H2OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

            Water is something that is vital to everyday life. I feel that even though the ocean isn’t viable drinking water it has a lot of importance on our planet and more effort should be undertaken to keep it in good condition. One of the reasons that the oceans are important to the planet is the way that it regulates temperature around the world. The ocean currents bring warm water to places that would normally be cold and brings cold water to areas that are more temperate. If the temperature of the oceans were to change this would change the currents thereby changing the climate of important areas. Areas that would be effects include Western Europe, especially England, Greenland, as well as Western South America. Another reason I feel that the oceans need to be preserved is the large amount of biodiversity, especially in temperate climates. This is mainly coral reefs, which depend on specific climates to be able to thrive. One problem facing coral reefs is the increasing ocean acidification due to increasing CO₂ emissions. When CO₂ is released into the air it follows the path of gradients by going to places with less carbon, these are known as carbon sinks. The ocean is one huge carbon sink that absorbs much of what is emitted. The problem with this is it lowers the pH level which has profound impacts on the organisms and ecosystems that depend on the ocean. One thing this leads to is coral bleaching. This is when coral reefs lose their healthy color and become grey and white. This impacts the longevity of the coral reefs and all of the marine life that depends on it. Ultimately the oceans are just as important to preserve as fresh water.

Shelter

The right to shelter is something that should be automatic to everybody in the world. As our society has become more developed living amongst the elements is something that is getting lost. Especially in developed countries the amount of homeless people are growing in highly urban areas. One aspect about shelter that I feel is important is sustainable development. I feel that sustainable development is a very important aspect of protecting our environment. The LEED certification program is something that is important but also controversial. The LEED certification helps make houses more sustainable, but at the same time it isn’t attainable by all. Most of the technologies that need to be integrated into a building to become LEED certified are more expensive compared to normal techniques and building materials. Another aspect is that not everybody is able to build or retrofit a new house based on their income. Since this certification is not attainable by all it is something that cannot be the primary rule for sustainable development. Overall I feel that shelter should be a right to all and privatization of land that restricts the ability for everybody to have shelter.

Space

The right to land is something that is a controversial topic around the world. Especially in developing countries, land is becoming more and more privatized and the people directly affected usually are the ones without a voice. This is apparent in an urban development plans, because all of the nice amenities and buildings go in the suburban areas with the wealthy members of society, and the unwanted development, such as landfills and factories, are almost always put in low income neighborhoods. The problem with this is that the people in the neighborhoods are at the mercy of whatever environmental impact the development might have.  This is because they usually do not have the option to choose where they live, their income dictates it. They also are the ones without the voice in the debate for the development. This is because the companies and policy makers are the ones that have deep enough pockets to be heard by the people who matter. This is a problem because it’s hard to understand why the safety of many people can be outweighed by the money and lobbying ability of a few. I feel that the way development is carried out in the future needs to have a more utilitarian feel to it, where the best is done for the largest amount of people, and not just the wealthy ones. This debate on space is far more prominent in developing countries, but the issue is also common here in one of the most developed countries in the world. You would think that we could figure this out and get it right.