Human Hubris And Global Crises Flashcards
The Anthropocene
A proposed new geological era, defined by human activities, especially after the Industrial Revolution in the early 1800s and especially starting in the 20th century
“Technofossils” in sediments
-Chemical/elemental singnatures in soils (Pb isotopes, hydrocarbons, biphenyls
-Increased concentration of black carbon, ash, carbonaceous particles
-aluminum, concrete, plastics
-signs of erosion and deforestation
The Anthropocene
> Unsustainable deforestation & habitat loss
Fertilizers and Pesticides
-Excess nitrogen and phosphorous
Industrial Agriculture
Sustainable Farming
-Historic and archaeological evidence of farming practices Gotham were more sustainable than modern monocropping
-Unsustainable methods utilized for economic gain
The Anthropocene
-Industrial Agriculture –> unsustainable deforestation & habitat loss
AND
-Staggering amounts of food waste
-in the U.S., 40% of edible food
-a problem worldwide
-usually linked to economic policies, not health/safety concerns
Food Waste
> Crops left in fields due to low prices
Aritificial inflation of food prices
Not meetings aesthetic standards
Effects of an Unchecked Anthropocene
I. Atmospheric CO2 & CH4 (methane) ca. 1850 and again ca. 1950: big increases
II. Global sea level rise 3.2mm/ year between 1993-2010
III. Rise in exstinction rates: first ca. 16th century, huge rise in 19th-20th century
Disease in an Unchecked Anthropocene
*Malaria
Futures Viral Pandemics: All But Guaranteed
I. Most spherical mRNA viruses that infect humans (the common cold, influenza, covid-19, HIV) are zoonotic (evolved from animal strains)
-Influenza’s primary host= pigs and birds (chickens)
-Covid-19= likely from bats taken from their wild habitats and trafficked
-HIV= evolved from SIV in chimpanzees & monkeys poached for bushmeat or trophies
II. Human activity will expose humans to future viral strains
-Habitat destruction
- Industrial livestock farms, feedlots, slaughterhouses
-Illegal/unregulated wildlife trafficking
The Role of Biological Anthropology
I. Primatologists working in partnerships with communities
A. Conserve primate ecosystems
B. Educate about the dangers of wildlife trafficking
C. Help ID sustainable economic alternatives, for example: consult to make ecotourism safe
The Role of Biological Anthropology
II. Human Biologists working toward equitable public health, food sovereignty, environmental justice
A. Culturally-appropriate & desirable alternatives to animal-based diets
B. Emphasizing the SOCIAL & CULTURAL causes of health disparities
C. Working with different community stakeholders
The Role of Biological Anthropology
III. Paleontologists studying past climates & adaptive shifts
A. Detailing why the Anthropocene is SIGNIFCANTLY different in the rate and magnitude of climate change vs. earlier periods
B. Studying previous mas extinction events to understand the current one (which has already begun)
IV. Bioarchaeologists studying past human societies
A. Studying impacts of earlier climate shifts on human health and behavior–> insights what might vs won’t work in the future
B. Gaining broader insights into different cultural responses, behavioral adaptability, deeper perspectives on how we got to where we are
The Role of Biological Anthropology
V. Helping us be informed, critically engaged global citizens
A. Appreciating the fundamental role of culture in shaping our biology, evolution, and our health
B. Recognizing that humanity is not separate from the natural world, but an integral part of it dependent on it
C. Appreciating that flexibility, versatility, empathy, Anne creativity are central parts of our evolutionary legacy
D. Recognizing that humanity is not the pinnacle of evolution; that all species have their own evolutionary histories & intrinsic value
