Week 4: reading reflection

I think one of the strangest things to get used to is turning problems into opportunities. It makes perfect sense--it's one of those "oh, duh" moments--but I'm used to having ready-made solutions at my disposal. Advertising sells me solutions for problems I didn't know I had (Spicy Shelf! Snuggies!) so how often does an organic problem in need of a solution arise? 

Next to never. But those rare opportunities do exist, and I'm feeling more prepared to identify, solve and capitalize on problems. I can't figure out if I'm an adapter or an innovator but perhaps people can be a healthy dose of both. I think grey areas are fairly common through all aspects of life, though we like to categorize things as one or the other, not in-between. Outliers are hip now--Malcolm Gladwell even wrote a book about them--but the shift from sticking to the status quo to being yourself has been subtle until recent years and still faces opponents. 

I have to disagree with "we've never done anything like that before" alone being an idea killer. Admittedly I'm headstrong and few of the deterrents listed in the reading would stop me from pursuing an idea, but simply stating something has never been done before isn't discouraging. "Where do you get these weird ideas?" That's harsh. "We've never done anything like that before." Okay, no big deal, let's do it.   

Can I mention that I love the creative exercise "think of and write down all of the functions you can imagine for the following items?" Oh, well, I suppose this being my blog and all nobody is going to stop me. Let's try our own. Think of and comment below all of the functions you can imagine for the following items: 

• A wooden pallet
• Leather scraps
• A medium-sized ceramic pot
• A brown paper bag
• A detail-oriented but lazy staff member

Ten of the world's biggest problems REBOOT: The top 5 world problems

The request to trim my list of ten of the world’s biggest problems to five of the most serious initially left me gobsmacked, but after a pause, I realized it wouldn’t be too difficult because of how I framed the conversation. If we think in terms of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, my top five problems, from most serious to least serious, are 1) Water, 2) Food, 3) Air Pollution, 4) Climate Change and 5) Healthcare.

Without clean water to drink and bathe in, food to eat and air to breathe, we, as humans, don’t stand much of a chance. Those subsisting on little food, dirty water and air have a poor quality of life. Climate change is at number four because it affects the top three concerns, and healthcare landed at number five because it can address deficiencies created from substandard conditions. Health is wealth, y’all. 

As for the solutions, I would rank the international effort to reduce climate change first. It’s a bit of a cheat since the ball is already rolling on it (making it easy to implement), but the Paris Agreement requires maintenance. Getting everyone on the same page to address a common problem means combined resources and all parties contributing rather than countries helping while others do such significant damage that it negates the positive contribution—not only is international collaboration on climate change the easiest of my solutions to implement, it may be the most important.

Solutions for the other issues tend to fall into the same categories: individual contributions, public awareness and additional funding. Although individuals are highly variable in their participation, pushing for individual contributions is the second easiest solution to implement. There are programs in place to help households save energy and water, to teach us how to minimize our carbon footprint and show us how to garden, even small scale farm. Public awareness through education and marketing is the third easiest to implement but requires, I think, an overhaul in presentation. The commercials we’re used to seeing at three in the morning with malnourished dogs and a sad soundtrack need to be rethought to activate people.

Crowdfunding has become a popular practice in recent years.

Fourth is funding, which is in part connected to public knowledge. We can’t contribute to causes we don’t know exist. There isn’t a whole lot to say about this solution—money supplies charities with the things they need, i.e. water filters or dog toys. 

The least possible to implement would be quick fixes. Immediately offering free healthcare for all without structuring the program first or requiring all Americans to own cleaner cars, quick fixes are “too good to be true” scenarios that we probably wouldn’t attempt to begin with. Novel ideas can be used to find practical solutions as long as we stay in touch with reality.    

Week 3: reading reflection

This week we looked at Chapter 2 in Kuratko, The Entrepreneurial Mind-Set in Individuals, and I found the material very relatable.

I had to read about entrepreneurs causing entrepreneurship a few times. The concept is easy to understand, though reminiscent of the chicken-egg argument, but I thought the writing was a bit convoluted—the description of entrepreneurship being the interaction of the skills of entrepreneurs was wordy. I also needed to study the typology of entrepreneurial styles a second time to understand the relationships between level of personal financial risk and level of profit motive and the corresponding entrepreneur type profiles.

If entrepreneurs are formed through the experience of creating ventures, does that mean one is not an entrepreneur until after their first venture creation? I think in writing this I may have answered my question because the entrepreneur mindset may exist before a venture is created, but the entrepreneur does not exist until after that experience. 

I liked the inclusion of stress and coping with stress, as stress is an omnipresent hurdle. I don’t have a lot of questions about the reading; I found it all very straightforward. The dark side of entrepreneurship is familiar to me. So perhaps the biggest surprise was finally accepting that I am a Type A personality. I have been told I have a Type A personality, and passively agreed (how Type B of me), but never looked into what that may mean. 

Want to know more about your personality type? Try this explanation by Changing Minds. I also enjoyed this article by Lindsay Kolowich about A/B personality types and work environments. 

Identifying local opportunities

I've compiled my personal bug list--which is due for some expansion--and a list of global bugs, but what is bugging everyone in the Bay? I turned to the Tampa Bay Times for some clues on local problems that need solving. Sleuth mode, activate! Or should I say entrepreneur eyes on? Either way, here are five local opportunities I found:

1. Hurry up and wait - on I-275

Anyone who drives in Florida has experienced slowdowns due to construction, and many of us have been subject to long-standing projects yet to be resolved by the DOT (i.e. Ulmerton Road here in Pinellas). This editorial is about construction on I-275 making the Pinellas to Hillsborough drive rough. The writer references St. Petersburg Mayor Rich Kriseman's idea to link Pinellas and Hillsborough by ferry but notes "right now, the interstates are the only game in town."

2. Uber drivers plan another work stoppage at midnight Saturday to protest Uber's low rates

Uber has cut rates from $1.80/mile to $0.65/mile, leaving drivers with only $0.49-$0.52/mile of earnings. Tampa Uber drivers say they can't drive without losing money due to the rate decrease and are now protesting the price drop by turning off their Uber apps. Uber is losing the Tampa market, people looking to Uber are unable to and Uber drivers are not making income during the protest.

3. Open carry would undermine public safety in Tampa Bay and quality of life

Mayor Bob Buckhorn wrote a special opinion piece about potential legislation that would allow people to openly carry their firearms. He opposes the legislation on the grounds that it will impede the Bay Area's progress and affect tourism, a major component of our economy. Whether or not to allow open carry is an issue coming up across the United States following a slew of gun violence in recent years. Those in favor of open carry insist that it will benefit public safety--the idea that more guns means more potential to take down an attacker/criminal. The opposition posits that average citizens visibly carrying firearms is confusing for law enforcement and makes others uncomfortable.

4. In unusual change of roles, Tampa council member says hospital has hurt neighborhood

City Council member Charlie Miranda removed himself from his role as councilman to protest against St. Joseph's Women's Hospital. He claims the hospital has damaged the Hispanic community, removing seven or eight homes in his neighborhood over time and planning to further infringe upon the neighborhood with changes to its parking.

5. Completion of Pier demolition slowed because of safety concerns

The plan for St. Pete's Pier is finally in place however due to safety concerns the first step--demolishing the old pier--is behind schedule. After years of deliberation, a public voting period and final considerations, the city is ready to develop its Pier District for the income potential it will have, not to mention other potential benefits, the aesthetic improvement raising area home values, for example. Demolition is proceeding, just at a slower pace than initially anticipated due to unstable work surfaces and accommodating workers' safety. Barring any further problems, Pier construction should be on track for 2017.

The very short interview, no. 1

Mark Bradeis prides himself on operating with honor and integrity. It may sound cliched, but people return to Mark year after year because they feel safe, they feel respected. Mark is owner and operator of A Change for the Better Painting and Power Washing. He believes transforming your home or business should be affordable but not at the cost of quality.

K: What comes to mind when I say the word entrepreneur?
M: Risk-taker. Someone who is willing to try new things and work as their own boss, with their own guidance. You have to trust yourself and rely on yourself.
K: What do you think I should learn in an entrepreneurship course?
M: *long pause* That's a broad topic. Probably a little bit of everything, marketing, international law, business law, business ethics, accounting. I guess it's a lot of the same principles you would have in a general business course.
K: What do you wish you had learned before starting your own business?
M: Bookkeeping, accounting and organizational skills. Marketing is always good, too, but it's always changing so it's something you have to keep up with over time. You don't learn it once. Accounting is important because you have to keep track of where your money is going. You can't know if the business is sustainable, or profitable, if you don't look at the numbers. 

I have to agree with a lot of what Mark said, but I don't think he considers himself an entrepreneur at this point in his life. I wonder if a lot of entrepreneurs are the same way, focused on their goal without considering the profitability or their next move. Mark really wants to provide a service, something he feels doesn't otherwise exist, and that's his goal, to fill a niche. It was clear Mark wasn't acquainted with the term entrepreneur but rather conceptualized things around his thoughts on small business and his perspective as a small business owner. 

Ten of the world's biggest problems

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs dictates that in order to achieve self-actualization, a state wherein an individual can propel themselves toward their full potential, physiological, safety, love and esteem needs must be met. Breathing, eating, sleeping, security, friendship, family, confidence, self-esteem and respect all play into our ability to contribute, the lower levels needing attention before we can move up the pyramid to self-actualization, so, for me, identifying ten of the world's biggest problems is easiest to do in the context of Maslow's Hierarchy.

So, what do we, as a global society, need first?

1. Water - Claire Underwood knew it as head of the Clean Water Initiative, and the United Nations has pushed for it since the 70s, the world needs clean drinking water. Although huge strides have improved water sources and upped the percentage of the world's population with access to improved sources of drinking water (i.e. household connections and protected rainwater collections), there are still more than 783 million people going without. Water crises like the current fiasco in Flint, Michigan bring more attention to water issues, but it shouldn't take an emergency stateside to remind people of deficiencies worldwide.
  

Solution: Luckily the UN continues to address global water supply issues, keeping it on the Millennium Development Goals docket. Individuals can donate time or resources to water-related causes, but on a local level, reducing individual water use and curbing pollution are small steps. Rainwater harvesting has become a more common practice, and systems for anything from watering plants to supplying the entire house with water can be purchased and installed by anyone. If you're handy, or know someone who is, there's also the option of building your own. For the daring out there, check out the resources at the end of this post (but don't rush off yet).
  

2. Agriculture/Food Supply - Sustainable agricultural practices and sufficient food supply have benefits palpable even to First Worlders. Increased demand, weather incidents and other natural and man-made obstacles to agricultural production have led to lower yields and, consequently, an increase in food prices since the early 2000s.                       

Credit: madaboutmemes.com

Solution: Urban agriculture and the rise of small farms both have positive impacts on food supply. If an individual, family or community can self-sustain, they will pull less from local/regional/national/international food supply and perhaps produce enough to introduce food and goods into market. Not someone who wants a yard of chickens or time to invest in a garden? Supporting local agriculture by buying local and seasonal when possible is a great way to promote sustainability. Those giant blueberries from Argentina? I'd rather pick my own in Arcadia.
     
3. Air Pollution - Growing up with Captain Planet and Ferngully, there's no way air pollution wasn't making my top ten global problems list. As human population and worldwide development continue to grow, air pollution becomes a larger issue each year. According to the Worldwatch Institute, more than one billion people live in communities below World Health Organization standards for air quality.

Solution: Improving global air quality, particularly in urban areas that are heavily polluted, has no simple solution. The gradual shift to cleaner cars and power sources is key, however those technologies have functional and financial burdens that have prevented quick, widespread use and in some regions restricted the possibility altogether. Commercially, for example, hybrids have done well and electric cars a bit less so due to price and perceived inconvenience. The fully electric Nissan Leaf, available for around $30,000 with a range between 73-80 miles and requiring 16 hours for a full charge, had sold 200,000 units worldwide as of December 2015. Comparatively, the Toyota Prius, an electric hybrid now starting around $19,000, sold 3 million units as of June 2013. 

Of course the Prius has been around since the late 90s while the Leaf had its buzzy commercial debut in 2010, but the numbers breakdown to about 187,500 Prius being sold each year from conception (1997) to 2013 and the Leaf at a paltry 40,000 units per year. Point hybrids. But really, point average gas engines since out of the 253 million cars and trucks on U.S. roads with an average age of 11.4 years, they vastly outnumber their more environmentally friendly brethren. 

But I'm getting carried away. Short solution to air pollution? Cleaner energy, clear cars, more green, less concrete. Let's move on to our last physiologically-based problem:

4. Refugees - Really the topic of refugees starts to cross over into the safety level of Maslow's Hierarchy, but it follows that if you are displaced, your physiological needs are likely to suffer. Refugees face the choice between death or displacement. Whether due to natural disaster or civil unrest, the UN clocked 43.3 million displaced people in 2010.

Solution: Presently, Syrian unrest has resulted in millions of refugees. These refugees have been scattered across the world from Canada to Turkey, Lebanon, Iraq and Jordan, unable to return home and often without help to integrate into their new society. A UN Security Council resolution adopted by global super powers the United States, United Kingdom, Russia and China has established a path for peacekeeping and resolution, and I think, in general, deferring to the UN for guidance on refugee issues will continue to be the standard. Additionally, the world could look to Canada as an example--e.g. the Montreal factory, that has hosted other refugees in the past, offering Syrian refugees jobs and other resources.    

5. Climate Change - It may well be an inconvenient truth, but global climate change is happening. Research agencies around the world have recently declared 2015 the hottest year on record...by a wide margin of 0.75C. Scientists predict that we will continue to trend toward warm, particularly with NOAA reporting such high ocean temperatures. The trouble with warm water? Less nutrient-rich food, emaciated marine life, coral bleaching and melting ice caps, for starters. 
   

Solution: The Paris Agreement, intended to quell climate change, will help reduce climate change, if the participating countries follow the guidelines they have set and commit themselves to push the boundaries of the agreement further. I know I've heard many a lecture about reducing my personal carbon footprint, and we can all do our part to minimize our footprints. 

Calculate your carbon footprint and learn more about what you can do to slow climate change from The Nature Conservancy. (Seriously, do it. It's kind of fun.)

 

6. Terrorism - I was in fifth grade on September 11, 2001. My uncle had stayed home from work, and my aunt was safe at the UN, but the day was still a blur of my mother's anxiety from unreturned calls of New York City relatives and watching the news replay the same clips over and over. I even got to stay up late that night; I don't remember us sitting down for dinner, which was something my family did religiously. My family was on the periphery, and when I think of everyone directly impacted, and those impacted by subsequent attacks, wars, here and abroad--terrorism is clearly one of the top ten world's biggest problems. 

Solution: I think new gun legislation, while controversial, is an appropriate conversation to have following the San Bernardino shooting. It's hard to implement new security laws--think about the added airport security following 9/11--but we can't rely on government intelligence and anonymous tips to end terrorism. If making it more difficult for me to buy a gun makes it more difficult for someone with malintent to buy a gun, great. While many would argue there are still avenues for terrorists to purchase weapons, and that kidnappings, bombings and other harmful acts will still occur worldwide, of course they will, but every added measure, every nation that unites against terror will make a difference. I have seen arguments for approaching ideological differences that cause acts of terror, for changing government powers, for providing people with basic necessities like food, clothing and shelter, and I think the solution will be found at the cross-section of those notions.
 
7. Arms/Disarmament - Family members of mine would be aghast at the mere suggestion of disarmament, still, it's hard to contest the extreme defense spending worldwide. On a softer, more agreeable note, land mines are likewise a disarmament issue, killing between 15-20,000 people each year and critically injuring many more. 

 

Solution: Demining has been a complex process. Land mines don't deactivate after wars end--there are still World War II mines out there--and can remain active for decades. There has been a movement toward demining robots, and though the costs are high, robots remain the best option to demine and defuse, particularly given that a human demining mission often expects one man dead and two men injured per 5,000 mines cleared. As for military disarmament, due to budget cuts defense spending has been cut across the globe. In the United States, the annual budget is rising by approximately 1-2% while costs are up 2-3%, which means the budget will be cut into each year until it's time to restructure and reevaluate.    
 
8. International Law - You may have noticed by now that solving worldwide problems is an international issue requiring international cooperation. International law defines how nations interact with each other, individuals and international organizations.

Solution: The UN is at the helm of International Law. Shocker, I know.  This system of upholding international law has not always worked out, with nations sometimes defying the UN, but I believe it is the best option for now and into the foreseeable future.
 
9. Healthcare - Did Obamacare come to mind upon reading that? Well, don't worry, the global healthcare conversation isn't quite there yet. We're still stuck on conversations about maternal health, child mortality, nutrition, tuberculosis, malaria, HIV/AIDS and generally getting everyone access to good healthcare. Notice I say good healthcare. To quote Harvard Professor of Health Policy and Management Dr. Ashish Jha, "Doing more isn't better. Doing better is better," meaning 1,000 doctors descending upon the most needy areas in the world makes no difference if the doctors are ill-trained and ineffective.

Solution: It doesn't hurt to push healthcare education, as a start. Organizations around the world are advocating for better healthcare, and many of us could get involved through our church, school or local charities. Obamacare, while faulty, has merit when you consider the U.S. healthcare system, for being a world leader, lags far behind those of countries like Sweden, Switzerland, South Korea, Singapore and so on. Although many Americans have access to care, the cost of care is much higher than the rest of the world, and cost does impede how many people receive the care they need. The U.S. has also been chided for a lack of preventative care, which could ward off major illness or at least catch diseases early rather than in progressed stages and save money. A $100 well visit is much less expensive than an $800,000 organ transplant. In the UN, the World Health Organization (WHO) is the major arm of health initiatives but much of the UN promotes universal health care. Poverty is another contributor to lack of healthcare so efforts to solve that problem likewise advance global healthcare.

 

10. Education - As UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon explains in the video above, education is the key to unlocking the potential of an individual. Maslow would likely agree that after a person's primary needs are met, education is the path to self-actualization, which we need to evolve and add something to world. 

Solution: My great grandfather, the entrepreneur I've mentioned before, never went to school. My father dropped out and enlisted in the Vietnam War to provide for his siblings. Over time, though education has remained a privilege of sorts, we have moved from a society where education is available but optional to a society requiring primary education and emphasizing the importance of secondary education. #EducationFirst is one of millions of calls to action to aid universal education. The world needs teachers, two million more, if you ask the UN, and the global community needs to divert more funding into education.   


Lots of problems, room for solutions. Let's get crackin', people.

Resources, for your added pleasure:
The Millennium Development Goals Report 2012, United Nations
DIY 275 Gallon Rainwater Collection by bennelson at Instructables 
Build a Rainwater Harvesting System, Environmental Building News via Mother Earth News
DIY and Helpful Links on Aquaculture, Recirculating Farms Coalition
Urban Farming: Sustainable City Living in Your Backyard, in Your Community, and in the World, Thomas Fox  
Florida U-Pick Blueberry Farms Listing
Air Pollution Now Threatening Health Worldwide, Worldwatch Institute
Nissan Leaf, U.S. News 
Average Age of Vehicles on the Road Remains Steady at 11.4 years, IHS Automotive 
Montreal plywood factory gives Syrian refugees jobs, French classes via CTV News 
Obama calls for sweeping new gun laws via CBS News 
Defence spending in a time of austerity via The Economist 
Why the sheriff should follow the law via The Economist 
The Most Efficient Health Care Systems in the World via The Huffington Post 
Education First Fact Sheet, UN