Economic / Problems / Rapid Industrialisation

The smokestack industries of the industrial revolution powered economic superpowers like the United States and Britain into what they are today. In the process, they set a precedent for the rest of the world to follow. Sadly, such a model has been proven to be unsustainable.

Firstly, industrialization at such an accelerated pace requires huge amounts of energy. Some of this is cleanly generated, but the rest is supplied by cheap and good fossil fuels. Burning these pollutes the air to no end. Also, disposal of the waste created is harmful to the environment. Biochemical production plants discharge their waste into rivers, incineration of other waste causes increased carbon emissions, and all these only compound to cause greater environmental degradation.

Post-industrialization, these industries still remain, due to their huge following and cult associated with their aiding their country to prosperity. Lobby groups form to further the interests of these industries, and they will continue to pollute beyond society's means. Employing greener technologies can only go so far, the resultant pollution is still unimaginable.