Environmental Issues and the Industrial Revolution Coursework

Environmental Issues and the Industrial Revolution - Coursework Example In the course of production, gases such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and dioxide and chlorofluorocarbons among others that are produced as waste material by industries are released into the atmosphere. The result is massive air pollution. The most far reaching effect of these emissions is changes in climate. The average temperatures in the world increase every year, there are more floods, and the desserts are expanding among other deviations from climate as it were in the past. Air pollution also has negative impacts on plant and animal species as well as humans. For instance, acid rain increases the acidity of the soil which damages plants while inhalation of these gases causes health complications to humans. Industries also release chemical effluents in liquid form which when released into rivers and other water bodies and this has resulted into the decrease of fish and extinction of some species. The first locomotives used steam engines. In the present age, majority of automobiles use gas. Increased use of automobiles degrades the environment because it necessitates mining of oil. Combustion of gas to propel vehicles results in emission of gases which causes air pollution. The major pollutant from cars is carbon dioxide which is a green house gas that depletes the ozone layer and also contributes to global warming. Emissions such as nitrogen and sulfur oxides are part of the reason why the number of cancer cases is on the rise. Air pollution from locomotives also causes acid rain which is detrimental to plants. Industrial revolution has necessitated continued mining of oil and gas which is used to power motor vehicles, factory machines and in cooking. Mining and transportation of oil poses a danger to the environment through the possibility of oils spills on water bodies and also on land. Oil spills result in both short and long term