Culture Regions Industrial Regions Diffusion of the Industrial Revolution Industrial Ecology Industrial Cultural Integration Industrial Landscapes

Culture Regions

Industrial Regions Diffusion of the Industrial Revolution Industrial Ecology Industrial Cultural Integration Industrial Landscapes

Renewable resource crises

Primary industries can be particularly destructive Gouge huge open-pit mines Endanger renewable resources such as forest

and fisheries Deforestation is an ongoing process that

began at least 3000 years ago In the last half-century, a third of the world’s forest

cover has been lost Lumber use tripled between 1950 and 1998


Loss of the tropical rain forest Occurring in both Eastern and Western

Hemispheres


Loss of the tropical rain forest Most intensive clearing is in the East Indies and Brazil, and

commercial lumber interests are largely responsible) Canadians and Americans can only hypocritically chastise

other countries since their own west coast mid-latitude rain forests continue to suffer severe damage because of lumbering

Foreign rather than Brazilian interests now hold logging right to nearly 30 million acres of Amazonian rain forest

Even forests converted to scientifically managed “tree farms” destroys natural ecosystems


Overfishing A problem compounded by pollution Total fish catch of all countries combined rose from 84

million metric tons in 1984 to 110 million a decade later causing some species to decline Salmon in Pacific coastal North America Cod in Maritime Provinces of Canada have reached a

biological crisis Caused a catastrophic recession in the Newfoundland cod

industry Some experts forecast a collapse of the world fisheries in

the near future

Acid rain

Can be produced by secondary and tertiary industries that pollute air, water, and land with toxic substances and other chemicals

Known to researchers for 150 years Gained widespread publicity beginning in the early 1980s How it is created by the burning of fossil fuels by power plants,

factories, and automobiles Acidic sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides are released into the air These chemicals are flushed from the atmosphere by

precipitation Resultant rainfall has a much higher than normal acidity A shower that fell on Kane, in northern Pennsylvania in 1978 had

a pH reading equivalent to vinegar

Acid rain

In today’s world, 84 percent of energy is generated by burning fossil fuels

Acid rain is capable of poisoning fish, damaging plants, and diminishing soil fertility

This problem has been intensively studied in Germany, one of the world’s most completely industrialized nations In 1982 only 8 percent of forests in western Germany

showed damage By 1990 over half the forests showed damage Only a crash program of pollution control and energy

conservation can now save Germany’s woodlands

Acid rain

The Czech Republic faces a comparable problem In North America the effects of acid rain are

accumulating Over 90 lakes in the Adirondack Mountains of New York

were devoid of fish life by 1980 In eastern Canada, 50,000 lakes face a similar fate Recent studies suggest acid rain now causes mass killings

of marine life along the northeastern coast of the United States and forests in the Appalachians

Oxides of nitrogen seem to be the principal culprit in coastal waters Impact has been noted in Chesapeake, Delaware, and

Narragansett bays Long Island Sound is also feeling the effects

Industrial Pollution: British Columbia, Canada


While emissions from pulp and paper mills are degradable, the foul-smelling sulfur compounds will be broken down only very slowly by plants and microorganisms. Meanwhile they pollute both air and water.


Lumbering contributes to deforestation, and since sulfur oxides contribute to acid rain, this forestry-related manufacturing process also contributes to deforestation.

Mid-latitude coasts are especially vulnerable since acid rain has severe effects on the windward slopes covered with clouds and fogs.

Acid rain

Much of the pollution in Canada is caused by American pollution Canadian government has asked the United

States to take action in stopping pollution United States government has not confronted the

problem

The Greenhouse effect and ozone depletion Greenhouse effect is also produced by the

burning of fossil fuels Brings possibility of catastrophic change to Earth’s

climate Every year billions of tons of carbon dioxide (C02)

are produced worldwide, 50 times that produced in 1860

Destruction of rain forests adds huge additional amounts of CO2 to the atmosphere

Chemical composition of the air is being altered

The Greenhouse effect and ozone depletion Greenhouse effect is also produced by the

burning of fossil fuels Carbon dioxide is only one of the absorbing gases

involved in the greenhouse effect Permits solar shortwave heat radiation to reach Earth’s

surface Acts to block or trap long-wave outgoing radiation Causes a thermal imbalance and global heating

The result at worst, could be a runaway buildup of solar heat that would evaporate all water and make any form of life impossible

The Greenhouse effect and ozone depletion Greenhouse effect is also produced by the burning

of fossil fuels A lesser result could warm the global climate only enough

to melt or partially melt the polar icecaps Cause sea levels to rise as much as hundreds of feet Inundate the world’s coastlines

Worst-case scenario for the year 2030 seems to include a climatic warming to the level known 4 million years ago

The year 1997 was the warmest year ever recorded The decade of the 1987 to 1997 also experienced the

highest average temperatures in history for a 10-year span

The Greenhouse effect and ozone depletion Greenhouse effect is also produced by the burning

of fossil fuels Onset could be sudden, as some critical, unknown

threshold is reached in atmospheric carbon dioxide Doomsday is possibly being delayed by another industrial-

related environmental alteration Addition of huge amounts of particulate pollutants to the

atmosphere Such pollution acts to block out solar radiation and cool

climate Greenhouse effect and particulate pollution may have

acted to neutralize each other

The Greenhouse effect and ozone depletion Some researchers deny we are experiencing global

warming We lack good weather records for all but the recent past If the climate is becoming warmer, the causes cannot

conclusively be determined at this time Many experts believe the greenhouse effect will be

accompanied by major changes in precipitation Some climatic models predict global warming would make

the tropics drier Also predict the middle and higher latitudes would be

wetter Violent weather may also increase, and evidence suggests

this may already be occurring

The Greenhouse effect and ozone depletion Potentially more serious is the depletion of

the upper-atmosphere ozone layer Acts to shield all forms of life from the most

harmful types of solar radiation Freon used in refrigeration and air conditioning is

a major culprit Most industrialized countries contribute large

amounts of chemicals contributing to the problem

The Greenhouse effect and ozone depletion Potentially more serious is the depletion of the

upper-atmosphere ozone layer Recent research suggests the problem may be worse than

believed In 1995, ozone levels in the Arctic high latitudes fell by one-

third Ozone hole was first detected over the Antarctic during the

1980s Greenpeace, and other organizations, warn ozone

depletion now threatens the future of all forms of life on Earth

Our modern industrial way of life may prove a maladaptive strategy in terms of cultural ecology

Radioactive pollution

Potentially the most serious, though invisible Catastrophe at Chenobyl in Ukraine on April

26, 1986 All lands within a 18-mile radius of destroyed

reactor were evacuated and remain uninhabited today

Sizable swaths across Europe were bombarded with different kinds of radioactive isotopes Cesium-137 has a half-life of 30 years attacks entire

human body


Sizable swaths across Europe were bombarded with different kinds of radioactive isotopes Iodine-131 with a half-life of 8.1 days collects in the

thyroid gland Some estimates place amounts of cesium-137 released

as equivalent to at least 750 Hiroshima atomic bombs Ultimately, a sizable part of both Ukraine and Belarus

may be declared unfit for human habitation Tens of thousands of people could die from exposure to

radiation caused by this single catastrophe


The term “national sacrifice area” is now heard in governmental circles as a potential euphemism for districts rendered permanently uninhabitable by radiation pollution

Mark Corson speaks of “hazardcapes” to describe such places

The “Greens”

Pollution crises such as oil spills have led people to political activism

People who have become so distressed by industrially caused environmental problems they have become activists, or Greens

In Europe, “green” political parties now exist in countries such as Germany

The “Greens”

Publication of the Green Index is one reflection of increased concern in North America

Organizations such as the Sierra Club and Greenpeace operate as political lobbyists for environmental causes

Culture Regions


Labor supply

Labor-intensive industries — those for which labor costs form a large part of total production costs Include industries depending on skilled workers

producing small objects of high value —computers, cameras, and watches

Manufacturers consider several characteristics of labor in deciding where to locate Availability of workers with necessary skills Average wages Worker productivity

Labor supply

Labor-intensive industries — those for which labor costs form a large part of total production costs In recent decades, increasing mobility of labor throughout

the Western world has lessened locational influence of labor Migration of labor increased after 1950, in Europe and U.S. In Europe, large numbers of workers migrated south to north Workers left homes in Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey, and

Balkan states for employment in European manufacturing belt

Labor supply

Labor-intensive industries — those for which labor costs form a large part of total production costs High-tech and “information industries” often locate

near major research universities Offer a source of skilled innovative laborers Offer an attractive intellectual setting in which to live

Labor supply

Labor-intensive industries — those for which labor costs form a large part of total production costs Industries dependent on largely unskilled labor

tend to relocate to economically depressed rural areas Labor can be trained quickly and cheaply Can result in higher profits Large supply of cheap labor

Labor supply

Labor-intensive industries — those for which labor costs form a large part of total production costs Much industry went to “Norma Rae-Ville” in

American South for above reasons Today, principal relocations go to less-developed

countries such as northern Mexico, along its border with the United States

Labor supply

A new global division of labor seems to be in the works Behind these changes lies strategic thinking by directors of

global corporations As early as the mid-1970s, 298 American-based global

corporations employed up to 25 percent of their workers outside the United States

Such factories quickly drive up corporate profit margins Shift of production to faraway lands has a weakening effect

on organized labor inside the United States

Markets

Type of market being served can affect location of industries Makers of farm machinery cater to a more dispersed body

of consumers, giving them a greater freedom of choice in location

Specialized high-tech manufacturers often have one or two principal customers and tend to locate near this market

Clustering in cities pulls manufacturers to urban centers

Markets

Greatest market potential exists where the largest numbers of people live

Once an industry locates in a particular place, it provides additional jobs and attracts laborers to the area Additional population in turn creates a larger local

market Other industries are then attracted to the area An agglomeration is then created as the end

result

Markets

Industrial districts develop through agglomeration Creates a snowballing effect Difficult to control in free-enterprise systems Can produce serious overcrowding and an

excessively clustered population Intense concentration of industries and

population is characteristic of most industrialized nations

The political element

Governments often intervene directly in decisions concerning industrial location Desire to establish strategic, militarily important

industries that would otherwise not develop Decrease vulnerability to attack by scattering

industry Place vital strategic industries in remote locations,

removed from possible war zones Diversifying industries to create self-sufficiency


Governments often intervene directly in decisions concerning industrial location Bring industrial development and higher standard

of living to poverty- stricken provinces Halt agglomeration effect in existing industrial

areas Most Often governments intervene in certain

socialist countries, such as China Some intervention can be found in most every

industrial nation


Examples of industry being scattered by governments Major industrial complex in the Ural Mountains

deep inside Russia was in response to German military advance in 1941

For strategic reasons, the U.S. government during WW II encouraged development of an iron and steel industry in Utah

American aircraft similarly became dispersed by government policy


Local and state governments often directly influence industrial location Grant tax concessions to persuade industries to

locate in their areas Also can act to prevent industries viewed as

undesirable Brewery — where influential local church leaders hold

prohibitionist views Development of pollution-prone industries


Another type of government influence comes in the form of tariffs Import-export quotas Political obstacles to free movement of labor and

capital Various types of hindrance to transportation

across borders Reduce size of a market area proportional to

amount of tariff imposed


Free-trade blocs — groups of nations that have banded together economically and abolished most tariffs

European Union (EU) Composed of 15 nations Succeeded in abolishing tariffs within its area

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), joined the U.S., Canada, and Mexico

Industrialization and cultural change Industrialization is the most potent and

effective agent of cultural change in modern times Entire cultures have been reshaped Traditions thousands of years old have been

discarded almost overnight Has caused much of the replacement of folk

culture by popular culture

Industrialization and cultural change Perhaps the principal cultural change and

subsequent cornerstone of Western civilization was the concept of technology-based progress By-product of continual invention and change Many people discarded notions of heaven and afterlife to

accept the belief in a better future on Earth Industrial society became more secularized Optimism bred of faith in progress allowed industrial

cultures to discard, perhaps unwisely, “the ageless fear of the greater power and potency of nature”

Industrialization and cultural change On a more prosaic level, changes wrought by

industrialization include: Increased interregional trade and intercultural

contact Basic alterations in employment patterns A shift from rural to urban residence for vast

numbers of people Release of women from the home Ultimate disappearance of child labor

Industrialization and cultural change On a more prosaic level, changes wrought by

industrialization include: Initial increase in rate of population growth followed by a

drop to unprecedented low birth rates Increased individual mobility and mass migrations of

people Decline of the multigeneration family Greatly increased educational opportunities for the

nonwealthy Increase of government influence and functions Most basic change is the way people make their living

Culture Regions


Industry creates a landscape, not for beauty, but for profit and utility Primary industries exert perhaps the most

drastic impact on the land May contain slag heaps Strip-cut commercial forests Massive strip-mining scars Gaping open-pit mines

Industry creates a landscape, not for beauty, but for profit and utility Primary industries exert perhaps the most

drastic impact on the land Open “forests” of oil derricks Geographer Richard Francaviglia calls these

“hard places” He feels they accurately reflect much of what we

in the Western world value-competition, risk taking, and dominion over nature

Industry creates a landscape, not for beauty, but for profit and utility Other primary industries please the eye and

complement nature Fishing villages of Portugal or Newfoundland even attract

tourists In other cases, efforts are made to restore the landscape

Establishment of grasslands in old strip-mine areas Recreational ponds in old borrow pits along interstates

Artificial grasslands are inexpensive for mining companies to establish Poor and potentially toxic for cattle grazing Dominated by exotic Eurasian grasses Concentrated in areas that bore a forest cover before mining

Industry creates a landscape, not for beauty, but for profit and utility The most obvious factory building landscapes

are found in secondary industry or manufacturing

Some are imaginatively designed and well landscaped

Others are surrounded by gray seas of parking lots

Range from the futuristic to stark “brick-pile factories to award-winning structure designed by famous architects

Industry creates a landscape, not for beauty, but for profit and utility The most obvious factory building landscapes

are found in secondary industry or manufacturing Some are imaginatively designed and well

landscaped Others are surrounded by gray seas of parking

lots Range from the futuristic to stark “brick-pile

factories to award-winning structure designed by famous architects

Industrial Landsape, Lanzhou, China

Industrial Landsape, Lanzhou, China In 1949, as part of a

decentralization effort, Lanzhou was designated for industrialization.

A former Silk Road oasis, it functioned as a caravan stop and garrison.

Now it is northwest China’s principal industrial base with refineries, coal and petrochemical complexes, metal processing and machine-making factories, and textile mills.

Industrial Landsape, Lanzhou, China An important military base,

it is also a key center for China’s atomic energy industry.

Lanzhou’s population has swelled to more than 2 million.

Air pollution is worse in most Western cities with sulfur-dioxide emissions from the combustion of low-quality coal in factories and household stoves a major contributor.

Manufacturing landscapes initially appeared in Britain Poets and artists of the eighteenth and nineteenth

centuries reacted strongly to the emerging landscape Geographers Peters and Anderson studied their works After an early period of optimism, some poets and artists

quickly sensed something amiss in the landscape Their warning, in the form of paintings and poems, began

appearing in the 1775 to 1800 period Some artists left paintings that convey a sinister, forbidding,

unpleasant landscape Much of the British industrial region was already

known as the “Black Country”

Manufacturing landscapes initially appeared in Britain Douglas Porteous from Yorkshire, England, coined

the word topocide, meaning the deliberate, planned killing of a place for benefits of industry

Geographer Shane Davies, son of the Welsh coal fields, had a nostalgic view He lamented the deliberate government-supported

obliteration of the defunct mining landscape after 1930 He felt there would soon be nothing left of the mining

landscape He felt that Britain seeks “to sanitize landscapes pillaged

while forging an industrial empire”

Service industries produce a landscape Includes visual elements as diverse as high-rise

bank buildings, hamburger stands, “silicon landscapes,” and concrete and steel webs of highways and railroads

Some highway interchanges can be described as modern art forms

Perhaps the high point of the tertiary landscape is found in bridges Many are often graceful and beautiful structures Few sights of the industrial age can match a well-designed

rail or highway bridge

Age of the automobile

Early in the twentieth century vehicles began to displace walking

Los Angeles is the ultimate automobile city The freeway system allows motorists to observe

their surroundings at nonstop speeds Allows drivers to look down on the world In some areas, streets actually have no sidewalks

at all

Age of the automobile

Los Angeles is the ultimate automobile city In other areas, the layout of main avenues has

been planned with the car in mind Pedestrians feel ill at ease amid the noise, traffic

jams, drive-in banks, and parking lots Shopping streets are no longer scaled to

pedestrians — Los Angeles’s Ventura Boulevard extends for 15 miles

Reading the Landscape: Vancouver, Canada


Vancouver is a major port on the west coast of North America. Canadian wheat is transported by rail to the Vancouver Wheat Pool’s storage elevators from where it is shipped around the Pacific Rim. The railway cars are designed to carry wheat.

Note how rail lines, truck routes, warehouses and shipping facilities agglomerate here.


There are container ships, loading cranes and a variety of containers, some of which are refrigerated to carry products such as fish.

Fishing boats and seafood packing plant are in the foreground.

There is a sugar refinery in front of the grain elevators.


The large white ship reflects that Vancouver is a key stop on Alaska cruise routes.

Which industrial sectors are represented in this picture?

What kinds of spatial interaction between Vancouver and other parts of the world are evident here?

Documents

Culture Regions Industrial Regions Diffusion of the Industrial Revolution Industrial Ecology Industrial Cultural Integration Industrial Landscapes