year 1990.
| Year | Percentage of Earth's population living in absolute poverty |
|---|---|
| 1980 | 43 % (Absolute poverty = a daily income of less than two euros) |
| 1990 | 35 % |
| 2000 | 27 % |
| 2010 | 13 % |
| 2016 | 10 % |
The rate of illiterate people is steadily decreasing as the number of people with a basic education increases. Agricultural production has also become more efficient. The amount of food produced on Earth should be able to feed all of the planet's population, if only the problem of food waste can be solved.
However, many things still need to be fixed. Climate change is progressing rapidly, rainforests are growing smaller and plastic waste is accumulating in the oceans. Human rights are overlooked, many people lack a sufficient level of income and people in many areas live under a constant threat of violence. It is our duty as the citizens of the planet to solve these problems and to make the world a better place.
The world will become better when everyone learns to understand, care and do the right thing. The following choices can help the world change for the better:
- Consume responsibly, repair and recycle.
- Favor bicycles and public transport.
- Choose a renewable source of electricity for your home.
- Eat local foods and vegetables.
- Choose Fair Trade products that guarantee a reasonable level of income to the producers.
- Choose goods and services that are the best choice for human rights and the environment.
- Reduce the use of plastic.
- Trust the circular economy, where the effective use and recycling of materials lowers the need for new materials and waste.
- Think about where the goods you consume come from.
- Vote for candidates that understand the state of the world and know their responsibility.