Welcome to Gaia! :: View User's Journal | Gaia Journals

Despite the advantages of modernization, various difficulties have still presented themselves. As factories sprung up, they released numerous gases and wastes harmful to the environment; rapid urbanization resulted in mass deforestation and other environmentally damaging problems.
With a population of over seven hundred million, China suffered from extreme overpopulation. Diseases were able to spread rapidly, affecting the people and the environment. Pollution was rampant. Factories released gases into the air and wastes were dumped into bodies of water. In some areas acid rain fell, further damaging the plant and animal life.
Brazil also was faced with several difficulties. Rapid urbanization occurred, resulting in a vast overcrowding. In an attempt to provide the multitude of homeless with a home, forests were leveled, and massive deforestation ensued. Houses and farms were erected where trees had previously stood, but not without exacting a heavy toll on the environment and its inhabitants. Plant and animal habitats were demolished, resulting in the endangerment of various species.
To prevent these catastrophes from continuing, precautions can be taken. In China, population restrictions have been set, limiting Chinese families to one child per family. Strict rules and regulations disallowing the disposal of wastes in lakes and rivers can be set up to prevent contamination. Furthermore, by reducing the burning of fossil fuels, fewer gases would be released into the air, therefore resulting in a reduced risk of acid rain and a healthier environment.
Deforestation and the endangerment of species can also be averted. By teaching more beneficial farming methods and limiting population growth, the process of deforestation can be slowed. By imposing new laws again the destruction of habitats, plant and animal chances of survival will also increase.
As with anything, modernization is afflicted with various problems. Modernization has occurred at a great cost to the environment and its inhabitants. Pollution and acid rains plague some regions, while others suffer from the extermination and endangerment of various species and the destruction of standing forest. It has left a lingering impact on the world.