Adventures in the Anthropocene
This is a guest post by Tom Hanson who can be found at @hano_teach.
“Anatomically modern humans didn’t arrive until nearly 200,000 years ago and it was touch and go whether we would survive. But something pulled us through, the something that differentiated us from other species in this shared biosphere and made us so successful that we now rule our world: the human brain.”
“So humankind is making a pretty distinctive mark on the living planet. Nowhere on Earth is truly wild or pristine anymore – everywhere has been touched by humans in some way”
Overall Verdict: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Why this book?
This is the ultimate book to weave through your entire geography curriculum. Gaia Vince’s ‘Adventures in the Anthropocene’ takes the reader on an extraordinary journey around the world investigating the challenges and opportunities we face heading into the Anthropocene: the ‘Age of Man’. In the 4.5 billion years of the planet’s history, human activity is on a par with the greatest natural events in terms of changing the physical characteristics of the world in which we inhabit. The scale and speed of our impact on the planet has been phenomenal since World War Two and in this time, known as the Great Acceleration, we have made epoch-defining changes to the spheres of Earth which are explored eloquently by Gaia throughout.
Constructed of ten fascinating chapters: Atmosphere, Mountains, Rivers, Farmlands, Oceans, Deserts, Savannahs, Forests, Rocks, and Cities, each one offers much more than the simple titles would suggest. This book is the perfect companion to any geography curriculum providing the real-world examples we often seek to bring the content of our lessons alive.
Each chapter opens with a beautifully written geographical overview which provides an exciting introduction before Gaia’s journey continues. The sheer volume of subject specific vocabulary is noteworthy and will expose students to an extensive range of tier two and three words. The brief introductory passages can also be used in their own right in the classroom and will be especially useful for teachers who appreciate a ‘hook’ at the start of a unit.
This book is a masterful combination of travel writing, interviews and geographical discussion making it a must-read for every geography teacher.
For students:
“Four and a half billion years ago, out of the dirty halo of cosmic dust left over from the creation of our sun, a spinning clump of minerals coalesced. Earth was born, the third rock from the sun.” (p.1)
The introduction to ‘Adventures in the Anthropocene’ offers a succinct description of Earth’s incredible history and our place within it. Although you are strongly advised to read the entire book, this short summary will give you a strong understanding of how human actions are altering the natural world and what we can expect of our future.
“As scientists and conservationists, we need to recognise that we’ve failed: Galapagos will never be pristine” (p.266)
If you have an interest in ecology and conservation, find out about the challenges facing the people trying the manage some of the most wondrous islands on the planet where Charles Darwin carried out his research. Conservation is not as straightforward as we might think and this passage will give you an insight into some of the scientific debates taking place.
“There is a small cluster of low, unheated stone hovels clinging to the mountainside and between them is the low dark entrance, stained black with llama blood, remnant of a sacrifice to the Tio (the Devil) made a couple of weeks ago. Miners are extremely superstitious creatures…” (p.317)
We live in a world dominated by technology and it plays a huge part in all our lives (tablets, phones, watches, smart speakers, coffee machines etc.) but all these gadgets come at a price. Take a tour through a Bolivian silver mine to discover the human and ecological costs of our much-loved tech.
“Kyle Wiens is the sophisticated electronics tinkerer that the industry emperors like Microsoft and Apple dream of employing. But Kyle is a guerrilla geek – he slipped through their net and crossed over to the consumer side.” (p.330)
There is another way! Rather than complying with the throwaway society around us, why not consider what you can do to tackle these issues. This part of the book investigates the make-do-and-mend culture that we need to reignite in an attempt to conserve resources and make the most of those already exploited.
For teachers:
The book is brimming with case studies from different locations around the world. In terms of geographical content, there is incredible breadth and depth. Each chapter, though quite lengthy, can be treated as a standalone text making the book much more accessible for the time-limited teacher to take what they need, when they need it.
Students will be captivated by the opening passages of each chapter but they will particularly enjoy experiencing the lives of a number of fascinating individuals and the unique stories shared. These anecdotes will support students in their understanding of the content which is suitably challenging. Mahabir Pun (Atmosphere), a local hero helping to bring Wi-Fi and toilets to an isolated Nepalese village, Rosa Maria (Forests), a sixty year-old risking her life in Bolivia whilst fighting to save the tropical rainforest biome and Hardevsinh Jadeja (Farmland), a village chief in India providing a sustainable water supply despite climatic challenges, are just a few of the characters amongst many who brighten the pages of what could otherwise be a pessimistic read.
Human demand for resources - food, water and energy - underpin much of the book as our ever-increasing needs lead to continued exploitation of the planet and result in accelerated changes in the natural world. However, there are many moments of optimism as stories of adaptation and human innovation are explored frequently including conservation projects in the Amazon, sustainable development in the Maldives and artificial glaciers in the Himalayas.
The epilogue will also be of interest to students as Gaia shares a prediction of the world in 2100 through the eyes of her son, Kipp, at 87 years old. This is a great opportunity for students to make their own predictions for the future and consider how we will adapt to the many challenges we have largely been responsible for.
If you want to incorporate more geographical text into your lessons, ‘Adventures in the Anthropocene’ is the book for you.
Written by Tom Hanson
@hano_teach