【正文】 testing, racial imbalances and equal educational opportunity, and the curriculum in relation to labor force needs and global petition. New problems, such as teacher shortages, overcrowded and unsafe schools, and unequal access to educational technology join other perennial issues in education such as gender bias and the bilingual education debate. The educational system as a social institution and individuals’ educational experiences and levels of attainment are key factors in addressing other social problems. Environmental Quality as a Social Problem Environmental problems arise both directly and indirectly from people’s social institutions, social behavior, and cultural values. Conditions of population growth, affluence and poverty, technological and industrial development, domestic and international economic activities, and patterns of consumption all affect the useand abuseof land, energy resources, and natural resources such as plants and animals, as well as the quality of soil, water, and air. Top problems of environmental quality today include deforestation, global warming, biodiversity loss, and hazardous waste. The solutions to these and environmental problems involve social change. Problems of Population, Immigration, and Urbanization Population problems are defined by the numbers and distributions of people within a physical area and by the movements of people within and between areas. For example, overpopulation of an area can contribute to food shortages, and migrations between areas can lead to intergroup conflicts. Demographers relate population statistics to sociological variables such as age, gender race and ethnicity, and socioeconomic status, and sociologists use this information to study the effects of population problems and policies. In the . problems include, for example, the decline of cities, segregated neighborhoods, homelessness, and illegal immigration. Problems of Social Change: Media and Technology Technological change associated with industrialization and modernization has created vast challenges as well as benefits. Changes that began with mechanization and automation have led to stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction, geic engineering and biotechnology, robotics, and the globalization of electronic telemunications. These developments continue to change the world in which we live. Social problems of technological change range from unemployment and the loss of personal privacy and control, from ethical dilemmas to social inequality, and from cultural lag to cultural colonialism. What new social transformation awaits even a postmodern world? Global Warming Global warming refers to an average increase in the Earth39。s temperature, which in turn causes changes in climate. A warmer Earth may lead to changes in rainfall patterns, a rise in sea level, and a wide range of impacts on plants, wildlife, and humans. When scientists talk about the issue of climate change, their concern is about global warming caused by human activities. Potential Effects of Global Warming This global warming trend can cause a significant global climate changes. Human society is highly dependent on the Earth39。s climate. Climate patterns and human adaptations determine the availability of food, fresh water, and other resources for sustaining life. The social and economic characteristics of society have also been shaped largely by adapting to the seasonal and yeartoyear patterns of temperature and rainfall. Some potential effects associated with climate change are listed in the following. (from . Climate Action Report) Water Resources: The quality and quantity of drinking water, water availability for irrigation, industrial use, and electricity generation, and the health of fisheries may be significantly affected by changes in precipitation and increased evaporation. Increased rainfall may cause more frequent flooding. Climate change would likely add stress to major river basins worldwide. Coastal Resources: A estimated 50 cm rise in sea level by the year 2100, could inundate more than 5,000 square miles of dry land and an additional 4000 square miles of wetlands in the . Health Heatstress mortality could increase due to higher temperatures over longer periods. Changing patterns of precipitation and temperature may produce new breeding sites for pests, shifting the range of infectious diseases. Agriculture Impacts of Climate change in developing countries could be significant. Forests Higher temperatures and precipitation changes could increase forest susceptibility to fire, disease, and insect damage. Energy and Transportation Warmer temperatures increase cooling demand but decrease heating requirements. Fewer disruptions of winter transportation may occur, but water transport may be affected by increased flooding or lowered river levels. ——————————————————————————————————— Ozone hole Ozone destruction. Rising greenhouse gas emissions account for all or part of the water vapor increase, which causes stratospheric ozone destruction.(The increased transport of water vapor to the stratosphere seems likely to have been induced by human activities. ) What Is An Ozone Hole? Ozone molecules are made up of three atoms of oxygen. They prise a thin layer of the atmosphere that absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation from the Sun. An ozone hole is what scientists call an ozone depletion area of in that region of Earth39。s atmosphere. ——————————————————————————————————— EarthAltering Accidents Accidents happen, but when they destroy the delicate balance of nature or cause a large number of people to suffer, they bee disasters. Here are some of the largest disasters that have been caused by human activity. Love Canal 1953, New York, . Love Can