The Environmental Impacts of Industrialization | EcoMENA (2024)

Everything we do, from the food we eat to the electricity we use, affects the world around us — but it wasn’t always that way. The Industrial Revolution changed the way that we created everything, from food and energy to sanitation and manufacturing technologies, apart from the way we study. Amount of“do my paper” messages from students to experts did not decrease even at that time. How has industrialization impacted the environment, and what can we do in the future to reduce these environmental impacts?

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The Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution started sometime in the middle of the 1700s, when the world’s population had finally started recovering from the deaths of the Black Plague in the 1300s that wiped out more than 75 million people. The planet’s population exploded, reaching 1 billion by 1800 and then doubling again by 1926. By the beginning of the 21st century, it had grown again to 6 billion.

It was coal that shifted the balance of power — using coal as a power source changed the way that we looked at industry, from energy generation to manufacturing. We’ve been using coal since the 13th century, but it wasn’t until the 1800s that industrialization took off.

Back then, we weren’t thinking of the potential impact of burning coal and other fossil fuels to power our new equipment and machinery — we were thinking of growing as much, as fast and as far as possible. It’s only in recent years that we’ve started assessing the kind of impact that we’ve had on the environment as a direct result of this exponential growth. Lately, many students have been writing environmental articles on the topic of global warming and environmental pollution! If you want to free your time from routine tasks and delve into this topic, then you can contact the online essay writing service.

The Impact of Industrialization

There are four primary impact points when it comes to industrialization — air, water, soil and habitat.

The biggest problem is air pollution, caused by the smoke and emissions generated by burning fossil fuels. The United State’s EPA regulates more than 80 different toxins that can be found in industrial pollution, from asbestos and dioxin to lead and chromium. In spite of these regulations, industries are among the worst generators of air pollution in the world.

Water pollution is also a problem in these areas, specifically in regions where factories are built next to natural water sources. These toxins can come in a variety of forms — solid, liquid or gaseous — and they can all end up contaminating the local water supplies. Even landfills and other waste disposal areas can leach toxins into the local water supply, leading to water pollution as in the case of River Nile.

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The Carbon Cycle

Soil contamination is another problem that goes hand in hand with industrialization. Lead is the most common form of soil contamination, but other heavy metals and toxic chemicals can also leach into the soil and, in turn, contaminate any crops that grow there.

Finally, industrialization has led to dramatic habitat destruction. Forests are cut down for their lumber, and ecosystems are destroyed to create roads, strip mines and gravel pits. Destroying these habitats upsets local ecosystems and leads to plant and animal extinction if the species are unable to relocate or adapt to their new surroundings. Simple steps, such as using recycled plastic disc golf discs, can go a long way in protecting our forests and other environmental assets.

The Solution

Now that we’ve realized what an impact the industrial revolution has had and is still having on the environment, what can we do to fix it? There are two possible approaches that both factories and legislators can take to help reduce the impact of industrial pollution.

First, industries can reduce their reliance on a product that is causing pollution. One good example is removing lead from gasoline in the 1970s. We’ve lowered our dependence on lead, which reduced the amount of this heavy metal being leached into the surrounding environment.

The other option is to treat industrial waste to remove toxic components so that the rest of the waste can be disposed of safely. It isn’t always easy, and it does require that each factory implements the proper procedures to purify or cleanse their waste byproducts. However, it can help reduce the soil, air and water pollution being produced by these facilities, and also help in conservation of natural resources. Companies likehttps://allgreenrecycling.com/e-waste-recycling/ can help in managing e-waste in a sustainable manner.

The industrial revolution may have changed the way that we look at the world, but it also changed the impact we had on this planet that we call home. Now that we’ve realized the problem, it’s up to us to fix it so that we can continue to grow and change without destroying our home in the name of progress.

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The Environmental Impacts of Industrialization | EcoMENA (2024)

FAQs

The Environmental Impacts of Industrialization | EcoMENA? ›

The Impact of Industrialization

What are the environmental impacts of industrial production? ›

Industrial activities are a source of pressure on the environment, mainly in the form of emissions to the atmosphere and water ecosystems, waste generation and resource consumption.

What are the 4 impacts of industrialization? ›

The effects of industrialization included a significant population growth, the urbanization or expansion of the cities, improved access to food, a growing demand for raw materials and the development of new social classes formed by capitalists, a working class, and eventually a middle class.

What was the biggest environmental impact of the Industrial Revolution? ›

Industrialization Created a Heavily Polluted Earth

One of the biggest environmental impacts of the Industrial Revolution was the number of pollutants it released into the environment. The overcrowding of cities led to unhealthy living conditions and filth in the streets.

What is industrialization and its impact to human and environment? ›

Industrialization is a transformation away from an agricultural- or resource-based economy, toward an economy based on mechanized manufacturing. Industrialization is usually associated with a greater average income and improved living standards.

How does industrialization cause global warming? ›

Since the Industrial Revolution, human activities have released large amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, which has changed the earth's climate. Natural processes, such as changes in the sun's energy and volcanic eruptions, also affect the earth's climate.

What were 3 major impacts of industrialization? ›

Economic changes resulted in a wider distribution of wealth, the decline of land as a source of wealth in the face of rising industrial production, and increased international trade. Sweeping social changes occurred, including the growth of cities and the development of working-class movements.

What are the 2 main impacts of industrialization? ›

Industrialization has brought economic prosperity; additionally it has resulted in more population, urbanization, obvious stress on the basic life supporting systems while pushing the environmental impacts closer to the threshold limits of tolerance.

What were 3 of the major problems of industrialization? ›

The global challenges of widespread water and air pollution, reductions in biodiversity, destruction of wildlife habitat, and even global warming can be traced back to this moment in human history. The more countries industrialize in pursuit of their own wealth, the greater this ecological transformation becomes.

How does industrialization cause air pollution? ›

Industrial processes and activities generate emissions of pollutants such as nitrogen oxide, ammonia, mercury and carbon dioxide, which pollute water, air and land and damage human health, the environment and nature.

How do industries cause environmental pollution? ›

There are various causes of industrial pollution. Smoke containing undesirable gases like carbon dioxide, Sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide coming out from the industries causes air pollution. The untreated water from the industries is released into water bodies, causing water pollution.

What are the 4 major environmental impacts of the Industrial Revolution? ›

The Industrial Revolution impacted the environment. The world saw a major increase in population, which, along with an increase in living standards, led to the depletion of natural resources. The use of chemicals and fuel in factories resulted in increased air and water pollution and an increased use of fossil fuels.

What are 5 benefits of industrialization? ›

What are the benefits of industrialization?
  • The import-export market. ...
  • Availability of goods. ...
  • Affordability of goods. ...
  • Increased jobs. ...
  • Improved medical care. ...
  • Global warming and climate change. ...
  • Increased income disparity. ...
  • Potentially hazardous working conditions.
Mar 10, 2023

How does urbanization affect the environment? ›

Poor air and water quality, insufficient water availability, waste-disposal problems, and high energy consumption are exacerbated by the increasing population density and demands of urban environments. Strong city planning will be essential in managing these and other difficulties as the world's urban areas swell.

What are the environmental impacts of production? ›

One of the most significant environmental impacts of mass production is the amount of pollution it produces as mass production requires large amounts of energy, which usually results in air pollution. Additionally, the production process often produces hazardous waste that can contaminate water sources and soil.

What is the environmental factor that affects the industry? ›

Some environmental factors that can influence a business are the Availability of natural resources, waste disposal, climate change, and the green agenda. Climate change and the green agenda can be classified as external factors, whereas availability of natural resources and waste disposal are internal factors.

What are two environmental impacts of industrial agriculture? ›

The industrial agriculture system consumes fossil fuel, water, and topsoil at unsustainable rates. It contributes to numerous forms of environmental degradation, including air and water pollution, soil depletion, diminishing biodiversity, and fish die-offs.

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