Sometimes, we sit and wonder what America will be like in the future. Sure, there will be awesome technology. But how about some of the other things that make the world go ‘round? Here are 17 things America might not have again in 30 years.
Chocolate
Your favorite candy bar may just be a thing of the past by 2050. A post from Business Insider reveals that the cacao plant faces extinction due to rising temperatures and dryer weather—mostly caused by climate change. Thankfully, scientists are working hard to prevent this.
Fresh Water
Water is the fuel that keeps us going, and it isn’t hard to see how it’s the most consumed commodity in the world. It’s even traded 400 times more than the oil countries go to war for. Sadly, the Bank of America says countries around the world, including the U.S., may run out of clean water by as early as 2040 due to its rate of consumption.
Oil
The U.S. oil reserves are said to be around five times its current annual consumption. This means the U.S. may run out of oil in only five years if there’s no way to get some more from other countries. You may think this isn’t possible, but there’s increasing hostility toward the U.S. as the years go by.
Landfill Space
Burying refuse has been a savior for us, given how hard it is to figure out how to dispose of trash. Sadly, a lot of states in the U.S. are running out of space to do this as the years go by. In fact, up to eleven states may be out of landfill space by 2040.
Nurses
There has been a steady increase in the shortage of healthcare workers, with nurses particularly affected. In two years, there may be a shortage of up to 400,000 healthcare workers and, by 2050, a shortage of over 1.2 million nurses alone.
Miners
A majority of the current mining workforce is expected to retire by 2029, and there aren’t many people applying to be miners today. This means, in a much closer time, we will see a massive shortage or absence of people mining coal, metals, and industrial materials in the U.S.
Teachers
Vacant teaching roles are also growing across the U.S. This is mostly due to stress and inadequate compensation—factors that don’t seem to be changing any time soon. There was a 50% increase in vacant positions between 2021 and 2023 alone, and there might be no teachers if the trend continues till 2050.
Antimony
Antimony is a metal element used to make flame retardants, batteries, paints, and glass. It’s even one of the most crucial elements used to make the ammunition we protect ourselves with. Sadly, there’s a shortage of it, and reserves are expected to be exhausted before 2050.
Gold
We all want to have glistening jewelry in our drawers, but the earth doesn’t have an infinite amount of gold in its crust. The mining of gold is considered unsustainable if it’s going to continue until 2050, and the entire world could run out of new gold soon.
Silver
Just like gold, silver is a resource facing high demand that the earth won’t be able to meet infinitely. If you doubt the U.S. won’t run out of it, then let’s take you back a few years. In 2010, the U.S. Mint ran out of bullion (physical) silver and was forced to postpone the production of American Eagles until 2014.
Beer
Alcoholic beverages are another delight of ours that’s threatened by worsening climate conditions. As The Independent reports, growers of barley and hop in the U.S. see their crops suffer from extreme heat, drought, and unpredictable growth—a problem that spreads all the way to Europe.
Helium
Helium is a gas used to make your phone’s LCD screens, identify leakages in your air conditioning systems, and even fill the balloons you use for your parties. Sadly, it is the only unrecoverable resource in the world, as it constantly escapes the earth into outer space.
Bees
Without bees, it’s not just about not having honey; some of our wild trees and plants also wouldn’t exist. They help to pollinate the trees that support the entire food chain in the wild, from insects to birds and everything else. Sadly, bees are some of the top animals threatened by climate change around the world.
Fish
There is a looming collapse in the marine ecosystem, and this will mean we won’t get to eat some of the fish we see now. This collapse is attributed to both overfishing and the pollution of the oceans. “Clambakes, crab cakes, swordfish steaks, and even humble fish sticks could be little more than a fond memory in a few decades,” the Tampa Bay Times shares.
Florida Panthers
The U.S. also faces the extinction of one of its native species. In 2022, there were only about 250 Florida panthers in the wild, and 25 were killed that same year, according to The Guardian. Spending a decade with this trend will spell the end of these animals in the U.S.
Sriracha
Sriracha hot sauce has been scarce in the U.S. for a while now. Maker Huy Fong Foods says this is because of worsening weather conditions, particularly droughts in New Mexico and a depletion of the Colorado River. Climate change doesn’t seem to be slowing down, and it may just be a thing of the past.
Affordable Housing
There has already been an affordable housing crisis in the U.S. since the financial chaos that ensued in 2008. The Yale Environment Review even reported in 2022 that the country faced a deficit of 7 million houses. Sadly, this trend will only get worse if significant policy changes aren’t made.
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