It has been observed that capitalist economies, which are characterized by profit-seeking tendencies and rivalry, can have adverse effects on the environment in many ways:

-Resource Depletion: Greed for development fuels abuse of natural resources such as cutting down of trees, mining and burning natural gas.
-Pollution: Manufacturing processes, means of transport, societal activities all lead to varying degrees of pollution which include water, air and even land pollution.
-Climate Change: Greenhouse gases causing climate change are emitted during burning of fossil fuels for energy.
-Loss of Biodiversity: The loss of biodiversity and the destruction of ecosystems is being caused by deforestation, destruction of habitats and pollution.
-Waste Generation: Waste excess and land filling are a result of consumer culture and throw away items.
-Externalizing Costs: Generally, companies prefer to push such costs including pollution and depletion of resources to society rather than carrying them themselves.

On the one hand, capitalism is a great motivator for creating technologies and improving the economy. However, one also has to apply practice, legal restrictions and economic stimulation of a different nature to alleviate those very ecological impacts of capitalism and provide the existence of a developed society in the future.