Introduction
Production and consumption of material resources attract positive and negative externalities, which ultimately affect the environment. Contemporary environmental issues encompass the need for a safer, comfortable and able surrounding in light of biodiversity, pollution as well as population growth. The past of humanity is marked by the ability of humans to adapt to changes in the environment and lifestyle. Today contemporary global issues come with innovation and sustainability, which shape the production and consumption of material resources. The need for materials in today’s industrial economies are immeasurable that reflects to the huge effects to the environment from consumption. Therefore, this paper touches on production and consumption of environmental resources to unveil the need for better lifestyle while reducing pollution.
Production of all types of consumer goods
A society that produces materials corresponds to at least one person consuming tons of raw materials annually. Environmental footmark of the highly producing industries is large comprising of manufacturing, processing and beyond consumption. The persistent trend on production that leads to consumption affects the global world. For instance, production of paper leads to escalating use of paper over the years, not to mention of increased wastes of paper polluting the environment. Consumption of material in the USA consists of an internal system of material flow brought about by production. Resources undergo mining, manufacturing, harvesting and processing to produce consumable products. The top in the list of these effects in is Japan and the United States of America. Due to globalization, the effects in these countries extend to developing countries due to imported goods (World Resource Institute 2010). Deforestation is pronounced in Malaysia, which causes high release of carbon IV oxide. This corresponds to high demand for goods from America and Europe.
Consumption by the household class accounts to high environment pollution of as fossil fuels released by cars. The household class consumes more than what they gain. Full life cycle of consumption unveils the high levels of direct emissions to the environment, which call for quick intervention to save the ecosystem.
Consumption of environmental resources
Consumption habits are caused by the environmental orientation of increasing demand and supply for products. Again, modifications in the industry and innovation of production methods call for a change in consumption habit. For instance, the production and consumption of coffee have undergone a revolution over the years. Over the years, coffee has been found in mixed forest agricultural environments that offer habitat for migratory birds. Nevertheless, the newly invented intensive technique to cultivate coffee in many places has led to minimizing forest canopies.
Increasing international wealth spells tragedies in our environment draining economic growth. The quest for a resource-effective green economy is fundamental in an environment defined by fossil fuels and pollution in the agricultural sector. Carbon IV Oxide released through production leads to 75% increase in environmental pressure. Such escalating affluence leads consumers to change their diets to meat and dairy foodstuffs. As such, livestock is heavily consumed affecting seventy percent of fresh water and reduced crops. This has a fundamental effect to increased fertilizer pollution and poor drainage systems. Environmental effects of consumption and production are directly related. These are priority products as well as resource materials such as meat diet, and agriculture. The ultimate impact of such activities is increased carbon IV oxide and land pollution.
Efforts that must be considered on production and consumption habits to sustain the global population
Production and consumption of material resources attract positive and negative externalities, which ultimately affect the environment. Focus on pollution regulations, quest by the public and an escalating awareness aims at improved environmental performance that proves profitable to consumers and agricultural industry. Invented technologies, innovated products and reconfigured ways of production improve the effectiveness of resource utilization and reduce wastes. Many organizations are undertaking management practices that point to corporate social responsibilities to deliver products that positively influence the ecosystem (Michael 2009).
However, much has to be done in achieving a sustainably growing industrial environment. This encompasses the ecological and economical productions that will deliver success in business and ensure the environment is safe. Therefore, building sewerage system, having clean water and pollution free air is significant in having healthy ecosystem. Such endeavors contribute to the public good while improving business in terms of shareholder value and return on assets.
Conclusion
Viability of these strategies and recommendations are based on the cost benefit principle while reclining wastes or preventing pollution. For instance, USA undertakes landfill space to dump wastes, which demands over sixteen hundred square miles. Such landfill will contain United States wastes for a millennium.
Ultimately, observing inter-generation equity and intra-generation equity in production and consumption habits to sustain the global population is important in globalized world. The need for materials in today’s industrial economies are immeasurable that reflects to the huge effects to the environment from consumption. Since production and consumption is a vicious cycle, sustainability needs one to consider measures from the two aspects.
References
Michael, C., (2009). Contemporary Environmental Issues. New York: Kendall/Hunt Pub.
World Resource Institute (2010). Global environmental trends: Production and consumption. Web.