Sustainocene: Managing the Anthrosphere for Sustainability in the Anthropocene Epoch

This book is about the new age of the Sustainocene that must evolve if humans are to thrive, or even to exist, in the new age that is upon us in which human influences are dominant in determining the state of Planet Earth. The term Sustainocene is commonly attributed to statements made in a public lecture entitled “From Anthropocene to Sustainocene. Challenges and Opportunities” presented by Bryan Furnass at the Australian National University on March 21, 2012, in which the author made the point that a radical change in direction must be made in the rapidly developing Anthropocene epoch in which human influences predominate in determining the state of Planet Earth to a new epoch designed by humans for maximum sustainability and called the Sustainocene.
The work recognizes that there is a vast environmental sphere called the anthrosphere that consists of the things that humans build and the activities that humans engage in. The development of the Anthropocene is happening and will continue to do so. Therefore, in order to ensure the survival of a livable planet humans and their institutions must take a much more proactive role in developing the Anthropocene as a Sustainocene epoch that can support life on earth, including human life, for the indefinite future.
Chapter 1, “The Sustainocene and Survival of Humankind,” begins with a discussion of how humans are modifying Earth and its systems in ways not seen before. The chapter gives the evidence that the development of a new Anthropocene Epoch is well underway and that it must be guided by humans in a manner such that it becomes a Sustainocene epoch designed and managed by humans.
Chapter 2, “The Earth System and the Five Spheres of the Environment,” describes the earth as a complex system composed of five highly interrelated spheres, the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, the geosphere, the biosphere, and the anthrosphere. Cycles of matter are very important in the Earth System and are discussed in this chapter along with an illustration of the very important carbon cycle.
Chapter 3, “The Environmental Chemistry of the Earth System,” begins with a definition of environmental chemistry and the manner in which chemical processes occur in the Earth System. It has separate sections dealing with environmental chemistry for each of the five environmental spheres, discussing the environmental chemistry of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere, biosphere, and anthrosphere. The chapter includes a definition, description, and illustration of the Earth System, a term used to describe the interacting processes that determine the state and dynamics of Planet Earth. It concludes with a discussion of environmental pollution and how it relates to environmental chemistry.
Chapter 4, “Transitioning to the Sustainocene: Proactive Management of the Anthrosphere to the Benefit of Planet Earth,” defines human impact on the planet as a product of population, affluence, and consumptive technology. Recognition is given to the fact that not all technology is bad and that in addition to those technological aspects that place a burden upon the Earth System, there are technologies that not only place a relatively lighter burden on the Earth System, but may even be a positive source for the benefit of Earth. Separate sections are presented upon sustaining each of the five spheres of the environment.
Chapter 5, “Abundant Sustainable Energy: The Key to the Sustainocene,” discusses the importance of abundant energy that is renewable and does not place an undue burden on the Earth System in transitioning to the new Sustainocene Epoch. The chapter begins with a discussion of how for most of their time on earth humans relied upon the sun for energy including especially the sunlight captured as biomass energy by way of photosynthesis. It describes the era ongoing today in which fossil fuels became the major source of energy used by humans, and how it will be necessary to transition away from reliance on fossil fuels and back to the sun again. Specific topics discussed in this chapter are fossil fuels in the Sustainocene; nuclear energy in the Sustainocene; geothermal energy; solar energy; elemental hydrogen from water for energy storage, utilization, conversion and transfer; wind power; waterpower; biomass energy including an overview of biofuels and their resources; and conversion of biomass to other fuels.