Worldwide Improvements in the Standard of Living Have Caused Severe Damage to the Environment

Nature has a subtle way of teaching and warning us about the conservation and preservation of the environment. Should we ignore the signs given, then the wrath of nature knows no bound. As the world is improving towards modernization, the environment is also being damaged to fulfill the rise in standard of living. The day would come when the younger generation of this century will stand on the brink of environmental damages.

The improvements of people’s living standard owes too much to the rapid development of science and technology. However, people nowadays are confronted with so many problems, such as the deterioration of environment, air pollution and the explosive expansion of population. Some people claim that the damage to environment is an inevitable consequence of economic development. From my point of view, this is only an excuse for the ignorance of environmental protection.

In order to make more profit, some manufacturers and factories are only keen on the pursuit of profits, caring nothing about the protection of environment. For example, about fifty percent of people in Shenzhen possess a private car, and the ownership is increasing by 7,000 each month. The toxic exhaust gas and irritating noise impair people’s health greatly, yet nobody cares about such problems. The prosperity of economy is obtained at the cost of people’s health and the damage to environment.

The lack of awareness of environmental protection is another factor causing damage to environment. Some near-sighted local governments are only concerned about economic development but pay a little attention to environmental protection, misunderstanding that economic development says for their achievements and that environmental protection only wastes money.

If people and the authorities concerned have a long-term developing perspective, I think the damage to environment is avoidable. Along with the development of technology and people’s living standard, the government should take effective measures to handle the problems arising. Meanwhile, the manufacturers and factories should consider not only economic profit but also social benefit. If the government and people can join hands in solving environmental problem, we will enjoy an azure sky and flower fragrance in the near future. All these are possible when we realize that the environment is most important asset of a particular country. With trees being chopped down for house development for instance, the ecosystem will be badly affected yet causing more damages and difficulties.

Indulging in modernisation is something good as one will be up to the current standard, but it will be bad when the environment is starting to be damaged. Even though all the improvements are carried out to cater the needs of human beings living the current era, there is no need to harm the environment when there are some alternative ways that can benefit most parties. For example, instead of using industrial-based agricultural methods such as spraying insecticides, farmers could actually use biological control method with the prey-predator concept. With this method, water pollution can be reduced. Nowadays, better technology is being created from time to time, covering up a wide range of fields, from agriculture, to transportation, up to medical wise. Therefore, it it possible for us to use other ways that will not bring damages to the environment in order to improve our standard of living.