World Problems that Occupy My Mind

The world has an abundance of meaningful problems that need solving. My past experience building hardware and software has been somewhat of an endeavor to getting the tools to fix things. The question is, which of these hundred of problems deserves my finite time and energy?

Problems I Keep Noticing

Fast fashion is destroying the planet. We buy 60% more clothing than 15 years ago but keep each item half as long. The fashion industry produces 10% of global carbon emissions and 20% of global wastewater. Most people actually want to buy less—they just don't know how, or sustainable options cost too much.

Housing has become impossibly expensive. You need six figures for a one-bedroom in many cities. Teachers, nurses, engineers are getting priced out of communities they serve. Housing costs have outpaced wages for decades.

Climate change feels paralyzing because it's so massive. But some impactful solutions are surprisingly mundane: better building insulation, efficient heat pumps, improved logistics. What excites me is clear metrics—you can measure progress and iterate systematically.

The education crisis is accelerating with AI. Kids grow up with ChatGPT wondering why they need to memorize facts. Schools still use industrial-age assumptions. How do we teach critical thinking when AI generates convincing arguments for any position?

Our aging population creates challenges nobody discusses. Baby boomers age, birth rates drop, soon there won't be enough working-age people to support the elderly. This means redesigning transportation, housing, healthcare for different demographics.

Our food system optimizes for cheap calories over nutrition. Ultra-processed foods cost less than fresh produce. Food deserts leave people miles from healthy options. We know how to grow food sustainably—it's just not how we've structured economics.

Social media destroyed real connection. We check phones 96 times daily but feel lonelier and more anxious. Platforms optimize for engagement, not meaningful relationships. We built a global nervous system rewarding outrage over conversation.

Misinformation makes everything harder. When people can't agree on facts, how do you build consensus? AI-generated content makes this worse—soon we won't trust photos or videos.

The mental health epidemic reshapes how a generation experiences life. Teen anxiety and depression rates skyrocketed. Traditional therapy can't scale to meet demand.

Political polarization fractures communities and families. People live in information bubbles. Democracy needs shared reality, but we're losing common ground.

Digital privacy matters more as tech companies accumulate unprecedented data about our lives. Most people don't know what's collected or how it's used.

Economic inequality reshapes social mobility, creating different lived experiences within the same society. The wealth gap continues widening.

Choosing What Matters

With so many problems, I filter through three questions:

Personal resonance: Which problems genuinely energize me?

Unique leverage: Where do my skills give me unusual advantage?

Tractable impact: Which have clear next steps where I can make measurable progress?

Small Solutions, Big Impact

Successful problem-solvers often start embarrassingly small. Sara Blakely cut feet off pantyhose and created Spanx. Airbnb founders just wanted rent money from air mattresses.

Maybe the key isn't choosing the biggest problem, but the smallest intervention that creates meaningful change.

Solutions That Give Me Hope

Problem	Solutions in Progress
Fast Fashion	Awareness campaigns showing true environmental impact Reusing and better care of existing clothing Buying quality pieces that won't become trash
Climate Change	Solar and wind becoming cheapest energy sources Heat pump adoption accelerating in Europe Carbon capture moving beyond research phase
Education	Micro-schools experimenting with project-based learning AI tutoring providing personalized instruction at scale Skills-based hiring reducing emphasis on credentials
Aging Population	Remote monitoring enabling independent living longer Robots assisting with daily tasks and companionship Intergenerational housing connecting young and old
Food Systems	Apps like Too Good To Go connecting surplus with need Food recovery programs reducing waste at source Better logistics cutting transport waste
Social Media & Connection	Digital detox apps and screen time controls Alternative social platforms focused on smaller communities In-person meetup groups and local community building
Misinformation	Fact-checking services and browser extensions Media literacy education in schools Platform algorithms prioritizing authoritative sources
Mental Health	People using ChatGPT for emotional support AI-powered therapy making help more accessible Crisis text lines providing immediate intervention
Political Polarization	News sources that show multiple perspectives and avoid bias
Digital Privacy	Growing cybersecurity and data protection awareness Better education about company data use Focus on protecting against genuinely harmful actors
Housing Costs & Economic Inequality	I honestly don't know what to do here—would love insights from anyone who does

The pattern: the best solutions combine technology with better information. People often want to make good choices—they just need to understand real impacts and have convenient alternatives.

What I'm Building

Problem	My Approach
Social Media & Connection	Testing iOS app that blocks doomscrolling using Screen Time API (learning that this particular API is frustratingly inconsistent)
Fast Fashion	Planning clothing quality scanner that identifies material durability vs. price

The world doesn't need more grand plans. It needs people willing to pick one problem and actually do something about it.