Why an awareness of Earth's temporal rhythms is critical to our
planetary survival
Few of us have any conception of the enormous timescales of our planet's
long history, and this narrow perspective underlies many of the
environmental problems we are creating. The lifespan of Earth can seem
unfathomable compared to the brevity of human existence, but this view
of time denies our deep roots in Earth's history--and the magnitude of
our effects on the planet. Timefulness reveals how knowing the rhythms
of Earth's deep past and conceiving of time as a geologist does can give
us the perspective we need for a more sustainable future. Featuring
illustrations by Haley Hagerman, this compelling book offers a new way
of thinking about our place in time, showing how our everyday lives are
shaped by processes that vastly predate us, and how our actions today
will in turn have consequences that will outlast us by generations.
This edition includes discussion questions for reading groups.