Now that we've gotten here, where do we go?

Humankind has surpassed unprecedented heights throughout the past few centuries; we have explored space, are able to clone organs, and can communicate with people on opposite ends of the world instantaneously, and more. Despite these amazing feats of man triumphing over the natural world that used to rule us, our rein over the Earth may be causing more harm to ourselves than anything else. 

This unparalleled time in history has even influenced much of the community of Geologists to coin a new term for the era we are currently living in: the Anthropocene. You may be asking yourself, "but, what does that mean exactly?" An era or epoch in geochronological history is defined by the characteristics of strata, or layers of rock. Each major time period is defined by the Earth's unique rock and soil compositions. For example, the dinosaurs existed during the Mesozoic era, and we know this because of evidence left in these specific levels of strata. What entering the Anthropocene era means is that when scientists dig through the Earth's surface in the future, there will be distinct evidence of human activity altering geologic, biospheric, and hydrologic systems. 

Isn't that exciting?! We're apart of a new geologic chapter in Earth's history, and we actually have the awareness, scientific backing, and understanding to comprehend the gist of this transformation. 

As a millennial who cares deeply about the environment, it is easy to become saddened and apathetic when considering the amass of ecological issues facing humanity today. We are changing the chemistry of the ocean, and causing a mass extinction event of animals on nearly every continent. Our ingenuity and "progress" may be what is ultimately tearing our world limb from limb, not to be too dramatic or anything. 

While it is easy to let these facts make you lose hope in a livable future, taking a step back and recognizing the many positive forces at work in our world is a powerful practice. All over the globe, communities and groups of people are working together to shift their current cultures of consumption. 

This blog is going to be designated towards dissecting "green communities," and interesting tidbits regarding human history, and how we got to where we are today. With this, I hope to be able to find inspiration and practical responses and solutions to implement in my future career. 

As a student studying Urban Planning/Urban Ecology, it is pivotal to understand human relationships in the context of both built and natural environments; while delving into the ever pressing issue of combining the two, or finding the ecotone. 

Now, lets begin....

How does knowing the historical context of a place give it a different perceived meaning?

When you were younger, did you ever wonder about the people who came before you, and how their remains still play a distinctive role in the places you visit today?

I used to imagine what it must have been like to be a farmer in the old, distraught barns adjacent to my neighborhood as a kid. The people were long gone, but their settlements remained for years and years, and always provoked a sense of mystery within the myself and my peers.

We often except the stories we are told about the past, but every so often we are introduced to a way of life, or an interesting fact that alters our perception of an area.

Having grown up in Utah, I remember learning that most of it had once been submerged under the ancient Lake Bonneville. This thwarted my perception of what I had previously known, and opened my mind to the great wonders of the natural world.

I also remember learning about the Mormon Pioneers, and the silver miners of the Park City area, which dramatically influenced my perspectives of these places. 

Even today, my perception of what I know about California's history changed when I learned that ancient camels, tall bears, elephants, cheetahs, sloths, and dire wolves used to exist in the area. I knew prehistoric animals roamed North America, but I hadn't known they did so in the region we call California, and that their existences influenced the regions' bio-landscape and physical terrain. I was also unaware that their extinction was partially anthropogenic, meaning human caused. 


Moving Forward & Looking Back:

When we peer into the past, we see that need and proximity are always the determining factor when we build our villages and cities.

The critical center points in our cities have always provided people with a service of some kind or another. These places create local commerce, inspire innovation and creativity, and ultimately help people live their lives. How we get to these spaces is the greatest factor in determining the success of an area.  Centrality to transportation stations of whatever kind offer people the chance to build successful businesses and lives.

The evolution of how people move across the land has evolved from utilizing walking to horse drawn carriages, to kinetic trolly cars, then electric trolleys, to trains, automobiles, and planes. Our progression is incredible, but what are the driving forces that influence what we choose to make use of.

As our built environments and patterns for development change with our modern transportation choices, we are faced with an unfortunate, resource depleting system of land use. The insufficiency of "sprawl" is not compatible with the most economically and environmentally sound methods of transportation; these being mass, public transit. Our "commuter sheds" or homes, per say, do not provide us with opportunities to live in sustainable