I will change the world by breaking the disaster chain. What is a disaster chain?  It is a series of events triggering adverse effects.  It starts with the small mistakes we humans make.  But it’s those small actions that lead to huge reactions.  It’s like the ripple effect of catastrophe!  A chain of tragedy; and it needs to be ended.

The most common issue we face when trying to end this chain is not knowing how it starts.  It starts when a tremendously large number of people make a small mistake again and again.  One action might not be a lot, but the combined effect of all those actions can become hazardous.  Then that hazardous effect creates disaster(s), which then creates destruction.  As inferable, the pattern continues, on and on and on, until someone or something stops it.

An example of the disaster chain activated in real life could be the following.  An entire civilization could get into the habit of riding gas cars every day.  The emission from these vehicles would mix into the air, polluting it.  Major pollution would then lead to global warming, which would then lead to the destruction of mother nature.  It would melt glaciers, thus making the area around the poles uninhabitable for the organisms living there.  The absence of those creatures would make it difficult for their predators to survive.  This snowballing effect continues.

Imagine, all of this sprouting from gas cars.  Well, there is no need to imagine because it is the reality now. This is just one of the examples of the disaster chain, and if we don’t do something to interrupt it, it will increase in severity, and at one point, will become invincible.

I will change the world by raising awareness about disaster chains and their impact.  There are three main types of disaster chains, and they all cause different effects.

The first category is natural disaster chains.  These are related to problems occurring in the physical environment.  It ruins mother nature and destroys essential living resources.  A few examples of this are global warming, air and water quality pollution, habitat destruction, over-lumbering, littering, and oil spills in the ocean.

The second category is social disaster chains.  These are related to problems occurring in the human interactive environment.  It interferes with government, politics, and much more.  An example of this is racism or gender bias.

The third category is economic disaster chains.  These are related to problems occurring in the financial environment.  It disrupts the everyday survival and well-being of the people.  An example of this is, wealthy people misusing people with a lower economic status, or people being restricted from specific facilities because of their economic position. Poor people remain poor for generations and thus are deprived of their fundamental rights and access to proper education and health care.

For each of the chains to be broken, different people need to take action.

Given how deep we are in the trenches of exploiting natural resources, breaking the natural disaster chain requires significant governmental intervention and enforcement. This calls for major policy changes and monetary support. Global political leaders have the immediate power to make decisions and cut this chain once and for all.  It is their responsibility to ensure a life of security for our generation, and the following to come.  But, it is also important that every one of us take this into consideration and elect the leaders with appropriate vision and policies to carry forward these duties. 

The social disaster chain can be cut by none other than us. We as a community need to learn to appreciate all lives and accept our differences.  If we can learn to see the good in every one of us, we can end this chain for good.   In addition to changing ourselves, we should play a constructive role in educating our friends and family on this sensitive issue.

The economic disaster chain needs to be solved by a combination of policy changes and charitable actions. Policy changes should target the uplifting of disadvantaged people so that they can slowly start moving up the curve in terms of their economic capabilities. On the other hand, we need to promote the habit of sharing and caring from our childhood and encourage wealthy people to share a portion of their surplus for the benefit of the underprivileged.

“It always seems impossible until it’s done,” said our revolutionary Nelson Mandela. The task ahead of us might seem daunting and demanding of our best; but honestly, do we have a choice? We are at a point in time when it is now or never. With our collective effort and determination, we can start reversing the course and changing the world.