The Effects of Industrialization on Air Quality – Impact on Ecosystems

Key takeaways:

• By definition, industrialization is the process of transforming economies, shifting the focus from reliance on agriculture to manufacturing.
• Industrialization benefits productivity and increases living standards, but the cost is high since air, water, and ground contamination are adverse outcomes.
• The immoderate automation amid the 18th-century Industrial Revolution set forth a ripple effect that led to a major spike in worldwide emissions.

“Air pollution is not merely a nuisance and a threat to health. It is a reminder that our most celebrated technological achievements – the automobile, the jet plane, the power plant, industry in general, and indeed the modern city itself – are, in the environment, failures.” – Barry Commoner (American cellular biologist and environmental activist)

This iconic quote from one of the creators of the contemporary green movement best describes the reality we exist in. We view industrialization and the new, improved era it has brought us in as a step forward for our evolution and prosperity. But the truth is that our efforts are disastrous for the habitat. Everything, from the air we inhale to the water we swallow, and the ground in which we grow our food have been affected because of the enhanced high carbon-emitting operations. So yes, our efforts are indeed seen as a failure by Mother Nature since we are gradually destroying all ecosystems.

The First Industrial Revolution – When It All Began

The mid-18^th century was the period that marked the inception of severe air pollution, and it was all generated by the original Industrial Revolution which saw accelerated production and greater material usage through the new technologies it offered to the world. The shift to machine usage to the detriment of manual labor was the inception of the society in which we live currently where we employ technology even for most of our day-to-day activities.

The period is seen as one of the utmost turning points in human history for the major advancements it brought. With these advancements though came issues like excessive smog in the air in London and New York. The surge of planetary emissions commenced with the industrial revolution. Unfortunately, carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions have been a constant issue ever since the commencement of automation, and there are no clear signs that emissions will slow down soon so that our planet can reset its lungs.

Did you know? – Research conducted by Breathe Pure Air points out that most pollution can be traced back to industries. Therefore, industrial pollution is, by far, the biggest threat to environmental degradation.

A few ways in which industrialization causes air quality deprecation:

• Air pollution stemming from toxic smoke released from factories;
• Release of ozone layer-depleting gases into the air;
• Higher emissions caused by the ascending trend in fossil fuel demand;
• Overcrowded towns abound with vehicles and other lifestyle-simplifying commodities.

Environmental disasters that took a great toll on air quality also happened because of automation. One of the most famous instances is the Great Smog of 1952 which took place between the 5^th and 9^th of December that year. The whole city of London was invaded by smog that came as an inevitable result of smoke searing from factory and house chimneys throughout the town. The death toll was in the thousands, and most survivors suffered from severe respiratory issues.

While at first these occurrences were scarce and folks didn’t necessarily make the connection between the evolution of industry and environmental disasters, as they multiplied with time, the request for action came as a response. The environmental movement was born and ever since people have been marching on the streets trying to make a change.

Air quality isn’t the only aspect that automation affects; life as we know it is shaped for the worst. Water and soil quality deprecates, which impacts us directly since we use water for hydration and the land to grow our food. Moreover, the natural habitats of other species are destroyed, leading to the extermination of many species of birds, reptiles, amphibians, mammals, and fish over the years. Definitively, the whole ecosystem is impacted and reshaped because of our trials to simplify modern life.

Conclusion: Implementing laws and regulating industries is our only solution

It’s never too late to make a change. In theory, at least. Because in reality, if we don’t take more drastic action to force industries to change their practices, we will lose our home, the planet we all live on. Ever since the Industrial Revolution, as soon as people started noticing the detrimental impacts on the environment, they have marched and asked for regulations and agendas to happen that decrease pollution, preserve land and wildlife, and conserve natural assets that were otherwise exploited lacking limit for industrial advancements.

Human affairs are the root of the issue when it comes to air pollution, which is why we must all keep a close eye on the work of industries. Governments from all around the globe are trying to make real change happen, all in the hopes that we can improve life quality not only by modernizing it but by providing all inhabitants of Earth what they actually need: the resources for healthy living. And clean air is one of these necessities.

Among others, we now have the Clean Air Act that imposes stricter restrictions on air pollution emissions, as well as the Pollution Prevention Act that provides corporations with incentives to decrease contamination. Policies must be applied to remedy as much of the harm that has been done as we can. Otherwise, we risk making the globe uninhabitable.

We should all pitch in to put enough pressure so that change happens. Raising awareness and changing habits like walking more and buying local are only some of the efforts all of us should strive for if we want to breathe cleaner air during our lifetime and leave the planet in a better shape for future generations to grow in a safe, healthy environment.