Explain
The Anthropocene Age - Our current geological epoch that many scholars believe the Earth entered at some point between 1945 and the 1960s - describes an age marked by human disruption of the Earth’s climate. As a result of the industrial revolution, global carbon emissions quickly skyrocketed as many of the world’s wealthiest nations began exploiting the Earth’s natural gas reserves, mass-producing goods, and over-consuming the resources available to them. Since the introduction of the Anthropocene Age, we have proceeded to inflict an almost-irreparable amount of damage onto the Earth; damage that will continue to test our capacity for survival.
As you work through this section, consider this: what does the dawn of the Anthropocene Age mean for our future of humanity and the Earth?
Explore
Definition
- Anthropocene Encyclopedia of the Earth
- What does it mean to be human? Human Origins
- The Anthropocene Epoch The Guardian
- The Anthropocene Epoch Encyclopedia Britannica
- Anthropocene Ted Radio Hour NRP
Publications
- Anthropocene Magazine The Breakthrough Institute
- Democracy in the Anthropocene The Breakthrough Institute
- Anthropocene: Have humans created a new geological age? BBC
- The Anthropocene epoch: scientists declare dawn of human-influenced age The Guardian
- What is the Anthropocene and Are We in it? Smithsonian
- What is the Anthropocene? TEDSummit, Emma Marris
Engage
1. How do you describe the Anthropocene Age?
2. In light of what you’ve learned above, do you believe that we as a species have constructed our societies on untested assumptions about the world around us? Please name two of those assumptions and share these with others.
3. Collaborating in Mud! (30 Minutes)
In a small circle of others, please clarify the muddiest point in your mind about what you’ve learned above.