Student: Eva Johnson
Graduation date: May 2015
Type: Concentration (single major)
Date approved: November 2012
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Summary
Historically, development and industrialization have influenced energy production and economic growth while creating related environmental impacts (e.g. acid rain affecting streams, forests, crops, and soils (Mackenzie, 2011: 346)). In industrialized countries, policy and legislation changes, technology advancements and health care initiatives have been developed to deal with air pollution. Industrialized countries in particular have enough wealth to make alternations to their own practices (Eatwell et al, 1987). The Environmental Kuznets Curve suggests that “pollution appears first to worsen and later to improve as countries’ incomes grow,” (Eatwell et al, 1987). As a country is developing, it depends on energy-intensive industrial production. Once a country is developed, its technology and efficiency advances to the point where its overall pollution emissions go down. I would like to explore the connections between industrialization, pollution, and public health by comparing and contrasting countries along a spectrum of industrial development. I choose to focus on air pollution and its effect on public health because its capability of global dispersion is much higher than any other pollutant (due to general wind currents), and it can easily permeate the human body and impact it negatively over time (EPA, 2012). Chemical and particulate matter in the air causes millions of premature deaths per year (NASA, 2010) and contributes to heart and lung disease; irregular heartbeat and lung disfunction; and asthma and respiratory aggravation (WHO, 2011). While there are important natural contributors to air quality (e.g. dust, volcanic eruptions, and forest fires), I am choosing to look at anthropogenic ones (e.g. factories and automobile emissions). These became significant when humans learned to use energy intensively. Energy production increased ten-fold over the 19th century (Smil, 1999). People began harnessing energy with internal combustion engines which made burning biomass, coal and oil efficient and easy to do (McNeill, 2000:14). Fossil fuels such as these emit sulfur oxides and nitrous oxides (particulates such as soot and ash) that damage our health and are the biggest source of visible haze (EPA, 2012). Cars later became the largest source of air pollution in the world, increasing economic activity by giving individuals power to pollute for their own economic gain (McNeill, 2000). In my concentration, I want to consider the patters of industrialization and related pollution for a number of cities that sit at different stages along the Environmental Kuznets Curve.
Modern London is fully industrialized and emits far less pollution than it used to. In the late 1800‘s, reaching the top of the Kuznets Curve, London had very high concentrations of pollution. In 1952, 4,000 Londoners were killed due to respiratory aggravations within a period of five days in December (McNeill, 2000). During winter, when everyone is burning coal for heat and large amounts of sulfur and nitrous oxides are released, the combination of low temperatures and high moisture enables smoke to sit low in the fog and affect people in higher doses. This sparked policy changes such as Clean Air and Sanitary Acts in the mid-1900‘s which began the process of significantly alleviating sulfur oxide emissions (McNeill, 2000). Areas like Mexico City and Los Angeles experience a layer of smog all year round, due to their humid climate and topographical placement where wind currents are unable to disperse the pollution. These two cities are also examples industrial cities nearing the end of the Kuznets Curve (McNeill, 2000). Like in London, regulations in these cities were established in response to visibility issues and public health impacts. Shanghai, China is said to be the most rapidly industrializing city today (Song et al, 2008). With highly productive industries, from textile manufacturers to port exporters, this city’s air has become highly polluted which has caused public health effects. Thus far, efforts to alleviate pollution emissions in Shanghai appear to be minimal (Song et al, 2008). In relation to the Kuznets Curve, Shanghai is at a point where industrialization and high pollution emissions positively correlate. Finally, there are other parts of the world where the the Kuznets Curve pattern is just now taking off. An example of a pre-industrialized city is Nairobi- Kenya’s capitol. Nairobi’s population grew larger and faster than ever before in the 1950’s, mostly populating the slums of the city. Industrialization and pollution emissions per capita are still low considering the size of the city which is just shy of 3 million inhabitants (Rodriguez-Torres, 2010). With these examples in mind, I would like to examine the Environmental Kuznets Curve in more depth. I especially want to explore what causes the transition where pollution decreases as a country reaches industrialization. This will involve studying the factors that motivate countries to take action.
References
Questions
- How do different countries’ level of industrialization relate to the composition and amount of air pollution they produce?
- What causes the transition toward a condition where impacts of industrialization are regulated?
- What policies or mechanisms have been effective at reducing air pollution once that transition is happening?
- How can we accelerate or circumvent the process of the Environmental Kuznets Curve so that a country can develop while minimizing pollution?
Concentration courses
- HIST 298 (Environmental History of Science and Technologies, 4 credits), spring 2013. This class will provide a solid historical foundation of the relationship between humans and the environment. Environmental toxicology and public health today are directly impacted by this relationship. I'll be taking PHIL 215 to fulfill my general major requirement in Spring of '13.
- ENVS 490 (Digital Field Scholarship, 4 credits) , spring 2013. Because industrial pollution effects all living things in one way or another (and causes a variety of consequences on the human body) studying this will require geospatial fieldwork and analysis using cutting-edge technologies. This is to better understand how space and place apply to pollution and human health.
- ENVS 499 (Traditional Medicine and Medical Integration in Ecuador, 4 credits), fall 2013. This independent study relates to my concentration because it ties in two of my main themes, human health and development. In my concentration, I discuss the environmental changes that occur as a country develops. While in the past I have looked at the common trend of environmental degradation and human health that is associated with development and industrialization, I will explore the experiences of indigenous communities that have recently been exposed to industrial development, urbanization and Western influences. The introduction of Western medicine is attached to the larger theme of globalization and the spreading of Western beliefs, values and norms. As allopathic medicine gains popularity in indigenous communities, I believe traditional practices, local knowledge, and cultural identity are in danger of getting lost.
- ENVS 499 (Capstone Proposal, 2 credits), fall 2014. This independent study is a continuation of my previous ENVS499 course entitled "Traditional Medicine and Medical Integration in Ecuador." This course is focused on taking the studies I have done and information I have gathered previously to create a well-rounded proposal for my Capstone project that I will be conducting in the Spring 2015 semester.
- SOAN 305 (Environmental Sociology, 4 credits), spring 2015. This course is about the contemporary patterns of globalization, the ill effects it has on the earth, and finally the human response to these global changes. Environmental justice is a major theme in this class which very much applies to my topic, as pollution often affects people more who are greater exposed to it.
Arts and humanities courses
- HIST 261 (Global Environmental History, 4 credits). Pre-approved A&H course; no justification required.
- PHIL 215 (Philosophy and the Environment, 4 credits). Pre-approved A&H course; no justification required.