Why is Urbanisation Contributing to Pollution?

You might have noticed how pollution has increased as time has passed. The grey smoke in the air and the bulk of garbage in rivers all have a common cause. That is urbanisation. Why is urbanisation contributing to pollution? The transition in jobs, location of living, and the way people live now have caused this pollution. The population has always been a problem. The problem now is its concentration in urban areas.

1. How Urbanisation Started? 

Urbanisation is the product of the Industrial Revolution that took place in Britain. Industrial Revolution means mass production of goods using inanimate sources of energy. Previously, the production of goods was handmade. This process was dependent on an individual’s capability to work. Hence it was time taking and relatively expensive. 

Britain introduced the idea of using energy resources. These were fuel in the form of coal, petroleum and electricity. They utilised these on new machines such as looms, and spinning wheels. 

Hence, these machines were speedy and mass-produced goods. Because the production was more and the effort used was less. The products were sold at fewer prices. This became a phenomenon globally as it increased the economy of a country tenfold. Consumerism, as we know it today, is inevitably also the product of Industrialisation. 

2. What is Urbanisation?

The local handicrafts started losing their jobs as people demanded machine-made goods. The latter were inexpensive and of better quality. This unemployment in the rural areas forced people to move into cities in search of work.

The first Industrial Revolution took place in the period 1760 to 1830. This was largely confined to Britain. At that time the majority of the population lived in villages. The jobs while they lessened in rural areas increased in urban environments. This was because of the development of factories and industries which were hiring wage labourers. This led to urbanisation.

Urbanisation refers to the shift of population from rural to urban areas. This means the proportion of bulk population transfers from villages to towns and cities. This started because of the search for jobs. 

3. Urban Areas: The Present

According to the United Nations World Urbanisation Prospects, by 2021 about 4.45 billion people resided in urban areas. Whereas around 3 billion people lived in rural areas. However, in 1960, the population of rural areas was more than urban areas. The cause of this is mass migration. Also, these statistics are predicted to be doubled by 2050. It seems 7 out of 10 people will be residing in urban areas. 

As we grow up, we see the number of slums increasing in the city day by day. There is no footpath or corner left for isolation. People live in a huge number of groups together unable to meet their necessities. Sanitation, health and surroundings are thoroughly neglected. Despite that, why is urbanisation increasing with time? This is because the majority of the work is now done in cities. Even with less income, people travel to urban areas in search of jobs. This has caused a huge negative impact on urban areas. These areas have become overcrowded and dirty. Most of all this causes all kinds of pollution in its biodiversity. 

4. Impacts of Urbanisation 

Urbanisation like any other social phenomenon has both negative and positive sides. It was a product of urbanisation. This caused a shift in population, the creation of industrial jobs and a new standard of living. Let us see how it impacted the lives of the people.

4.1 Positive Impact 

Development occurs simultaneously with urbanisation. Urbanisation doesn’t only mean industries and factories for mass production. It also includes the creation of infrastructure. As more people live in urban areas, new technologies and inventions develop. From bridges to tall buildings. World has changed tremendously as it was a century ago. All these lead to the generation of employment and opportunities which is the major advantage of urbanisation. 

People have the liberty and chance to invent and create new things. You will find multiple jobs coming up which were not present in the past. From scientists to architectures. Fashion designers, models and more are indirectly a product of urbanisation. 

Also, urbanisation has increased the standard of living of people. Luxury items have also become necessities. Everyone with an average income has a car, air conditioner, refrigerator and washing machine at their homes. In other terms, life has been made easy for people due to such developments. 

4.2 Negative Impacts 

Like always, good things come at a cost. Firstly, the shift in population has overcrowded urban areas. In overpopulated countries. There is not even a single step to take without bumping into someone’s shoulder. 

Then the major problem is the development of hundreds of factories and industries. These factories emit various toxins in the form of gases and garbage. These cause environmental pollution such as air pollution, water pollution and noise pollution. It is also a source of worry for human beings. It also affects other living organisms including plants, and animals both land and aquatic. 

5. Causes of Pollution Due to Urbanisation 

Gases emitted by industries have various toxins within themselves. These contain carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide. These are leading agents of global warming. Toxins in these gases are also present in untreated garbage. It ends up released in rivers, lakes and oceans. These are very dangerous for water bodies and aquatic plants and animals living in them. 

These are the reasons why air and water pollution arises. Also, industries use old technologies and batteries to save money. These generate a lot of waste. New environment-friendly inventions shouldn’t be disregarded. The health of the planet should come first rather than minute monetary benefits. 

Industries are based on the conversion of raw materials into products. A lot of pollution is caused while extracting these resources either from underground or forests. Governments tend to interfere in private areas if they are lucrative. Also, there is poor implementation of rules and regulations regarding waste management. Proper policies must be designed so that every business, from small startups to big industries discards their waste correctly. 

Some small industries do not have enough capital to do so. Therefore the government must provide them with ways to implement proper waste disposal. 

6. Different Types of Pollution Caused by Urbanisation 

Urbanisation leads to the opening up of many factories and industries globally. These use energy resources which are emitted in a harmful way. These cause extreme weather changes, global warming, melting of ice caps and more things. These are a danger to humanity. The toxins cause urban air pollution, water pollution, thermal pollution and noise pollution. 

6.1 Air Pollution

Air pollutants such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide are released. They are harmful to the air quality. This undesirable want of particles which when suspended in the air through factories is known as air pollution. 

Also indirectly chlorofluorocarbons and bromofluorocarbons are released by products invented due to industrialization. Things such as refrigerators are widely used in urban areas. They release these toxins which are grave for the Earth’s atmosphere. This ends up causing global warming. They release dangerous particles for the ozone layer which protects us from the ultraviolet rays.

6.2 Water Pollution 

Squander or industrial waste deposited in the water due to improper waste management is known as water pollution. Water pollution is an incredibly dangerous thing. It directly affects the life of organisms living within the oceans, rivers and lakes. These toxins can kill aquatic plants and animals and are a threat to their life.

Indirectly they are harmful to the human body also. This water is used for irrigation of fruits and vegetables used by farmers. Such water always contains toxins despite enough filtration. Human beings consume these indirectly which affects their health. Their bodies hence become prone to diseases. 

Waste disposal of electric companies including batteries and old parts. Paper, mash and compound. Petrol and other energy treatments. These industries are the utmost contributors to water pollution. These industries contaminate water bodies. Acids, salts, leads, metals, mercury pesticides, and composts are released.

6.3 Thermal Pollution 

Thermal plants convert heat energy into electrical energy. These include solar energy, nuclear energy, geothermal energy and fossil fuels. These also include water incineration plants. These are also known as waste-to-energy (WTE) plants. They convert highly boiled water into electricity. The waste generated is also transported to these plants. 

However, when this waste is disposed of in water bodies, it is known as thermal pollution. These are again very harmful to aquatic plants and animals as water pollution. This is because the temperature of the water rises due to this waste. All living organisms who cannot adapt to such high temperatures end up dying. Thermal pollution hence is caused when the high temperature of water is released into lakes, rivers and oceans before cooling altering the temperature of water bodies to a high extent.

6.4 Noise Pollution

The major source of noise pollution is industrial facilities and workplaces. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), any noise above 60 decibels is considered noise pollution. Anything above 75 decibels is harmful. Anything above 120 decibels is painful. 

Ideally, industries should only have 50 decibels of noise for routine work. But on an average industries produce 70 decibels of noise daily. You’ll find most of the factories and manufacturing industries produce 90-120 decibels of noise. It is very clear how urbanisation has become a source of noise pollution. 

The effects of noise pollution cause severe environmental degradation. It is aggravating and causes pain in the ears. If you work in a factory or reside close by there is a chance your ears might start deteriorating. This causes hearing loss. Also, excessive noise causes heart problems, especially in elderly people. It was found that there is a high chance of cardiovascular risk. There was an increase of about 34% chance in heart hearts and strokes due to noise pollution. This noise is a result of generators and apparatus used in factories. These can also lead to mental stress and headaches. 

7. How to Stop the Impact of Urbanisation

Every problem has a solution. Proper urban planning by both the residents and the local governments is necessary. The effects of urbanisation can be decreased for the betterment of the area. 

7.1 Maintaining Density

The major problem arises from the bulk of people per capita area. It is necessary to stop the incursion of people in states and cities which already have huge populations. It can be done by providing better employment opportunities in areas with low-density populations. 

Also, bulky cities and towns should have proper infrastructure which allows for the proper distribution of people across all incomes. These include different paths for walking and cycling, parking space and more.

7.2 Diversification of Rural Areas

The biggest reason for rapid urbanisation was because of the shift of population growth from rural to urban areas. This is because local work was neglected due to the rise of industries. This has had a huge impact on both social and economic perspectives of society. People have to leave their families to move into cities for jobs and work in unsuitable conditions. The feminisation of work and alienation are some social implications which also cannot be ignored. 

Hence, it is important to create multiple job opportunities in rural areas itself. For example, in India, the majority of the workforce in rural areas is bound by agriculture. However, the number of people needed to work on the land is far less. This is known as disguised employment. It is necessary to create more jobs. These include horticulture, animal husbandry, and even jobs in the IT sector. Opening up schools and hospitals increases employment. It also promotes a standard of living which thins the line between urban areas and rural areas. 

7.3 Increase in Local Transportation

One of the reasons why pollution is increasing is because of traffic jams. When huge populations are all on the road, it takes double the time to reach the destination. The vehicles get stagnated for hours. This results in the engine working for more time and an increase in pollution. Hence local transportation such as railways, metros and buses should be introduced. They should be inexpensive and efficient so more people travel together and less pollution is caused. 

7.4 Circular Networks for Material

Growing urbanisation has led to increased per capita consumption. This has led to an increase in factors such as mass production and waste collection. These heaps of waste are a reason for increased pollution. Therefore, more durable resources must be used. Materials such as plastic which are non-biodegradable should be banned. The usage of paper should also be decreased. Also, a necessity for consumer awareness is important. To use objects for a longer period is also salient. Other than that the three R’s which are reduce, reuse and recycle must be implemented. 

One way of doing this is shopping from thrift stores. Using second-hand products is also possible. Buying recycled products such as notebooks is also imperative. This will help reduce the extraction of more raw materials which is a major component in causing pollution. 

8. Conclusion 

Every area from developing to developed countries is seeing the impact of urbanisation. The global burden is increasing day by day. health problems, infectious diseases, and greenhouse gas emissions are growing.

Currently, there is not enough planning for and by the urban residents. This puts a strain on urban development. The resources are inadequate and not efficiently used. The resources which are present are not being utilised correctly. This is due to mass production and improper waste management. 

Urbanisation also poses economic risks. Human activities in urban areas are generally done in the informal sector. Meaning there is no job security for people working in an unorganised workforce. Rural immigrants have to live on footpaths with no electricity. They can be fired at any moment in time and have no insurance whatsoever. 

All of this hampers the well-being of humans and the planet. It affects the sanitation of areas. The population density is the reason for increased vendors and heavy dirt on the roads. The necessities of people are not met. Food, transportation, education, health and even a small home are hard to afford. There is no energy efficiency which leads to waste of both renewable and non-renewable resources. Most of all urbanisation increases the economic and income inequalities of individuals living in the same area. 

The best solution to tackle the environmental impacts of this problem is sustainable development. These must be taken care of at all sections, even the grassroots level. From national to state, regional to district. There should be urban planning with proper resource management. Most of all change is only possible when people individually take the initiative. 

Check out: Smart Cities – The Nation’s Urban Future