The Apocalypse (or how I learned to stop worrying and love the Anthropocene)

One month after the Mayan apocalypse of 2012, the Generation Anthropocene team of Leslie Chang, Mike Osborne, and Miles Traer chat about the relations between the Anthropocene and apocalyptic pop-culture stories.  Mike reveals the apocalyptic history of the podcast, Miles explains how he thinks the narrative of apocalypse has changed in the shadow of the Anthropocene, and Leslie does her best to keep them both on the rails instead of discussing zombies… again.

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Critical Mass: A documentary on global population

Filmmaker Mike Freedman explains the creative process behind his debut documentary, Critical Mass. His film explores how the growing population alters the social and psychological environment, and the challenges of equality in a world of 7 billion people.

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Earth’s Tipping Points & Abrupt Climate Change

Climate researcher and host of PBS’s Earth: The Operators’ Manual Richard Alley discusses abrupt climate variations in Earth’s history and what he defines as climate tipping points – leading to a discussion on whether or not Earth’s climate systems has dials, or switches.  He also addresses the socio-economic costs of climate change and why he’s optimistic about our energy future, with links to salted cod in the 1700s.  Alley also reflects on the role of scientists as advocates with some interesting implications for Albert Einstein and Charles Darwin.

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Are you afraid of climate change?

Co-founder of the Breakthrough Institute Michael Shellenberger discusses the cultural relevance of the Anthropocene and why it’s a term that so many people have adopted.  He also addresses the complex topic of climate change, how he deals with climate uncertainty, and spends some time reflecting on whether or not climate change scares him.

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