A Better Nation
Many say that the Great Depression was one of the most horrible times in America. Once it was over in 1941, people thought we would never see days like those again. However, we are all watching our economy, ecosystem, and many other vital parts of our lives slowly start to spiral downwards. We are the ones that caused this mess, so it is really only up to us to stop it. With help from President Barack Obama, and the citizens of the United States we can try to stop this.
To start off rebuilding and reshaping our Nation, I would begin with the environment and work into the economy. It is said that in fifty years it could be that our "Global climate change is currently viewed by many in the public health community as the largest environmental health-related issue of our time."[1] This is due to the fact that not everyone in our world is trying to help our environment. However, there are little ways people can help out. Such as, "taking shorter showers, using a rag or hand towel instead of napkins and paper towels, carpool once a week..."[2] By doing the smallest things now, we can help our earth in the future. There a those who believe this, but there are those that believe that even with our help nature, and the environment are going to do what they naturally do, no matter what precautions we take. "The experts say the icebergs are melting and the oceans are going to cover much of the U.S., and the rest of the world... nature will continue to do what it does naturally for whatever reason and in spite of what we do."[3] Recently, it is seen that global warming is taking more effect of the western side of the United States, like California. "...the West will warm about 1 1/2 times faster than the global average. That is because large, arid areas away from slow-warming oceans will heat up more than other areas."[4] I believe if we started using much more solar energy such as Eco-friendly cars, like the Toyota Prius we could really change the climate and weather of our nation. "Solar energy is energy the earth receives from the sun in the form of solar radiation. We can use this energy source to generate electricity, and to heat water."[5] With help from many people we could help our environment a little more. It may not change dramatically but eventually it will.
Next on helping rebuild our nation, I would begin to renovate our economy. As many know already, our economy is starting to have a major downfall. Stocks are plummeting and people are losing ample amounts of money. This is making everyone stressed out, and is causing many people pain and difficulty. "Looking at the current economic climate is, for the most part, an unhappy activity. Reports about retail sales, advertising, employment, stock prices, and industrial activity from the past several quarters is dismal. Forecasts for the year to come are gloomy."[6] Businesses, people, stocks, everything and everyone is losing money and constantly worried about the economy. There are many things these people and companies will have to do to get back on their feet. "...so many companies begin cost cutting with an assault on the sales force, completely forgetting there are two solutions to the problem of diminishing profit. One, of course, is to reduce cost. The other is to minimize the loss of revenue."[7] It was also said in May of 2008 that, "I expect the unemployment rate to rise above 7 percent in 2009 before it begins a gradual decline in the latter half of the year."[8] The odd part about this is that it actually became true. "The unemployment rate jumped to 7.2 percent in December from 6.8 percent in November and 5 percent last April..."[9] President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden are doing their part in helping the economy. "Obama and Biden will restore fairness to the tax code and provide 95 percent of working Americans the tax relief they need. They will create a new "Making Work Pay" tax credit of up to $500 per person, or $1,000 per working family."[10] Hopefully they can make enough changes to turn our economy around.
All in all, our Nation has an abundant amount of cleaning up to do. Although, if we all work together and put in the smallest effort we can at least start to make our Nation a better place, economically and environmentally. There are many different ways and things you can do to help not only our Nation, but our earth as well. There is no better time than now to start preparing and making sure we have a bright, and stress-free future. We all deserve a happy ending.
Footnotes
1. Nsedu Obot-Witherspoon, The Way We Will Be 50 Years From Today: Global Climate Change and Our Children (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson 2008), 214.
2. Leo Babauta, "50 Quick, Painless Ways You Can Help the Environment Today", http://www.bspcn.com/2007/10/11/50-quick-painless-ways-you-can-help-the-environment-today/
3. John Zilverberg, "Our Environment", http://johnzilverberg.blogspot.com/2007/09/our-environment.html
4. Margot Roosevelt, "Global Warming Felt More in Western U.S.", http://articles.latimes.com/2008/mar/28/nation/na-climate28
5. Clean Energy Ideas, "Solar Energy Source", http://www.clean-energy-ideas.com/articles/natural_energy_sources.html
6. Podcast Pickle, "Professional, Personal Changes in Troubled Economy", http://www.podcastpickle.com/forums/lofiversion/index.php/t52310.html
7. David Dixon, "Surviving an Economic Downturn", http://www.fandmmag.com/print/Fabricating-and-Metalworking/SURVIVING-AN-ECONOMIC-DOWNTURN/1$2858
8. Charles Plosser, "The Economic Outlook and Inflation", http://www.philadelphiafed.org/publications/speeches/plosser/2008/11-13-08_economics-club-of-pittsburgh.cfm
9. Louis Uchitelle, "U.S. Jobless Rate Jumps to 7.2%", http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/01/09/business/10jobs.php
10. Jumpstart the Economy, "Economy", http://www.barackobama.com/issues/economy/
Bibliography
Babauta, Leo. 2007. 50 Quick, Painless Ways You Can Help the Environment Today. http://www.bspcn.com/2007/10/11/50-quick-painless-ways-you-can-help-the-environment- today/. Clean Energy Ideas. 2007. Solar Energy Source. http://www.clean-energy-ideas.com/articles/natural_energy_sources.html. Dixon, David. 2009. Surviving an Economic Downturn. http://www.fandmmag.com/print/Fabricating-and-Metalworking/SURVIVING-AN-ECONOMIC- DOWNTURN/1$2858. Jumpstart the Economy. 2009. Economy. http://www.barackobama.com/issues/economy/. Obot-Witherspoon, Nsedu. 2008. The Way We Will Be 50 Years From Today: Global Climate Change and Our Children. Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson. Plosser, Charles. 2008. The Economic Outlook and Inflation. http://www.philadelphiafed.org/publications/speeches/plosser/2008/11-13-08_economics- club-of-pittsburgh.cfm. Podcast Pickle. 2008. Professional, Personal Changes in Troubled Economy. Roosevelt, Margot. 2008. Global Warming Felt More in Western U.S. http://articles.latimes.com/2008/mar/28/nation/na-climate28. Uchitelle, Louis. 2009. U.S. Jobless Rate Jumps to 7.2%. http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/01/09/business/10jobs.php. Zilverberg, John. 2007. Our Environment. http://johnzilverberg.blogspot.com/2007/09/our- environment.html. |