Recollections of the Human Era
In the annals of history, the Anthropocene era – the period during which human activity has been the dominant influence on climate and the environment – is marked by significant objects that symbolise our impact on the planet. Among these objects, Greta Thunberg's iconic yellow jacket, a can of soup thrown at a work of art, a photovoltaic cell, and an exhibit in a museum in Montreal from 1987 could find their place.
The exhibit in Montreal, which included a protective suit containing harmful CFCs, serves as a stark reminder of the environmental challenges we faced in the past. However, the identity of the person who wore the suit remains a mystery, with no relevant information found in the search results.
The objects of the Anthropocene are not mere relics of the past; they are evidence for the future, telling us that ecological awareness was born from experiments, images, disasters, social battles, and courageous scientific choices. One such choice was made by two California scientists, Mario Molina and Sherwood Rowland, who discovered in 1974 that chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) were harmful to the ozone layer.
Their groundbreaking work led to the Montreal Protocol, signed in 1987, which was the first global environmental treaty. A response to the threat posed by CFCs to the ozone layer, the Montreal Protocol is considered "the greatest success in the history of international diplomacy" (Kofi Annan).
Without the work of Molina and Rowland, and the subsequent global efforts to phase out CFCs, we would live on a warmer, sicker planet. In recognition of their work, they received the Nobel Prize in 1995.
Fast forward to the present, and the efforts of humanity have begun to bear fruit. According to NASA and the UN, the ozone hole continues to shrink, having decreased by 20% since 2005. By 2030, the ozone layer will return to normal levels in the Northern Hemisphere, and by 2050, above Antarctica.
An entire generation will live to see the ozone hole close. This is a testament to the power of science and global cooperation. Even the aerosol can, once a symbol of frivolous consumption, serves as a reminder that science can prevent an announced apocalypse.
As we continue to write the history of humanity and ecology, the objects we invent to defend the Earth will undoubtedly become part of this story. Mario Molina often repeated that "People can make decisions that solve global problems." Let us continue to make such decisions, for the sake of our planet and future generations.
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