Suspended in the midst of seemingly desolate stardust, the Earth twinkles with life. Nestled on this phenomenal orb, we human beings are able to experience and grapple with the privilege of existence. Yet somehow, despite having only flourished for an infinitesimal portion of the Earth’s history, we may be initiating the onset of our own demise. How can it be… Read more »
Walt Whitman once wrote, “You air that serves me with breath to speak…You light that wraps me and all things in delicate equable showers!… I believe you are latent with unseen existences, you are so dear to me.” Despite how personally we interpret the phenomenon of nature, the world around us is so much more complicated that we can… Read more »
The point of this class is to care enough to learn and then spread awareness about the impact of our actions. I came in not knowing what the word ‘Anthropocene’ meant. I now know it means humans are a geological force. We are glaciers and meteors and our change is affecting the entire world. However, with the dawning realization of… Read more »
Written at 11:00 AM 10.8.2017 I think it’s fascinating to be alive at such a pivotal point for humanity. Not only do I bear witness to the sour fruits of the industrial revolution but I see a future where science fiction becomes reality. I recently read an article on the subject of quantum computing, a topic I’ve closely followed since… Read more »
India and China, two increasingly populous countries driving local development and deleterious emissions, will inevitable be limited by the natural resources available for their use, much like a chemical reaction (Steffen). In this manner, the planet checks the expansion of humanity. However, between biofuels and antibiotics, our species continues to defy the parameters that hinder the advance of other life… Read more »
During our periods of self reflection related to this course, I find myself facing a recurrent thought. The majority of US citizens acknowledge that climate change is happening but is anyone actually willing to do anything about it? I have heard so many individuals cry out against climate change, making claims of how we as a society need to initiate… Read more »
There are many people who think that humans are getting what was coming to them. We destroyed thousands of acres of forests, hunted animals to extinction, pumped the atmosphere with chemicals, and laid cities to waste with nuclear bombs. Why shouldn’t we be punished for all the environmental crimes we have committed, right? The most interesting implication of the Anthropocene is… Read more »
Let’s talk about bubble wrap. For the uninitiated, it’s worth noting: a fresh sheet of pristine bubble wrap provides an endless abundance of sensorial pleasure and poppable potential. The satisfaction of its loud “clack!” is matched only by the sheer delight of snapping a pustule beneath your thumb pad. For years (heck, until this course began, really), I’ve lived within… Read more »
I think one of the most startling aspects of a concept such as the Anthropocene is its ability to elicit a sense of both optimism and pessimism. While reflecting on our past two weeks of class and readings, I realize that I have been consistently torn as to how to approach the topic. Recognizing the strength of Michael Maniates’s argument… Read more »
Out of the flood of information I’ve been soaking in lately pertaining to this class and our inevitable demise, the most surprising to me would have to be the idea of systems theory. As we all were sitting on the lawn a few days ago, we discussed how the popular idea of being “environmentally friendly” is making small, individualistic choices… Read more »