The World Is Consuming Natural Resources Faster Than They Can Be Renewed | Band 8 IELTS Essay Sample

The world is consuming natural resources faster than they can be renewed. Therefore, it is important that products are made to last. Governments should discourage people from constantly buying more up to date or fashionable products. To what extent do you agree with this statement?

Here is a band 8 IELTS essay on this topic written by one of our students. Need help with IELTS writing? Get your IELTS essays, letters and reports corrected by me.

Band 8 IELTS essay sample

The consumption of natural resources is spiking due to modern technological inventions. Moreover, the demand for such products is also increasing causing depletion of resources. While some people suggest that discouraging people from buying products that last only a few years is a viable solution, in my opinion, it is not the best solution.

Of course, there is no denying the fact that the government should encourage the production of durable goods. For example, if cell phones can be made to last 10 or 15 years, people will not have to get a new model every 2 years. This will not only reduce the consumption of natural resources, but also prevent e-waste from piling up. So, obviously, putting an emphasis on quality and durability are effective ways to conserve natural resources.

However, there are some practical difficulties associated with this idea. For one this, consumer goods these days are made to last only a short period of time. This is because manufacturers want consumers to buy upgrades frequently. Their business thrives on this. Take, for instance, the case of cell phone companies. They launch a new version every year with minor upgrades that are largely cosmetic. They then promotes these products aggressively and foolish buyers throng to buy them. If a product lasts a decade or more, these companies will go out of business. So, they will not been keen to adopt this idea. Another difficulty is that in order to produce durable goods, they have to use quality ingredients which are expensive. This will drive up the price and thus make the products unaffordable to the masses.

To conclude, building products that last a long time is certainly a good idea to conserve natural resources. However, there are lots of practical and commercial difficulties associated with the implementation of this idea. Hence, I do not believe that it is feasible.  

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Manjusha Nambiar

Hi, I'm Manjusha. This is my blog where I give IELTS preparation tips.