Is Globalization Good Or Bad For Our Planet?

   Globalization is a complex and controversial process. It is driving to your local Walmart and buying products made in China. It is going on vacation to some faraway place and eating a Big Mac for dinner. It is getting a Swedish massage, listening to British music, and reading translated novels from around the world. But it is also losing jobs to outsourcing. It is people in other countries becoming too Americanized to appreciate their own nations traditions. It is pollution caused by planes and ships and trucks transporting goods across the globe. Globalization is everything good and bad about the communication of ideas, information, and capitol around the world. It is an important process, one that effects most people more than they generally we live. Without globalization, so many of the things we typically take for granted would not be in our lives.
   Globalization affects the economic developments of all countries, both rich and poor. In rich countries, the effects are mainly seen as positive, while in poorer countries they are mostly negative. For example, when it comes to exporting goods, more well developed countries have much lower tariffs on goods that are similar or even the same as goods with much higher tariffs made in less developed countries. The negative effects of globalization are also evident when you look at the income gap between those the thing in countries like the United States and Australia and those living in countries like Afghanistan and Nepal. In the past few decades that gap has widened quickly and significantly, showing what many people claim to be proof that free-trade, instead of helping poor nations, is actually hurting. On the other hand, during one period of accelerated globalization between 1990 and 2005, many of the same LCDs, or least developed countries, had a very healthy growth in their GDP, or gross domestic profit. Along with this, global trade helps raise the HDI, or human development index, scores for countries. Finally, research has shown that the number of people living in extreme poverty around the world has been declining since 1981, despite the one billion plus humans that have been added to the world since then. As you can see, with so many different costs and benefits, it is difficult to decide whether the affects of globalization on economic development are truly good or bad.
   The environment is also majorly affected. Pollution, climate change, and the endangerment of wild species are issues that can all be linked to globalization. In terms of pollution, the amount of fuel needed to transport goods from one country to another is massive. In addition, the more globalization occurs, the more people in poorer countries can afford cars, which increases the carbon emissions put into the atmosphere. These emissions, plus those of every new factory built, add together to raise the overall temperature of the planet. This is what is commonly known as global warming. The problems don't and there, though. Humans aren't the only ones facing the negative effects of globalization on the environment. With every chopped down tree and piece of litter and polluted body of water, thousands of plants and animals are losing their habitats and, consequently, their abilities to survive. It seems people will do anything to get more money, even if it means sacrificing another species. Similar to economic development, though, there is a flipside to globalization and the environment. Historically, people do more to protect their environment as they grow richer. Places like London and Lake Erie were far more polluted decades ago then they are today. Globalization also has the possible environmental benefit of fostering international cooperation to solve problems, as evidenced in 1987 when the world leaders met to sign the Montréal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. So can we say that globalization's affect on the environment is entirely good or bad? No, I don't believe we can.
   Other critics of globalization focus on its negative influences on local cultures and traditions. Specifically, the Americanization of other countries. Never before in history has there been a time when American goods and services, such as TV shows, magazines, and movies, have been more accessible in other nations. 50 years ago, the amount of European box office revenue earned by U.S. movies was 35 percent. Recent studies have shown it now ranges between 80 and 90 percent. Smaller countries are affected as well. It is becoming more and more normal in villages for people to wear jeans and a T-shirt instead of traditional clothing, to eat hamburgers and pizza over traditional food, and, especially in the case of teens, to show more interest in TV programs and popular music from abroad then in their countries own folklore and music. Critics also claim that globalization is the reason for many lesser-known and used languages to be dying out. They say that the English language and cultural influences of the Western world have begun to smother them from existence. It has been predicted by language experts that, by the end of the century, more than half of the world 7000 languages will become extinct, taking with them a large wealth of knowledge. Some people though, preferred to overlook these things and instead focus on the positives. They shine a better light on globalization by saying it enriches local cultures by exposing people to new traditions, technology, and ways of doing things. They claim that while cultures share ideas and customs, they still retain their distinct identities. They also point out that due to the easier transportation of goods, developing countries gain larger markets in more developed countries. This in turn positively affects the more developed countries by providing a larger variety of goods. Also, as developing countries become more Americanized, they begin to emulate more American ideals, such as respect for human rights and freedom. Overall, the positive and negative effects of globalization on the cultures and traditions of countries seem to be just about equal.
   The fact that globalization is a significant factor in our lives cannot be denied. Every time you shop at Walmart, or eat at McDonald's, or associate with other MNCs, you are participating in globalization. It plays a large role in our everyday lives, and we frequently forget that. Now though, we must look at the facts and think to ourselves: is globalization helping or hurting our planet? Should we let it continue or should we put a stop to it? Is it all good or all bad, or is it partially both? I don't have the answers to these questions, but I do know one thing for sure. You are the only ones who can tell yourselves what to think, and that is what you have to do now.