The earth is ancient--4.6 Billion years old--and life has been on our planet for at least the last 3.5 billion years. The climate has changed, continents have drifted, and mass extinctions have reset ecological systems many times. Most of these changes unfolded gradually over thousands if not millions of years. Today, humans are impacting our planet so significantly that climactic swings and ecological changes are happening at a breakneck pace when compared to the geologically slow events of the past. The direction the planet is headed keeps Kate up at night and motivates her to educate others in how to best prepare for the future. She discusses our current ecological circumstances, exploring a deep time perspective of earth’s history. These lessons from ancient earth crises might just have the power to reshape how we think about humanity’s relationship to the earth, giving the perspective we need to move toward a more sustainable future. Kate Bulinski is an invertebrate paleontologist focusing on marine ecosystems from the Paleozoic Era and loves teaching her students, friends, and family (and really, anyone who will listen) about all things geological. She is also passionate about working toward a sustainable future for her four tiny kids: a four-year-old and 18-month-old triplets. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx