DIOQUINO, MARIANNE S.

ACTIVITY #1

1. Should climate change be a governmental issue? Discuss your arguments.

Climate change has been detrimentally threatening humanity for decades now. It is no longer a
discussion of conserving electricity or using vehicles that are environmentally friendly but a responsibility
concerning global destruction, seeking deeper attention from the government. While it could be argued
that lessening electric power and the usage of water could do good for the Earth, wouldn’t it be more
powerful if living a greener life were led by our own leaders? For instance, on July 1, 2008, British Columbia
implemented a carbon tax shift, wherein each ton of CO2 that would be released into the atmosphere
would be taxed by $10. This implementation resulted in their greenhouse gas emissions dropping by six
percent overall between 2007 and 2011, thanks to the government’s clear success in encouraging big
businesses to change how they operate. Just imagine how much greenhouse gas emissions would be
prevented if governments all around the world took primary and necessary actions and took
accountability for taking care of our environment. I believe that as the government’s prime duty is to
serve and protect the people, it is also their responsibility to address the issue that, on top of everything,
affects its citizens.

2. Has the use of internet made our society better? Discuss your arguments.
The Internet has been more beneficial than destructive in today’s generation. With the capacity to access
necessary information, improve global connectivity, and provide a wide variety of opportunities in school,
work, and organizations, the internet could be considered one of the most invaluable inventions the world
has ever had. Although it cannot be denied that it also has a share of destructive capabilities, especially
when it comes to irresponsible and illegal usage like hacking, scams, and other forms of cybercrime, it
should not be overlooked that this irresponsibility falls into the hands of the person using the internet and
not the internet itself. The Internet is just a platform that allows people to operate their digital intentions
and navigate their way through technological advancements, which undoubtedly brings a betterment
to the society we are living in.

3. Are students more productive in a Face-to-Face setting or online set-up classes? Discuss your arguments.
Productivity depends on the students’ study styles and habits. There are students who excel more in face-
to-face classes because they prefer an environment where they see other students working as hard as
them, where they can focus without distraction in their houses, and where they feel a sense of
companionship and belonging. Meanwhile, there are also students who prefer an online setting of classes
because this is where they can concentrate more without the pressure of a face-to-face set-up and the
anxiety of being inside the four-walled classroom. In my personal opinion, gathered from my personal
views and experiences, I think that students are more productive if the environment they are working in is
full of bustling students busy doing their own tasks and is far from the unnecessary noises of their
neighborhood, which could all be achieved in a face-to-face setting.

4. Can money buy you happiness? Discuss your arguments.

The warmth of my mother’s hugs, the soft whispers of support from my friends and loved ones, the time I
spend with my family, and the comfort that people’s love gives me are things that make me happy.
Money is just a piece of paper dressed as everything people desire. If we disregard the material things
that money could buy, like food, shelter, clothes, and such, what makes people happy? A strong and
healthy relationship with loved ones makes people happy, as does the success that results from studying
hard to achieve your dreams. Things like these can’t be bought or replaced by money. Although the
world has more people who need money to sustain their needs and are enjoying life more comfortably
with money in their hands, at the end of the day, money is still a frivolous thing that brings people
temporary frivolous joy that lacks the depth of what’s more to this life. Therefore, I believe that money
could buy the things that are essential to living the life we have, but it will never amount to the happiness
brought by the things that it could never purchase.