By: Elle Shi
Although the Industrial Revolution began as a major technological advancement that transformed the world’s perspective on labor, it also marked the start of humanity’s dependence on fossil fuels, leading to long-term environmental damage.
The Industrial Revolution was a significant breakthrough in work; it transformed manual labor into machine-based production. It made efficient and stable manufacturing processes, eventually spreading these coal-powered machines to Europe and North America (2024, Greenly). The Industrial Revolution influenced every aspect of life. For example, there was a sustained growth of population, proving it to be one of the most important events in human history.
However, these developments came with severe consequences. Since the Industrial Revolution’s inception in the 18th century, Greenly, a magazine dedicated for environmental awareness, says it has been recorded that the current air contains 40% more carbon dioxide compared to before the Industrial Revolution. In addition, there are 2.5 times more methane (~722 ppb to ~1900 ppb) in the atmosphere since then, resulting in an average surface temperature rise of 1.1 degrees Celsius (2024, Greenly).
Because of the revolution’s coal-powered machines, carbon emissions have polluted the air and water. The need for these fossil fuels has also caused deforestation, habitat destruction, ocean acidification, and ultimately, biodiversity loss. These environmental impacts force affected organisms to evolve to live with the harsh conditions climate change has caused.
Not only has pollution affected animals, but also us humans who have created it. With the absence of suitable sanitation, water-borne diseases like cholera and typhoid, a few of the most deadly diseases, have impacted us. Pollution has especially impacted those of us in areas of poor sanitation, most commonly near coal-powered machines.
While the Industrial Revolution has set climate change in motion, the only way we can reverse it is by handing the task of addressing and reversing climate change down to modern society.
One way you can slow down the increase of climate change is by saving energy used at home. Most electricity you use at home is powered by coal, oil, and gas, the main contributors to air and water pollution in modern society. You can do this by replacing energy-consuming appliances with energy-efficient ones, like LED light bulbs or cold water washing your laundry (2024, Massive Earth Foundation). These healthy solutions can slowly stop carbon emissions and reduce your carbon footprint up to 900 kilograms of carbon dioxide per year (2024, Massive Earth Foundation).
Another effective method for conserving energy is reducing the use of vehicles like cars. The world’s roads are always packed with vehicles, one of the main producers of carbon emissions. Although some car brands are switching and producing electric cars, most are powered by burning diesel or gasoline that eventually end up in the atmosphere. These emissions contribute to global warming, increase the frequency of extreme weather events, and exacerbate air pollution, resulting in both long-term respiratory problems and environmental damage. The production of batteries for electric cars still emits carbon dioxide into the air; however, in the long run of using them, they are a healthier vehicle than modern gasoline cars. Replacing fuel-powered cars with electric cars is a good alternative, but not as preferred as living car-free. Living car-free not only lowers the carbon being released into the air, but also helps your own health and fitness. Ultimately, walking or biking to your destination is healthy for both the environment and your well-being, having the potential to reduce your carbon footprint by 2 tons of CO2 per year (2024, Massive Earth Foundation).
While energy use and transportation play a major role in climate change, the products we buy and throw away also contribute heavily to carbon emissions. At least at one point in time in the production of electronics, clothes, plastics, and more, these household items produce carbon dioxide that is released into the atmosphere. The production of plastics is a major reason for climate change, producing 1.8 billion metric tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions (2024, Massive Earth Foundation). To protect the environment, buy fewer plastics and reuse products whenever you can. If you use the four R’s, reduce, reuse, repair, and recycle, there might be a greener and positive future for our planet.
Lastly, the fastest and most efficient way of making a difference in the environment is by telling others about the growth of climate change. The actions for reversing climate change are a challenge and a necessary task that everyone is responsible for. If you raise awareness of the impact of climate change, there is a chance we can reverse the effects of climate change on our planet, Earth.
Ultimately, while the Industrial Revolution has kick-started the progress of human technological development and set a future for fields like medicine, it also has left a negative environmental legacy that we must now take responsibility for. By understanding the costs of the Industrial Revolution, it is clear that addressing climate change is no longer optional. From learning from the consequences of massive pollution, the already affected modern society will need to work hard to reverse its effects.
Works Cited
Anderson, Kara. “What Was the Industrial Revolution’s Environmental Impact?” Greenly, 24 Aug. 2024, greenly.earth/en-us/blog/ecology-news/what-was-the-industrial-revolutions-environmental-impact. Accessed 27 Dec. 2025.
Shaurya. “The Dark Side of Industrial Revolution: Environmental Destruction.” Massive Earth Foundation, 21 Dec. 2024, massivefoundation.org/opinion/dark-side-of-industrial-revolution/. Accessed 27 Dec. 2025.
