Essay Sample on Industrialization's Impact on Environment: The Global Challenge of Contaminants

Introduction

Globalization entails the growing interdependence of economies in the world. Countries have developed economic partnerships to enhance the growth of industrialization across the globe. However, this increasing influence of the mainstream economy threatens the future of the environment which is an impediment to human existence. Industries affect the environment directly through metallic contaminants such as zinc (Zn), and mercury (Hg) among others. These elements destroy beneficial microorganisms and bacteria in the soil. The entry of industrial waste into the food chain affects living beings and animals in various ways through diseases and complex medical conditions. Industrialization leads to depletion of natural resources, air pollution water pollution as well as soil pollution. It has caused the pandemic global warming leading to climate changes which are the major consequences. This essay is going to discuss the correspondent philosophies and ethical solutions to the effects of the economy on the environment and the global challenges. It is established that philosophy and ethics play a vital role in solving the challenges of mainstream economics which have impacted negatively to the environment.

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According to Gallie in his work on Essential Contested Concepts, the philosophy of circular economy prioritizes the use of regenerative resources, which maximizes the lifetime of products, and use of waste as resources. This method has facilitated environmental conservation efforts, as most reused waste products minimize the availability of waste in the environment. The prolonged lifetime of products ensures little if any get spoiled hence the efficiency of agribusiness increases (Gallaud & Laperche 2016). The increased lifespan of products gives an alternative to the traditional linear economy of keeping resources in use for a longer period as possible. This industrial system is restorative by intention and design as it maximizes on the value of a product before discarding the final waste. This system enables the maintenance of the value of the product, materials as well as the resources for the longest period possible (Gallaud & Laperche 2016). The reuse of products saves production energy and helps in environmental sustenance for future generations. This technique also reduces greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to global warming. The circular economy eventually acts as a preventive mechanism for environmental pollution by reducing the need to harvest raw material at every production cycle.

The American philosopher Charles Eisenstein defined the sharing economy as a culture where access is the new ownership. In this concept, the supply of environmentally friendly products can be owned by a single business and the farming fraternity accepts to rent the services from the firm. Today's modern society is accepting the culture of renting over owning as the advantages of renting include the accessibility of the services which seem to be a priority (Ping 2019). The industrialization has made the time a vital factor in the running of the economy hence one would prefer to rent service and gain results conveniently. This is opposed to the culture of developing and owning as it requires more time, which is not available for convenient and one-time consumers. As opposed to a single firm producing an environmentally friendly product on a large scale, small scale producers may opt for cheaper but environmental degrading methods. This may lead to degrading nature which can be solved by the sharing economy and the dependence on fewer but efficient producers. For example, a company offering pest management services on an integrated level using organic products and materials helps in environmental conservation (Ping 2019). This is achievable as the standard way of selling pesticides which may harm the environment, is offered as an additional or bonus service by the single firm.

According to Plato, the philosophy of policy harmonization helps various industrial sectors in coming together and enhancing the production capacities hence making it affordable and convenient to use environmentally friendly methods of production. For example, the working together of agricultural ministry with the environment and forestry ministry in a bid to integrate EBA techniques such as agroforestry is vital in the agricultural policies. This merging of the policies will make the agro-forestry processes convenient and enhance environmental conservation efforts which are highly needed to balance the economic influence in the environment (Thomas 2010). In a bid to boost investments in the clean energy industry, energy policies will need to be reconciled with land policies, industrial policies as well as agricultural policies. The policies can involve the availing of incentives to investors on certain clean energy products as well as investment incentives at large (Thomas 2010). This will increase value addition in the clean energy sector and motivate more investors into the industry. It will eventually increase the use of clean energy in many regions hence boosting the goal of achieving a pollution free environment.

Through the use of innovative partnerships inter-disciplinary collaborations between state, non-state, individuals and institutional stakeholders are facilitated and improved. Human capital is a crucial component in global industrialization. In this regard, the coming together of various human resource personnel encourages the sharing of innovative solutions that can be used to enhance environmental conservation. These innovative partnerships help in the achievement of sustainable development goals. These SDGs include environmental challenges that affect humanity as a whole and hence prioritized by the (Low-Beer & World Scientific 2012). Aspects such as tree planting exercises are prioritized as the world gears itself towards fighting global warming. Among the SDG goals include the improvement of production technologies in a bid to minimize or eliminate environmental pollution at the production stage. This can include the control of emitted gasses into the atmosphere by industries and ensuring the harmful toxins are neutralized before release to the environment.

Both JIT and TQM have provided significant paradigm shifts in the philosophy of synergistic implementation. Through synergistic implementation, various environmental issues can be addressed and a practical solution offered to enhance the environmental challenges. Synergistic implementation involves the simultaneous actions that are taken to address environmental, social, and economic challenges (Cunningham & Harney 2012). This is done through the use of innovative solutions such as new policies, market partnerships, as well as financial solutions. For example, the integration of food processing with food preservation techniques as well as food security and job creation has enhanced food management and minimized food waste. This has enhanced the environment as food loss is minimized and production methods are enhanced to be in tandem with environment conservation.

The implementation of these synergistic actions requires a concerted effort of countries and the involvement of the international community through the exploitation of existing mechanisms. These existing mechanisms, enhance innovative solutions for environmental challenges. The mechanisms include the support of research and development in developing economies. When research is enhanced in transitional economies, it facilitates and provides a suitable environment for diversity and significant improvements of the economies in a shorter period (Cunningham & Harney 2012). For example, outcomes of research work on agricultural products can help in reducing soil erosion, deforestation, and improvements in the use of environmentally friendly soil quality additives. The innovative infrastructure that uses fewer resources promotes environmental conservation. These techniques will allow developing countries to apply the relevant environment-friendly solution as they develop their economies. There is a need for an expansion of the role of the 10-YFP secretariat on SCP (hosted by the UN Environment Programme). Through the trust fund of the SCP, countries can explore more innovative mechanisms for the challenges facing the environment (both existing and emerging).

According to Rachel Carson philosophy of reduction, reduction of pollution can be done through the minimizing of the consumption or the usage of the polluting product. It can also be done via the treatment of wastes and discharges as well as disposals of pollutants. Treatment of waste can only be executed efficiently when the origin of the waste products is defined and accessible (LaFreniere 2007). Countries such as Canada, Switzerland, E.U, and the U.S have successfully implemented systems for treating wastewater for most chemicals with the potential of significant improvements. Microbes or fungi can be used for cleanup purposes as they are vital to be inculcated in the pollution reduction methods. This is because they can be used in the degradation of heavy metals and organic compounds which are hard to degrade. Research shows that the reduction of pollution in the production process enhances the efficiency of the company by about 5-8 % in a period of five years (LaFreniere 2007). This helps the production industries embrace the use of environment clean methods by reducing pollution in the environment as well as increase their profits. Planting of microbial degradation plants as well as constructing degrading wetlands is vital in reducing pollution (LaFreniere 2007). These are cost-effective methods of reducing the toxicity of pesticides in farms as well as organic solvents that runoff in industrial sewage systems.

According to Prasad (2018). a reduction of the availability of degrading toxicants in the environment is vital as well as the rebuilding of the polluted area via ecosystem services. This is an ethical solution to the already polluted areas by industrialization. The process of degrading toxicants includes the use of both physical and chemical methods. These include the change of acidity or an enhanced absorption into the soil which helps decrease the availability of chemicals in the soil (Prasad 2018). The degrading system should ideally destroy the pollutant fungi or microbes irreversibly and eliminate the toxicant. To ensure the pollutant is eliminated completely from the polluted area, additional monitoring and securing of the land under ecosystem services should be deployed (Prasad 2018). Due to the long period that inorganic materials take to undergo the biodegrading process, the buildup rate of these degrading processes is closely proportional to the pollution rate. Such materials that take these long periods are generally poisonous and strongly toxic even in low proportions. Proper treatment of these toxins is necessary and methods such as electro kinetic treatment are vital as it reduces the heavy metal ions into elemental precipitates. The biological degradation method of the fungi and microbes, as well as the kinetic technique, can be used together in a bid to lower emissions for point source metal pollution.

According to Bargagli (2005) pollution-intolerant organisms can be planted on the already toxin degraded land in a bid to recolonize the soil and reconstruct the ecosystem. The recolonization process depends on the availability of the depleted organisms within the planted crops that can refill the replenished parts of the ecosystem. For example, a pond ecosystem can be restored partially in the ecosystem depending on the available organisms to the isolated environment. Many small but crucial microorganism lack mobility systems and connecte...