Entropy in the Anthropocene

The first photograph in this series was taken inside a bland, corporate hotel room on O’ahu’s North Shore, between Ka’ena Point and Kahuku, on the most populous island in the Hawaiian archipelago. The image of the ancient-looking fauna and the atmospheric play of humidity and sunlight through the window struck me as having a prehistoric, Mesozoic quality. Evidence of palm trees can be found in the fossil record from 63 to 90 million years ago, and they were contemporaneous with dinosaurs on planet Earth. Something struck me as I looked out the window, and later, as we walked along nearby beaches strewn with debris from very slowly decomposing, brightly colored neon plastic fishing nets. I was traveling with friends wearing similarly plastic (fossil fuel-derived) ironic polyester windbreakers in the same neon colors as the fishing nets. We had just picked up a snack at McDonald’s, jokingly referring to it as potentially having a shelf life similar to the plastic clothing we were wearing and the fishnets we found on the beach, casually dancing to Whitney Houston somewhat carelessly. Amidst this tableau of imagery was the incomprehensible scale of millions of years of natural history and geology, contrasted with humans' toxic, fleeting, and precarious lives in our late-capitalist, high-corporatist era. There we were in the “vacation spot of vacation spots,” wearing, consuming, and observing the detritus/remnants of our lives as an essentially invasive species. One could not help but wonder at humans’ ability to transform the world around them for the worse, with all the impending crises that will haunt the unluckiest among us, particularly the young, who will inherit our collective negligence. At the same time, there is dancing and fun, burgers and French fries, swimming, and drinks. And still, the ocean, nature, erosion... seemed to be already taking back over. In the span of human life, it will feel like—and be—a disaster—filled with fear, death, dwindling species diversity, climate refugees, water shortages, and air conditioners that mask the heat while worsening the situation. The Earth, however, will continue to evolve and grow over our waste, heading in a new direction. We just might not be part of it.

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Sunshine shining through a large window onto a lush tropical outdoor scene with palm trees, a pool, and lounge chairs. © Samuel Ireland

Beach with sandy shore, rocks, and green bushes, with trash and debris including tangled plastic and driftwood in the foreground, and a wooden fence and cloudy sky in the background. © Samuel Ireland

Beach scene with sandy shore, driftwood, a leafy bush, and the ocean in the background with clouds in the sky. © Samuel Ireland

A man and woman in colorful clothing inside a hotel room, with the woman raising her arms and the man speaking to her. There's a TV on the wall and a window showing palm trees outside. © Samuel Ireland

A McDonald's Happy Meal box placed on a bed in a hotel room, with pillows and a lamp in the background. © Samuel Ireland

Green cactus lying on sandy ground, covered with small white shells and debris. © Samuel Ireland

A beach scene at sunset with two people walking near the water, footprints in the sand, trees on the left, and clouds in the sky. © Samuel Ireland

A sandy beach with rocks and driftwood, green trees hanging over the shore, and an ocean with gentle waves under a cloudy sky. Mountains are visible in the distance. © Samuel Ireland

Beach with a stone wall, twisted tree roots, green bushes, palm trees, and the ocean in the background during sunset. © Samuel Ireland

View of a historic waterfront promenade and city skyline, seen through a hole in a wooden fence with a rusty chain-link mesh. © Samuel Ireland