The Anthropocene is the current epoch in which humans have begun to act as a global geological force. Largely driven by industrialization and the consumption of fossil fuels, the Anthropocene is characterized by climate change, losses of biodiversity, and a disruption of ecosystems. It is founded on the global disparity which made industrialization possible and its environmental consequences exacerbate the inequality even further. Solutions are difficult because these systemic processes are entrenched in our day-to-day individual lives. So what do in what must be the death of civilization as we know it?
Contributors:
My project, “The Changeling”, will examine various, unobtrusive and unpretentious ‘self-help’ strategies that discuss individuals’ motivation to change their behavior. These strategies can be used to more easily meet personal goals, but will mostly be examined with respect to reducing our individual environmental impact. I will use this blog as a platform to experiment with individual strategies relating to personal motivation, change and growth so as to help us become happier and greener global citizens.
My project, “Cultivating Conversation”, will focus on cultivating conversations about our individual lifestyles and their meaning in the context of global climate change. I will pursue a series of small, individual environmental projects which, before succeeding, will inevitably require specific environmental engagements in the university community, at Manhattan town meetings, and even in my personal life. Ultimately, I aim to reach (and change) the values and lifestyles of others through opening them to others’ ideas and showing that the most difficult conversations to have are oftentimes the most valuable.
My project, “Choosing Less”, will explore ways of becoming more comfortable with discomfort. I want to critically examine my life and how I have contributed to the Anthropocene. By the end, I hope to have developed ways of reducing this affect, and inspired others to do the same.
Through my project, I want to demonstrate personal growth through applied anthropology, philosophy, and principle. I want to engage with various cultures within the local and state community to discuss the prospects for decriminalized cannabis in Kansas. I want to tie together my personal growth with the potential that I see in cannabis – from a micro to macro scale. Ultimately, I hope to demonstrate adaptability to scarcity and the possibility to economically flourish while going more with less in the face of global ecological change during the height of the Anthropocene.
I'm mutable 