Do we Really use Algebra in Life?

I have spent so much of my time pondering a single question, do we really use these things we are trying so hard to learn in the real world? Back then, I did strongly believe that we did not. However, I have started to realize how important these skills are. Not just math, but also chemistry, writing skills, foreign language, government. Have you ever stopped to think about how much the world changed in the last century? New fast cars, instant messaging, Internet, cures for diseases. None of this would have been possible without a high understanding of the modern world, and a full modern education.

People are like ticking clocks, every second brings us closer to the day our batteries finally run out. Hundreds and thousands of years ago people discovered the things we learn before we turn ten years old. Why? Because we will advance the worlds knowledge and understanding a little bit more with our generation. Then we will pass and the next generation will learn what took us a lifetime to discover. And so on and so forth until one day maybe all disease will be curable, all the world will know things that we can't even imagine now.

When people at my school tell themselves that we will never use math or science, I always have this same thought in my head. The world is engineered to work with people that are not very highly educated. Most things in our life our laid out in a way that you would have to have little to no education in order to not understand them. If they are not this way less educated people will sue them for hundreds of thousands.

Even though the world is like this, the 1 in 10, in fact maybe the 1 in 1000 that does something because of their education to change the world will be worth the hard work of the other 999. That person who expands our worlds understanding of mathematics or science will be helping out with the cycle from generation to generation. If one person discovered something about the ocean floor, maybe a way to reach it in all areas. Think of the things following generations would discover because of it. All of the education we receive goes into this chance that we will actually use it for discovery, or to teach.

So if you ever find yourself thinking that the work you do in class is pointless, think about the things I have said.

Think Green, Actually Thinking.

Think Green, it seems as if there is no thought involved. What do I mean? I will show you. This is a typical "Green Light bulb" shipping route. Starting in china, the yellow circle. In some factory likely in the vicinity of the red square. From there it is shipped across the ocean on a terrible pollution emitting cargo ship to America, where it is then shipped to stores across the country.

Does this raise any alarm to you? Pollution, China? Think about it, our best plan for saving the energy in order to save the planet is by getting light bulbs from China, which is already dangerously polluted. It is like America believes that we don't share an ozone layer with China. Not only are we killing our economy a little bit more by losing jobs, we are giving them to China, where they can legally work people to death for horrible low wages, and pollute as much as they want.

Why? It is simple, people feel like they are doing something good by buying these light bulbs, and we can sell them cheap because they came from China. Now look at the picture below, this is the shipping route for the old light bulbs, you know? The ones that are a big part of American History, the invention that proved America to be a powerful new country?

It starts in Cleveland, America, and is shipped across the country. Who's economy does this support? America. No black smoke, no disgusting wages, no disregard to basic human rights. When I first learnt of this while watching the news I was very surprised, but then it started making sense. The book Twilight is aimed towards teenage girls, they added ridiculously beautiful characters to a mediocre easy read and suddenly its a best seller and blockbuster. Just like twilight, companies use think green to target people who feel like they haven't done enough for the world. Those people never ask where the product came from, only that it is "Green"

My point is simple, being green is smart. Don't get me wrong, I may have distrust towards Global Warming, but I still believe that we can screw up our planet. If our country invests in solar energy, hydrogen powered cars, and green house items, we can stimulate the economy. Forget the stimulus package, put all of that money into green energy, into finding a safe and cost efficient way to run cars. If we can solve the worlds energy crises we could prove ourselves again. It would be an invention to rival the original light bulb.

Keep up recycling, and keep on switching off lights when you leave a room. My solution is a two birds one stone scenario, the economy, and the environment. The people in my generation, and the next after it need to invest in these things. Humanity's knowledge and invention is always expanding, it will never wear out. In the last 50 years so much has changed, just imagine what the world will look like 50 years from now. 50 years of smart energy, or 50 years of what we thought was smart energy. It is time to stop sitting down and complaining about the economy, complaining about the environment. It is time to start do-ing.