Online shopping is increasing dramatically. How could this trend affect our environment and the kinds of jobs required?

Online shopping has become more popular than ever before in recent years.

This

trend may have positive impacts on the environment and employment patterns in the short run, but it may do more harm than good in the long run.

Firstly

, in terms of the environment, the popularity of online shopping can help reduce the figure of car journeys to physical stores and the amount of associated greenhouse emissions. A delivery truck,

for example

, is able to carry large amounts of goods, which, if carried by private cars, would require hundreds of trips, emitting huge amounts of carbon emissions into the atmosphere. In the long term,

however

, the convenience of shopping on the Internet might encourage people to buy more, and

this

will increase the number of delivery vehicles on the road, releasing more exhaust fumes and heat-trapping gases.

In addition

, if people consume more, there will be more waste ending up in landfills, which are one of the largest sources of global greenhouse gas emissions.

On the other hand

, regarding the effects on the types of jobs in the labour market, the growing popularity of online shopping has created various new employment opportunities,

such

as online grocery personal shoppers, delivery drivers and web designers. Looking into the future,

however

, the growth of

this

kind of shopping might lead to the bankruptcy of many traditional retailers, forcing thousands of people to face unemployment. The proportion of jobless people might outnumber the number of job openings created by the rapid development of online shopping, resulting in a higher level of unemployment. In conclusion, the growth of online shopping might be beneficial for the environment and the labour market in the short run;

however

, in the long term, the benefits might be overshadowed by the negative consequences.