If I was a part of The International Commission on Stratigraphy, I would add this new Anthropocene epoch to the geological calendar. Even though humans had been around well before, I would start the era when the ice age began to end, and the glaciers began to retreat. Each article starts the epoch at a different time, but I agree with Kolbert the most, starting at around 11,500 years ago, when civilization began to take form. Steffen starts the era around the 1800s which is much too late, but I see where he’s coming from, as the industrial revolution would begin to take full swing right around then, and technology would advance further and further until we get to current times. Malm begins the era even later right around the 90’s when carbon emissions would begin to grow worse each year, and the global warming of today would become reality. Each makes a good argument, but Kolbert’s makes the most sense, as early evidence of erosion and farming leads experts to believe that humans began to have effects on the earth around then.
It’s hard to make progress when large groups of people oppose progress. It’s even harder to do so when those people are susceptible to the “group mentality” mindset. Just because your peers don’t accept climate change, you look like an idiot to them if you don’t agree. This leads to a lot of room for misinformation and fear mongering by heads of organizations, businesses and political campaigns, because if someone higher up denounces the truth with “alternate facts”, then it becomes acceptable for the common man to be wrong. Climate change is an undeniable fact, its real and happening and action needs to take place or else humans are doomed. The discussion needs to take place, and soon. I would personally try a forum type discussion, lead by a board where people can present their arguments and everyone can discuss in an organized fashion, all while presenting the undeniable facts and evidence to the forum, and educating those who may be on the fence that it’s okay to think differently from your peers.