This piece is called “Manifest Destiny” created by Alexis Rockman. Rockman work is known to be about environmental calamities that are caused by human negligence or inattention are commonly foreseen in works that combine science and fiction. Rockman believes that it can be a dark future for humanity, threatened by global warming, because of the burning of coal, the release of greenhouse gases, and foolish energy and conservation policies. The oil and acrylic artwork Manifest Destiny depict the Brooklyn shoreline 3000 years from now, after climate change has altered the environment. It’s a scene of decay and renewal while no human life is represented, there is a wide variety of flora and fauna, indicating that life exists. A contemporary suspension bridge on the left is absorbed by the East River, while the old Brooklyn Bridge on the right is in ruins. The city is submerged beneath water because of rising sea levels caused by global warming. Viewers can also see the remains of buildings, bridges, tunnels, and stadiums that are partially or completely submerged. Wrecks including an oil ship and a Spanish galleon can be found on the bottom or in the mud. Sunfish, triggerfish, and bulbous carp, which appear to be ancient, swim leisurely among the structures. The image demonstrates the artist’s in-depth knowledge of fact and fiction. It’s obviously a work of fiction, but it’s a vision of what the artists envisions if we continue to devastate the environment and leave Earth in ruins. In class, we discussed a variety of themes, but the two that I took away from this painting are nature and climate change. In Flight Behavior it gave readers a deep understanding of how global warming affects us in every possible way, but I can see this relating to the Anthropocene: The Human Epoch because this painting represents our harmful doings to nature and buildings of Brooklyn being submerged under water. The film shows us that human activities have had a substantial impact on the planet’s ecosystems indicates that we have arrived at a new epoch. In summary, humanity’s impact is changing the face of the Earth. This painting reminds us of how we as humans are going to suffer our consequences in the future if we don’t start making change. If we continue to do what we are doing, the future of our lives can potentially become like the painting, but if we keep bringing awareness to society, we can slowly start making change.

           Joann Brennan’s photograph, Mallard Egg Research Testing Potential Chemical Contraceptives Designed to Manage Overabundant Canada Goose Populations is part of a project she’s been working on for the past twenty years, and this is one of the images she’s developed as part of it. “Managing Eden” is the title of her series. Her work highlights the contradictory nature of human attempts to manage and conserve wildlife. Brennan captured the activity of scientists working to manage the population of Canada geese in this image. In suburban settings, where green spaces and manmade rivers provide excellent habitats, Canada geese have become a public health problem. Brennan’s image addresses the need for human intervention to preserve a balance between human and bird requirements. Brennan is considering the delicate balance that exists between human requirements and the needs of avian populations. The conflict between the image’s simplicity and the problem’s complexity is what gives this photograph its significance. The individualism we have in nature and how as an individual you may start to change and eventually bring awareness to society was a theme that I witnessed throughout the term. This theme appeared frequently because its directly tied to the content of the course materials we have been studying, which focuses on caring for nature and animals as well as being aware of and taking action to combat climate change. This reminds of Braiding Sweetgrass because I feel like Brennan captured a moment of time where we as humans are in gratitude and care about the environment that gives us life. The gift of giving back and being able to be grateful is what I read throughout parts of the novel. This photo reminds me that if humans can be grateful for what Earth has provided us, we can start seeing change and a healthier world. It says, “For the greater part of human history, and in places in the world today, common resources were the rule. But some invented a different story, a social construct in which everything is a commodity to be bought and sold. The market economy story has spread like wildfire, with uneven results for human well-being and devastation for the natural world.” (Pg.32) Kimmerer thinks that seeing something as a gift rather than a commodity alters one’s worldview because gifts establish a link between the giver and the receiver—the kind of relationship she feels humans should have with the land. We as humans should be able grateful and take responsibility to take care of our land, so that we can live without suffering our harmful ways. It’s a step in the right direction when we can start caring and being able to take care of our land, is when we can truly see change throughout the world.