Question

Economic growth is a goal of many economies; however, this does come at a cost. What are the effects of pursuing economic growth while not focusing on the environmental effects of these policies? In the United States, our living standards are much higher than most countries, but does this come at a cost? What are the future implications of pursuing economic growth on the environment and our resources? 

Answer 1

There are many effects of economic growth while not considering the environment and some of palpable effects are rising cost of health care due to increase in different types of diseases, uncertain weather conditions, poor quality of air, drinking water and contaminated water resources and ecological system getting slowly destroyed. Some of the non-palpable effects are rising earth temperature & getting holes in the ozone layer among the others. In the USA, a superior living standard comes at a cost, because in the development, water and air based ecological system is being destroyed, different types of new diseases are coming up, increasing the healthcare cost and loss of greenery that could protect us and the earth. It is making us more prone to the UV lights as well as getting more prone to the danger of rising water levels & merging of the coastal cities.

Future implications will be as follows:

A. Water merging of coastal cities if sea level keeps rising due to rise in temperature of the earth.

B. More expense on health care

C. Paying more money for those resources that were free and clean such as air & water

D. Further extinction of different species

E. Depletion of natural resources