World's Biggest Problems

1. Second-hand smoke. By now, we all know of the health risks of smoking cigarettes. Unfortunately, those risks, as well as the smell, are literally being passed onto non-smoking bystanders. A possible solution to this problem could be to decrease indoor areas where people can smoke cigarettes, such as inside bars, while simultaneously increasing marketing and approval of e-cigarettes. 
2. Spread of illnesses. In our busy, highly globalized society, travel is a a large part of the global economy in the forms of business and tourism. This not only brings people all over the world, but also the illnesses they may carry, increasing the risk of coming into contact with a virus. To impede the spread of these germs, more "hands-free" or automatic devices should be installed, especially in rest rooms. 
3. Carbon emissions. While the Toyota Prius may not be the most "popular" car, it has one of the highest MPGs. While most manufacturers may offer a hybrid option for a particular model, that option is usually much more expensive. By designing more fuel efficient cars that are more aesthetically appealing and more affordable, demand for these cars could increase, putting a dent in our carbon footprint. 
4. Elderly people driving. Driving is not an easy thing to give up, but eventually it becomes dangerous. As you get older, senses dull and reaction time slows. This creates dangers not only for elderly drivers, but others on the road, especially bikers. While this may seem radical, a possible solution would be to require those 80 and older to take another driving test. 
5. Forgetting where you parked. This a bigger problem for some than others, but can be a pretty big problem at large venues, for example. A possible solution for this would be to create a device that can attach to your vehicle and work with an app to give directions to that very spot. This would be more accurate and effective than "dropping a pin" on your smartphone's GPS app, as that only leads users to a general area that could be the size of the very lot their cars are located in.
6. Childhood obesity. Innovations in technology have been wonderful in many aspects, but has also made children very lazy, and possibly antisocial. While games for the Wii, like "Just Dance" are fun and give players a workout, it may not be a little boy's first choice. If kids aren't going to pick up a ball and go play outside, a more feasible solution is to create more active games that fit the needs and wants of children of all ages and attitudes. 
7. Getting sick from old/expired food. For foods we aren't very familiar with, it may be hard to determine whether it's expired until after we taste it. A possible solution to this problem is to create special storage containers that change color when the product has gone bad. For milk, the cap could change color. Or for storing other foods in your house, plastic bags with a special lining to detect mold or bacteria could be developed that change color in the presence of said mold or bacteria.   
8. Trouble seeing a doctor. Whether it be scheduling conflicts, or limited availability of appointments, getting an appointment with a doctor can be quite difficult. A possible solution is to create a virtual, interactive "doctor" that can be accessed from home, like IBM's Watson. Rather than Googling symptoms, only to read about the worst case scenarios of what their symptoms reflect, people can enjoy a more realistic and personalized experience, and stay healthy.
9. Identity theft. Now that chips are being put into credit and debit cards, identity theft is more difficult. But what happens if you lose that card? A stranger could just as easily swipe/insert your card into the card reader as you could. From personal experience, I am rarely asked to verify my identity, even less so since the introduction of the chip. A solution to this could be in biometrics, such a requiring a fingerprint. This way, if you lose your card, you don't need to worry about the dishonest stranger that could have picked it up.
10. Crime. Burglary, physical violence, and break-ins are a constant worry for citizen in areas where crime rates are particularly high. In these areas, it would be beneficial to install systems like the Blue Lights we have on campus. Also, alerts specific to a zip code, for example, sent out via text message can prompt those in potentially dangerous areas find safety. Both of these solutions could deter crime, as they make it more difficult for criminals to get away.