Amongst the diverse factors contributing to the energy crises around the world, government’s short-sighted policies and citizens’ extravagant use of automobiles are probably the two most significant ones. By presuming on their natural resources, quite a few countries, especially developing ones, are eager to develop their economy in order to gain an edge over their rivals. Admittedly, their intensive use of the energy facilitates, to some extent, the developments of other industries in short term. Additionally, the amount of private cars increases at such a breakneck speed that the petroleum used amounts to an intimidating proportion of the natural resources.

 

The consequences are undoubtedly disastrous for human beings. Although countries can boast their growth of GDP, their citizens have to endure the ever deteriorated environment with stinking gas belching from factories and vehicles, polluted water due to fuels infiltrating underground, even ultraviolet radiation in the absence of ozone layer and, therefore, their quality of life is by no means improved. Also, sustainable development can never come into true in this situation, meaning that our descendants can benefit nothing except sterile land and polluted air and water from their ancestors.

 

Therefore, our government must take serious steps to attack those problems. The first and foremost is that governments have to reverse their mindset and no longer deem the growth of GDP their first goal. Rather, the betterment of citizens’ quality of life should deserve more attention than the economic growth. Furthermore, the use of private cars should be discouraged by authorities, who must shoulder the responsibility of improving public transportation in order to facilitate people as well as release the burden of energy consumption.

 

In conclusion, to avoid the phrase “filthy rich” added to themselves, countries must pay more heed to the efficient use of their energy and the issue of environmental protection, while they develop their economy; otherwise, environmental apocalypse and energy crisis are feared to happen in the horizon.