Even though this was a time of economic growth and development, the Industrial Revolution impacted the environment in negative ways. With the drudgery and toil of daily life made easier thanks to technological advancements, the world saw a major increase in population. This in and of itself led to environmental changes simply because there were more people consuming more natural resources. Not only was the population growing, but there was also a rapid growth in living standards thanks to the economic prosperity of this era. Higher living standards led to forests being cut down to make way for expanding cities and to provide lumber for construction.
There was also an increased demand for raw materials used during the mass production of non-essential items within factories. These factors led to the depletion of natural resources. Factories would spew smog and soot into the air and release pollutants and chemicals directly into rivers and streams, resulting in increased air and water pollution.
