WHAT IS ANTHROPOCENE?
Anthropocene is a term that describes the recent evolution of the earth, and how it is changing through the influences of humans. It is clear, through overwhelming global evidence, that humans have become the most influential factor that is affecting the earth’s systems, environment, processes and biodiversity. Most of these impacts on Earth are long-lasting or potentially irreversible. Pollution is a key marker of the Anthropocene. Earth is now full of plastic – millions of tons are produced every year. As plastic doesn’t biodegrade, it ends up littering soils and ocean beds, which harms animals and habitats.
The genre I have chosen to focus on for this topic is landscapes, because I think it links really well with Anthropocene as I can clearly show evidence of it through my landscape images.
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EXAMPLES OF ANTHROPOCENE
- Global warming
- Rapid population growth/ overpopulation
- Carbon dioxide emissions
- Ocean acidification
- Habitat destruction
- Extinction of animals and life
- Pollution
HISTORY OF ANTHROPOCENE
The Earth’s history is divided into a series of different, small time periods, this is referred to as the ‘geologic time scale’. These divisions are called eons, eras, periods, epochs, and ages. However, the Anthropocene Epoch is an unofficial unit of geologic time which is used to describe the most recent period in Earth’s history, when human activity started to have a significant impact on the planet’s climate and ecosystems.
Lots of people have debated on when the Anthropocene period actually started. One popular theory is that it began at the start of the Industrial Revolution of the 1800s, when human activity had a great impact on carbon and methane in Earth’s atmosphere. Others think that the beginning of the Anthropocene should be 1945, when humans tested the first atomic bomb and then dropped atomic bombs on Japan. This resulted in radioactive particles being detected in soil samples all around the world.
In my opinion, I think photos that focus on Anthropocene can be seen as quite beautiful and moving, whilst still having a powerful message behind them about our environment. However, some photos, for example pollution and habitat destruction, can be seen as disturbing and scary for people. Photographers like to focus on these kind of images as it spreads awareness about the destruction humans are causing to the Earth, and can lead to encouraging people to help solve these issues more day by day. I don’t think that these photographers are solving these problems, but they are trying to help people see the destruction that humans have caused from a different, more realistic, perspective.