Environment issues and the industrial revolution

The Industrial Revolution marked a major turning point in Earth’s ecology and humans’ relationship with their environment (McLamb 2011). Every characteristic of human life and lifestyles changed intensely due to the Industrial Revolution. The Industrial Revolution effect human development, health and life longevity, social improvements, and impact on our natural resources, public health, energy usage, and sanitation. There are three negative environmentally impacts that affected the Industrial Revolution human growth population, invention of automobiles, and urbanization.

In 1963, the human population globally increased, but number of human living on this Earth has grown 2/3 since 1963, now it is topping at 6. 6 billion today. Everyone in this number share resources such as water and food. By 2050, the human populations are expected to exceed 9 billion. According to McLamb, E. this population growth causes many environmental problems such as clearing 80% of rainforests, the loss of plants and wildlife species, and an increase in greenhouse gas emissions of some of the Earth’s surface land.

Researchers are afraid that in the coming decades, half of the world’s population will be exposed to water scarce conditions, which are expected to build up difficulties in meeting consumption levels, and our gentle ecosystems will be devastated. Human population growth is tied in with bigger uses of natural and fabricated resources, energy, land for growing and living, and waste by-products, which are disposed of, to decompose, pollute or are recycled. In countries that are, less developed lack contraception led to swift population growth.

The results from this increasing population in these countries, people suffer from malnourishment, lack of clean water, overcrowding, inadequate shelter, AIDS and other illness/diseases (Earth Talk n. d. ). While the populations’ numbers in the developed nations are evening out or fading today, the high levels of consumption make a massive drain on their resources. We as Americans, only represent 4% of the world population and consume 25% of all our resources. Countries that are industrialized contribute to climate change, ozone depletion, and overfishing more than developed countries.

The invention of automobiles revolutionized travel in a positive manner. Never the less, this invention impact the environment by causing air pollution, greenhouse gases, ozone depletion, water quality, use of natural resources, and noise. In society today, many people use automobiles to get from point A to point B. With this involves combustion of a fossil fuel, a process that emits gases and affects the environment (King & Media n. d. ). The U. S. Department of Transportation reported in December 1970 that over 89. 9 billion vehicles travel our nation highways.

However, by December 2011 that number increased to over 246. 3 trillion automobiles. With such a high incline, how do automobiles affect our environment and the ozone layer? Majority of the pollution throughout our nation is caused by automobiles. The ozone layer is there to protect life from the ultraviolent rays from the sun. These layers become depleted due to high concentrations of chlorine or bromine atoms and include chlorofluorocarbons, or CFC’s, halons, methyl bromide, carbon tetrachloride and methyl chloroform (King & Media n. d. ).

Since the automobiles, emission gases contain few chlorine or bromine; therefore, they have little effect on depleting the ozone layers. However, the different gases and particles that automobiles emit affect our environment. Our vehicles contain different fluids such as motor oil, antifreeze, gasoline, refrigerants, and brake, transmission, hydraulic, and windshield-wiper fluids. There fluids can leak into our waterways and harm humans, animals, and fish. In addition, theses fluids pick up metals for wear and tear of the engine, which makes them more toxic to the environment.

Urbanization had a significant impact on the Industrial Revolution, which took place from the end of the 18th century to the beginning of the 20th century (Sexton n. d. ). Urbanization was the migration of individuals from rural areas to cities. Once these individuals settled into the cities, they were forced to adjust from self-sustaining life they had on farms to depersonalized lives in large cities. Along with their depersonalized lives, these individuals were confronted with dependence on services they had previously provided themselves.

With the overwhelming growth in the cities, the government was faced with critical needs of reorganizing their policies on sewage, travel infrastructure, and water supplies (Sexton n. d. ). Urbanization brought many changes to the bigger cities such as huge amounts of waste, which led to record high increase in the garbage that stays in landfills and pollutes the soil for many years. In addition, factories were producing more materials, which in return caused high levels of pollution from the release of toxic waste and affected the fish population in waterways.

However, most people to big cities for the comfort, better lifestyles, and opportunities. With the overlapping population growth and environmental problems, many Americans would like to see a change made in the U. S. policies concerning family planning. According to Earth Talk, President Bush instituted what American call the “ Global Gag Rule,” where the US is not funding other countries help with abortions. In 1969, the Cuyahoga River near Cleveland, Ohio was polluted with toxic chemicals and industrial waste and in return, the river was set a blazed.

With this happening, many Americans took this as the turning point to turn to the government and seek action on protecting the environment. While Lyndon b. Johnson was president, he signed nearly three hundred conservation and beautification measures, which laid the foundation for the future legislation. Then, in the 1970’s, President Nixon signed the National Environmental Policy Act and created the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA started a new series of environmental laws that required businesses to reduce pollution such as Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act.

Since the environmental movement in the 1970’s, today America is a more ecologically friendly place than what it was 30 years ago. Legislation, researchers, and new technologies have worked to reduce pollution, increase recyclability, and protect endangered animals. Laws passed after 1970: Noise Control Act of 1972 SEC. 2 [42 U. S. C. 4901] – intended for protecting human health and minimize noise to the public. Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974 — intended to ensure public drinking water meets safety standards.

Clean Water Act — help regulate pollution in our lakes, rivers, and other bodies of water. Resource Conservational and Recovery Act 1976 – intended to govern the disposal of hazardous waste and solid waste. Toxic Substance Control Act 1976 – intended to regulate the introduction of new or already existing chemicals. Oil Pollution Act of 1990 – intended to establish limitations on liability for damages resulting from oil pollution and to establish a fund for the payment of compensation for damages and other purposes.

Clean Air Act 1990 Auto Emission Law 2004 – this law was enacted by the state of California due to the pollution problems they were facing. Later other states followed suit. With all the new laws environment has improved. In certain states the environmental indicators has publicized the improvement in air and water quality since 1980. All this come about from business and industry has taken crucial steps to reduce the ozone and particle pollution. In addition, it is expected that additional reductions in motor vehicles will meet tough federal air quality standards.