This beautiful 3 minute video, ‘Welcome to the Anthropocene’, takes us on a trip through the past 250 years of human activity, beginning at the start of the Industrial Revolution. The video demonstrates the incredible growth and impact of humanity, showing how we have become a global force on the scale of major geological processes.
Virtually no part of the Earth has been left untouched by human activity, which has accelerated significantly since about 1950. Our roads, shipping lanes, and airline flight-paths (not shown in the video, but can been seen in the previous post Worldwide And US Air Traffic Over 24 Hours [Video], Wow.)
The video was produced for the Planet Under Pressure conference in London by Globaïa. The video also forms part of the first educational site dedicated to the Anthropocene – the new geological epoc dominated by humanity.
The video concludes by explaining that although human activity, chiefly industrialization and population growth, have impacted the planet negatively,
“Our creativity, energy and industry offer hope. We have shaped our past, we are shaping our present, we can shape our future. You and I are part of this story. We are part of the first generation to realize this responsibility. As the population grows to 9 billion, we must find a safe operating space for humanity, for the sake of future generations. Welcome to the Anthropocene.”
Is this the first you’ve heard of this new geological epoc called the Anthropopcene? Do you agree that humanity is now changing the Earth on a scale equivalent to major geological processes? And do you think we can successfully “find a safe operating space” over the coming decades?
Image: snapshot from ‘Welcome to the Anthropocene’
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