ABSTRACT
Human activities have become an important driver of changes in the geochemical cycles of the earth, altering flows of water, nutrients and greenhouse gases (GHG). As discussed in the Introduction, the term Anthropocene has been proposed for this new geological age (Crutzen 2006). There is no doubt that these changes are unsustainable and are causing or will cause damage to the ecosystem and society. In fact, there have been calls for a reconfiguration because we are transgressing or have transgressed important boundaries (Rockström et al. 2009) and are utilizing more than one Earth for our current way of living (e.g. Wackernagel and Rees 2013). Furthermore, not only do the environmental limits indicate a need for change; the steadily increasing costs of most resources (Dobbs et al. 2011) also demonstrate the need for a transition to sustainability.
