The generation and use of power that is non-human and non-animal in form is usually associated with economic development and not coincidentally, air pollution. There is no mystery in this. Once manufacturers have learned the trick of using non-muscle based power sources like oil, gas, coal, water, and atomics, there is no turning back the clock. Considering that the use of coal, petrochemical, and water power are the easiest entry points to commercial development and economic growth, air pollution is sure to follow (Portney, 1995, 27 28).
The use of oil based products provides cheap and plentiful sources of power, albeit environmentally hazardous. There is no doubt that pollution from these sources have been noted all along, but doing something about it is another matter altogether (Tietenberg, 1994, 125). After all, if the use of electrical power allows a manufacturer to produce much more of a given product in a shorter period of time using fewer man-hours, what is to be done? At the time when automobile and electrical power use were expanding throughout the United States, pollution was not a key issue. Improving the economy was the key issue (Portney, 1995, 27-28).
Of course as economies around the globe strive to emulate capitalism in Western terms, the same problems will occur. Trying to limit pollutants in developing economies usually engenders a hands-off attitude. Developing economies may not see or care about the pollution problems endemic to electric utilities or automobiles. It is for certain that many in the United States, in the early part of this century had no clue as to what pollution was or the dangers it posed.
The truth was "automobiles and electric utilities are associated with economic development as well as air pollution." This is no longer necessarily true. The economics of developing economies still allow 'dirty' technologies to lead the way. But the passage of environmentally sound legisl...