The Environmental Dystopia

One of the most horrifying issues faced today is our impact on the environment.  Be it our use of plastics - which has led to the investigation of a possible new geological epoch - or our use of carbon dioxide-producing fossil fuels, we are creating a dark future for ourselves and our planet.  An increase in ocean temperatures will increase the strength of hurricanes, which continue to pose a serious threat to human life today.  Flooding increases in some regions and severe droughts in others.Without intervention, human activity may cause entire ecosystems to fall. With all of these side effects and more, we will eventually pose a serious risk to our own survival.

In order to mitigate our negative impact on the environment, several changes must be made. Carbon emissions, for example, have in part been covered by the Paris Agreement, but all countries (worldwide) must follow this plan. Additionally, we can increase investment in researching and implementing carbon capture and storage to reduce carbon dioxide concentration. Littering must be taken more seriously, and we must increase our recycling efforts. To reduce plastic waste, a "plastic tax" could be implemented in order to discourage the purchase and use of such products. Companies that use recycled materials could also be given tax breaks. Clean-up crews could be implemented on a larger scale to remove litter.

In the most extreme case, we could forego our technology and revert to a pre-industrial lifestyle. To do so, governments would need to enact a ban on all unacceptable technology and confiscate such items. People would resist this severe transition and a totalitarian government would most likely be necessary to implement this new way of life. References to our current technology would be removed and literature would be censored. After a few generations, the public would no longer remember the way life used to be. To prevent the same damaging technologies from being rediscovered, governments would have to regulate inventions. Those that don't cause harm to the environment would be granted permission for use, whereas dangerous or harmful inventions would be hidden from the public. The inventor(s) would be placed under strict supervision of the government and forbidden to speak about their dangerous discoveries.

The negative side effects of human activity are well documented. In order to protect our future health, we must also protect the environment.


Image Sources:

1. <http://www.climate-change-guide.com/melting-polar-ice-caps.html>

2. <http://www.countrylife.co.uk/country-life/country-life-litter-campaign-71195>