...response of "Anthropocene" After reading this movie "Anthropocene," I have a lot of new ideas. Our Earth was once the most beautiful planet in the universe. It has an endless ocean; it has lush forests; it gives fresh air to people. However, everything is changing. Sewage and domestic wastewater discharged from the factory directly flow into the rivers, lakes, and seas and pollute the water resources. Industrial emissions, such as automobile exhaust emissions to the air, severely damaged the Earth's atmosphere. Human beings have cut down trees and destroyed forests in a large amount, causing soil erosion and soil desertification. The most horrible thing is that humans keep killing animals. As a result, many species on the land are on the brink of extinction, causing the ecological balance to continue to be destroyed. "We are in the beginnings of a transition to something else," one scientist ominously proclaims during the film....
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...Health is often defined as complete physical, social, and mental wellbeing; not only the absence of sickness. It is shown that the effects of climate change in the Anthropocene era have an impact on all aspects of human health. While illness and disease are constant elements of human existence, the causes and ways in which they are treated is constantly evolving. Using an ecological framework to examine human sickness and health reminds us that there is no sole cause of either—and that public health is impacted by many—often interacting—elements on both the individual and global level. Professor Monica White defines the Anthropocene as the “current geological period where human activity has been the dominant influence on climate and environment” (White 2/1/2018). The changing climate of the Anthropocene era plays a large role in impacting human health and disease-- from disease outbreaks to natural disasters the effects of climate change have a monumental impact on sickness and health. As an example, the raising global temperatures cause mosquitos to become...
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...The Anthropocene is a proposed name to define our current geologic epoch – a new era where humans exert influence over the Earth’s natural systems. There is plentiful evidence that this name change is long overdue; however, rather than debating amongst the many researchers and scientists for a point of origin, environmental ethics scholar Christopher J. Preston in “Framing an Ethics of Climate Management for the Anthropocene” considers the complexity of climate change, and through the use of logos is able to argue his theory of “the climate imperative.” In order to facilitate the use of logos, Preston repeatedly begins sentences with direct statements, such as “The release of the Intergovernmental Panel” (359), which sets a tone for the paper....
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...By definition, the Anthropocene is a proposed epoch that began when human activities started to have a significant global impact on Earth's ecosystems. The idea of an anthropogenic era is a highly debated topic amongst many researchers such as: Paul Wapner and Christopher J. Preston, who have attempted to provide viable solutions to ease the Anthropocene. They also argue that “we have so tamed, colonized, and contaminated the natural world that safeguarding it from humans is no longer an option” (Wapner, 111). Wapner depicts how humanity's imprint is now everywhere, and all efforts to "preserve" nature are highly improbable in the near future. Although a bold and convincing statement, it relies on a “slippery slope” type assumption that the...
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...theoretically correct assumptions about the past. According to research, it is evident that the earth’s environment and life have been evolving since the beginning of time, which is still evident today as ecosystems and environments continue to change. Three theories that help explain the evolutionary history of our natural world and ongoing environmental change include natural selection, neutral theory of molecular evolution, and the transition into the Anthropocene epoch. Natural selection theory argues that life forms evolve in response to the changes in the environment. Neutral theory of molecular change argues that changes occur in organisms at a constant rate over time without the influence of the environment. Anthropocene is a relatively new term that suggests we have transitioned from the Holocene era to the Anthropocene, which is characterized human dominated activity. These theories are presented in various works, but this paper will focus on Life and the Evolution of Earth’s Atmosphere by Stephen J. Mojzsis, The Anthropocene: a new epoch of geological time? by Jan Zalasiewicz, Mark Williams, Alan Haywood, and Michael Ellis, and The Modern Molecular Clock by Lindell Bromham and David Penny. According to most scientists including Stephen Mojzsis (2001), the earth’s atmosphere and oceans appeared 4.5 billion years ago. The planet’s conditions were predominately anaerobic for 2.2 billion years; greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen, water vapour, sulfur...
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...When human interaction and interference started to have a resounding impact on our environment we see the anthropocene begin to form and take shape. It seems to be in humans nature to take and transform the resources that surround us, for better or for worse. However, we have seen time and time again that humans can perform extraordinary accomplishments by innovating and making the most of what the earth has to give. What this brings to light is that there is an extremely fine line between the destructive and constructive forces that can be wrought upon our surroundings if careful planning isn’t taken into consideration when enacting any sort of activity. Whether it construction, transportation, agriculture, hospitality, all of these activities...
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...Themes in U.S. and World History Task 1 Western Governors University Joon Park 2014/12/19 Task 1 A. Yellow River Valley and other early civilizations have many things in common. Hunting and gathering was not efficient enough to support a large population so they could start a civilization. All early civilizations relied on agriculture for their food source, and agriculture needs both a reliable water source and a fertile field. Yellow River Valley became an early civilization due to its geographic factor, the Yellow River. The Yellow River provided three major benefits for having agriculture based civilization: irrigation, a transportation route for trade, and a source of consumption. The Yellow River also flooded annually, creating a fertile field for crops. (Zhuang, Y., & Kidder, T. R). B. Yellow River Valley civilization flourished with the Yellow River and developed its own unique tea culture. The Yellow River got its name from the color of water it carries, which is rich in nutrients and discolors the water. The nutrients make the water great for farming but not for drinking, due to its strong earthy taste. Tea became a main trading commodity between ancient China and Tibet. Chinese caravans would carry tea from the southern part of China to Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, to trade for horses (JenkinsMark, 2010). This route was called the Ancient Tea Route/Cha-ma-go-do, a literal translation is “Tea Horse High Road.” Buddhism from China...
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...Today, humans and their actions are a major deciding factor in how the world is ran. Most believe that we are in the era of the anthropocene, which is a period of time that human’s are the dominant influence on the climate and the environment. Three major writers: Wendell Berry, Aldo Leopold, and James Lovelock all have their opinions on what role humans have compared to nature as well as what we should do as humans regarding our relationship with nature and the world. Berry had the agrarianism viewpoint; Leopold had the ecocentrism viewpoint; Lovelock had the Gaia hypothesis. All three authors give their own opinions, however I don’t believe in any one of those viewpoints solely, but more as a collaboration of many different viewpoints we...
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...chronologically to demonstrate visions of slow violence. In subtle ideas, it is made clear that the plastics created by humans are indeed the problem and that plastic is now a widespread, common household tool. Excerpts from the book, “The World Without Us,” convey messages of slow violence as a result of anthropocentric actions due to imperialism and globalization. I have chosen several themes that illustrate how Weisman is able to provoke thought among his readers in order to have the desired effect of causing awareness of what humans are doing to nature. Slow violence is gradual destruction of nature and usually out of sight. We see that the violence occurring has reached a point where the evidence of destruction is now visible. The anthropocene denotes the current geological age, where human actions has been been the primary influence on the environment. The creation of plastic has globalized and the good itself, has imperialistic qualities. Imperialism can be defined in relation to the dominance plastic has over every human's life. The plastic itself extends its power over everyone, by virtue of its versatility. Man-made plastics have not been around long enough for its creators to understand the effects imposed upon the earth. Ever since the first plastics were made; around World War II, their use has consumed the global planet. Weisman informs us that plastic was being mass produced and consumed in the 1960’s, only increasing production from then on (Weisman 144). Evidence...
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...Sustainable Development and Planetary Boundaries BACKGROUND RESEARCH PAPER Johan Rockström and Jeffrey D. Sachs with Marcus C. Öhman and Guido Schmidt-Traub Submitted to the High Level Panel on the Post-2015 Development Agenda This paper reflects the views of the author and does not represent the views of the Panel. It is provided as background research for the HLP Report, one of many inputs to the process. May 2013 Draft for Discussion Sustainable Development and Planetary Boundaries Draft for Discussion Background paper for the High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda Prepared by the co-chairs of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network Thematic Group on Macroeconomics, Population Dynamics, and Planetary Boundaries: Johan Rockström Executive Director, Stockholm Resilience Centre Professor of Environmental Science, Stockholm University Jeffrey D. Sachs Director, The Earth Institute, Columbia University Director, The Sustainable Development Solutions Network Special Advisor to Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon on the Millennium Development Goals with Marcus C. Öhman Associate Professor and Senior Researcher in Ecology and Environmental Science, Stockholm Resilience Centre Guido Schmidt-Traub Executive Director, The Sustainable Development Solutions Network 15 March 2013 1 Draft for Discussion The world faces a serious challenge, indeed one that is unique to our age. Developing countries rightly...
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...claim), with giant waves washing over the Himalayas, super volcanoes erupting and extreme earthquakes occurring almost everywhere. The date 2012 became a phenomenon, with possibly hundreds of books published about it, masses of websites, and an almost infinite amount of personal quasi-interpretations appearing on youtube clips. Perhaps after all, Apocolyptism is simply an innate fear, just another aspect of the human condition. However, currently amidst this anthropogenic disregard for our own host planet, we may well be creating changes much less predictable than anything we have previously known. Our apocalyptic fears may be no longer deemed irrational. As we leave the relative comfort of the Holocene and enter the unknown age of the Anthropocene, maybe an End Time will be created by something much less magnificent and mythical than those proposed in religious texts. Perhaps it will be simply incurred by our own collective behaviours; our demise might simply be created by....us? There was an abundance of claims that the ancient Mayan mathematicians, astronomers and prophets had foreseen an end of the world. The only truly successful prophets of our history is of course the astronomers. Their ability to accurately calculate the astronomical cycles tens of thousands of years ahead is one thing, but who ever mentioned the end of the world? Many people really did began to believe an End Time was due on the winter solstice of 2012. But what authority did any of these non-Mayan claimants...
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...Natural resources are resources that exist without the actions of humankind. This includes all valued characteristics such as magnetic, gravitational, and electrical properties and forces. On earth we include sunlight, atmosphere, water, land, air(includes all minerals) along with all vegetation and animal life that naturally subsists upon or within the heretofore identified characteristics and substances.[1][2][3][4] Particular areas such as the rainforest in Fatu-Hiva are often characterized by the biodiversity and geodiversity existent in their ecosystems. Natural resources may be further classified in different ways. Natural resources are materials and components (something that can be used) that can be found within the environment. Every man-made product is composed of natural resources (at its fundamental level). A natural resource may exist as a separate entity such as fresh water, and air , as well as a living organism such as a fish, or it may exist in an alternate form which must be processed to obtain the resource such as metal ores, mineral oil, and most forms of energy. There is much debate worldwide over natural resource allocations, this is particularly true during periods of increasing scarcity and shortages (depletion and overconsumption of resources) but also because the exportation of natural resources is the basis for many economies (particularly for developed countries). Some natural resources such as sunlight and air can be found everywhere, and are known...
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...Sustainability Review Test 1 1) Kenneth E. Boulding—“Economics of the Coming Spaceship Earth” * English (1910-1993), Professor at U. of Michigan, U of Colorado * Economist, educator, peace advocate, Quaker, systems scientists, interdisciplinary philosopher * We are approaching a closed system and how it is going to be tough for us * Neither receivers inputs nor outputs * i.e. self-contained * Today we are in an open mind approaching a closed one * Morals are keeping us in the open for now * Econospherethe total worth of everything we have * Fossil fuel is buried sunshine * Shift from Cowboy Economy—people believe that there are unlimited shits, i.e. like the wild west to Spaceship Economy * Spaceship Economywe have only brought enough food/resources for the people we are carrying and must make it last for as long as we can * Stresses resource management * Doesn’t really consider environmental impact as much as more about conservation * Focuses more on population vs. environmental impact * Entropy (?) * Spaceman Economy living within our means, don’t worship production vs. costs… more conservation concerned * Fracking is a good example of us still in a cowboy mode although we are shifting toward Spaceman * Reference to Ethics—ethics, it is us, it is a plural term… we have an ethical obligation to think of future generations * Solutions at the end...
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...Sustainability Review Test 1 1) Kenneth E. Boulding—“Economics of the Coming Spaceship Earth” * English (1910-1993), Professor at U. of Michigan, U of Colorado * Economist, educator, peace advocate, Quaker, systems scientists, interdisciplinary philosopher * We are approaching a closed system and how it is going to be tough for us * Neither receivers inputs nor outputs * i.e. self-contained * Today we are in an open mind approaching a closed one * Morals are keeping us in the open for now * Econospherethe total worth of everything we have * Fossil fuel is buried sunshine * Shift from Cowboy Economy—people believe that there are unlimited shits, i.e. like the wild west to Spaceship Economy * Spaceship Economywe have only brought enough food/resources for the people we are carrying and must make it last for as long as we can * Stresses resource management * Doesn’t really consider environmental impact as much as more about conservation * Focuses more on population vs. environmental impact * Entropy (?) * Spaceman Economy living within our means, don’t worship production vs. costs… more conservation concerned * Fracking is a good example of us still in a cowboy mode although we are shifting toward Spaceman * Reference to Ethics—ethics, it is us, it is a plural term… we have an ethical obligation to think of future generations * Solutions at the end...
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...FROM “(R)EVOLUTION” TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: CURRENT FEATURES AND PERSPECTIVES ABSTRACT This article aims to address the issue of Sustainable Development (SD) in an evolutionary perspective within its multidisciplinary scope. The complexity of developments for sustainability has frequently proven difficult in its implementation, evaluation and effective communication.It was our intention to provide an outline of the diverse views on the subject, focusing on globalization as a change of attitude towards sustainability.It is a review of terminology associated with the SD and its multiple interpretations.It is referenced the apparent and irrelevant impact of initiatives to solve the economic, social and environmental problem. It emphasizes the influence and importance of strategies and the positioning of SMEs on the way to SD in the policy of act local think global. KEYWORDS Strategy Sustainable development Sustainability, SMEs JERÓNIMO, WINSTON CENSE, Center for Environmental and Sustainability Research, Departamento de Ciências e Engenharia do Ambiente, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal OLIVEIRA, NUNO GASPAR DE CIGEST, Assistente Instituto Superior de Gestão, Portugal 1. INTRODUCTION “(R)Evolution or Death”, adapted from the revolutionary slogan used and popularized by the Cuban regime, serves as motto for the urgent need to transform our production and consumption systems and our standing towards the environment around us....
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