Economic Impact on the Sustainability of Our Planet

Economic Impact on the Sustainability of Our Planet

By: Elizabeth Cordi and Sabrina Floccuzio

The world has changed so much over the past decade. Population is increasing at a rapid speed. In fact, “in the last 50 years population has more than doubled, global consumption of water has more than tripled, and the use of fossil fuels has quadrupled” (Margaret Robertson, 2014).

What does this mean for us?

Since the population keeps increasing, the demand for clothes will increase. This means that there will be more pollution from factories, which is going to make both, people and animals sick and potentially die. According to Sustainability Principles and Practice, by Margaret Robertson, “fifty percent of species alive today are predicted to be gone by the year 2100” (Margaret Robertson, 2014). Due to rapid economic changes temperatures are rising, mountain glaciers are melting, and acidic sea levels from carbon monoxide are rising. Our current economic system needs to change because right now “the system releases waste into the environment faster than natural systems can process them and consumes renewable resources faster than they can get replenished” (Margaret Robertson, 2014).


What can we do to change?

With a steadily increasing population we are going to need more clothes. We are not going to stop making clothes, however, we can implement a plan to help reduce excess waste. We can change our factories to have solar panels on the top. Solar energy has become one of the cheapest energy sources in the world. It is also a great source of renewable energy. We can make our clothes with all recyclable fibers. This seems insane now, yet, with advanced technology and resources, it will become normal in the future. We need to use our voice to spread our knowledge about what is going to happen to our planet if we keep up with our daily routines and what we can do to change. Together, we are the future and have the power to make a difference!