What changed our way of life
Many factors have changed the way of life of the living things on Earth. Among them, industrialisation, urbanisation, commercial agriculture and built irrigation systems are the main ones.
Industrialisation
The process by which a country changes from a primary agricultural society to one that produces goods and services is industrialisation. It began around 1800 AD, based in Western Europe, because of technological progress and because small-scale production was no longer enough.
Urbanisation
As the population grows, people gather in areas rich in resources; this is urbanisation. With industrialisation, people migrate to cities hoping for work and an easier life.
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Commercial agriculture
Agriculture done on a large scale for commercial profit, beyond producing the food needed to live, is commercial agriculture. It focuses on high-yielding improved varieties, agrochemicals and machinery to get more harvest.
Built irrigation systems
Instead of relying on rain, people have built tanks, ponds, reservoirs, canals, channels and tunnels to get the water needed for farming.
Heavy and varied use of materials and energy
Technology and complex needs lead to heavy use of materials harmful to the environment, and machines that use energy in place of human labour.
Why these changes affect our health
Each change brought benefits: more food, better medicine, easier work. But each also changed how we live. People moved from fields to offices and now sit most of the day; machines do the work that once kept bodies fit; processed food rich in sugar, salt and fat replaced home cooking; and the chemicals of commercial farming reached our water. The following pages look at the diseases that have grown with this new way of life.
Five drivers of change
Industrialisation, urbanisation, commercial agriculture, built irrigation and heavy use of materials and energy have changed how we live.