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

Nowadays, technology dominates almost all aspects of human life, and it is apparent in people's daily routines. Online shopping is one of the most common achievements that technology brings about to individuals, so it will have a significant impact on the environment and on jobs.

Firstly

, in terms of the environment, the popularity of online shopping can help reduce the figure of car journeys to stores and the number of greenhouse emissions.

For example

, people do not need to use personal vehicles to go to malls and showrooms to buy goods, reducing 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.

In addition

, if people consume more products, there will be more packaging waste ending up in landfills.

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 delivery drivers, computer programmers, 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 sales workers 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, it

also

causes negative consequences.