Pollution and Industrial era

I have cities that I've kept at size 12 since the ancient era. Their shield production never changes. At no point am I producing any pollution. However, it seems that whenever I enter the industrial age, pollution starts to appear, even though nothing has changed.

Does anyone know what tech advance causes pollution? I'd like to minimize the time between the appearance of pollution and my building recycling centers and mass transits.

Also, how do you eliminate pollution completely? Even at only 1 or 2 pollution symbols per city (which, IIRC, means about 1-2% chance of pollution appearing), the world still warms up, and my terrain (perfectly balanced to give me perfect cities without starvation...) is ruined.

Entering the industrial age triggers pollution. The same city with the same population and the same shield output spontaneously begins producing pollution.

More people = more population pollution, which can only be combated with mass transit (or reducing population).

Factories, coal plants, iron works, offshore platforms, manufacturing plants, research labs, ummm - I think that's all of them - all create more pollution. This production caused pollution can be combated by reducing shield output, switching to hydro/solar/nuclear power plants (hydro and solar produce no pollution, so they're a benefit over coal plants. Nuclear actually reduces pollution as well as creating a greater factory output boost), and building recycling centers.

I think that's about it. Basically: Use clean power plants, build mass transit and recycling centers everywhere, and don't produce more than you need to. If you've got the world basically under control and don't need to pump out military units at maximum speed or rush your spaceship production, then don't build things like offshore platforms and manufacturing plants. I have a real hard time recommending skipping research labs though... I know I love cranking out the tech.

Originally posted by Yeti
don't build things like offshore platforms and manufacturing plants. I have a real hard time recommending skipping research labs though... I know I love cranking out the tech.

Click to expand...

I 100% agree with you -- in principle, but I found I could hardly resist the temptation to add more improvements to a city:crazyeyes

The one I forgot was airports - they create a bit of pollution too.

As far as I know an airport is useless unless you are going to build air units in that city (and want them to be veteran) or if the city is not connected to your trade network via roads/rails or a harbor.