Written by Dirk Jan Buter

A new look at the world's current problems

A new look at the world's current problems

Written by Dirk Jan Buter on March 26, 2024. Photo by Lotte (AI).

Improving the world is a big task, but with a small contribution we can make a big difference. There are many problems in the world that pose us a major challenge. Just think of climate change, food security, energy sources, water quality, health, poverty, education, nature protection, social inequality, waste processing, natural disasters, security, wars and conflicts, cybersecurity, the labor market, etc... etc.

Cleaning oceans

As an example, I would like to mention the story of Boyan Slat, a Dutch inventor and entrepreneur who founded the project The Ocean Cleanup. The project aims to remove plastic waste from the oceans, the so-called plastic soup. Much of the plastic waste disappears into oceans around the world.

This waste has devastating consequences for the marine ecosystem and threatens nature. Animals become entangled in plastic and ingest it, which reduces their chances of survival. Microplastics are becoming widespread and entering the food chain, including our food and drinking water.

The Ocean Cleanup uses floating barriers to capture the waste. The project has had successes, such as capturing plastic from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. It has gained global recognition and raised awareness about plastic pollution in the oceans.

Capture and store CO2

Another example is the BECCS (Bio-Energy with Carbon Capture Storage) project, a collaboration of scientists, researchers and agencies around the world, which aims to reduce CO2 emissions and climate change by using biomass as an energy source. Trees store CO2 during their lives, their biomass is burned and then the CO2 is captured and stored to prevent it from entering the atmosphere. Electricity is generated through combustion. The project has the potential to play an important role in achieving climate goals.

Artificial leaf

Julian Melchiorri is an Italian designer and biohacker who created the "Silk Leaf" project. He has developed an artificial leaf that can absorb CO2 and produce oxygen, inspired by photosynthesis in real leaves. The Silk Leaf can be used to improve air quality in urban environments and enclosed spaces such as the Space Station. The project is an innovative solution to reduce air pollution and promote a healthy living environment.

Inclusive AI

Fei-Fei Li is a computer scientist and professor of computer science from China. She founded the non-profit organization AI4ALL, focused on diversity and inclusion within artificial intelligence. The organization offers educational programs and scholarships to youth, especially those from minority communities, to introduce them to and learn about AI. The goal is to create equal opportunities and ensure diverse perspectives and voices in AI development. The project aims to better tailor the technology to the needs of different communities and contribute to a more inclusive AI community.

The call

As a new personal development technology group, together we know more and can work together to tackle these or similar world problems. This way we can improve the lives of millions of people. We would like to ask you to look at this above-mentioned list of topics with a fresh perspective. We ask everyone to think about it and find a solution to one of them that is within your reach. How would you approach this? Send us your idea and who knows, your idea might appear in this magazine.

Small and collaborative

The examples mentioned set the bar very high, but any possible attempt to improve the world is a step in the right direction, no matter how small, by working together in teams we are stronger and can achieve more. Are you participating?

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