Production and consumption habits
Recent studies reveal that the natural human resources are being depleted at a faster rate. It is a major concern as people are worried since the available resources will not be adequate to sustain the total population on earth in the near future. Besides, the global warming has enormously changed the weather pattern thus distorting the ecosystem. All this is as a result of using non renewable energy that emits harmful substances into the atmosphere. An example is the use of fossil fuel which is known to be hazardous to the environment and non renewable. Also, clearing of green vegetation on the earths surface at an alarming rate distorts the ecosystem. Industrialization and deforestation play a key role in the distortion of the environment. The depletion of resources at a soaring rate and the global warming has necessitated human being to adopt consumption and production habits that are sustainable and that provide adequate food for all. Ensuring sustainability is the foundation of preservation of the environment. This promotes the continuous production and consumption (Slattery, 2009).
In the recent past, there are a number of production habits that have been adopted by human being. These habits focuses on the use of renewable energy and reduction of emission. The first production habit focuses on production of renewable energy and other resources. Man has developed ways of producing renewable and sustainable energy. Examples are the generation of energy from solar, wind, and running water. Production of plenty of renewable energy aims at reducing the use of fossil fuel that is currently depleted. Besides, the fossil fuel is characterized by the emission of harmful waste to the environment. Secondly, people are focusing on going clean and green. Production plants are constructed in such a way that they minimize pollution and damage on the environment. In most countries, it is a mandatory requirement that wastes from production plants should be purified before being emitted into the environment. This aims at reducing global warming. Further, people tend to use less fossil fuel during production which emits plenty of pollutions in production. Examples of energy being used in production of goods and services are solar and wind energy consumption (Slattery, 2009).
Apart from production, human beings are also changing consumption patterns. The change in consumption pattern focuses on consumption that consume less energy. This is necessitated by the fact that man has realized that in order to create supportable production, then there has to be sustainable use of resources. This has lead to the innovation and production of ‘green’ products. Examples of the ‘green’ products are energy saving bulbs and hybrid vehicles among other products. These green products are efficient and minimize waste. They have led to sensitization of how to use resources in a supportable manner for everyone in the universe.
Another consumption habit is the use, reuse and recycling. Recent consumption pattern focuses on re – using materials from the production of materials that are re – useable. This ensures efficiency in the use of resources. Also, it minimizes cost and pollution that comes about as a result of reduced consumption. Generally, re – use of resources reduces the use of resources in an economy thus conserving the environment. The move towards changing consumption patterns has pushed producers to also change production patterns. The change in the production and consumption patterns has resulted in conservation of environment, efficiency in use of resources and supportable resources.
Sustaining the global population
Changing production and consumption is not adequate to sustain global population. There are additional efforts that must be put in place so as to stand the population of the whole world. One such effort that needs to be taken into account is to minimize the amount of harmful emissions. There are a number of measures that can be taken into account to minimize emission of harmful gases. For instance, emission from traffic can be reduced by reducing rural urban migration. This can be achieved by modernizing more centers so as to minimize transportation hence reduction in emission of harmful gases. Secondly, there should be a reduction of encroachment into the unused land. Use of these lands disturbs the ecosystem and biodiversity since it creates imbalance in the number of plants and animals. Further, another measure that can be beneficial to the environment is treatment of industrial waste before emitting them in the environment.
This minimizes water and air pollution. Finally, there should be minimization of deforestation. Deforestation also distorts biodiversity. Man should focus on the use of alternative sources of energy that is renewable and sustainable. Apart from these micro measures, governments have also signed an “international legal agreements which commit them to alter patterns of production and consumption in order to protect the environment ” (United Nations Department of Public Information, 1997). Such agreements have led to enactment of various legislations such as “United States Clean Air Act Amendments” to mitigate damage to the environment as a result of environmental pollution and creating an environment that promote sustainable production and consumption (United Nations Department of Public Information, 1997).
References
United Nations Department of Public Information. (1997). Changing our patterns of production and consumption to save the global environment. Web.
Slattery, M. (2009). Contemporary Environmental Issues. USA: Kendall/Hunt Publishers.