The
term “Anthropocene” is composed of anthropo (humankind), and cene (new), in
Greek language. It is viewed as the period during which human activity has been
the dominant influence on climate and the environment. Experts believe that the
new epoch has started 66 years ago with the start of industrial revolution in
early 19th century. Main indicators in relation to human influence
are summarized as follows:
- Humans occupied a significant part of the
Earth as hunter gatherers, communities and farmers.
- Burning carbon rich fossil fuel liberated
CO2 (referred to as greenhouse gas) which allows the sunlight in, but traps the
heat radiation that the earth and its oceans emit in return.
-The liberated CO2 does not escape the
earth and the level has increased from 280 ppm to 413 ppm at present.
-The average surface temperature over the
past two centuries has gone up by 1.5 degrees centigrade. This has led to
global warming, and consequently, melting of glaciers and raising of the sea
level by 3.2 mm every year.
-Increase in human population from 1.2
billion in 1850 to the current 7 billion.
-Massive destruction of forests, animals
and the Earth’s sixth major extinction proves that the biodiversity crisis is
real, and that 7% of all species on Earth may have disappeared already.
-Plastics, litter and debris carried by
rivers and creeks accumulate in the marine environment particularly, in coastal
areas, affecting biodiversity.
-The bones of domestic chicken, the world’s
most common bird through human breeding and consumption, with over 60 billion
consumed a year become fossilized in landfill sites.
-The atomic weapon testing programs, coal
plants, nuclear fallout and tests of thermonuclear devices have left a clear
and global signal of high concentration of radionuclides.
-Human activity has affected the soil
through repeated ploughing, addition of fertilizers, contamination, sealing,
and much more.
An indication of unawareness and a
depiction of total neglect of wholeness of life!
Sources
m.thehindu.com
Earthsky.org
Wikipedia
