Anthropocene Turning Point Definition

Many Americans have never heard of the term “Capitalocene.” This concept is an alternative to the more commonly known idea of Anthropocene, which is essentially a term used to describe a geological epoch in which human activities have had a significant impact on Earth’s ecosystems and geological processes. This concept fails to acknowledge the importance of capitalism in our current planetary crisis. With the Anthropocene, scientists also struggle to come to a conclusion on what the major turning point is in history, to establish when human activity began to significantly alter the Earth’s natural systems. The idea of the Capitalocene helps to emphasize one particular turning point, being capitalism that has shaped the current geological epoch.
Commodification led to people exploiting nature for centuries to come, which inspired people to make an attempt to conserve Earth’s resources so that they don't continue to be exploited. Gifford Pinchot, one of America’s foremost conservationists who coined the term ‘conservation,’ stated that “conservation means the greatest good to the greatest number for the longest time” (201). In his view, conservation revolved around the ideas of management, restoration, protection, and preservation of natural resources to find a balance between human activity and the workings of nature. He felt that unless we conserve the resources we have now, the future is not going to have room for progress or prosperity because it will lack resources (Pinchot 202). The main impact of conservationists was the shift in mindset, away from abusing nature, and towards realizing nature's importance. It led to major political figures like Theodore Roosevelt raising more awareness for environmental issues and the responsible use of natural resources. More notably, it led to The National Parks Act of 1916, whose purpose was to “conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wildlife therein” (371). This allowed
Even though conservation has made major strides in protecting the environment, nothing can fully revert the impacts that commodification has had on the environment. Americans will most likely forever view nature as a profitable resource that they can capitalize on for centuries to come. Most Americans are more concerned with making a profit, and it would take a lot of convincing to encourage all citizens to respect nature enough for the conservation movement to be a successful movement. Commodification fundamentally changed how we perceive and interact with nature, and conservation would have never occurred if it weren't for the environmental consequences caused by commodification. The commodification of nature has immensely impacted how Americans interact with the environment in a myriad of ways. Commodification places a monetary value on nature that disregards the state of the land, in favor of economic growth and profit. Beginning in the early days of colonialism, it led to a shift away from a spiritual and interconnectedness with nature that the native Americans had, and as capitalism was introduced to America, it led to an