For as long as ten thousand years
The average temperature has not wavered up or down
By more than one degree Celsius
A thick belt of jungles around the equator has piled plant upon plant
To capture as much of the sun's energy as possible
Adding moisture and oxygen to the global air currents
The extent of the polar ice has been critical
Reflecting sunlight back off its white surface, cooling the Earth
This era's biodiversity helped bring stability
And the entire living world settled into a gentle, reliable rhythm
So far, this era was the best time for humankind
The Second World War was over
And technology started to make people's lives easier
The pace of change was getting faster and faster
And it felt like nothing would limit progress
The future was going to be exciting
Promising everything people had ever dreamed of
This was before any of us were aware that there were problems (problems...)
And the entire living world settled into a gentle, reliable rhythm