For A Better World
Practical Solutions for a Better World That We Choose to Ignore
We’re facing some pretty big challenges these days—climate change, natural disasters, inequality, and the never-ending struggle to feed a growing world. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed. But here’s the thing: we already have the tools to fix many of these problems. The solutions are out there, ready to be scaled up and put to work. Yet, for reasons that range from political roadblocks to outdated economic priorities, we keep sitting on our hands.
As my mother, Irene Cohen, would say, “It’s time to stop the nonsense and start working together with real solutions.” This post is inspired by her insistence on moving past distractions and getting to work on what matters. Below are real-world examples of practical innovations we’re ignoring.
It’s not a matter of whether we can do these things, but whether we choose to.
We already have the tools to fix many of these problems, but tools are useless if we leave them in the toolbox. It’s time to roll up our sleeves and put them to work.
We have the ability to make a difference and make the world a better place.
1. Geothermal Energy from the Yellowstone Supervolcano
The idea of tapping geothermal energy from the Yellowstone supervolcano isn’t just an ambitious concept—it’s a real possibility. NASA scientists have suggested a plan to cool down the supervolcano to prevent a potential eruption, which could be catastrophic. The plan involves drilling into the magma chamber and using a network of pipes to siphon off some of the heat, cooling the magma while generating an immense amount of geothermal energy in the process.
The benefits are profound. Geothermal energy is a clean, sustainable, and virtually unlimited power source. In Iceland, geothermal power already provides the majority of the nation’s electricity. If the U.S. were to harness geothermal energy from Yellowstone, it could generate enough electricity to power a significant portion of the country, drastically reducing greenhouse gas emissions and fossil fuel dependence.
However, this idea hasn’t gained traction. Why? The primary barriers include high upfront costs, the absence of major energy companies backing the initiative, and political hesitation to commit to large-scale infrastructure projects that deviate from the status quo. There’s also the risk factor; drilling into a supervolcano’s magma chamber could have unforeseen consequences, despite scientists’ careful planning. But the real question is whether the risks of maintaining the status quo are actually higher than the risks of embracing such bold innovation.
2. Integrating Makerspaces into Education
Makerspaces—collaborative environments where people gather to create, invent, and learn—have the potential to revolutionize education. These spaces provide hands-on experiences with tools and materials, helping students learn STEM subjects by doing rather than by rote memorization. The benefits are especially notable for underserved communities, where hands-on learning could close the education gap and inspire students who may not thrive in traditional classroom settings.
The educational value of makerspaces is not theoretical. Studies have shown that hands-on, experiential learning helps students retain knowledge longer and fosters creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. These are precisely the qualities needed in the workforce of the future. Makerspaces also have the potential to empower traditionally underrepresented groups, such as girls, veterans, and minorities, who may not have had equal access to STEM opportunities.
Yet, despite their promise, makerspaces have not been widely adopted in public education, especially in low-income schools. The primary obstacles are familiar: lack of funding, inconsistency in educational policies, and resistance to integrating non-traditional methods into the established curriculum. There’s also a broader issue of prioritizing standardized test scores over experiential learning. Nevertheless, investing in makerspaces and integrating them into every school would be a significant step toward building a more innovative and equitable educational system.
3. CropBox – Portable Container Farms for Food Security
The CropBox is a concept that leverages container farming technology to grow fresh produce in virtually any location. By using retrofitted shipping containers equipped with hydroponics and LED lighting, these portable farms can produce food year-round, regardless of the local climate. This technology could be transformative for food deserts, rural communities, disaster-stricken areas, and even developing countries where access to fresh produce is limited.
In addition to solving local food insecurity, container farms could significantly reduce the carbon footprint associated with traditional agriculture, which involves transporting food over long distances. Powered by renewable energy, such as solar or wind, these systems could operate with a minimal environmental impact, providing a sustainable solution for communities worldwide.
However, the adoption of container farming remains limited. High initial costs, a lack of government incentives for sustainable agriculture, and skepticism about the scalability of this technology are major hurdles. Additionally, while container farms are effective at growing leafy greens and herbs, their utility for staple crops like grains is still underdeveloped. Nevertheless, with greater investment and innovation, CropBox and similar technologies could play a pivotal role in feeding a growing global population sustainably.
Imagine a CropBox providing fresh greens to a disaster-stricken area where traditional supply lines have broken down or helping a community in the Arctic grow produce during the winter. These aren’t far-fetched scenarios—they’re feasible, but we need to start somewhere. We can do this today in areas like North Carolina or Florida!
4. Ocean Cooling Technology to Weaken Hurricanes
Hurricanes are becoming stronger and more frequent due to warming ocean waters, causing devastation to coastal communities. One innovative solution aims to reduce hurricane strength by cooling the surface temperature of the ocean. Intellectual Ventures has developed floating devices that can draw warm surface water down to deeper levels and bring colder water up, effectively cooling the ocean’s surface and depriving hurricanes of the energy they need to intensify.
The potential impact of this technology could be profound, offering a way to mitigate some of the deadliest natural disasters on the planet. If deployed at scale, these devices could significantly reduce the economic and human toll of hurricanes, making coastal communities safer.
Yet, the idea has faced substantial criticism and skepticism. Some researchers argue that the technology would not be effective enough to make a significant difference, given the vast areas of ocean that would need to be cooled. There are also concerns about the unintended consequences of altering marine ecosystems, which could have cascading effects on sea life. Despite these challenges, the increasing severity of hurricanes suggests that unconventional solutions like ocean cooling should at least be explored further.
Suggestions and Recommendations Require Action
We are so very connected with each other. We spend so much money on war machines and death. Instead, we could easily be fighting our true enemies. Cancer, climate change, disease and so many other things that work against us. We are so distracted and angry and greedy that we don’t do what we should to help and serve each other.
So why do we continue to ignore these possibilities? It may be easier to cling to familiar ways of doing things, even when they are failing us, than to embrace new approaches with uncertain outcomes. But the risks of inaction are growing, and the cost of missed opportunities may prove higher than the cost of taking bold steps forward.
The choice is ours: continue down the path of complacency or take bold steps toward a better future. These solutions are waiting for us to act, and the time to start is now.
Howie, oh how I wish I could have met your mother. She was a remarkable women and why you are the person you have become. I agree that our priorities are all messed up and that humans rather seek status quo than find new answers to continuing questions on energy, food and sustainable life. When I worked for Monsanto back in the 1970s, we looked at many energy projects because at that time we were a huge producer of SI and that was used in solar cell production. We also looked at energy from the oceans where we could use thermodynamics (different temperatures) between the surface water to the deep sea and collect that energy for use elsewhere. Later, when I was working for a different company I was exposed to solar salts as a way of gathering energy. Bottomline, heat and light (electrons and protons) are energy and we need to see best how to use them. We are increasing in global temperatures so we need a way to collect from this increase in temperature that will help us reduce the heated surface of the globe while collecting the energy is gives off.
All of this is lacking leadership within our government and private industry. I agree that we need to change the education system to working with interested groups around the country and the world in coming together to share their knowledge, but we continue to put knowledge and power in the same light and as long as we do that we tend not to share it but keep it as a treasure to only aide personal desires. I was hoping that climate change might bring humanity together, but there are still deniers which put up roadblocks to any progression towards solving it. When will we learn that when we care about life in general, that we care about our own life. Everything touches everything and we need to come together so we can share knowledge and get on with it as your mother would say. Shalom for the world and especially your mother Howie.