We have all been living under the impression that pollution is a new menace. On the contrary, this devil is as old as mankind. Now this should take some load off your chest considering that we have been blamed, wholly and solely, for ruining the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the soil in which we sow the seeds. Phew!
New studies have suggested that even in the metal age, when the use of copper, bronze and iron, became popular, pollution was caused due to the burning of these alloys. On this note, we present facts that prove pollution did not originate in the 19th century.
Industrial revolution fuelled pollution: Modern man left no stone unturned to become the satanic child of Mother Nature – in fact, the industrial revolution in the UK in the 18th and 19th century was the starting point of it. Coal fuelled the factories and the kitchens. There were times when the cities had to be brought to a halt because the smog level went over the roof.
Acid rain was first discovered in 1850s: The huge volume of sulphur and nitrogen oxides released during the Industrial Revolution led to the first episodes of acid rain. The occurrence of acid rain was first recognised by Robert Angus Smith in Manchester when he hinted at the connection between acid rain and pollution.
Even Egyptian Mummies Hold traces of air pollution: Particulates, which have been linked to lung and heart ailments, were found around the lungs of a mummy discovered in Dakhle Oasis in Egypt. This mummy lived around 1,800 years ago and died when it was 20 or 25 years. Besides this, traces of air pollution have been found in more than 15 mummies. Unbelievable, isn't it?
When did pollution actually start killing? In the 19th century. In December 1930, air pollutants killed at least 60 people in Belgium; in October 1948, 20 people succumbed to the overload of sulphur dioxide in Pennsylvania, while 14,000 fell ill. However, the one pollution-related event that brought the world to a standstill was the terrible fog in London in 1952. Particulate matter got trapped in the Thames Valley for several days, and the death rate during this time shot up by five times.
When pollution was just for the poor: Coal, which fired the steam engines of 1950 in Scotland, started creating mayhem on the air quality of the country. As a result, the rich people started moving to the hills, while the poor were left on the planes, to breathe the air which was filled with soot. Interestingly, the physician of Queen Elizabeth I came up with a technique to remove the sulphur content, but the method was unreliable.
Pollution in the Stone Age: Even though pollution during this time was not life-threatening, it did exist. The dust created by the cutting and chiselling of stones added to the level of dirt in the air.
King Edward was the first to impose a fine for creating air pollution: King Edward I, who ruled from 1272 to 1307, had banned the use of coal in his kingdom. He promoted wood. Apparently, he had told his people, "The air there is polluted over a wide area... to the detriment of their (citizens) bodily health". His successors were environment conscious too.