Environmental Impacts of Industrialization

The early 1800’s were a time of industrial breakthroughs. The industrial revolution, as it was called, multiplied man’s productivity, and in return multiplied man’s ability to wreak havoc on the environment. The industrial revolution forever changed every feature of human life, and people’s relationship with the earth. The industrial revolution began in Great Britain then flourished in North America where coal was not the only recourse exploited, oil and gasoline became major resources in the industrialization. The revolution had its problems, but were not fully recognized until the 1960’s. When coal is burned, the driving force behind the revolution, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and mercury compounds are all released into the atmosphere. The burning of fossil fuels, oil, gasoline, propane, and natural gas, release the same mixture of chemicals into the air we breathe. The chemicals then fall to the ground through rain and makes its way into the water we drink and the streams and lakes we fish in, as well as pollute the soils that we use to grow our food. In spite of flourishing economic growth and a rise in the standard of living, industrialization has had adverse effects on the environment and caused widespread pollution.

Throughout history water sources were a fixture of a civilization, but pollute that source and you risk the health of everyone. When discussing the impacts of industrialization on the environment, China is a perfect example. China is at a point where they have just started industrialization and have a lack of regulation just as the U.S. and Great Britain were in the rise of industrialization. China has long been criticized for its appalling air quality, but that pales in comparison to the s...

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...of water. Industry has also polluted the lands that surround the cities that are critical in supporting a growing population. Finally industry is releasing billions of tons of toxins into the very air that the city breathes. Industrialization has allowed populations around the world to rise at unprecedented rates, but in turn has poisoned the air, destroyed millions of acres of land, and polluted billions of gallons of water.

Works Cited

Ma, Damien, and William Adams. "If You Think China’s Air Is Bad ..." Nytimes. N.p., 7 Nov. 2031. Web. 10 Feb. 2014. .

Wong, Edward. "Air Pollution Linked to 1.2 Million Premature Deaths in China." Nytimes. N.p., 1 Apr. 2013. Web. 10 Feb. 2014. .