Night light... fossil sunshine brought to light

Earth at Night is a composite photo constructed using many satellite images covering the globe, taken at night, to deliver the visual impact of anthropogenic illumination.

Stored energy harnessed from millions of years of ancient sunshine is released annually through combustion in fossil fuel electricity generating plants. Some of this energy is lost to space as night light seen in this enhanced composite.

NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day, August 11, 2002.
Click the image for a closer view.

This image is helpful for visualizing global urbanization. Immense power distribution infrastructure illuminates developed areas. Electricity is delivered through vast networks of power lines webbing the developed world, tethering modern societies to ancient sunshine through fossil carbon energy.

Fossil carbon released through combustion combines with atmospheric oxygen forming CO2, a greenhouse gas. Greenhouse gases make Earth livable. Natural levels of atmospheric carbon remain very low and move through vegetation and ocean water forming a natural carbon cycle.

Fossil carbon is extracted from deep burial for combustion, and released in huge amounts into the modern carbon cycle. Ocean and vegetation sinks cannot keep pace with increasing carbon, leading to atmospheric loading. Extra CO2 holds extra warmth in the atmosphere. Very small amounts of CO2 have disproportionate impact on warming.

The global scientific consensus warns that continued atmospheric loading of CO2 and other greenhouse gases will lead to continued excessive atmospheric warming and climate destabilization.

The image delivers! Most of the illumination seen in the image is powered by fossil fuel, mostly coal, the organic remains of plants. This is energy of ancient sunshine which fueled luxuriant vegetation growth hundreds of millions of years ago in widespread wetlands.

Some electricity, but mainly space heating and internal combustion travel, are fueled by oil and gas, the organic remains of ocean life, mostly plankton. The energy of ancient sunshine fueled copious plankton growth through much of geologic time.

This energy was stored in accumulating rock layers as the organic remains of plants (coal), and ocean plankton (oil and gas). The carbon in these ancient deposits remained sequestered deep underground until modern industrialization brought it to light.

Nearly half of the 6.3 billion people populating Earth today live on less than $2.00 (U.S. dollars) per day. World population, growing explosively, is expected to exceed 9 billion by mid-century. Worldwide energy production and distribution must increase to raise the standard of living of increasing numbers of poor worldwide. The fossil fuel paradigm suggests coal will remain the cheapest widespread source for power on demand, though problematic.

Imagine a different paradigm: Decentralized, independent, and widespread alternative micro-power generation sources coupled with micro-lending capital sources: The productivity of a billion new entrepreneurs lifting themselves out of poverty, and raising others with them, with reduced levels of carbon released to the atmosphere.

GeoEcology perspectives

Geoecology answers curiosity through dispassionate science exercised at local and global scales. Geoecology engages multiple disciplines for explorations of life-systems in local geological situations and in global contexts. Geoecology examines the Big Picture at both fine and broad resolutions.

Geoecological approaches illuminate habitat ecology in the context of local and global ecological forces. Geoecological approaches illuminate shifting global ecological patterns responding to life-systems inputs.

Geoecological approaches are integrative across scales of space and time offering insight toward understanding the evolution and shifting abundance and distribution of life in changing landscapes and oceans.

This broad view of geoecology encompasses Earth's systems collectively. This perspective reaches beyond life's processes to comprehend life's patterns through time.

A geoecological perspective invites recognition and understanding of modern global dilemmas and opportunities: Climate change, human population growth, habitat change, extinctions, and humanity's challenges may be evaluated more fully through a geoecological perspective.

Geoecology illuminates interdependency of biosphere with geosphere, hydrosphere-cryosphere, atmosphere, astrosphere, and most importantly, with anthrosphere—the realm of human impacts.

The aim of geoecological dialogue is to explore new perspectives on global ecology and global change, to recognize and inspire movement toward new opportunities, to gain optimistic determination to deliver a healthy future for diverse life.

Humanity is an ecological force driving global change. The capacity to force global change may be viewed as an opportunity, and need not follow a trajectory toward catastrophe.