We are living the Anthropocene, an era where human activity has been the dominant influence on climate and the environment. The global pursuit of a higher standard of living points to increasing pressure on ecosystems and biodiversity around the world. Traditionally, people have looked to federal regulation for a solution. But with radical shifts in the political environment, including an American President who openly denies climate change, conservationists are worried.
Luckily, there are a number of bottom-up technology enabled solutions and leaders with a new vision. Thought leaders such as Dr. Alex Dehgan and Paul Bungy of Conservation X Labs have started a movement of “exponential conservation”. During his presentation at SXSW Eco, Dr. Dehgan explained how crowdfunding and corporate partnerships can be leveraged to power new solutions. But, more than raising funds is needed to tackle an issue of this scale. In order to protect our resources, a diverse group of scientists, makers, artists, politicians, farmers, and others will need to work together towards this common goal.