MONEY DOESN’T GROW ON TREES, BUT IT DOES DESTROY THEM

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Money Doesn’t Grow on Trees, But it Does Destroy Them

In my opinion, poverty is due to a selfish distribution of wealth. However, it is not just the lower classes that take the brunt of that exchange as it also seems that the rich keep getting richer at the expense of the environment.

The link between poverty and the decline of the natural world is evident. Those with money have the opportunity to make a positive change, but seemingly have little interest in it. It has actually been argued countless times that the best thing that the wealthy can do for the environment is to not exist at all. Oftentimes, it is found that those who possess billions end up spending their money trying to make even more. Ways that this is done is by engaging in climate-destructive activities. Fracking, which involves drilling into bedrock formations to remove gas that can be used as fuel, has been argued to be devastating for the planet and is supported by companies that are headed by hungry billionaires. The drying out of non-renewable energy sources means that these caves of useable gases are truly a gold mine, which are opened and extorted simply for momentary cash at the expense of the natural world that it pollutes. This is similar again to the destruction of the rainforests, where politicians have their silence bought by people with more money than sense.

The richer are often found to have bigger carbon footprints as getting to more places quicker with a wider variety of material objects tends to use a lot more energy than those who do not have the same options. However, poverty also takes an effect on the environment in another way. Pioneers for environmental improvement have been creating different energy sources for a long time. However, it costs a lot of money to create or change a current energy station for one that is better for the environment. In this way, poverty is helping to contribute to the climate destruction as it is simply not economically feasible for some areas to reduce their negative expulsions. Similarly, many companies whose focuses are on sustainable products are usually more expensive than those that are not, which again makes it harder for those with less wealth to do what they can, even if it is small. This means, for some, that even if people want to help the environment rather than hinder it, they just do not have the means.

Poverty is perhaps the main underlying reason for climate change. It is not simply a lack of knowledge that makes people choose a somewhat destructive lifestyle, but instead in most cases, it is a lack of care. Those with the wealth to make huge changes do not. Those who would easily accept small lifestyle changes to help the planet often find themselves unable to financially. In this case, money truly is the root of all evil and, while it cannot buy happiness, it could help reverse the destruction of the environment.

WORDS BY EMILY DENNIS IMAGE BY HUGO WEBBER