Most of us assume America is a nation that’s always leading the pack. While that’s mostly true, there are several areas where we’re playing catch-up with the rest of the world. Here are 10 surprising ways the USA needs to pick up the pace to keep up with its global neighbors. It’s not all doom & gloom—recognizing where we’re falling behind is the first step toward making improvements.
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Renewable Energy Adoption
While we are improving our renewable energy infrastructure, we’re hardly leading the charge. Places like Sweden & Costa Rica are way ahead as a lot of their energy comes from renewable sources. They’ve tapped into the future of power by using the sun & wind, among other renewable resources. Sadly we’re still getting the hang of it!
Public Transportation Infrastructure
If you’ve ever been to Japan or France, you’ll have seen how efficient their public transportation is, especially compared to ours. We’re mostly glued to our cars here & many places lack a solid bus or train system. Better public transport would make it easier for everyone to get around and reduce pollution. It’ll also make our cities a bit quieter!
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Healthcare Accessibility
Even though our healthcare system is rather advanced, getting to see a doctor or afford treatment is harder than it should be. Countries like Canada & many European nations have nationalized healthcare—no massive bills, no stress. They’re able to keep people healthy without emptying their wallets. Of course, there are issues with it but, on the whole, people in these nations have far greater access to healthcare than Americans do.
Educational Outcomes
Kids in places like Singapore, Finland & South Korea are leaps and bounds ahead of American students. It’s not that we’re unintelligent—instead, these countries have ways of teaching & learning that we might want to borrow. For example, Finnish children have far less homework than American kids. Sometimes they don’t have any at all! Perhaps adopting some of their methods could make learning more effective.
Maternal Mortality Rates
America has a higher rate of moms dying from pregnancy-related causes than other developed countries. Clearly, we need to do better at giving moms-to-be & new moms the best care possible. We need to make sure they’re safe, healthy & supported—every single step of the way.
Work-Life Balance
In places like Denmark and Sweden, they have their work-life balance figured out with shorter workweeks and plenty of time off for new parents. Their goal is to enjoy life and spend time with family—rather than just living to work. But here in America, the idea of having a job where you’re not always on the clock seems like a pipe dream.
Recycling and Waste Management
Let’s talk trash. Countries like Germany & South Korea are experts at recycling and this keeps their streets clean. Meanwhile, we’re rather behind on turning our trash into treasure to make the planet tidy. Even though it’s a dirty job, getting better at it would mean a cleaner America—and a happier Earth.
Internet Speed and Affordability
You’d think that with all our tech companies, America would have the fastest & cheapest internet around—but no. Countries like Sweden have us beat as their internet speeds are far superior to ours, leaving us stuck buffering. Faster, cheaper internet for everyone would be a blessing in so many ways.
Prison Population
America has a larger prison population than many other countries. While places like Norway focus on helping people get back on their feet & back into society, most American prisons focus on locking them up—then throwing away the key. There are no second chances here. We should make sure that once someone’s served their time, they’re ready to make a fresh start.
Political Engagement
In America, not as many people show up to vote as in countries like Belgium and Sweden. Voting is how we all get to have our say in how things are run. As such, we should create ways to get more people to the polls so that governments can make decisions that better reflect what everyone wants.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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