Stewardship in the Anthropocene

Dennis Dimick 
Executive Editor, Environment, 
National Geographic Magazine 

Scientists and others have begun calling the human-dominated era of the Earth’s history the Anthropocene, or “Age of Man” – a proposed new geologic epoch. Dennis Dimick’s talk focuses on human energy choices. He discusses how humans came to rely on fossil fuels – coal, oil, and natural gas – to power their lives. He offers some startling facts in assessing this reliance; for example, “400 square miles of mountains in the eastern United States no longer exist because the tops have been taken off” to mine coal. Dimick urges his audience to “confront the future” and emphasizes a return to the sun as an energy source. He then offers a large range of choices to replace the domination of fossil fuel in providing energy. 

Recorded: March 27, 2015