Improvement in worldwide standard of living is a reason behind damage to the environment.

Improvement in worldwide standard of living is a reason behind damage to the environment. What is your opinion?

Introduction
Mahatma Gandhi famously said, ‘Nature has enough for everyone’s need, but not enough for man’s greed.’ In today’s scenario, this statement holds very true. It is no secret that humankind in its greed has bled the earth dry of her precious natural resources.

The role of natural resources in an economy

Statistics that are available to us indicate that the standard of living has gone up considerably the world over. However, we need to understand that this is because of the utilization of natural resources. As a result of the improvement in the standard of living, the cost of living has also gone up. It has become more important to project to others the extent of an individual’s lavish lifestyle. Therefore, large houses spanning many square feet, huge wooden furniture, expensive vehicles that require several liters of fuel, and gold and diamond jewelry have become essential to a happy life. What we don’t realize is the cost at which we are acquiring our fashionable lifestyle, and this does not refer to the monetary cost. With every item of luxury we want (but don’t need), we are chipping away at the delicate framework of nature.

For any economy to grow, it has to borrow heavily from its natural resources. Without the support of certain essentials, like land, and water, it will not be possible to run a successful enterprise. In order to acquire land, trees will need to be cut. This results in not just the death of trees, but also the several animals and other microorganisms dependent on the trees for their survival. This breaks the food chain, resulting in further loss to nature, and eventually to man.

As Gandhiji rightly said, nowadays man’s greed has taken over. In order to earn more profits, everyone from farmers to bankers is indulging in unfair practices. The use of pesticides and harmful chemicals on plants will give a farmer better and bigger yield, but at the cost of safety of the people consuming it. With an increase in the expendable income, people invest in two or three houses, which they don’t need, thereby increasing the real estate demand, which directly increases the impact on the environment.

Apart from this, advancements in medical research have ensured increased longevity. This has resulted in reduced infant mortality, and increased life expectancy of older people. This again has a direct impact on nature, as she has to provide for a larger population.

Conclusion

To sum up, the prosperity of an economy definitely results in the damage of nature. It is equally possible to live like the aborigines, and the American Indians; in harmony with nature.

They take only what they need from nature, and for whatever they take, they try to replace in equal measure. There is no need to earn in billions and live extravagantly. The sad truth of life is, the more we have, the more we will want. So let us try to reduce our wants, and live an austere life. There are simple ways to recycle our possessions and be content with what we have.