Band 6+: As Earth runs out of natural resources, we have started to look to space for solutions. However, some people argue that this is the wrong thing to do, and instead we should look for alternative solutions here on Earth. To what extent do you agree with them? What alternatives might there be to exploiting space for natural resources?

Nowadays, there is a great number of ecological problems. One of them is natural resources’ shortage. It is true that the amount of fossils is limited and human population, increasing at a high rate, makes it even more challenging to handle the problem. Some scientists point out that space could be the ultimate solution of this issue. However, I believe that the Earth is the place to solve the problem at.

From my perspective, space exploitation should be our least preferable option in terms of resources for several reasons. It should be mentioned at the outset that the costs of space missions will be extremely high, making it more reasonable to invest this money in the improval of other scientifical fields. Adding to that, the process of delievering fossils to Earth is questionable and, at some point, risky. If we simply land the fossils on the surface of the planet, any minor mistakes could lead to the “asteroid-like destruction” of our planet. Generally speaking, we might need to reconsider the idea of using space as a new resource of fossil fuels.

Alternatviely, it would be a great idea if we focused on developing other methods of producing energy. A possible solution could be to invest greater amounts of money in renewable energy resources, like solar, wind or water energy. For instance, we could use some lands that are not inhabited by installing solar panels on them. Thus we would both make use of the land and do it in a harmless way. As an alternative, some countries could “share” their energy with others. What I mean by this is that the energy that is not used in one country could be distributed to another one, making it easier for the latter to provide the energy for its residents. All in all, numerous solutions could be developed, making it possible for us to take control over the situation on the Earth.

Taking everything into consideration, I would say that the idea of exploring space in order to use its resources has the rights to exist, but it should be developed. Consequently, I believe that if we cooperate well enough and create an effective way of making enough energy on our planet so that we could provide for its inhabitants, we will not need to leave it.