Wicked Problems Do Exist

Before starting this class I knew what sustainability was from Problem Solving Strategies, but I never really thought of the true impacts it can make on the world and how important it really is. To me, sustainability is a way of reducing the waste we put into the world by solving problems in an eco-friendly way. I now have a further understanding of how important it is to incorporate sustainability into our day to day lives.

A wicked problem is a problem that can not be solved or is very difficult to solve. An example of a wicked problem is global warming or deforestation. This is the opposite of a tame problem because a tame problem is easy or not as difficult to solve.

The 11th Hour movie was very impactful for me. One of the things that stood out to me most was the fact that it was after the Industrial Revolution that the earth began to be seen as a resource to people and that nature is seen as property, which is very sad to think about. People are also more concerned with corporate economic power and greed rather than the well being of others. It is because of this that we are using too many resources too fast and things like climate change and global warming are becoming such a prominent issue. I think in order to fix these things is to change our ideas as consumers. After completing Activity 1, it was easier to break down all of the wicked problems we are facing in our society right now, like biodiversity loss, population growth, and nonrenewable resource use.

After reading Easter Island there were three main points I was able to take away. First, once you use up all the earths resources, there is no way of getting them back; so as a society, we need to be more careful so we don’t end up like Easter Island. Second, it is a combination of increasing conflicts occurring over diminishing resources that results in a state of almost permanent welfare. Third, it is hard to devise a system that allows people to find the right balance with the environment. This results in vital resources steadily being consumed until finally none are left, which is exactly what happened to Eater Island and what is slowly happening to our planet. I think that Easter Island should be more well known because it will give people an idea of what is going to happen to our planet if we continue to live the way we are and so we can learn from our past mistakes. I think some people won’t believe that that could happen to us until it is too late.

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