The Negative Effects of Consumerism on Environment Essay

The Negative Effects of Consumerism on Environment - Essay Example The paper tells that the people in the past were lived in a society of producers; however current people are living in a society of consumers. There are plenty of reasons for this change. Heavy industrialization, development of science and technology and the subsequent changes happened in the life styles and life philosophies of people are some of the major reasons for increased consumerism. There is nothing wrong in transforming our society from the production dimension to consumer dimension if such changes may not cause any harm to our environment. Unfortunately, environmental problems or destruction is directly proportional to the rate of increase of consumerism. In other words, along with the increase in consumerism, increase in environment destruction is also taking place. It is impossible for humankind to survive long if consumerism increases at its present rate. The effects of consumerism on the Earth’s environment are: loss of resources, increased pollution, and loss o f energy. This paper analyses the causes of increased consumerism and its effects on environment. Loss of resources is the major effect of increased consumerism. It should be noted that population is growing at alarming rates whereas the available resources in this world are being reduced because of increased consumption. Scarcity of drinking water is a problem everywhere in this world. It should be noted that drinking water resources are exhausting day by day even though the water levels in the sea are gradually rising because of global warming. There are plenty of people in this world who purchase goods just for increasing their social status. Current consumers compare the goods in the hands of their friends, relatives and neighbours with the goods in their own hands and then take purchasing decisions. Such habits results in wastage of resources and over exploitation of resources. Deforestation is taking place rapidly to find enough space for establishing industries. Nobody take c are about the fact that trees or forests play an important role in maintaining the global climate suitable to living things. Deforestation results in big climate changes and subsequently the life is this earth may become extremely difficult. Carbon dioxide is harmful to the environment whereas oxygen is good for the environment. Trees absorb carbon dioxide and liberate oxygen to this world. Thus, trees help the environment in maintaining a balance between carbon dioxide and oxygen in the atmosphere. Destruction of trees results in increased content of carbon dioxide in atmosphere which is not good for living things. All the living things in this world are interconnected each other in some ways. In other words, the existence or survival of all the living things in this world is necessary for the sustainment of human life. The destructions of animals and birds may affect human life in many ways. For example, snakes are the enemies of rats. Killing or destruction of snakes may result i n increased number of rats. Increased number rats means farmers may not get proper yield from their agriculture. In short, snakes are necessary to maintain the number of rats in this world to a particular level. However, climate changes and environmental problems are causing big destruction of animal life. â€Å"There was a story in the newspaper saying that 37 percent of species could become extinct due to climate change† (Mayell). Increased pollution is another effect of increased consumerism. Air, water and land pollution are caused by increased consumerism. It is already proved that atmospheric temperature is increasing day by day because of environmental pollutions and increased consumption of resources. Atmospheric temperature rise results in global warming. It would be difficult for mankind to live in this world, if the atmospheric temperature rises at its present rate. Automobile use is increased a lot in recent times. Automobiles