Social Issues

The South Fork of the Chicago River carried away the decaying effluent of the city’s stockyards but the legacy of pollution remains.

As the Ku Klux Klan became increasingly powerful, journalists worked to reveal its secrets.

The truth of the matter is tobacco kills, but quitting the nasty habit also carries a series of long term side effects. If you don’t like being lied to, this is a must read.

Farmers use a variety of potentially toxic chemicals to prevent pests from consuming our food. Unfortunately, many of these chemicals can be bioaccumulated in our bodies or biomagnified through the food chain. Over time, some of them have the potential to cause severe adverse health affects in humans.

The technological revolution has brought many positives, but also quite a few negatives. In this article, I look at the advantages and disadvantages of technology.

After watching the documentary film Blackfish, I will never go to SeaWorld again. The film sheds light on the treatment and conditions that orcas must endure while being held captive. Set orcas free!

Referring to “people first” and then their disability is supposed to focus attention on the person and not their condition. If that is true, why aren’t more people and the media using it?

We all want murder rates to come down, but is gun control effective? Statistics and facts on gun crime and gun controls vs crime. You decide.

Industrial livestock farming is unsustainable and unethical. Eating meat and dairy causes ill-health and climate change. What can we do?

We use a huge amount of plastic today. Most of it takes a very long time to degrade and can harm marine life. Some bacteria may be able to break the material down.

This hub briefly summarizes and analyzes a few aspects of the healthcare system and its achievements in Vietnam.

Have you ever wondered why people become homeless? This article explains just a few of the most common causes of home loss for people living in the United States. Some of them may surprise you.

Why do homeless people seem to avoid using emergency housing shelters? Here are some of the reasons.

The writer H.G. Wells had a knack for correctly forecasting events; the foresight of many others has often been wrong, sometimes humorously so.

Simply put, when the Europeans came to America - the Native Americans discovered that Europeans were savages.

America is passionately divided on the issue of gun control and the 2nd Amendment, and some, it seems, will go to extreme lengths to counter any changes in the law. This is the reason for this article

This is an exploration of the many reasons why people choose not to have children.

Plastic pollution can be dangerous for marine life. Microplastic particles are tiny pieces of debris that may be harmful for animals and for humans as well.

Children who were not perfect and considered "feeble-minded" were shut away from society, their families, and everything they knew.

Without change, our dependence on petroleum and coal for power could someday lead to society's demise. But why wait for the inevitable when we can enact change now? With a multitude of viable energy sources at our finger tips, we are on the brink of a paradigm shift. Here are nine sources of renewable energy that could potentially change how we power our future.

Despite what some media outlets are saying, the reality on the ground is that there are many peaceful protesters forming human chains to stop looting and violence.

Understand what the scientific community is reporting about the side effects of eating genetically modified foods. Studies show links to obesity, diabetes, food allergies, cancer, and fertility problems.

Dr. Ivar Giaever has become a media darling for climate change denialists. But having a renowned scientist supporting their cause may not be the definitive component they need to win this argument.

One of the world’s oldest tax havens is Monaco, described by writer W. Somerset Maugham as a “Sunny place for shady people.” Now, the world has 50 or 60 places where people can hide money

This article lists the advantages and disadvantages of school uniforms.

Sadly, echoes of the bitter segregationists are still heard today even among those who seek high office.

Few would believe that a cartoon could play a role in the deaths of thousands of animals, but Disney's "101 Dalmatians" did just that. "Finding Nemo" and "G-Force" had similarly negative effects. Animals in the media are often purchased by families with little idea of what they're truly getting.

It's no secret there's bias in the mainstream media, but when you're hunting for a good news source, these are a few things to watch for.

Poverty kills more people every year than any other cause and contributes to even more deaths. Why doesn't anybody care?

Moral values are too often missing from our educational curricula today. While it is crucial that students gain knowledge and skills in school, it is just as important that they also take on moral virtues such as love, honesty, hard work, and compassion.

The new Nat Geo Wild program features an exotic pet vet in Deerfield Beach who regularly derides exotic pet owners while collecting checks from them. Florida exotic pet owners, find a new vet.

Who doesn’t like cute widdle wabbits hoping about the landscape? Twenty-three million Australians for a start.

Life expectancy in the U.S. continues to fall while other countries experience increases in how long their citizens live. There are many factors that influence this trend. Higher rates of suicide, homicide,diet, exercise and lack of health coverage are among some. This article explores this issue.

Ethics and morality are two different things. A lack of morality may or may not harm some people, but a lack of ethics always will.

Although the debate over whether cannabis should be legal has gone on for decades, the intensity has increased in recent years. This article lists the pros and cons of legalization.

Social networking is so widespread nowadays few people question its value. This article lists the downsides of using social media.

Lots of people have believed for decades that men are the better drivers over women, but do the facts support that belief? Or is it a myth of machismo?

Modern farming methods rely heavily on the European Honey Bee for pollination, but the honey bee population is in peril and the cause of the problem is not well understood. Modern farming methods do not currently support adequate pollination by native species of bees.

This article summarizes the history and misdeeds of the Mexican drug cartels. The scope of this international problem is discussed as well, emphasizing its impact on the United States, perhaps the only country powerful enough to stop them.

Some of my opinions as to why so many people in America seem to have no empathy for homeless people despite being mere paychecks away from the circumstance themselves.

Why do people put down wild animals in captivity while being perfectly fine with domesticated animals in human control? Are domesticated animals really that different from exotic animals?

A two-day experiment conducted by Jane Elliott, a third-grade teacher in Iowa, teaches her third-graders a lifelong lesson on discrimination.

Have you ever had an encounter with a homeless person and wanted to do more to help? Here are a few things that you can do throughout the year to make a difference.

What can be done to change people's minds about tossing trash in the streets or industrial waste in our rivers? We can start by looking at our own behavior and asking ourselves some key questions.

This article explores the inaccurate claims made by "flat Earthers," and provides some easy arguments you could use to explain to your friends that, yes, the Earth is indeed round.

For every second in David Rockefeller's long life, he's been one of the wealthiest human beings on the planet. But this isn't the only fact that makes it easy to dislike him....

Air is a vital resource for humans and other living beings. But it's a resource that's being polluted by harmful activities. We must act both collectively and individually to control air pollution.

Many people already realize the importance that recycling has on our society and way of life. However, if you still need more convincing, here are five big reasons why you need to start recycling today.

Think tanks have an enormous effect on public opinion and policy. Most think tanks promote themselves as being unbiased - but are they?

Imagine growing up in a town so poisonous—so radioactive—that the Environmental Protection Agency had to destroy it. That is exactly what the EPA did to my friend's childhood home in New Mexico.

Every time you swipe your EDD debit card, you are giving Bank of America money. Don't allow this predatory corporate bank to capitalize on your misfortune. This guide will show you how to stop letting them profit off of your unemployment benefits.

Often lumped together, this article attempts to discern how chewing tobacco and cigarette addictions are different.

Sociological research demonstrates that when whites are exposed to the Confederate flag, it causes them to react more negatively toward blacks.

Chocolate bars have a dark, often untold story of human trafficking and child slavery. Cocoa plantations on the Ivory Coast use unpaid child labor to harvest the cocoa beans, often employing tactics such as physical abuse by overseers on plantations in West Africa.

Invasive snakehead fish populations are becoming established in the USA. But what are the reals dangers and how damaging are they to local ecosystems?

If those searching for the truth don't trust mainline media outlets, where should they go? This article explains media consolidation in the United States and gives alternative sources to the MSM.

One of the most significant controversies which has emerged in education has to do with cell phones. More specifically…should cell phones be allowed in school? There are pros and cons to both sides.

Through racist, exclusionary, and oppressive systems, differences in health and safety throughout the United States and the world are inherently unjust. These injustices are amplified through urban issues, especially through segregation.

How can you tell if someone is homeless? There's no sure way but there are a lot of clues that may add up to homelessness when taken together. Knowing them can keep people living on the street safer.

A random act of kindness helps someone else and may encourage them to be kind to another person in turn. Here are fifty-two ways to help others every day.

Read on to learn why Wisconsin's response to COVID-19 hasn't led to the high death rates that were previously predicted.

Do you ever wonder if racism in America affects people in Africa? Should Africans worry so much about the racism in the U.S.? Read on to find out.

Despite the widespread perception that marriage is for mature minds and should be devoid of external influence; child marriage is still relatively common in many parts of Africa. Many women who are forced to marry at an early age have little or no choice in determining when or who they will marry.

Fighting neo-Nazism is a comprehensive endeavor. They're mostly immune to rational discourse and reasoned debate. If they were rational and reasonable they wouldn't be white supremacists.

This article summarizes the various reported incidents of human trafficking in the contemporary world. The story also provides contacts for organizations involved in the fight against human trafficking.

Learn who the homeless people in this country are and how much our public assistance programs cost. The truth may surprise you.

This article looks at the pros and cons of a US amnesty for illegal immigrants and lists the arguments used by both sides in the debate.

Is Big Cat Rescue a crusader for captive big cats, or may there be two sides to this story? Read interesting information about BCR's founder Carole Baskin and more.

A formula for bad results.

Have you wondered why people living on the street don't just get jobs and stop being homeless? Learn about homeless employment statistics, the barriers to employment they must overcome, and share your solutions in the comments.

This article explores the issues regarding the question of whether or not cigarettes should be banned, with themain arguments that are used for and against making cigarettes illegal listed.

Support homosexuality or leave! Those were the choices Christian counseling student Julea Ward faced when her faculty demanded she approve same-sex relationships when counseling homosexuals.

Public education might be the last resort for children of color to constructively assimilate into American society, but there is an enormous disjoint looming over America’s educational itinerary.

With climate change and increase in the use of toxic pesticides, honey bees are disappearing. Colony collapse disorder causing their deaths will affect humans, honey bees vanishing is not a good sign.

Healthcare in the United States only concentrates on managing and treating disease. A better method is disease prevention for improved health and wellness.

The differences between East and West are plentiful. Social and family structures are perhaps the areas exhibiting the greatest differences. This article will show one aspect of the Chinese family structure in which grandparents play an important role in raising children.

Learn some of the most common stereotypes, myths, and misconceptions about homeless people in America. Weigh in with your opinions in the comments.

Five years back, conspirators feared refugees were taking over the West. Today, they are of the idea that evil forces are gaining power amid a global pandemic. Read on to learn why these fears are unfounded and preposterous.

All across Europe, Ireland is perceived as a sustainable green country. But is it really? Ireland's new program "Origin Green," the first such in the world, is making sure of it.

The hippie movement was a catalyst for a great deal of change. What came of these changes and is there a lasting effect today? What came of the hippies themselves?

Have you wondered about the earth's floating patches of garbage? This article explains how these garbage patches got into our oceans and what's being done to reduce or eliminate them.

This article suggests a list of the 16 most polluted rivers in the world. Included in the story are what countries are doing to cleanse these filthy waterways.

The symbolism of the Confederate flag is defined by its repellent history, not the belief of its supporters that it has nothing to do with racism, but symbolizes the best in Southern heritage.

Are pets and zoo animals slaves or prisoners? Projecting the human emotional state upon animals is not necessarily in line with optimal animal welfare.

Did you know the United States holds many of the world's records for school shootings? Or that our first school shooting took place in 1764? Learn this and much more with this in depth article.

Highlighting differences between UK and USA housing, to show some of the social and cultural differences between Britain and American homes; based on my personal knowledge and perceptions of America.

There have been five mass extinctions; we are now in the beginning of the sixth mass extinction. How is global warming threatening all life on earth and what can we do about it?

Radioactive Waste in the Ocean. Radioactive waste storage in the oceans. The pros and cons of long term radioactive storage of waste.

This article looks at the main arguments for and against using physical means of punishment in schools. Here are both the pros and the cons of the debate.

Can plants mitigate the negative effects of climate change? Read on to find out.

I am often asked why I don't believe in God. It seems shocking to some, and an immediate condemnation of being evil usually follows. The simple answer is no God has ever answered my prayers...

I am not a celebrity. I am simply a writer with my own ideas, opinions and creative pursuits. Behind my words, you cannot see me, except for a small profile picture in the corner of the screen. If you saw me in the street, you would not recognise...

When it comes sustainability in our world, we need to be concerned about three key areas. The important concepts of environmental, economic, and social sustainability form a basis from which good decisions and actions can be made. Here, I will discuss the three spheres of sustainability and how these interrelated concepts ultimately effect you and society as a whole.

Bullied children across America suffer needlessly. The number and severity of attacks by bullies continue to increase exponentially with the availability of social media sites and texting capabilities. States, desperate to get a handle on it, impose fines or jail parents of bullies. Is this fair?

10 real and whimsical solutions to stop a mailbox thief before they can steal your mail or identity. From practical mail tips to locks and alarms for mailboxes.

Hostility and contempt towards women, or belief in their inborn inferiority, has pervaded religious and political ideology. Many women believe the fight continues to obtain equality and respect

This article gives the essential arguments for and against gun control laws, listing the main pros and cons that people use in the debate.

The health risks of meat production today can no longer be brushed under the carpet. Find out exactly what you put into your mouth.

Democrats are placing themselves at a huge disadvantage in much of America due to their stance on gun control. Americans today value the Second Amendment as much as ever.

In an age where parents are increasingly shirking their responsibilities in bringing up children, it is the teacher's responsibility to assist in developing the moral values of students.