#17 ISU Reflection

I greatly enjoyed the Independent Study Unit presentations, I felt that everyone did an excellent job of outlining their issue, and that the discussions that arose from our presentations really widened my knowledge of issues that previous to this unit I had known very little about.

I did my presentation on Human Trafficking, I feel that I accurately conveyed the cruelty and seriousness of this issue. I was surprised to find that several of my class mates were unaware of this pressing issue, and were shocked that it is currently happening in developed nations - even Canada.

A presentation that I found particularly interesting was the presentation on water, and its relation to the developed world. I was particularly interested in the prospect of geographic location to fresh water being one of the most contributing factors to the wealth of a nation.
Countries that are situated in areas where fresh water is sparse are usually still developing, and so may be classified as "third world" countries. Whilst countries that have unrestricted access to fresh water, for example Canada, and the United States, are developed, and considered by many as world powers.

The presentation went on to discuss the importance of limiting water usage in the developed world, and making an effort to be responsible, and not take for granted the water that flows infinitely out of our taps. The luxury of fresh water should be taken more seriously, in the US the average person uses 2,500 cubic metres of water annually - enough to fill an Olympic swimming pool! This figure is more than double the average person's water usage across the globe. Clearly there is a problem with the morals surrounding water usage.    

My classmates presentations helped shape my view of the world by broadening my overall knowledge, and awareness of issues that I was not aware of previous to this course. I was not only made aware of the negative issues presented, but also the positive initiatives that people across the globe are leading to combat these issues.