A destruction legacy

“Explain to future generations it was good for the economy when they cannot farm the land, breathe the air and drink the water” - Anonymous.

Over the past two centuries the global population has increased considerably. According to the United Nations at present there are, approximately, seven billion inhabitants in the world and it is predicted to reach nine billion by 2050. Consequently, looking for a pleasant life, the humanity has been exploiting the nature in an excessive way. In fact, the lifestyle progress has brought alarming resource depletion, that is to say more overuse of natural resources than are sustainable. The depletion of natural resources impact not only upon the current population but also in the future they will bring serious consequences to their generations.

The Earth provides both renewable and non-renewable natural elements such as water, wind, fossil fuels, minerals, metals, land and soil, etc. that can be employed to strengthen the social development and financial security. However, in the desire to dominate and control the planet, human activities have led to decrease drastically the quantity of these elements. This could bequeath an inexorably desolation at long-term.

To begin with, the machinery and methods used to extract the raw materials will cause a significant damage to the environment; as a result there will be gradually climate changes, catastrophes, and massive loss of the biodiversity. For example, India is facing an ecological crisis and degradation of its natural resources that will be steadily worsening day by day. Then, people exposed for a long time to pollutants will increase the risk of suffering several diseases including respiratory disease, viral disease, cancer, etc. reducing the quality of life. At last, the cost of the resource shortage will be significant, specifically to the industrial and agricultural development. Indeed the lack of energy sources, the harmful atmosphere, the rise in temperature and extreme weather events will hinder economic growth, threatening the survival and living standards of people.

After having mentioned some effects of resource depletion, let us focus on the main causes of this phenomenon.

Undeniably, the world is under threat because of the abuse over natural resources. The first aspect of this point refers to the overpopulation; as the population grows, it is necessary to destroy the forest to make way to the urbanization. At the same time, this involves a major demand for supplies, particularly fuel, gas, water and electricity. For example, China is the world’s most populous country, with more than one billion inhabitants; as a result there are decline of biodiversity, lack of space and resources, pollution and poor living conditions. Another aspect is the overconsumption, in other words, the act of consuming something excessively. In the last decades, humans have multiplied the level consumption of goods and services like cars, appliances, computers, internet, television, etc. that make them to consume more, waste more and contaminate more. Lastly, the final aspect is the extraction of materials from the Earth, such us minerals and petroleum since they are the main providers of jobs, basic needs, energy, as well as moneymakers; even if it results in the destruction in all places or the expiry of finite resources.

On the whole, the rapid demographic growth, the necessity of basic need’s satisfaction, and the wastefulness are causing havoc on the planet. Actually, the natural resources are being depleted by human ambition at an increasing rate, damaging the nature and the society; in other words a legacy of destruction is being left to future generations and they will inevitably pay the price.