Healthcare: Unlimited and available to all?

Posted on November 20, 2011 by Mr Writefix

Does everyone have the right to the best healthcare, regardless of cost?

Some of us are lucky to live in parts of the world with excellent medical care. However, even in rich countries, health authorities have to make tough decisions because of the staggering costs of new procedures and medicines: who gets which treatment? Which patient is more deserving? In this essay I will discuss if universal healthcare is really possible.

There are several reasons why it is ridiculous to expect free or subsidized medical care indefinitely. First of all, every country has a limited health care budget. Money must be spent where it can do the most good for the most people. Second, many expensive treatments are experimental or a last resort. The patient may have already cost the government a small fortune. A third and harsh point is that we need sometimes to let nature take its course. For example, prolonging the life of someone in suffering, just because we can, is sometimes not the answer.

However, it’s also natural to fight for life. We rejoice when we hear stories of babies saved by incredible medical intervention or of difficult surgeries that successfully repair faces, hands and bodies. A related point is that we hope that these costly procedures will become routine and more widely available. Heart surgery was revolutionary in the 1960s but is now commonplace. Finally, most people understand the need for healthcare premiums, within reason, even if they never get sick. They are happy to share the burden of insurance if they know that they and their families are protected.

In conclusion, deciding who deserves which treatments is immensely difficult. We need to accept that there are limits to what medicine can do, as well as to how much we can spend on it.

Development and Technology

Posted on October 22, 2011 by Mr Writefix

The rapid pace of development is damaging our environment. Some people say the answer is for all of us to lead a simpler life, but others say that technology can help solve our environmental problems. What do you think?

Our planet is definitely suffering from the effects of seven billion people. Is the answer to go back to living in villages and farms, or is it to find new technological solutions for our problems? In this essay, I will say why we need to consider both these options.

Technology by itself cannot solve our environmental problems. First of all, it is neutral, neither good nor bad: Only the user can decide how it is to be used. Secondly, it is difficult to imagine in advance how new technology can be used, or misused. For example, if we learned how to produce endless cheap energy , would the results be necessarily all good? A third point is that technology generally belongs, at least at the beginning, to the rich and powerful, who use it for their own ends.

However, we cannot just shun technology and go back to living simple lives in villages. For one thing, there would not be enough space in our rural areas. Imagine if all Bangkok’s or Mumbai’s millions left the city and went back to farming or weaving. But we can make a difference by consuming much less, and reusing what we have. A switch from meat to vegetables or beans for one or two days a week would keep us healthier and reduce pressure on the Amazon rainforest. Walking instead of driving, demanding that products be recycled, and thinking about our consumption would make a huge difference.

In conclusion, we should look at ways of using technology to tackle environmental issues, rather than using it for mindless consumerism. When future generations see our mountains of abandoned cars and iPods, what will they think of us? Or will they get the chance?

Traffic: What can we do?

Posted on April 23, 2011 by Mr Writefix

Nowadays traffic in major cities is worsening. What problems does it create? How can we help solve these problems as individuals?

As more and more people move from the countryside into the world’s cities, traffic is becoming a bigger and bigger problem. Public transport is unable to cope, and people turn to private transport, often making the situation worse. In this essay, I will suggest ways in which individuals can take the lead in improving the flow of traffic in our cities.

It may seem as if there is nothing the individual can do to solve traffic problems. Investing in public transport such as the construction of a metro, railway or tram system, or even introducing a bus network is far too expensive for the ordinary individual. Even calling on local authorities or politicians to begin such projects is usually very unrewarding because of the long timescales involved. Finally, buying your own car or motorbike just adds to the overcrowding and magnifies the traffic problem.

However, there are some steps ordinary individuals can take. First of all, where possible we should opt for public transport, such as buses, trains, or even taxis, rather than using cars. These are a more efficient use of limited urban space than private vehicles. Another option is to pool: to share our cars with other people going to the same work or school. The fewer vehicles on the road, the less congestion. A third approach is to live closer to where we work, so that we can walk or cycle. It is much less stressful to know that you can reach your work within a few minutes by the simplest forms of transport. Finally, we do need to work with local politicians and urban planners to provide transport services. If they are not constantly pressed, they will spend the money elsewhere.

In conclusion, although traffic may seem like an insurmountable problem, it is simply the result of many individual choices. It is pointless waiting for governments to take action – we must take some responsibility ourselves.

New developments in agriculture (short)

Posted on April 21, 2011 by Mr Writefix

New developments in agriculture include factory farming and the creation of new fruits and vegetables. Many people believe, however, that huge industrial farms and genetically modified plants are dangerous and that we need to go back to smaller, more natural farming. Do you agree with the developments in farming?

There have been big changes in farming in the last 50 years. Scientists have developed new plants and farmers are using more machines and growing bigger crops and herds. However, some people are worried about the effect of these developments on people and the environment. In this essay, I will show why we need to be careful with our farming.

Of course agriculture needs to develop. First of all, we need more food for the world’s increasing population. More people means more mouths to feed. Secondly, there is less land and water available. As a result, we need to use it more efficiently and produce more. A third point is that we need to reduce waste. A huge amount of food is lost due to disease, insects, rats, decay, or poor handling.

However, not all the changes in agriculture are positive. To begin with, some new discoveries such as GMO foods may be dangerous. We don’t know the effect of these foods on humans. Secondly, we keep animals in bad conditions. Hens, cows and other animals are crowded together in sheds or cages, unable to move, and sometimes fed unsuitable food. This can affect the quality of the food, and disease can spread quickly. Finally, farming today has become a business. This means profit comes first. In the past, it was a way of life, and the farmer was closer to his environment.

In conclusion, farming has to change in order to feed the world, but it also needs to produce good food and not affect the environment. As consumers, we need to make sure that our food is produced properly, not just cheaply.

New developments in agriculture (long)

Posted on April 19, 2011 by Mr Writefix

New developments in agriculture include factory farming and the creation of new fruits and vegetables. Many people believe, however, that huge industrial farms and genetically modified plants are dangerous and that we need to go back to smaller, more natural farming. Do you agree with the developments in farming?

In the last 50 years, agriculture has become more and more mechanized and there have been many discoveries in genetic engineering. However, some people are worried about the effect of this on our health and our environment. This essay will look at how agriculture is developing and discuss whether it would be better to turn back to smaller farms.

There is no doubt that we need more food. There are over 7 billion people now and there will be 10 billion in just a few decades. To feed these extra people we need more food. Another point is that this food has to come from less and less land. This means each hectare has to produce more food. A third point is that we need to reduce waste and inefficiency. Up to 30% of food is wasted on the farm, between the farm and the shop, or in the home. New methods to stop food from spoiling or to improve vitamin or other qualities will be good.

However, many of these developments in farming are dangerous. First of all, nobody knows what the effect of genetically modified organisms will be on our bodies. There has not been enough long-term testing to see the effects. A second point is that factory farming often causes disease or helps it to spread. We are feeding our animals unsuitable food and keeping them in bad conditions. This will affect the quality of our food. Finally, if agriculture is a business instead of a way of life, the farm owners will think only of quick profit, not long-term sustainability.

In conclusion, we need more food and more efficient farming, but we need to learn from mad cow disease and bird flu that nature does not like being forced to do things our way.

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Category: Science and Technology

Healthcare: Unlimited and available to all?

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