How Development Causes Changes for the World and Future Generations

There are many causes for development such as an increase in population, money, economic prosperity, and competition. The government encourages development to a certain extent because with development jobs are created which results in more people paying taxes thus propelling the engine of the economy to create wealth and prosperity. While development has many causes, which in some respects can be good because it leads to a thriving economy, development can also has some devastating effects. The main effects that sprout forth from development are the harm it can do the environment by disrupting the already established homes of certain plants, animals, and eco-systems. Development also leads to more pollution and crime due to an increased number of people.

As the population continues to increase at an alarming rate so does the expansion of development. When there are more humans more needs are created such as the need for more schools, homes, grocery stores, restaurants and businesses. The demand to create this industry is actually driven by the consumer yet supported by the government. Although some people do like to blame big government and business for development it is mainly the people which drive this market. Without even realizing it we contribute to the problem just by living here and growing our families when we have children and grand children. Increasing populations across the globe is a part of life and even though we may complain about development it has become a necessary evil because if we exist then development must exist as well and as time goes on things will continually change and grow as new generations are created.

Furthermore growth is especially rapid in the United States. Development has always been supported by the United States government. America has always been known as the land of prosperity where people can come from all over the world to live the American dream. This dream is the idea that anyone no matter who they are or where they come from can create a blissful life in the United States because of a bountiful selection of opportunities and limitless possibilities. This philosophy has attracted people here for a very long time especially over the last 150 years.

In addition Arizona is a prime example of how fast a state can grow over time. The main reason for development is because of other people moving to Arizona, especially the phoenix valley from other states. Builders capitalize on the need for homes in an effort to make money. They seize the opportunity and offer various deals and specials to entice new and current residents into new homes. Without these people builders would have no motivation to build so they build homes which fulfills an essential need. As we have seen the phoenix valley has grown at alarming rate. The city is now large and spread across the valley with various suburban areas. The growth continues as more people move to Arizona from California and other neighboring states. Other states also experience a lot of growth and open spaces are becoming less common. According to Mary H. Cooper, "Sprawl has become an especially sensitive issue in both urban and rural areas of the South and West, where more than three-quarters of older Americans are settling in retirement. In part because of retirement trends, Las Vegas and Atlanta are among the fastest-growing cities in the country, while smaller cities and rural communities in the Rocky Mountain states are experiencing similar rates of growth."

The effects of development can be severe because with more people comes more pollution which harms the environment. More people create more waste and the effects can start to compound over generations which can cause a domino effect if not kept under control. This is why many environmentalists are striving to spread to message to go green which encourages people to live a more natural healthy lifestyle in several areas which extend far beyond just recycling. People are encouraged to invest in alternative fuels and even buy solar power for their own homes if possible. We are also encouraged to buy organic local foods because food that is not organic just contributes to the problem because harmful pesticides and herbicides are used which can damage the soil over time to a point where the land will not produce any more. Buying local organic food is even better for the environment because the food did not have to travel on trucks therefore when you buy local organic food your support local farms and help to reduce pollution. We are also encouraged to buy organic clothing, more natural make up and even use less toxic cleaning products. Going green has also become big business which isn't necessarily a bad thing. As the message is spread more and more healthy products are created and more people more interested in becoming part of the solution rather than part of the problem. However, some people assume that only liberals are those who go green. Yet this is not true because many conservatives are grounded on old fashioned values so just about anyone who cares for the environment can go green. It's all about making small changes over time, which ultimately helps every living creature on earth.

Another effect that development has on the plante is the destruction of open spaces, some of which contain delicate eco-systems vital to plant and animal life. As more homes are built more animals are pushed further out of their homes which results in many of them dying off, inhabiting suburban neighborhoods and reducing their populations. As the human population continues to increase much of the animal population decreases as more wolfs, bears, deer and other animals die off.

As we can see the main causes for development are people, money, the economy and the government. The effects can be severe and while we don't have the ability to completely control development as human beings we are the only species who truly understand the implications of development on animals and the environment. The right conditions and eco-systems create a world that is habitual to live in. Without necessary conditions we would not be able to live at all and in fact as more of the environment is destroyed the human race may cease to exist. However, since we do have the capability to understand the effects of our futile lives on earth we must own up to this responsibility by doing our part to ensure the survival of future generations.

Works Cited

Cooper, M. H. (1999, November 5). Saving open spaces. CQ Researcher, 9, 953-976. Retrieved October 29, 2008, from CQ Researcher Online, http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/cqresrre1999110500.