10 ideas for Pacific Islands in the new decade

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1. Ensure clean fresh water drinking systems for all Pacific Islanders. Many take for granted that Pacific Islands with lush green vegetation still have to meet the demands of supplying fresh clean drinking water for their inhabitants as well as water treatment systems that will ensure better health from sanitation of waste water. As the world struggles with thirst the Pacific Islands can be a leader as well as supplier of this essential resource.

2. Enforce better air quality standards. Anyone who has been on locations away from the city on Pacific Islands will breathe in some of the cleanest air on earth, this needs to remain the same with better air quality standards. As the pacific Islands become increase development their reliance for air polluting machines is growing.

3. Find an alternative energy source for electricity. The amount of remote villages and cities in the Pacific that are dependent on diesel electrical generators is still very high. Although it'll take far more than a decade to replace them, there needs to be alternatives for such remote locations. Wind, sun, geothermal and ocean waves could produce much of the electrical needs of most islands, but the cost and efficiency are not competitive with current infrastructure. The Pacific islands are a perfect place to utilize and test these new technologies as all have to compromise installation in fragile ecosystems.

4. Take advantage of the internet to educate some of the most remote students on earth. The internet is surely becoming a portfolio of all the information humans can produce. While online entertainment, and social networking are benefits of the internet the true value of being connected is a 24 hour 7 days a week educational tool. Like many other elements of globalization, the internet can level the field of education and prepare Pacific Islanders for their journey with life long learning.

5. Become more self sustainable. Many Pacific Island nations are dependent on foreign aid. As they modernize, the demand for foreign goods and resources will not decrease, but dependency can. Such goals of food, water, shelter, and energy sustainability must become top priority for the new decade in the Pacific. Generosity can be replaced by acquiring when trade is imbalanced and it's unrealistic to think that assistance is forever.

6. Preserve as much as possible. Nothing can stop progress but conservation of environment, as well as cultural knowledge and traditions will be put to the test in this next decade. To establish a high value on the preservation of such things will be the foundation for many more decades to come.

7. Strengthen locally, compete globally. Pacific Islanders both highly collaborative as well as competitive, this must continue to compete globally in fields including and beyond athletics, academics, business, community projects, science, social work, and all other fields in which Pacific Islands can continue to make waves through positive contribution on the global stage.

8. Continue to be ambassadors of friendship and kindness to the world. Many negative stereotypes have plagued Pacific Islanders all of which are shut down by the knowledge and character of the Pacific Island people. One positive stereotype is rooted in the tradition of hospitality. The world continues to have difficulties, negativity and violence, perhaps the Pacific Islands can help to influence others this decade with kindness.

9. Improvise, adapt, overcome, a military motto that has roots in the the survival instinct that allowed humans to migrate and survive around the world, and led to innovation, has been apart of Pacific Islanders past present and needs to maintain apart of their future mindset. Although global influences may be attractive to Pacific Islanders it will be their responsibility to adapt them to the environment and culture of the Pacific Island community.

10. Utilize and protect the the most valuable resource of the Pacific Islands the Pacific Ocean. Just as in the past, the ocean can be an abundant resource for food, transportation. Today it is used as a water source, an energy source, research and development laboratory. The challenge of the Pacific Islands in the next decade will be to use technology to utilize the ocean as a resource without harming it beyond the point of natural repair.