A Plug for Geography

In which we lay out a couple ideas for collecting case studies

Continuing with the role of non-experts, and with the proposed fourfold categories for trying to get a grip on the Anthropocene (megatrends, land-water use, circular economy, and the human factor), what might a layman actually do? What comes after a first look at the megatrends that make up the Anthropocene phenomenon?

Here’s a plug for studying geography and for starting to collect case studies around land and water use (oceans, seas, rivers, waterways), which is category number 2.

How to do it? Which places?

Start with places you’ve visited, or have heard about in the news, or what’s in your local town, county, or state.

Pick “usage” issues you’re interested in or happen to know a little about.

For example, last year I visited Portugal and Spain for the first time, and what was striking to me, taking the bus along the southern coast from Lagos to Seville, was the change in agriculture of the olive groves. It seemed to me that Portugal, by and large, had kept the tradition of family small holdings, whereas Spain was highly invested in industrial-strength agriculture. The difference between the two would make for a fascinating research topic.

Or take certain countries’ natural deposits of energy-related resources, starting with fossil fuels (perhaps), but just as relevant today, try looking at which countries have the rare metals required for batteries, as these are essential for any transition to renewable energy. What disturbances are caused by land use for mines and mineral processing? What are the geopolitics of that?

Where oceans, seas, and waterways are concerned, have a look at where plastics go (especially in Africa and Asia), or how best to care for beaches and coastlines (a major problem for tourism), or the causes and effects of bleaching coral reefs.

For impacts on biodiversity, check out Elizabeth Kolbert’s The Sixth Extinction book, currently available on Kindle Unlimited. It recounts a fascinating world tour covering a wide range of case studies. The author takes you along on her investigations and includes insightful interviews with the field scientists doing primary research.

I’ll leave the comments open on this post. Feel free to share a case study you find particularly captivating. Please include both the place and the issue.