Final answer:
Environmental factors such as coal availability and technological advancements like the steam engine enabled rapid industrialization, which in turn led to urbanization and environmental degradation through resource depletion, pollution, and habitat destruction. This period also sparked the early environmental movement.
Step-by-step explanation:
The period between 1750 and 1900 saw profound environmental factors shaping industrialization. The accessibility of coal and the invention of the steam engine significantly increased the productivity of industries, leading to urbanization and exponential human population growth. At the same time, industrialization’s appetite for resources led to deforestation, habitat loss, and pollution.
Industrialization also engineered a dramatic transformation of the environment. The need to accommodate growing urban populations and industries led to the diversion of water sources, destruction of natural habitats, and an increase in air pollution due to fossil fuel combustion. This period marked the beginning of significant environmental degradation, influencing not just local ecosystems, but globally altering climatic patterns, which continue to be a pressing concern today.
Led by the romantic view of 19th-century writers and propelled by the visible consequences of industrial practices, the roots of the modern environmental movement began to take hold, ultimately leading to the creation of preservation efforts and national parks. Today, as we live through the Anthropocene, the study of sustainable living and the impartial responsibility to mend the human-induced environmental damage continues.