The rise of sustainability

Over London by Rail, Gustave Doré c 1870. Shows the densely populated and polluted environments created in the new industrial cities.

Hundreds of years ago, the earth appeared a much bigger place. There were less people and they were spread more thinly. Cities were much smaller and most people lived simple rural lifestyles.

People took what they needed from the earth and it seemed to most of them that the earth could provide everything humans needed for the foreseeable future.

However, with the arrival of the Industrial Revolution and a shift from rural to town living, humans suddenly began using vastly more resources and energy . It gradually became clear that the earth could not continue to supply everything humans wanted forever.

As industries and cities grew, so did the level of pollution and the need to find new sources of energy and clean drinkable water.

Some of the impacts of industrialisation in Australia have included changes to our land and waterways.

• Our rivers carry less water and contain more pollution, reducing plant and fish life.
• In many places, excessive use of ground water has led to farming land becoming salty and less able to grow crops.
• Clouds of smog pollution cover our cities.
• Waste and rubbish washes up on our beaches.
• Our bush environment has been damaged by development and the introduction of imported plant and animal species.
• Some native plants and animals have become extinct. Many others are currently threatened with disappearing forever.
• Global climate changes are affecting Australia's weather patterns.
• Overfishing of oceans are reducing Australia's ability to source food from the sea.
• Many of our mined resources such as copper and oil are being used up and, while we have discovered new deposits and reserviors we can mine, this will not continue for ever.

Through the second half of last century there was increasing awareness of these problems and, despite advances in science and engineering, it became clear that there are no simple solutions.

Across the world sustainability has become a focus in planning human activities, managing the environment, economy and our lifestyle choices. Issues such as pollution and world resource shortages have become regarded by many as global responsibilities.