TRENDS, NETWORKS, AND CRITICAL THINKING IN THE 21ST CENTURY
Complete the table.
GLOBAL ISSUES/PROBLEM ORIGIN/ BRIEF HISTORY
A. Fatal Pandemic
Problem
1. Black Death (The The Black Death or also known as the Pestilence, the Great
Plague) Mortality or the Plague was a bubonic plague pandemic
occurring in Afro-Eurasia from 1346 to 1353. It is the most
fatal pandemic recorded in human history, causing the death
of 75–200 million people in Eurasia and North Africa,
peaking in Europe from 1347 to 1351 Bubonic plague is
caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, but it may also
cause septicaemic or pneumonic plagues.
2. Spanish Flue (1918 The Spanish flu pandemic of 1918, the deadliest in history,
Influenza) infected an estimated 500 million people worldwide about
one-third of the planet’s population and killed an estimated
20 million to 50 million victims, including some 675,000
Americans. The 1918 flu was first observed in Europe, the
United States and parts of Asia before swiftly spreading
around the world. At the time, there were no effective drugs
or vaccines to treat this killer flu strain. Citizens were
ordered to wear masks, schools, theaters and businesses
were shuttered and bodies piled up in makeshift morgues
before the virus ended its deadly global march. Influenza, or
flu, is a virus that attacks the respiratory system.
3. COVID-19 The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus
WAYS OF SOLVING PROBLEM
The authorities also killed many rats and fleas who were spreading
the plague. Doctors also instructed patients about aromatherapy
where patients will carry flowers on their person, thinking that the
sweet odor would keep the plague at bay. Herbal packets were also
used as an alternative and those in the upper classes, they are using
balls of perfume called pomander. A more outrageous remedy
involved shaving a live chicken and strapping the chicken to an
infected person's swollen lymph nodes. The chicken would get sick,
and then get washed for the process to happen again until one of the
two became healthy.
They do fresh-air treatments, and gargling salt water. There wasn't a
vaccine for the virus, so the primary precautions that local and state
governments took were banning public gatherings and shutting down
schools, churches, and movie theatres. With no cure for the flu, many
doctors prescribed aspirin.
The government implemented health protocols and informed the
 pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus
disease 2019 (COVID-19). The virus was first identified in
December 2019 in Wuhan, China. The World Health
Organization declared a Public Health Emergency of
International Concern regarding COVID-19 on 30 January
2020, and later declared a pandemic on 11 March 2020. As
of 27 May 2021, more than 168 million cases have been
confirmed, with more than 3.5 million confirmed deaths
attributed to COVID-19, making it one of the deadliest
pandemics in history.
B. Devastating human-
cause environmental
disaster
1. London’s Killer Fog It was a lethal smog that covered the city of London for five
days from December 5 to 9 in 1952. It was caused by a
combination of industrial pollution and high-pressure
weather conditions. It led to deaths of 4,000 people in 1952
and 100,000 more were made ill by the smog's effects on
the human respiratory tract.
2. Southern Leyte Rock On February 17, a devastating landslide killed an estimated
Slide/ Avalanche S. 1,800 Filipinos in Guinsaugon on the southern part of Leyte
Leyte Province, Island in eastern Philippines. The deadly landslide (or debris
Philippines flow) followed a 10-day period of heavy rain and a minor
earthquake (magnitude 2.6 on the Richter scale).
3. E-waste in Guiyu, China Guiyu in Guangdong Province, China, is widely perceived
as the largest electronic waste (e-waste) site in the world. In
2005, there were 60,000 e-waste workers in Guiyu who
processed the more than 100 truckloads that were
transported to the 52-square-kilometre area every day. The
constant movement into and processing of e-wastes in the
public what should they do to avoid being infected. The lockdowns
and quarantines are strictly implemented, the use of mask and face
shields when going out, limitation of people going in different
establishments, travel restrictions, limitation of mass gatherings, did
an alternative type of schooling, and lastly the vaccine.
The City of Lindon made an environmental legislation such as Act
1954 and the Clean Air Acts of 1956 and 1968 that led to a reduction
in air pollution. Financial incentives were also offered to households
in order to replace coal fires with gas fires, or any alternatives.
The rescue teams including militsry personnel proceeded to the
affected areas. The chairman of the Philippine Red Cross also
appealed for international assistance. He raised US $1.5 million to
help the victims of the mudslides. The funds were used to purchase
tents, blankets, cooking utensils, mosquito nets, temporary shelter
materials, hygiene articles, water purification tablets and medicines.
Zheng Songming, head of the Guiyu Township government has
published a decree to ban burning electronics in fires and soaking
them in sulfuric acid, and promises supervision and fines for
violations. Over 800 coal-burning furnaces have been destroyed
because of this ordinance, and most notably, air quality has returned
to Level II, now technically acceptable for habitation.
 area leading to the harmful and toxic environment and
living conditions, coupled with inadequate facilities, have
led to the Guiyu town being nicknamed the "electronic
graveyard of the world"
C. Deadliest Natural
Disaster
1. 1931 China Floods The 1931 China floods, or the 1931 Yangtze–Huai River Create a 'sponge city'. This concept has become very popular in
floods, were a series of floods that occurred from June to China, a country that has seen the rate of urban. Green roofs/rooftop
August 1931 in the Republic of China, hitting major cities gardens. They made green roofs (roofs that are covered with
such as Wuhan, Nanjing and beyond, which eventually vegetation), by their very nature, absorbs water. They created flood
culminated into a dike breach along Lake Gaoyou on 25 plains and overflow areas for rivers.
August 1931.
2. 1887 Yellow River Flood The 1887 Yellow River flood was a devastating flood on the The administration of the Yellow River Basin (YRB) needs to move
Yellow River (Huang He) in China. This river is prone to away from solely engineering-focused water management, which
flooding due to the elevated nature of the river, running emphasises flood control and resource development, toward
between dikes above the broad plains surrounding it. The comprehensive, integrative basin management strategies.
flood, which began in September 1887, killed at least
900,000 people. The highest estimated death toll is
2,000,000.
3. 1556 Shaanxi Earthquake The 1556 Shaanxi earthquake is associated with three major In the aftermath of the 1556 quake, many of the stone buildings that
faults, which form the boundaries of the Wei River basin. had been leveled were replaced with buildings made of softer, more
All 26 of the earthquakes recorded in the annals had earthquake-resistant materials, such as bamboo and wood. The 1556
epicentres in this basin. Get a Britannica Premium Shaanxi earthquake is associated with three major faults, which form
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