There has never been a concern that's as widespread as environmental problems. Although people from all walks of life reach an agreement on some plans, including using local resources or phasing out fossil fuels, to decarbonize our life, what solution is the most effective is still not for sure. In fact, environmental problems are too complex to be solved by any approach alone, so they should be addressed through collective commitments from different fields.

Only eating food or using resources that are locally produced is indeed one of the most important ways to cut our carbon footprint, since cargo transports, most of which rely on long-haul trucks or flights still powered by fossil fuels today, are the main source of carbon and toxic gas emission. Undoubtedly, if we could really stop using resources transported from far away, we would move a bit closer to our sustainable development goals.

However, using only local resources is rather a good wish than a viable plan to make our environment more sustainable both for individuals and for a nation as a whole. Faced with scarcity of resources, countries, especially some small island states, have no options but to import what they need both in individuals’ life or nations’ development. And for those export-oriented economies blessed with agriculture-friendly climate or natural resources, taking global orders and shipping food and resources to other countries are their economic mainstays. The best solution to our environmental crisis should go hand in hand with economic development, without either one being discounted. As a result, encouraging everyone to use local resources is both implausible and ineffective.

Research in recent years has proved that environmental crisis can be attributed to all aspects of our life and industries from fashion to energy. All these factors are so inextricably linked that it’s nearly impossible to single out a specific solution proposed by some environmentalists or tree-huggers, like only eating local foods, using local building materials such as steel or concrete in construction, or stopping deforestation, and assume it can solve all problems. Due to the complexity in its causes, the most effective way to protect the environment is the one that focuses on the overall landscape and takes a holistic approach.

In conclusion, it’s undeniable that using local resources can contribute to a better environment, but if we take the problem’s multiple root causes and economic development into consideration, prioritizing it over all other options is too reckless to make it work. After all, different industries should make joint efforts and commitments to save our planet.

常用词组整理：

phase out 逐步淘汰

fossil fuel 化石能源

decarbonize 使...减碳

carbon footprint 碳足迹

long-haul flight 长途航班

be powered by 以...为动力

toxic gas emission 有毒气体排放

sustainable development 可持续发展

viable 切实可行的

ship 运输

economic mainstay 经济支柱

discount 认为...不重要

be attributed to 归因于

inextricably linked 密不可分的

environmentalist 环保主义者

tree hugger （激进）环保主义者

deforestation 森林退化

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