#5

< Greatest Innovation: Internet >

20160119 Ye Lim Lee

       
         We have reached to an unimaginable level of development as we faced 21 centuries. Life is way more convenient, pleasant and better compared to years back. It’s easy to neglect the value of what we have today, but all we have could be realized by some of the greatest innovations. Invention of the internet innovated our lives. Internet is genuine innovation because of its entertainmental, communicational and educational functions.

The internet provides extensive range of entertainment. This range can be put as music, videos and games in simplified terms. Yet, not only we can be a receiver of these entertainment sources, we can also easily become a producer. Making music, videos and games were considered to be something for exclusively gifted people. Now, people of interest can easily become creative thanks to the internet. For instance, there are so many tidy programs for producing music. Moreover, it is now a hot trend to make personal broadcast videos. The development of internet definitely has broadened the boundary of quantity, quality and even ways of enjoying entertainment.

Communication is also facilitated by the creation of internet. Human kind has experienced uncountable ways to understand each other. However, by no doubt internet is the best way possible for communication. Internet enabled us to communicate wherever and whenever. Anywhere that has internet, which accounts to most of the places in current society, can be reached instantly. Due to internet based communication, the world is now connected through mutual conversation. It’s almost like the Earth has shrunk its size because now we don’t feel like we are too far apart.

Internet is great innovation since it can contribute to fair educational opportunities. It is genuinely depressing to say that proper education is garaunteed to not all those in need. The answer to this tragic could be online education. Although well polished educational facilities can’t be equipped in an instance, internet education is available to everyone you have the desire for learning. Internet can bring students to classes that is held on the other side of the world. Professors can also give their feed back online. It is true that current online classes still need adjustments but if it is managed well enough it could become somebody’s heartfelt hope.

          Online hacking and bullying wouldn’t have happended if it were not for the development of internet. Nonetheless no one will blame the advent of internet. Invention of internet was needless to say a blessing. What we are required to do is to feel responsible and use it for a good cause.

#4

<Ensuring a Sustainable Future>

20160119 Ye Lim Lee

           Our mother nature is deeply exhausted by human greed. Development of technology enabled us to enjoy great food and convenience. Yet, we never stop asking for more, which brought us to the point of severe environmental destruction. It is now time to take serious concern for sustainable future. On a national level, we can ensure sustainable future by promoting emission trading scheme and waste energy while individually consuming eco-friendly products.

             An action government can take to ensure a sustainable future is promoting emission trading scheme. Emission trade is a market based approach towards controlling pollution. Juggernaut companies receive limited number of permits to discharge specific quantities of a specific pollutant per time period. If they manage to cut down on emission of pollution, they receive economic incentives. Basically, the company that can reduce the most amount of pollution will get more benefit. So, many companies will try their best to shift their production procedure to more environmental way which possibly can result to technological innovation. This flexible environmental regulation will not only reduce emissions but also stimulate technological innovation and economic growth.

             Development of waste-to-energy is another significant mission for government to ensure a sustainable future. Waste-to-energy is a process that generate energy from waste using heat or electricity. Today, earth is almost suffocated by the tremendous amount of trash and food waste. WtE not only produces energy from the wastes but also reduce them. Moreover, it is most economical compared to most renewable energies. Its base material, which is the waste, is cheap and we can also earn the processing fees. In fact, the unit cost of production of WtE is 10% of that of Solar energy. Therefore, government should support the realization of practical use in waste-to-energy industries.

             Individuals can consume environment friendly products to support a sustainable future. It’s almost impossible to not use shampoo just because it harms the environment. We can still maintain a convenient life style by picking products that considers the earth. Look for the ecomark when you shop. It is a mark attached to products that meet the standards aimed at the least impact on the ecosystem. For instance, choose a soap that would dissolves to water naturally or buy an air conditioner that has the highest energy efficiency. We know that some of the products that we use has negative impacts on earth. Nevertheless, these are used for human comfort that we insist to keep. A reasonable way of solving this dilemma is to select earth friendly products.

             Everyone knows the earth is in danger. We have seen the poor polar bears swimming endlessly because of the global warming. Yet, it often feels like a faraway story. The truth is, this is the time we need to step forward to ensure a sustainable future. We need to figure out how we can promise once a bright Earth. Most importantly, we should keep considering our foot print and feel responsible.