The Anthropocene Epoch and the Conquest of Mother Earth

I have been reading world renowned biologist's E. O Wilson's latest book Half Earth: Our Planet's Fight for Life. In it Wilson continues his effort to promote the biodiversity of our natural environment and educate on how important it is. Basically everything is connected and problems for a species at one level,  are a problem for others, at other levels.

What I learned, or what really shocked me was the Anthropocene movement and its threat to Mother Earth. Basically the Anthropocene Epoch is the period of the earth's existence when Humankind began to significantly influence and alter it; some say it began in the mid nineteenth century.  Many of its proponents believe because humankind has already so altered the Earth and our influence is so persistent and pervasive there is no turning the tide--we rule. Implicit in this, is the belief is that we should forget saving wilderness areas,  none no longer exist; forget trying to save species, or trying to promote biodiversity.... Not necessarily turning the world into a parking lot, but doing as we please.

Wilson say some call this the "New Conservation."

He quotes Elis Erle an environmental scientist at the University of Maryland:

"Stop trying to save the planet. Nature is gone. You are living on a used planet. If this bothers you, get over it. We now live in the Anthropocene--a geological epoch in which Earth's atmosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere are shaped primarily by human forces." page 76

Wilson continues by talking about Peter M. Kareiva a leading light of the "New Conservation Movement' who became chief scientist of the Nature Conservancy in 2014.  Describing him as "the leader of those that attack the existence of the wilderness...because there are no pristine areas left on Earth....regions occupied long ago should be opened up for management and profit according to Kareiva."page 77

Later in speaking of the Nature Conservancy he notes that biodiversity has faded and its now about what nature can do for people and the economy.  page 134

Wilson believes that a large portion of the world should be allocated for biodiversity and the remainder for humankind. He pins his hope on technological advancement and Artificial Intelligence to provide sensible solutions to save the environment.
Lots of Luck with that.

Sorry to be so dour but I thought others such as myself have probably not heard about the Anthropocene Epoch and the "New Conservation Movement."

Go outside and give thanks to your Mother. She could use a hug.