If increased income is spent on more and larger automobiles, larger houses, and increased consumption of other material goods, the results could cause catastrophic resource exhaustion, and pollution. Take the increase of the consumption of oil for instance. The consumption is so huge that the oil reserves might last only a decade or two if not supplemented by imports.
Ten years ago it appeared that nuclear power would solve the anticipated energy crisis. Although supplies of uranium fuel were known to be limited and might become exhausted in half a century, the nuclear power plant has for a long time been a favorite project. But work on it has met with grave problems. The fear of possible atomic explosion and the problem of disposing of polluting byproduct waste have slowed down the construction of further nuclear plants. Eventually atomic technology may be able to control these problems, but at present there seems to be little agreement along atomic scientists about when this can be achieved.