Developments in technology have brought various environmental problems. Some people believe that people need to live simpler lives to solve environmental problems. Other, however, technology is the way to solve these problems. Discuss both views

Developments in technology have brought various environmental problems. Some people believe that people need to live simpler lives to solve environmental problems. Other, however, technology is the way to solve these problems. Discuss both views

It is true that technological advancements cause detrimental consequences to the fragile environment. While some argue that in order to tackle these environment-related problems people should adopt simpler lifestyles, I believe that the solutions lie in technologies that have been and are being developed.

On the one hand, there are several reasons why it can be argued that relying less on technology could reduce the damage to the environment. The first reason is that if people opted to walk or cycle rather than driving, they could make a significant contribution to the protection of the environment. This is primarily because private vehicles discharge a substantial amount of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which has proven to be the main culprit of global warming and ozone depletion. Another reason is that by cutting down the use of household facilities such as air conditioning or television, we could reduce the demand for energy which is mainly created by fossil fuel. Therefore, this environmentally friendly lifestyle could alleviate environmental degradation that the exploitation of non-renewable energy causes.  

On the other hand, I am of the opinion that the development of green technologies plays a pivotal role in environmental protection. Firstly, with state-of-the-art technologies, people now could develop eco-friendly transports powered by alternative energy sources without causing greenhouse gases emissions.  For example, in Japan, most people could go to work by hybrid cars or solar-powered buses. Secondly, thanks to advances in waste treatment technologies, we can tackle the world’s waste crisis. For instance, biodegradable products help significantly reduce household wastes, or industrial zones and factories could alleviate water contamination by installing modern wastewater treatment systems.

In conclusion, although I acknowledge that having a simple life with less sophisticated technology could mitigate environmental deterioration, I would contend that it is the development of technology that helps solve these serious problems.

305 words