Examine the claim that our environment is ruined by greed.

As societies begin to transform and people in many parts of the world grow in affluence, many start to view the pursuit of material goods as a worthy goal. Consumers of today have ever-changing preferences in all aspects and are almost never content with what they possess currently, always searching for another more technologically advanced gadget, or more fashionable handbag. People's desires for more are seemingly insatiable. Wants are more than often deemed as needs and this habit of man can only mean trouble for our environment. The more we crave for what is beyond necessity, the more our environment is degraded to quench our thirst. The production of our "needs" devours the Earth's fast depleting resources and emits large amounts of pollutants, further wrecking our fragile environment. Yes, it is true that our environment is being ruined by mankind's greed. However, sometimes greed can actually be a force of good.

Man has an innate desire for more, be it individuals who seek to improve their standard of living, or firms who seek to increase their profits. Firstly, as people get more wealthy, they want to purchase more goods and seek material comforts. This creates a generation of people who often buy goods they have absolutely no need for and throw away goods they view as outdated, even if these goods still work perfectly and serve their function well. An example would be the recent launch of Apple's latest gadget, the iPhone 4S. The queues on the launch day of the iPhone 4s at stores across America stretched at least a block away and out of view. A majority of those in the queues, despite owning phones which were still brand new, were adamant about purchasing the iPhone 4S. Their desire for the latest gadget on the market completely overrides any common sense they have. The iPhone is merely one of