Excavating the Plasticene
“Plasticene, n. & adj. (2011) an era in Earth’s history, within the Anthropocene, commencing in the 1950s, marked stratigraphically in the depositional record by a new and increasing layer of plastic (Curt Stager: 'Deep Future: The Next 100,000 Years of Life on Earth').”
As I explore and photograph the almost magical geological forms in Utah, often find myself wondering what future archeologists and geologists will make of all of the junk we have abandoned in the wilderness and which by then will have become a part of the rocks themselves. We are already finding "plastic rocks" washing up on our beaches. Burned plastic shards have melted and mingled with sand and dirt to form literal rocks. These little nuggets will someday become part of the deposits which will become the future sandstone and limestone layers we ooh and ahh over in Utah landscape.
Happy Earth Month
Excavating the Plasticene
“Plasticene, n. & adj. (2011) an era in Earth’s history, within the Anthropocene, commencing in the 1950s, marked stratigraphically in the depositional record by a new and increasing layer of plastic (Curt Stager: 'Deep Future: The Next 100,000 Years of Life on Earth').”
As I explore and photograph the almost magical geological forms in Utah, often find myself wondering what future archeologists and geologists will make of all of the junk we have abandoned in the wilderness and which by then will have become a part of the rocks themselves. We are already finding "plastic rocks" washing up on our beaches. Burned plastic shards have melted and mingled with sand and dirt to form literal rocks. These little nuggets will someday become part of the deposits which will become the future sandstone and limestone layers we ooh and ahh over in Utah landscape.
Happy Earth Month