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smartphonegears · 8 months

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Embracing a Sustainable Future: The Power of Choosing Pre-Owned Phone

In an era marked by relentless technological advancement, the allure of owning the latest electronic gadgets is undeniable. The sleek design, enhanced features, and promises of cutting-edge performance make the prospect of acquiring new devices enticing. However, amid the excitement and anticipation lies an urgent environmental concern—the mounting electronic waste (e-waste) crisis. The ceaseless quest for novel gadgets contributes significantly to this predicament. This article embarks on a comprehensive exploration of the imperative to choose pre-owned phones as a pivotal stride toward achieving sustainability. By extending the lifespan of devices and curbing the e-waste epidemic, individuals can actively contribute to a healthier planet for both themselves and generations to come.

The Environmental Predicament

As one unboxes a brand-new phone, the enthusiasm often overshadows thoughts about the device it is replacing. The inconvenient reality is that many discarded devices contribute to the e-waste stream. Electronics contain valuable materials, including metals, plastics, and glass. However, they also harbor hazardous substances such as lead, mercury, and flame retardants. When improperly discarded, these chemicals can seep into the environment, contaminating soil, water sources, and even endangering human health.

The scope of the e-waste crisis is staggering. The Global E-waste Monitor 2020 report unveiled that in 2019, the world generated a staggering 53.6 million metric tons of e-waste, with a mere 17.4% of this waste officially collected and recycled. The remaining 82.6% found its way to landfills, incinerators, or informal disposal sites, perpetuating environmental degradation on a global scale.

Unveiling the Environmental Impact of Phone Production

The life cycle of a new electronic device, such as a phone, involves several stages, each carrying significant environmental ramifications.

Resource Extraction: The sourcing of materials required for manufacturing, such as metals, minerals, and rare earth elements, often involves practices like deforestation, habitat destruction, and unethical mining. Precious metals like coltan, which is crucial for electronic components, are frequently mined under conditions that disregard both environmental preservation and the well-being of local communities.

Manufacturing and Energy Consumption: The manufacturing process of electronic devices is resource-intensive and energy-demanding. It consumes substantial amounts of electricity and raw materials, leading to increased carbon emissions, contributing to climate change, and exacerbating environmental concerns.

Short Device Lifespan: In an era characterized by rapid technological evolution, newer and more advanced models flood the market frequently. The pace of innovation renders devices obsolete within a short span. The rapid succession of new models results in a surge of discarded devices, aggravating the e-waste problem.

The Advantages of Opting for Pre-Owned Phones

Amid this mounting crisis, the choice to opt for pre-owned phones emerges as a prudent and ethical solution. By making the conscious decision to embrace pre-owned devices, individuals can wield a significant impact in various domains.

Resource Conservation: The choice to opt for pre-owned phones extends the lifecycle of existing devices. This act effectively reduces the demand for new manufacturing, conserving precious resources such as metals, minerals, and energy. By adopting pre-owned phones, individuals can directly alleviate the environmental burden imposed by excessive resource extraction and manufacturing processes.

E-Waste Mitigation: The decision to embrace pre-owned phones also contributes to e-waste mitigation. By choosing pre-owned options, individuals divert devices from landfills and incineration, effectively reducing the amount of e-waste generated. This practice also prevents the release of toxic substances into the environment, safeguarding ecosystems and human well-being.

Energy Efficiency: The production of new electronic devices, including phones, necessitates significant energy consumption. By opting for pre-owned devices and extending their lifespan, individuals indirectly reduce the energy demand associated with manufacturing processes. This reduction in energy demand translates to reduced carbon emissions and a smaller environmental footprint.

Advocating for Ethical Consumption: By actively choosing pre-owned phones, consumers are sending a clear message to manufacturers and the broader industry. This message conveys a preference for products that are sustainable, repairable, and designed with longevity in mind. This growing demand for pre-owned devices encourages manufacturers to consider durability, reparability, and environmental impact in their product designs.

Navigating the Pre-Owned Phone Market

For those contemplating the transition to pre-owned phones, there are certain steps to navigate this alternative market effectively.

Research Trustworthy Sources: Find reputable sellers, certified refurbishes, and established online platforms specializing in pre-owned phones. Thorough research ensures the authenticity and quality of the devices.

Comprehensive Inspection: Upon receiving a pre-owned phone, conduct a thorough examination. Inspect the physical condition of the device, checking for any damage or wear and tear. Test all features, including the screen, buttons, camera, and battery life, to ensure they meet your expectations.

Consider Warranty Options: Many pre-owned phones come with warranties or guarantees, providing an added layer of confidence in your purchase. Evaluate the terms and conditions of the warranty before finalizing your decision.

Compatibility Check: Before acquiring a pre-owned phone, ensure that it is compatible with your carrier and can support the latest software updates. This compatibility ensures a seamless and satisfactory user experience.

Prioritize Reparability: When selecting a pre-owned phone, prioritize devices that are designed with reparability in mind. Devices that can be easily repaired and upgraded extend their useful lifespan and contribute to sustainable consumption.

Empowering Change Through Informed Choices

The collective impact of individual choices is immeasurable. By actively opting for pre-owned phones, individuals are making a conscious decision to support sustainable technology consumption. This decision creates a ripple effect that resonates through various dimensions of the environmental and technological landscape.

Impact on E-Waste Reduction: Opting for pre-owned phones directly contributes to the reduction of e-waste. As devices are diverted from landfills and incineration, the burden on waste management systems is alleviated. This shift also prevents the release of toxic substances into the environment, safeguarding ecosystems and minimizing health risks.

Promotion of Resource Efficiency: Extending the lifecycle of devices conserves valuable resources such as metals, minerals, and energy. Individuals actively promote resource efficiency and environmental preservation by reducing the demand for new manufacturing.

Encouraging a Circular Economy: Embracing pre-owned phones aligns with the principles of a circular economy. A circular economy seeks to minimize waste and maximize the value of existing resources. By opting for pre-owned devices, individuals contribute to the creation of a sustainable economic model where resources are repurposed and valued.

Advocacy for Sustainable Practices: The choice to embrace pre-owned phones is a form of advocacy for sustainable practices within the electronics industry. The demand for pre-owned devices signals a preference for products that are designed to last, can be repaired, and have a reduced environmental footprint. This consumer-driven demand encourages manufacturers to prioritize sustainability in their product designs and manufacturing processes.

Educational and Societal Impact: The choice to embrace pre-owned phones can also have an educational and societal impact. By making informed decisions and spreading awareness about the benefits of pre-owned devices, individuals contribute to a broader understanding of sustainable consumption practices. This awareness can inspire others to make similar choices, creating a collective movement towards a more sustainable future.

Challenges and Considerations

While the adoption of pre-owned phones presents numerous advantages, it is essential to acknowledge potential challenges and considerations.

#SustainableTech #PreOwnedPhones #GreenTechnology #PhoneDaddy #ReduceEwaste

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beautycounterwipes · 2 years

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Most people think that, due to practical bags

Apart from the purchase of cold food farmers market still can not solve this problem is not that the bags are still not hundred percent use of common, there are still a lot of people hate it. Most people think that, due to practical bags, just put some individually wrapped for clean goods, if the equipment used to hold fish, meat, do not say the bag leaks, but also require frequent replacement or cleaning, it will be a waste of resources. Water detection method: the non-green bags placed in the water, and press into the bottom, the proportion of non-toxic and non-small bags can be surfaced, non-toxic bags than major sink. Removed the bags and other cloth sewn puppet class manual. Distinguish between non-toxic and non-toxic bags: sensory detection: non-toxic bags milky white, translucent, or colorless, transparent, flexible, feel lubrication, surface like wax; non-toxic bags color opacity or pale yellow, sticky feel. In supermarkets, many consumers are still accustomed to bring their own shopping bags. As some recycle PET reusable bags are for sales in market, more of them are for gift purposes, are not marked name and address, there is no green logo, a lot of shopping bags made rough.

It also known as PP material. It can be decomposed in the form of non-toxic, but polypropylene is a petrochemical product, this material at room temperature or indoor environment is more difficult to degrade, in the outdoor environment also need about half a year to degrade. Give them to relatives and friends. Bags on the market price of each is not low, at least 1 RMB, but generally reflect the user can neither good-looking, nor poor quality, which re-use bags has almost become a major obstacle. Directly throw the rubbish into the trash.cnmhc. If it is dirty, wash it. To this end, consumer appeal, the State while the plastic bag, bags can also be introduced relevant standards, safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of consumers. Distinguish between the bags is not an environmentally friendly bags - empty bag into the water, sinking of the bags. Bags is to promote environmental awareness, but also to future generations, but for the people, but really wholeheartedly endorsed it? In addition to the farmers market, food and other issues involving blood as cold, cold water, consumers rarely use glove bags, resulting in a free plastic bag on the comeback.

Fire detection: non-toxic polyethylene bags of non-flammable, flame blue, yellow top, like a candle burning, like tears dripping with wax smell, smoke less; non-toxic PVC bags is not flammable, from the fire that is extinguished, the flame was yellow, the bottom of the green, can soften the drawing, a pungent odor of hydrochloric acid. Molecular structure of polypropylene is not reliable than the polyethylene-chemical raw material of plastic bags far less. 2. They are ready to use. In addition, non-woven fabrics in the production process will consume a large amount of oil resources. On the one hand, Plastic limit gives birth to a non-woven fabric and bags business, no doubt stimulate a market economy, but on the other hand, because businesses are doing bags of business, there have been bags too much countless situations.

Put reusable bags in your bag.Consumers believe that now promote re-use bags, but bags are not quality assurance, easily become the trouble of everyday life and safety hazards. non-woven wipes manufacturers This mountain of bags, so many people have a headache, a customer says, the family, but a lot of bags to use, simply direct lost. Jitter detection method: Hold the end of non-green bags shaking force, issued by the crisp sound of that non-toxic; toxic astringent sound stuffy. 4. 3. If consumers do not re-use non-woven bags, currently on the market is still a large number of resulting non-woven products will bring a heavy burden on the environment.How to use the recycle bags repeatedly: 1. Supermarket with a shopping bag and forget to buy additional goods of the bag, the exhibition and propaganda gift

#China Wholesale Custom Beauty Wipe for sale

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marketmole21 · 2 years

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Metro Detroit's Best Meals Vehicles

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#外燴

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queenofnohr · 4 years

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Shi Huangdi Interlude - The Arbiter’s Melancholy

This........ may have been the hardest Interlude I’ve translated to date just because of all the techno-fantasy magic terms + Lostbelt lore + Emperor’s speech patterns, haha.

There aren’t too many variable dialogue options, but it may be easier to read on Dreamwidth.

This was a commission for none other than @tainbocuailnge c:

The shape destruction takes is not uniform. That was the hypothesis We arrived at. Just as there is no fixed standard to how a dream ends…… When the Tree of Emptiness is pruned, what form will the vanishing of that degenerated fiction — that Lostbelt — take? The particulars of each world will surely differ. Will its end come suddenly, like a candle being blown out……? Or will heaven rend and the earth be torn asunder as the agonizing cries of hell ring out…...?

In Our Eternal Qin Dynasty, what first forcibly opened Our eyes was the lack of observant people. Forests, wilderness, unexplored mountains and rivers — one by one, they became naught but pockets of nothingness. An implacable darkness covered them, and they were lost to the world.

Yet the people did not notice. They were people satisfied with living peaceful lives within their homes, with no interest in the outside world. Another uneventful day passes, and they go to sleep again.

Eventually, in the middle of the night while everyone slept, a certain village was swallowed whole by that nothingness. No one noticed anything out of the ordinary, and while they slept, they returned to nothingness. In that way, one-by-one, the radius of the peoples’ existence disappeared.

Those who were able to awake to another peaceful morning had forgotten that there was a neighboring village in the first place. They had no questions at all about it. That was the destiny of the people. That was the way they were raised. We are the only ones who ascertain all with Our own eyes. Only We, who stand upon this earth as an ordinary person, know the end of this pruned dream. The one watching the crumbling world is the sole person who watches over everything.

How fortunate— Indeed, rather than postponement, the best thing one can hope for is the end. We estimate the time We have left. It will be around three months until Our Qin Dynasty disappears completely—

Zhenren Shi Huangdi: How does progress look, Our Hun*? Steel Shi Huangdi: Unsatisfactory, Our Po. Zhenren Shi Huangdi: Hmm, We wonder if it’s possible to mobilize all computing resources to Epang Palace…... Steel Shi Huangdi: It is unsatisfactory, but it is not stagnant. Although it moves at a snail’s pace, steady progress is being made. Zhenren Shi Huangdi: Hurry. We don’t have much time left. Steel Shi Huangdi: It is unnecessary to tell Us. After all, the authority of analysis is the responsibility of Our Hun. Zhenren Shi Huangdi: Yes, and Our Po is at a loss for what to do. We are vexedー Steel Shi Huangdi: No, Our Po. There are some things that can only be done by one who has attained human form. Soothe Our people as much as possible. Be with them until the last moment, as one who stands on their same earth. Zhenren Shi Huangdi: That’s right. That, too, is the duty of the emperor. It cannot be neglected. However, sooner or later everything will return to nothingness…… Steel Shi Huangdi: Indeed. Our Po has received the next most important role. With a body that is a perfect imitation of those ethereal beings, We should be able to once again step into that enchanted land. That Mystery, at the end of it there must be a path to pan-human history. Zhenren Shi Huangdi: It won’t be a long journey. The preparations should be enough, but…… Steel Shi Huangdi: Then, We do what We can, and the rest is in fate’s hands. Because We are the sole being under heaven, in all creation……

[in Chaldea]

Shi Huangdi: There’s a Singularity! Reyshift is a go-go! Fou: Foufou!? Mash: Um, Shi Huangdi......? You just said there was a Singularity, but...... is that true? Da Vinci: Oh, Guda? Sorry to interrupt your break. A very excited Servant might pay you a visit soon……

> They’re raving all about it as we speak

Da Vinci: Oh, I see. Nonetheless…… Please come to the control room for a detailed briefing on the situation.

> Roger that > I’ll be there shortly

[in the control room]

Shi Huangdi: It’s Xianyang, right? 210 years before the founding of Christianity, right? That should be around the time We reached a dead end in Our quest for immortality, no? Indeed, We shall declare it. It was Our complete failure. Da Vinci: That’s some declaration…… Shi Huangdi: Well, let’s see, the Us of that time was so impatient, such a quest made Us completely lose Our mind. The reason for extending Our life, what the meaning of having a country and emperor were — We lost sight of it completely. Sion: ……*sigh*. It’s true that it’s hard to think of that behavior coming from Your Majesty, who is wise— and furthermore, an ultra-high powered supercomputer. You know that you’re the one causing the Singularity, but you’re talking as if it’s someone else. Shi Huangdi: But you know, We will be 2276 this year. Yet when We died, We hadn’t even reached 50. For comparison, for you all it would be like watching a toddler. They have to grab onto something else to stand on their own two feet, and fall all over themselves. In that case, isn’t criticism much too petty? Da Vinci: I suppose so, but. Setting that very emperor-like fallacious argument for a second— what’s with you? You’re way more pushy than usual. Was Your Majesty always this type of character? Fou: Fou. Fofou. (Translation: More-or-less) Shi Huangdi: Well, it’s a dark past We don’t really want to recall. Let Us hide Our embarrassment, at least a little. Da Vinci: ……Ooookay. I don’t really think this counts as “hiding your embarrassment,” but whatever…… In any case, the one who will accompany you on your Reyshift to the Singularity will also be our strategy officer taking responsibility for operations therein…… Right now, I’m currently covering Goredolf’s position so, Guda, your judgment on this matter is of utmost importance. Do you really intend to bring Emperor “How Interesting!” along with you on this expedition?

> Well, with our destination being what it is…... > Aren’t they qualified?

Shi Huangdi: Indeed! An appropriate judgment. Just what We expected from the protector of humanity! Sion: ………… If that’s what Guda concludes, I have no objections. However, I’ll also be accompanying you this time as Novum Chaldea’s Weapons Development Advisor. Mash: Huh? You’re going to Reyshift, Sion? Sion: Don’t worry about my aptitude. There haven’t been and won’t be any problems, because I deal with them all flawlessly. Shi Huangdi: Oh ho? You are aware that as We are Guda’s Servant, We shall only concern Ourselves with Guda’s safety, yes? Sion: That doesn’t matter. I have no desire to stand on the frontlines, and I’m more than equipped to see to my personal self-defense. You’ll come to see that both martial arts and marksmanship are my forte. After all, I am a genius of the Atlas Institute. Shi Huangdi: Hm. So long as you prove not to be a burden, We have no objections. I’m sure Guda is of the same mind?

> It’ll be encouraging to have you along. > Welcome aboard!

Da Vinci: Well, it’s fine if Sion comes along with you, but, well…… Sion, didn’t you say you didn’t want to do Spiriton Hacking? Sion: That was then, and it’s only sometimes in some cases! This is a rare opportunity, so it’d be a waste not to experiment! Da Vinci: ……*sigh*. It’s fine. Well then, head into the Coffins, everyone. The Singularity coordinates have been inputted, and I’ve made the necessary adjustments to accurately monitor your proof of existence. Sion: Please be scrupulous in your surveillance, Da Vinci. Don’t overlook even the slightest anomaly. Da Vinci: Yes, leave it to me. I’ll use the utmost care.

[we Reyshift]

Mash: Reyshift successful. However, this is…… Shi Huangdi: Oh my, how cruel this is. Our beautiful Xianyang, reduced to this sad sight, feels like some terrible joke. And what is this miasma? Mash: It's a magical energy thick with curses that permeates the air. If it’s this bad with the protection of a Mystic Code, an ordinary person in this environment would…… Shi Huangdi: Indeed. It is unlikely that any of the residents have survived. Even if they were alive, they would surely no longer be Our subjects, but something else entirely. Sion: Even if this is a Singularity, what the hell could’ve happened to result in such a dramatic change? Just what was the Shi Huangdi of this point in time planning? Shi Huangdi: Well, corrupted as We were, We expect that We underrated the degree of destruction We would invite. Speaking of Ourselves at that time, Our disposition was that if something were to be done, it should be done to its completion. Nevertheless, it seems We persisted in such folly…… Of all things, We devoured Xianyang completely. Sion: Devoured it……!? You mean you used that complete monopolization of resources arbitrarily!? I know your quest for immortality escalated, but did you really start a biohazard level calamity? Shi Huangdi: Um, well, it’s embarrassing to say, but We cannot assert that it would be completely outside the realm of possibility for Us. One would simply have to scrape together banned techniques from every corner of China, as well as every conceivable foreign system…… Thinking back on it now, that’s probably why Xu Fu ran off.

> Xu Fu?

Mash: Xu Fu was a court sorcerer who served at the time of the Qin Dynasty. It’s said that Shi Huangdi ordered him to search for immortality, and he traveled to the east with many researchers, but…… Sion: He never reached that enchanted land, nor did he return to Qin. According to one theory, he reached Japan and became a king there.

> So mercury was only the beginning……

Shi Huangdi: It got to the point that We tried invoking the homeopathic magic of Western Europe. No, it was because of its eternal, everlasting beauty— but thinking about it now, using it as medicine was truly the height of recklessness…… But We would like to tell Ourselves to drink a barrel of mercury if relying on curses is the alternative. This is truly pathetic!

[Mash looks surprised then puts her headset on]

Mash: ! Master, I’ve received a warning from Sheba! Hostiles incoming! Shi Huangdi: Mm, indeed, now is not the time to be in low spirits over a weak-mindedness that both is and is not Our own. On Our honor as a Servant, We shall serve as your guard. And here, to this fallen city, We shall demonstrate the law as the true emperor!

[fight]

(Node 2)

Shi Huangdi: …… Sion: ……That was difficult, wasn’t it. Even as you are now, at the apex of mankind, does your heart still ache? Shi Huangdi: Our spilt blood is not enough for the end of Our people. Moreover, the root of all this evil is the person We used to be. Mash: ……This is a Singularity. It was a different Shi Huangdi that made the wrong decision…… Shi Huangdi: No, because that person is still Us. We know where the end of that person’s delusional convictions lie. After all, it was none other than Us that had a glimpse into that regime. Guda, this is where the root of Our anxiety toward the human species stems from. No matter how noble the ideals you laud are, fate is much too cruel. The fear of ruination and making mistakes can all too easily mislead even those who seek to venture down the correct path. It is impossible for ten out of ten people to reach enlightenment even after a lifetime of devoting themselves to their studies. Yet if even one person falls to heresy, the remaining nine will be consumed.

> Do you think it’s impossible for mankind to improve?

Shi Huangdi: A person cannot resist fear and despair. So long as they are unable to surpass death and become Zhenren, they will be inadequate. And so, the duty of traversing the wasteland of humanity should be borne by one person alone…… In the end, even We, who were enthused by the prospect, met the bitterness of a pruned Lostbelt. Now, the right to challenge that cruel future lies in the hands of those that would inhabit that future. But do not forget. Even if you acknowledge the potential of mankind, an evil exists in this world. The same evil that you see here, that led Us to expose the depths of Our depravity— and it will appear time and time again.

> I know, but > We have no choice but to improve

Shi Huangdi: Heh. No matter how We might mean to intimidate you, a glance at your admirable and precious gaze and the words die on Our tongue. Well, shall We leave this trivial matter be? Then let us go to exterminate the source of these delusional convictions.

[inside Epang Palace]

Vengeful Spirit: You…… Shi Huangdi: Ah, We are truly painful to look at. Indeed, We had steeled Ourselves, but…… Looking at Ourselves again is so repulsive it nauseates Us. Vengeful Spirit: Oho…… That form…… We never thought We would reach it. Shi Huangdi: We were truly foolish in Our youth. It isn’t as though We do not understand the extent of that anguish, but such a downfall is unpardonable. Spreading enough curses about to hail a miasma— shouldn’t that have been beyond consideration? The capital was the price paid in exchange for prolonging Our life! Vengeful Spirit: *sigh*…… If the law of death is imposed upon the whole world, then it can also be considered a cure. Under the care of this first emperor, Shi Huangdi, China has finally realized eternal rest. Sion: (“This” first emperor...?) Hold on a second. Stop talking. I have my own personal opinions on using inhumane acts to achieve immortality, but doing it for political measures is outrageous. Even without being soft, there’s no reason to go to these excessive lengths. Just look here. After all, this is a successful emperor that freed themselves completely and achieved what you could not by taking a different path. Shi Huangdi: Ah, no, this isn’t the type of opponent you should instigate…… Vengeful Spirit: And so they are a saint? That’s the height of absurdity! That one is the fool who would reap the future of the world in exchange for their own future! Sion: ー! Shi Huangdi: ……Oho? This is the first time one has seen into Our origin. Well, We suppose that even corrupted, you were still Us. Then, your verdict is that the apex of unsightliness, this city of death, is preferable to the history We had woven? Vengeful Spirit: Aye. We, the Qin Dynasty, will continue beyond death. We shall reign until its destruction! This will become true eternity! Shi Huangdi: We have decided! Both pity and consideration are wasted on you. You are no longer a heavenly being nor emperor. All that remains is simply carrion. That throne is not a place for the dead to dream. We shall return you to your rightful place thusly. After all, isn’t that what this mausoleum was built for?

[fight]

Vengeful Spirit: Guh…… Why do you stop Us? Why do you prune Us? This time, for sure, the Eternal Qin…… Our peaceful reign…… Even though We could finally see the signs…... Shi Huangdi: Coming from Us, whose life can no longer cross into the realm of death, any advice is useless. Even so, let’s see. Do not be angry. Do not lament. For even if you alone will not bear its burden, humanity itself may somehow manage yet, surprising though it may be. Vengeful Spirit: What foolishness…… There is only Us…… Only the emperor, the Alpha and Omega…… is able to carry the fate of this world…...

[it disappears]

Shi Huangdi: Ah, how tiresome. That was like coming across someone doing a dramatic reading of Our entire dark history. Well, We did what We had to do. Let us return quickly. We cannot stand the air in this corrupted palace for another minuteー no, not even another second. Sion: You did what had to be done…… I wonder. Is that all you have to say about this? Shi Huangdi: More or less? Were you expecting something else? Sion: ……No. You were able to resolve this Singularity pretty reasonably. Good work as a Servant. You too, Guda, good job. Then, let’s head back.

[we Reyshift back]

Da Vinci: Yes, yes, bang up job this time, too. Well done! Now then, go take a shower and rest up. You can report back later. Mash: Huh? This isn’t standard protocol…… Da Vinci: Well, some stuff came up. I gotta adjust the machinery and such, ya’know. Oh, Shi Huangdi, could you stay a little longer? There’s something I’d like your help with. Shi Huangdi: Hm?

> Well then, I’ll take you up on your offer > Please excuse me

[we go; scene is still the control room]

Holmes: With this I trust all the details of the case have been disclosed? Then, all that remains is to solve the mystery. Shi Huangdi: Oh my, out with Guda and in with the detective makes for a truly detestable atmosphere. Ah, that reminds me, We do believe We had promised to have some dim sum with Shuwen. What an unfortunate time to forget. Then, if you’ll excuse me…… Holmes: Stop with the transparent lies. Why don’t we start talking. Da Vinci: We’ve already observed numerous Singularities, both large and small. Combining that with the data received from my previous incarnation, I have enough samples to be able to classify everything depending on trends observed. Therefore, I can draw this conclusion. This Singularity was not a natural occurrence. The pattern corresponds to the construction being from that of intentional outside interference. Shi Huangdi: And you suspect We are responsible? No, you overestimate Us completely. Certainly, Our form is that which is expected of Us as a Servant in this world, though as a supreme ultimate being it is the implementation of a modern human frame. Looking at it from another perspective, We are nothing more than an individual with nothing to Us, supreme only in name. We could not possibly reach the authority We once had in Our sacred mechanical body that once controlled all the world. Da Vinci: Thank you for being so eloquent, and for making your excuse as long-winded as physically possible. It’s true that as a Servant, Guda has the means to control you with a Command Spell. However…… it’s a different story if you were to regain the power you once had in your Lostbelt. Shi Huangdi: Well, We intended for you to forget your vigilance in your awe. Is it even possible that the feat of creating Singularities would be available as We are now? Actually, in the first place, it was an artificial Singularity. Is that possible? Da Vinci: In theory. However, it would require a Reyshift or some other equivalent means. Shi Huangdi: In other words, the machinery here has been used fraudulently by someone? Sion: Even if you want to ridicule it as a security system riddled with holes, I’ll reject that notion. As a hacker myself, I won’t say anything about a “perfect security system,” but if we’re talking about Novum Chaldea’s equipment, I can affirm that it’s impossible to operate the system without leaving a trace. Holmes: Rather, we should consider the possibility of someone other than ourselves implementing a Reyshift system. Shi Huangdi: If we’re talking about “possibilities,” then they’re endless. Especially considering that it might be a common technology in the future? Holmes: Finding the suspect ー in this case, the one who implemented the system ー is possible, even without jumping to such extreme leaps in logic. One would simply have to acquire the Animusphere’s theories, the Laplace software, and have a means of computing comparable to Trismegistus…… if we consider who can satisfy all those requirements, the conclusion is nearly at hand. Da Vinci: Well, this was borne from my own carelessness, but Shadow Border, at the time of entering the Chinese Lostbelt, contained backup data from Antarctic Chaldea that had been evacuated just in case. I never imagined that the entire vehicle might be captured and analyzed. Sion: Furthermore, your other form on-site was that of a supercomputer that ruled over and controlled the planet. It really is a shame I wasn’t able to see it directly. And there was no chance to know the details of what happened afterward. Holmes: Indeed. After we left, the Chinese Lostbelt as an externally observable object disappeared promptly. However, it is impossible to know how much time passed within the Lostbelt itself. If there wasn’t a sudden collapse, but instead a grace period in which the data obtained from Shadow Border could be fully analyzed…… Sion: And, the most damning evidence was a statement made by the other emperor who was out of control in that Singularity. You were able to detect the pruning event with a single shot. At the time, it was a skillful deception, but logically it was impossible. The only possibility is…… Holmes: The Shi Huangdi of that Singularity had already been in contact with you once, in regards to the pruning event. The culprit who made the Singularity is not the Shi Huangdi who serves as a Servant of Chaldea, but the Shi Huangdi who was a Lostbelt King…… Am I wrong? Shi Huangdi: Hmmm…… However, after the pruning event is confirmed, what use would it be to Reyshift? A Reyshift cannot grant the falsification of history. At best, it would produce a Singularityー nothing more than a stagnation in space-time. Da Vinci: You’re right. It’s impossible to change the outcome once the pruning event occurs. But if you went back to the past, regardless of a pruning event, there was certainly a time when you rode the waves of history, adding onto itー “compiling” it. Holmes: That answer seems to be why you stuck to Xianyang as the Singularity. The Lostbelt Shi Huangdi established multiple Singularities in stages, trying to see which of them would be detected by Chaldea, right? And that particularity would need an accompliceー a role played by “Servant Shi Huangdi” …… Shi Huangdi: …… Da Vinci: Establishing a Singularity from a Lostbelt, if we assume that there was a Singularity Response that could be observed from pan-human history, it would be from their shared past, and then that point becomes the crossroads between pruning and compiling history. And from there, establishing a Singularity in the past can become a means of interfering with pan-human history. Just like the trap devised by the King of Mages, Goetia. Sion: I thought they might have intended to do something during the last Reyshift, so I accompanied them, but there was nothing at all out of place. Since that was the case, it was reasonable to believe that there was another prime culprit. Of the traps set, which had been set to target this side of human history……? My aim was to verify that. Or, rather, was your purpose for answering Chaldea’s summons for that purpose? Shi Huangdi: Ah, good grief. Humanity so used to conflict really is lacking in charm. Da Vinci: There’s no way we could have this conversation in front of Guda. We’re doing it this way because we must confirm your true intentions. Shi Huangdi: Well. In the event that you would accuse Us, We would think that Guda, equipped as they are with Command Spells, would be essential to have present. It’s quite a sweet sentiment especially compared to the sharpness of your deductions. We have misgivings about the future of pan-human history. In any case, We have warned Guda time and time again. That should the mankind of pan-human history prove themselves to be unpardonably hideous beings, We will revive the Qin once more. Da Vinci: Then…… Shi Huangdi: Oops, wait three seconds before you get truly angry. We do not mean to say We will implement that plan immediately. We have no intention of hindering Guda’s efforts. We came to your pan-human history to see with Our own eyes your struggle, and should you fall into trouble, We shall spare no effort to lend Our assistance. After all, We have already abdicated Our throne in favor of a virtuous successor. Holmes: ……Then why the shady behavior? Shi Huangdi: It is Our belief that hope for the future will be pioneered by Guda, and you allー the “people.” However, faith and trust are two different things. After all, We are a politician. We do not engage in gambling. Should Guda shrink from their duty as a human inhabiting this world at the unprecedented crisis known as the bleaching of humanity …… At that time, We will become responsible for humanity again. “A humanity according to esteemed people.” Da Vinci: ………… Sion: ーRejected. That’s a contract built on the premise of defeat. Is there any other name for that than betrayal? Shi Huangdi: There certainly exist Heroic Spirits that dedicate themselves to Guda under pretense of friendship and conviction. However. Would it be okay if a world that could not be saved by “goodness” met its complete ruinationー We are different than those that cannot overlook disarray. Our bond with Guda is righteous. But to defeat the “Alien God” is an even greater justice. Should there come a time wherein these two ideals need be weighed against each other…… We shall choose the heavier one, without hesitation. Such is the duty of an arbiter. Sion: …… In short, you assert that this is a means to resist the bleaching of humanity? Shi Huangdi: It’s insurance, so to speak. We are a heavenly being that rules over the world of man. An invasion of earth by something inhuman is something We cannot forgive. In the event of Guda’s complete victory over the “Alien God,” We shall forget Our precautions as a needless anxiety. With the dismissal of all Singularities, We shall celebrate this victory of the people. Of course, that was the plan all along. Sion: Good grief. All this talk is hard to believe after seeing another Shi Huangdi who fell into the depths of their delusions at the end of their ambition just a little while ago. (Agh, I really can’t recognize this person as Their Majesty The Emperor) Shi Huangdi: That is why We keep repeating it. Here We are, living, 2200 years after Our death. Our viewpoint has since changed, and Our worldly desires have perished. You shouldn’t look down on the mental state sainthood achieves. ……In addition. Considering whether or not this insurance can go as smoothly as We had originally thought, We now possess a smidgeon of anxiety. In the first place, the arrangements for Reyshifting are in no way…… There is another matter that is displeasing. There is a faint smell of heresy. Da Vinci: Heresy? Like what? Shi Huangdi: From the beginning, you all easily saw through Us…… There is no reason why the other Crypters could not do the same thing. Holmes: I’ll tell you in advance that your caution is worthy of recognition. Since it doesn’t seem that you’ll resort to acting rashly. Shi Huangdi: If Guda and everyone else follows Our plan, everything will advance with a rock-solid formation~. Da Vinci: Ahaha. It’s impossible, so just give up. No matter what the reason is, strategies hinging on sacrifices won’t be approved. That goes doubly in Novum Chaldea. Otherwise such a victory would have no meaning. Holmes: ーHm. Although I do agree with some of Your Majesty’s thoughts…… As a matter of practicality, first and foremost must come the felling of the remaining Trees of Emptiness. So long as we have the invader, the “Alien God,” as a common enemy, I do hope our alliance will be maintained. Da Vinci: Yes, it’s safe to say that they bear no malicious intent toward Guda. However, Shi Huangdiー do not forget that we are keeping careful watch over your movements. If you do anything to make that child sad, I won’t forgive you, okay? Shi Huangdi: Then We shall say this. Heroic Spirits. That person is likely the next generation of mankind. We will surely be victorious, no matter what the cost. We shall not need to be roused again.

[in My Room]

Fou: Fou? Fooou! Mash: A- Are you okay, senpai? Did you get sick?

> No, I’m fine > For some strange reason, I got chills……

Mash: ……Okay. You don’t seem to be running a fever. Perhaps someone was talking about you, senpai.

> I hope they’re not saying anything weird…… > Hmm, it’s like I’m carrying a weight on my shoulders……

T/N:

* EDIT: Shoutout to an anon for being the real MVP and alerting me that, aside from being a compound in Japanese, the kanji Shi Huangdi uses here are in reference to soul-types in Chinese philosophy. The concepts refer to two different souls that exist within the self, representing yin and yang, but I... don’t really want to turn this into a lesson, nor am I an expert (obviously. since I didn’t catch it while translating) so I’d recommend looking into it if curious/wanting to know more about our emperor!

#my translations #fgo #fgo translations #fgo interlude #long post

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gourmetpunk · 4 years

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Every once in a while, I see articles going around about how “recycling is a lie”, “recycling doesn’t work”, etc. In the interest of debunking sensational headlines and not contributing to political climates of despair, I’ve looked into some of these articles and I have some questions.

I’ll focus on the recycling of plastics here because that’s what the article I read that had the most information focused on. Based on what I’ve read, there are three main problems with recycling that are holding it back (and by “holding it back”, I mean reducing its effectiveness to the point that less than 10% of all recycled plastic is actually turned into something new while the rest ends up in landfills*):

1. Plastic is not easily recycled and often degrades over time; therefore, it’s just difficult to recycle it with efficiency in the first place.

2. Because of the inefficiencies resulting from cleaning and sorting, recycling is too costly to be profitable in most cases, so this ends up further impacting the amount of plastic that is actually recycled - sorting/cleaning some of it would be too costly.

3. There has been some active sabotage on the part of oil/plastic industries in recycling policy (such as lobbying to increase the varieties of recyclable plastic whether or not there is sufficient labour or infrastructure to deal with it) because recycled plastics as products are in direct competition with new plastics - so it is in the interest of the oil/plastic companies to make recycling plastic a less efficient process so it is less of a threat to them on the market.

This is all obviously reflecting pretty bad on recycling as a process in the way it’s currently being done (or rather, not being done). But I see a pretty straightforward solution that could solve two of these problems quickly: the articles describing these issues seemed to take for granted that because recycling is privatized as an industry (and in competition with oil/new plastic as a consequence), they could only ever remain privatized - but what if they were nationalized? I know collection is, but what about the sorting/cleaning/selling end of it? And if this is already nationalized, how does it remain so inefficient? Can’t the government subsidize the prices the recycled plastic is sold at so that even if the industry is massively inefficient cost-wise, it’s still cheap enough to compete with new plastics? This would, of course, be costly, but if the damage done by having plastics in the environment is terrible, isn’t this an economic cost worth paying? Ideally, the burden of the cost would be covered in the form of higher taxes from the oil/plastic industries that create this waste in the first place, but I know that in practice things rarely work out so justly. However, even if the burden of the subsidy falls on the consumer, I think this could be a net positive - it’s the price we pay for being so dependent as a society on plastic, and under the current neoliberal paradigm, doesn’t this create incentives for some entrepreneur to rise up with new market ideas that will guide us away from relying on plastic? ...OK, I’m being a bit sarcastic with that last sentence, but I stand by my argument that it’s better to pay an economic price to nationalize an economically inefficient industry if that industry would be more efficient in terms of resource use/environmental impact. Also we shouldn’t forget that other classic neoliberal argument which is actually true in this case: that nationalizing (and by consequence, expanding) plastics recycling would create new jobs.

I should add that I don’t think this will happen - the plastic and oil industries are likely too powerful to allow governments to do this, and conservative politicians would try and dissuade everyone by whining about the cost. This is kind of just a thought experiment in trying to fix what seems like a very solvable problem even when thinking under a neoliberal paradigm, so it baffles me that it’s being painted as such an unsolvable one. Am I missing a piece of the puzzle here? I think my answer pretty much solves factors 2 and 3 in making the recycling industry more efficient, so is it possible that 1 is actually the biggest problem of all? But if so, why would oil/plastic companies waste their money lobbying to sabotage the recycling industry?

*I believe these are US numbers and situations I’m dealing with here. Being Canadian, I don’t actually know what the difference is here in our own programs, so assume what I say is US-centric. I appreciate any additional information about Canada’s situation.

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missolitude · 5 years

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A Taurean* take on the zodiac signs

*Taurus sun, Libra moon, Cancer rising, Mercury and Venus in Gemini

Look at your sun sign but also moon, rising, mercury and venus. This is merely my opinion so of course bias is part of the deal, but in libra moon fashion I shall try to be objective and fair.

Aries: I never seem to vibe with you guys unless you have strong Piscean influences in your chart. Very fiery and aggressive. Go getters. Naturally dominant and sometimes athletic, usually into sports and the outdoors. Extroverts. You love to express yourself and you have so much energy. Decisive and creative. I might never be friends with you but I would immediately hire you to advocate for a project or an idea. You are literally unstoppable once you want something, you strive when you need to overcome obstacles. Confident aura. Daring and bold. Usually very self-centered. Please do remind yourselves that other people have feelings and that a more diplomatic approach would solve most problems that you have in relationships.

Taurus: My own sign, so I’m probably biased. I have had so many Taurean friends in my childhood. I immediately get along with you, I feel so comfortable and at ease in your company. You radiate such calm and warmth. Loyal. Dependable. You are a solid rock in a world that doesn’t stand still. You move slowly but when you do have taken a decision you follow through. You possess unbreakable, indomitable inner and physical strength. Everything you do is meaningful, you do not like to waste your time or resources. Very stubborn but you usually know that you are and don’t want to be. Self-reliant to a fault. You are so peaceful and sweet, and you put up with so much before you lose your patience and speak up. You rarely get angry but once the bottled up rage finds a way to the surface it’s like hot lava, it burns everything in its path. You are a powerful and terrifying creature, embrace it but use your strength wisely. Once you have invested time and energy in something you cannot let go, even when that person or relationship hurts you or has stopped serving a purpose in your life. You give so much to others, you are allowed to put yourself first every once in a while.

Gemini: Masters of mischief and communication. So funny and energetic! They hate boredom. Like to show off. Literal goofballs and dorks. A million different hobbies and interests. Usually are into traveling, they want to engage with the world. So curious and charismatic. Sometimes distraught and absent-minded. Lives in their head. Wants to get to know everyone, will ask you so many questions on literally every topic, likes to use their hands when they talk. Everything they say sounds smart and they know a bit about everything. Easy to open up! Words are your weapon and if you harness and develop that gift the world is at your feet. People will tell you over and over again that you should focus on one thing in life, don’t listen to them. Versatility is your strength. So are connections, both in your head as in relationships. You manage to connect everything and create a bigger picture based on small details. You guys are walking mindmaps. Listen to your gut more! You make sense of chaos, you thrive in it. Embrace it.

Cancer: Undervalued gems. Your life always seems to revolve around pain, either your own or that of others. You are sweet and sensitive and people like to underestimate you because of that. Too bad, they won’t see you coming when you get sneaky and come from the side. Your indirectness is not a weakness, don’t let anyone tell you differently. You are sooo receptive. To other people’s moods, their burdens, their struggles, you go through life sensing what other people see. Your protective shell is your weakness and strength at once, depending on how you use it. Once you have it on nothing and no one can hurt you, you become unbreakable, unreachable. This is such a magical gift, use it wisely. But also don’t forget to take it down and experience life every once in a while. You will never be able to avoid all the risks, no matter how hard you try. You will only keep yourself from living truly and intensely. You are at your strongest when you protect and nurture, either yourself or those you love. You are soft but not weak, you are not afraid to feel, to hurt, to cry. You can find strength and wisdom in that like no other. You are the Gabrielle to someone’s Xena, this is your archetype. You hold up others so that they can heal, and by healing others, you heal yourself.

Leo: Natural performers and entertainers. Most comfortable when they are the center of attention, also at their best. You were made to be in the spotlight, you can’t seem to help but shine, it’s such a superpower. You are so good at expressing yourself creatively, you aren’t afraid to be bold and to take risks. You possess so many talents and you are crazy attractive. (You always seem to have the most amazing hair too, wow.) You are hard workers and proud of what you do and accomplish. You do naturally what other people need to learn, to demand to be treated with respect and to ask for well earned validation. But don’t forget that you are at your strongest when your validation and self-respect comes from within, not from outside sources. You can only become your most powerful self once you detach yourself from that need to seek applause from everyone you meet. Once you have that stability and that strong ego that comes from within, nothing and nobody can stop you. You are such natural givers, and because you are so positive and shine so brightly you always seem to get back even more. But there is a fine line between a strong and healthy ego and arrogance and learning the difference is your biggest life lesson.

Virgo: Natural healers and educators. You have such passion and strive for knowledge, and you always want to serve and offer your gifts to others. You are truly amazing. If you need emotional nurturing go to a Cancer, if you want a solution to your life’s problems go to a Virgo. You are great organizers and you can literally juggle so many things at once it boggles my mind. You never stop thinking and analyzing and working on yourself. Other people sleep at 3 in the morning, you work and are on some kind of mission that will either improve your life or that of others. Adulting is something that was made for you. You are at your strongest when your life and your environment is clean and devoid of unnecessary clutter and distractions. You strive the most when you help other people organize their lives. You are here to help, to serve, to be useful, this might be unhealthy for others but you are happiest when you can offer your unique gifts to uplift others. This is how you uplift yourself. Truly stellar and amazingly capable human beings. All the awards to you.

Libra: I always seem to draw you into my life. You are so enchanting and beautiful, inside and out. Natural diplomats, you are able to build bridges where others only see differences and odds. So skilled with words. Obsessed with being detached and objective. Flirting is your way of connecting with people and some will not get that. You are so well spoken and good-natured. You are so perceptive and observant, you literally see everything. You like to make other people feel as desired and wanted and comfortable as you want to feel, and it’s the biggest tragedy in life that most people either fail to appreciate that, or won’t return the favor. You are so accommodating and never want to be a burden to anyone. You always have your guard up, and you are so good at becoming what other people want from you that you forget what you want. You are at your best when you counsel people, or educate, you read others so well, you are so good at telling people what they need to hear to become the best version of themselves. Recognize where your strengths and weaknesses are and do what you do best, build bridges between them and solutions that make it a win win for everyone, yourself too. You are such a force for good and for justice in this world, you deserve so much. Don’t be afraid to ask for reassurance, the right people will be happy to give it.

Scorpio: Literally my favourite people in the world. Endlessly loyal and steadfast companions. I genuinely don’t think they are capable of anything but good intentions. Once they have chosen you they will stick with you for life. They have endless depths and abysses inside of them and they aren’t afraid to brave them. Crazy intuitive. Obsessed with sex and food, the rumors are true. They are a cute dork and a sensual siren all at once, usually at the same time. They see and feel more than anyone else I know. Usually very good with animals. Spiritual. Endless advocates for the good in people. Could be mistaken for being naive but don’t be fooled, it is bravery to choose optimism and kindness over and over again like they do. Have sometimes trouble expressing their deep thoughts and emotions with words, they always feel like they don’t suffice to convey what they want to express and in their case it’s true. They can be afraid of their own intensity, or of being rejected for it, and since so much happens subconsciously for them they often don’t understand themselves very well. They are first class people. Always helpful, always forthcoming, and their life always revolves around sacrifice, about giving up something or someone. Sometimes they end up sacrificing their own happiness for someone else. They often can’t help but choose a path of self-destruction, but nobody else can surpass obstacles and tragedy like they do. Scorpios, your archetype is a Phoenix. You can burn yourself to the ground one day and build yourself up the next. Your superpower is evolution and regeneration. You can withstand destruction because you are not afraid to start anew. Every day if necessary.

Sagittarius: Travelers and seekers of experiences. Always on a search for enlightenment and self-improvement and growth. You want to expand your horizon, you need spirituality in your life, the bigger picture, meaning. Natural philosophers. Idealists. Want to change the world. So fun to be around and great friends. The most non-judgmental people on this earth, probably. They will analyze you and adapt whatever life hacks you have and they are eclectic when it comes to spiritual practices or world views. They pick up whatever works for them and they don’t care about being traditional or old fashioned. They can talk and connect with everyone, regardless of background or social status or nationality. If you want good advice and an unconventional perspective they are your best pick. They have so many acquaintances and good friends, it doesn’t matter whether you haven’t seen them for a day or a couple of years, it’s so easy to pick up exactly where you left off with them. They are so bold!!! Total adventurers. The first ones to say yes if you suggested a bungee jump or paragliding. Take them on a vacation with you and you will be sure to get the best experiences out of it. But don’t expect them to be very romantic or overly interested in love, at least not in the conventional sense. They don’t like to feel trapped in relationships. Always have a window open when you are with them, figuratively. Don’t be too clingy, make them feel free and they will love you for it.

Capricorn: I have never had many Caps in my life for some reason, but I’d love to change that! My perspective on you is probably limited for it but here we go. You have a reputation for being sarcastic and closed off but that is not the impression I have of you. Most Caps seem to be deceptively funny and have a hidden penchant for humor and comedy. Perhaps that is a direct result of you having no illusions about the world. Life is a tragedy to those who feel but a comedy to those who think, and you have such a sharp mind. You are so analytical and you see everything exactly how it is. Pure realism and sometimes negativity but I think you take strength from that. You always want to protect yourself, from disappointments, from rejection, from failure. It’s hard to get to know you, you only let people in that have proven themselves to you. And you do not hesitate to cut people off that don’t respect you or your priorities. You have no time for bullshit and you do not tolerate fools. You aren’t very diplomatic about that either and most people cannot handle that. You are direct and straightforward and you will make an effort for those that you love but you are not known to mince words. You do not offer pity or compassion to those who you perceive as weak or that are responsible for their own unhappiness. You have no patience for people who are unhappy in a relationship but refuse to leave. You can seem unfeeling when the opposite is true, you care so much but you show it differently than people expect or want. You look for dependability and strength and self-reliance in others. You only respect those that respect themselves. There are a lot of life lessons in this that other people should learn. You often feel alone because you tend to push people away and you have trouble asking for help. There is strength in showing weakness sometimes, perhaps that is something you will learn too, when you are ready. Also, how do you do it, you literally never stand still??? You constantly have projects going on, sometimes several at the same time, and you have so much energy?? This never ceases to amaze me. You guys invented productivity.

Aquarius: Creative oddballs, proud misfits!!! Why do things a certain way when you can do it differently? I used to have an Aquarius acquaintance who only walked around barefoot even in snow and randomly burst into song and unpromptedly composed serenades for his friends, I think that captures the experience with you. Not afraid to be different, but sometimes different just for the sake of it. Unconventional and always against the stream. Always expressing yourself, always on the move, always doing something lovably weird. Never the same, never predictable. And you know so much, about literally everything? You guys seem to have the most eclectic books at home, it jumps from space to architecture to a manual on how to make your own soap. And I’ve observed that you do what some people never will be able to learn - at your most evolved you achieve a perfect balance between intellect and emotions. You are visionaries and underappreciated geniuses. I don’t always understand you and you might not always make sense either but you are very intriguing to me.

Pisces: You are so hard to find in the world! I desperately want more Pisces friends. I love your sign. You are romantic, sensitive, sweet, creative. Old souls. Soft and dreamy. So good with words it makes my heart ache. If I immediately get enchanted by someone that person usually has Pisces somewhere in their chart. You are dangerous to me, you draw me into your own world of dreams and wisdom and beauty. You remind me of old gods and stags wandering cemeteries in the twilight, walks in the moonlight, poetry and impossible love. You are otherworldly and captivating. You can be hauntingly shy and elusive but I adore that about you. You are such gifted writers. You find words for concepts that are foreign to people that aren’t dreamers. The world is in desperate need of people like you, I see you and all the power to you. I know you don’t want it and that’s why you deserve it.

#zodiac #taurus #gemini #cancer #leo #virgo #libra #scorpio #sagittarius #capricorn #aquarius #pisces #aries #ramblings #literally no one asked but #there you go

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cryptovalid · 6 years

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Straw Wars: the Ableism Strikes Back.

(This is a draft for an article I’m submitting (by request) to a Canadian Student Christian Movement website. I recently posted a version of it on Facebook and thought some of you might like to read it. The title isn’t great or original, and I’m looking for a more clever pun. Hmu.

For the last couple of months, there’s been talk of a ban on plastic straws, or even all single-use plastics. The impetus was simple: plastic waste was a real cause of suffering and death for marine animals, and a threat to the general sustainability of life on earth. It’s production is a major factor in carbon emissions. No one was arguing that point. But there was a group speaking out against the ban that is often overlooked in these kinds of discussions. With the power of social media, they’ve made themselves heard: disabled people.

You see, when you have limited or no control over the muscles in your mouth or hands (or you don’t have the latter), drinking can be a hassle. Virtually the only way to drink unaided from a cup can be a bendable straw, which are currently made from plastic. Re-usable metal straws or compostable bamboo straws will benefit some people, but for others, their pointiness can be a hazard. Plastic straws are cheap and readily available everywhere, meaning that it is one of those accessibility concerns that rarely take a second thought. A ban on plastic straws would change that. And people with palsy, spinal damage and Parkinson's disease were not shutting up about it. Amazingly the responses, if they came at all, were not always understanding.

I’ve seen commentors on friend’s FB pages say things like ‘I’m not going to kill the planet for the convenience of some disabled people’ and I’m sure that’s not an uncommon sentiment. This ignores of course that a) drinking unaided is not a convenience but a source of dignity and a material need for most of us. And b) while the impact of plastic straws is bad and easy to personalize, they are hardly ‘what’s killing the planet’. 46% of the famous ‘Trash Island’ is composed of fishing nets. But so far, the fishing industry hasn’t had to deal with a ban.

This is just the first time the concerns of disabled people have gained serious traction in a debate about saving the Earth. The pattern is typical though: a lot of environmentalism puts the burden of saving the planet disproportionately on the poor and disabled.This is not usually the result of malice, but rather ignorance (although persistent and, as in the example above, sometimes willful). Environmentally sustainable products are often more expensive and require more human power, time and effort to use. Resources the rich and abled simply have more of.

Interestingly, the poor and disabled rarely get credit for all the environmentally destructive behavior they can not engage in if they wanted to. Biking to work or not taking a plane on vacation is only considered an admirable sacrifice for the environment if you have the option of doing those things. But if you can't do those things, but you also need a plastic straw to drink? Or you can barely afford food, let alone sustainably produced items? Or you don't have the free time, money or hand-eye coordination to forgo any other convenient, cheap, 'wasteful' products? Then a lot of environmentalists will blame you, personally, for the destruction of the earth.

On balance, carbon footprint and negative impact on the environment correlate with wealth. Rich people are not only usually more wasteful than poor people (because they can afford to be, and live in places where the effects of that waste are not as noticable), they also by definition have more control over the industries and regulations that truly govern the amount of pollution, overconsumption and waste that ruin the environment. This is how places like Europe can enjoy a higher standard of luxury while still having stricter environmental and labor regulation than other places: we’ve outsourced the social and environmental costs to Asia, Africa and South America.

Food waste is a political problem. Carbon emissions are a political problem. Child labor is a political problem. These are not personal moral problems that you can disinvest from and be done with it, judging everyone else.

The market will not ever solve these problems. They are a result of the market: they are byproducts of policies that are very profitable to rich and powerful people who can avoid these negative consequences. The market will only succeed in hiding the issue. Usually by relocating to a poorer place and some good marketing. The true solution will only come from a sense that we, as a global community need to reorganize the way we produce and distribute goods and services.

Small tasks are things like changing the rules about food waste so that corporations can't just deliberately throw food away if they could just as easily have given it to starving people. Possibly setting up a distribution system to make that happen. Maybe disincentivize overproduction by farmers by changing subsidies. Making companies that use forced or inhumane labor practices criminally liable.

Larger things are like: how to transition to an economy that is not based on fossil fuels while minimizing the opportunity for massive poverty and violence. What are the alternative ways to produce energy and plastics? If there aren't any feasible options, who has to sacrifice what? If we let the market decide, we already know the answer. And it will not be everyone equally.

The inevitability that our current way of life is going to become impossible means that we have to think of new ways of life, not just as individuals, but as a society. It would be really nice if it did not rely on everybody spending more money, and doing more stuff by hand. Not all of us have money. Not all of us have hands.

(for the record: I have both. That is not the point.)

#straw wars #environmentalism #ableism cw

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the-rawl · 6 years

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my imaginary friend saves my life on the regular

I lived in an unpleasantly run-down house in a third-world country with my younger brother, and my parents, who were missionaries. My entire peer group had moved away in the space of six months, leaving me the only fifteen-year-old in our community.

Since only seven children between the ages of thirteen and seventeen remained, the co-op school neglected to hire a teacher to cover our grades, leaving our parents to negotiate their own means. Mine enrolled me in an online school, conducted via online chat and screensharing -- I never saw my classmates' or my teachers' faces. My parents were quite preoccupied with their mutual work, so that the family rarely ate together or spoke except for purely practical reasons. I was terrifically lonely.

No one noticed how late I stayed up, or how late I slept in, or whether I did my homework or attended class or ate regularly. I ate a lot of chocolate -- a bar of dark chocolate a day, sometimes -- and read every book in my collection over and over again, trying to become the characters, and have their problems, which were always solved by the end of the series. I ate toast when I was hungry, because when the power was on it was easy to make. I cried a lot. Some nights, about two in the morning, I'd walk around the silent house and the courtyard in the dark, too miserable to sit still or to sleep or to read. I remember looking up at the sky through the grapevines on the arbor and wondering if this was rock bottom, if I could possibly feel worse.

Well, I could.

long text post under the cut

My mom and I went to the shop down the street for groceries. It was probably a fifteen minute walk, both ways. Early on the way back, some young local man made an inappropriate gesture at me, and after we passed him, followed us for a short way. My mom told me I needed to walk with more confidence, that I looked like a target. I was afraid.

After that, getting home seemed to take forever. It was like I existed in dark fog with the consistency of cotton candy, thick, and cloying. Sound seemed muffled, like being underwater. I was cold.

I got to my room on autopilot. I laid down. I was at the bottom of a well, knee-deep in cold water. I couldn't see day at the top, just some specs of light, stars maybe. I couldn't get out. I had something living in my chest, thick and black, stinking like tar, or like rotten vegetation. If you cut me open it would seep out without depleting, like an infection. I had a hood over my head that smelled like dust from a closet that hasn't been opened in years. There was a pain in the back of my throat, like I needed to cough, or scream, but I couldn't make a sound. My bedroom light, a bare bulb, had a fuzzy halo around it when I looked up, so I knew it was on. But the corners of the room were dark.

That was the first time I thought about killing myself. Eventually I fell asleep.

When I woke up it was morning, and I was hungry. Emotionally, there was nothing. I'd been pressed flat between two slabs of concrete. I was a single grain of sand on a tile floor. I got up and made toast. Then I cleaned the rabbit hutches, and pulled down hay for them.

When I'd finished my chores I went to my laptop and plugged in the usb stick for accessing the satellite internet. I was only supposed to use it for school, but last night had told me that I wasn't just sad all the time -- there was something wrong with me, and if I didn't do something, I was probably going to die. That didn't sound all that bad, except that me dying would be a terrible burden on my family.

That's how I learned I was depressed, that it was a legitimate medical condition, and that I had no access to any of the resources the websites recommended -- not therapy, not medication, not social support (I didn’t feel like I could approach my parents at the time, although I eventually did, which lead to some major life changes later on).

I also learned that the way I was feeling and the things I told myself weren't normally-calibrated responses to my environment. That I couldn't trust my own brain to interpret what was happening to me without applying a false negative patina. This would have been quite alarming if I had been able to muster any emotional response at all. What do you do, when you can't trust your own brain?

I needed someone or something that could be with me. That could tell me the truth, serve as a reality check, remind me of my options and the reasons I had chosen not to pursue some of them, and that could be available at any time of the day or night.

So I made myself an imaginary friend. Her name was Ka, and she was shaped like a little dragon, small enough to sit on my shoulder. She was green, and the edges of her scales were soft, and the tips of her talons were blunted -- she wasn't there to protect me from things around me. She was there to protect me from myself.

I knew that making a construct of this kind was dangerous, that I was relying on my own faulty brain to regulate what amounted to a second personality. But I was at the point where having an alternate personality or a voice in my head could hardly make anything worse. I put in some safeguards, choosing to trust in my ability to create and maintain them.

Ka could only ever tell the entire, unbiased truth, and she couldn't force me to do anything. I wasn't allowed to give her the driver's seat. She couldn't interact with the physical world in any way, not as herself, and not through me. When I was very lonely, I would pretend she was sitting or walking next to me, but she only ever existed in my head.

I would wake up, and it would be two in the afternoon, and I would feel bad about wasting most of the day. But Ka would say, you are up now, and you didn't sleep for twelve hours this time, which is an improvement over yesterday. You have enough time to eat and to log in for your English class. Oatmeal would be a healthy alternative to toast. You could put honey in it.

I would forget to do my chores, and someone else would feed and sweep up after the rabbits. And I felt terrible about neglecting my animals, and I felt like I had been neglected, too, because whichever of my parents had done the work never brought it up, and I was desperate for some accountability. Then Ka would tell me that feeling bad about forgetting the rabbits was a good, reasonable thing, because it meant I recognised I had failed to maintain my responsibility to them. That before I look to my parents for accountability I needed to look to myself. That my parents had made sure my animals wouldn't suffer. That I had another chance not to make the same mistake. That possibly my parents hadn't failed to discipline me, but rather decided I had too much on my plate, and tried to be kind by not mentioning my lapse. That symptoms of depression include sleeping too much, tiredness, trouble thinking, concentrating, deciding, remembering, and so forgetting the animals was not entirely my fault. That I could forgive myself.

I would skip my most hated class, Biblical Worldview, and feel both guilty about doing it, and pleased with getting away with it, and confused and sad because while I was skiving I wasn't doing anything I enjoyed more, because I couldn't think of anything I would actually enjoy doing. Ka said, you're old and mature enough to decide for yourself whether attending lecture is necessary for you to understand the material in this unit. That if you made the wrong decision by not attending, the consequences will occur when you struggle with the homework. That some consequences will occur regardless in the form of your participation grade. That loss of interest in normal activities is a symptom. That choosing to do nothing rather than participating in an unpleasant activity is still an improved experience, and therefore a reasonable, if mildly hedonistic, decision.

When I thought about hurting myself, about hurting myself more than just digging fingernails into my arm without breaking the skin, Ka said that doing so was risky. I might experience a brief emotional relief by doing so, but the risk of infection or accident was considerable. That self-harm was noticeable, and as she reminded me, above all I didn't want to be noticed. That in all the stories or accounts I ever read about self harm, not one person failed to regret it later. That however much I might hate another person, I wouldn't take a knife to them. Why should my own body be an exception?

When I wanted to die... Ka said that by killing myself, I would abandon everything that would happen to me, and everything that I would do, and everything that I was responsible for. Yes, the pain would stop. Wanting to escape pain is normal. But the depression could ease, and that would also stop this particular suffering. If I died, who would finish the stories I wrote? If I died, our wandering outdoor cat might decide never to come home again -- I was her favorite. If I died, my parents would be very upset, and surprised (I don't think they understood the depth of my affliction until many years afterward). She said, even if you hate yourself, hate being yourself, there are creatures left who rely on your existence for their physical and emotional wellbeing. She said, cutting your ties to this place in that way means cutting all of them, even the good ones, even if there aren't many good ones left.

Ka wasn't all about dispensing sensible thoughts into my unbalanced brain. I would tell her stories, on my good days, and she would contribute to the plot. When I had a positive emotion (positive emotions were usually muted, when I felt them at all), she would echo that feeling back at me, so it was like hanging out with a friend who enjoys the same things you do. It was incredibly reassuring to be able to fall back onto her sensible, even-tempered presence when I felt anything but.

About a year later, motivated by my persistent mental health issues and my brother’s own health problems, my family moved back to the States, and I got some real psychiatric care, including counseling and a prescription. As my depression eased, I needed Ka less often, and eventually she retreated. She said I didn't need her anymore, and after a while, I didn't miss her. I made a few new friends. The sky seemed so much clearer for my last three years of high school. I rediscovered what it was like to enjoy life.

For many people, depression is a chronic condition. When I went to college, mine came back. Not quite as strong as before, because I recognised the symptoms early and started deploying coping mechanisms sooner. But it was there, that blackness welling from deep in my chest, creeping up my throat till eating made me feel sick. My dorm room was a poor refuge, because my roommate loved people, but not cleanliness. I had no support system, because I attended college out of state, and no one came with me.

I missed a lot of meals. I lost about fifteen pounds, and I was never heavy. I slept fourteen hours a day on weekends, and four hours on weekdays. I got all As, my first two years, with a full class load, in the engineering track.

At the end of one bad day, first semester of freshman year, I came back to a blessedly-empty dorm room, locked the door behind me, and had a panic attack on the floor. When that finished, I wanted something to make me feel better. Getting chocolate would mean leaving the room -- not an option. I had no comfort foods, my bedding was stale, the bathroom was grimy. No one I trusted lived within eight hundred miles. My betta fish swam to the surface when I lifted the tank cover, but it was not in their nature to be cuddly.

I remembered Ka. I wished she were there. I pulled at the spot where she used to be, wondering if I could recreate her, or something like her.

She uncurled, lifted her head, and said, "I'd hoped you'd look for me soon. I couldn't come back to help until you asked for me."

This depressive episode has lasted for four years, prolonged, I think, by my pigheaded stubbornness in pursuing a degree far past when the cost to my health exceeded the benefit higher education could bring me. And also by my parents' divorce precipitated by my dad's gender transition. I'm only recently starting to emerge from it, an improvement brought on mostly by my decision to drop out of college.

I haven't called on Ka as often as I did as a teenager. I have more access to external resources, these days, including finances, medication and trusted friends. But even now, if I tap at the part of my mind where she is, she'll uncurl and sleepily ask, "What is it?"

I think, "Just checking you're still there. Go back to sleep. I'm okay right now."

I'm not writing this down as advice; I'm not saying, if you're depressed, make yourself an imaginary friend. Don't do that, or if you must, make sure you know what you're doing, and the risks. What I wrote up there about constructs like Ka having the potential to be dangerous is real. I was careful, but I was also lucky.

I wrote this on the off chance that someone already has their own Ka, in the unlikely event that that person reads this, to let them know that they aren't the only one. And I'm hoping, a little, to learn I'm not the only one.

#good ending #imaginary friend #depression #suicide #self harm #isolation #therapy #autobiography

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ezatluba · 3 years

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Why It Can Be Harder To Fight Hookworms In Alabama Than In Argentina

January 22, 2021

SUSAN BRINK

Adult hookworms from a dog. The larvae, which penetrate the skin, are even smaller.

This story definitely has a yuck factor. It's about hookworms.

When hookworm eggs land on moist, warm ground, via human feces, they develop into larvae, raise their tiny selves upward, and wave back and forth looking for bare feet to latch onto. The parasites penetrate the skin, enter the bloodstream, and eventually migrate to the small intestine — where they settle in, mature, and start sucking blood and laying eggs. When the worms and their eggs are passed in a host's stool, the cycle begins anew.

Hookworm disease flourishes in hot, moist climates where people have limited access to water or have inadequate sewage systems or poor hygiene.

There are ongoing efforts to wipe it out in Africa. Latin America. Asia.

And now, in Alabama.

Dr. Rojelio Mejia, infectious disease specialist at Baylor College of Medicine, says the parasites are no strangers to U.S. soil. In a paper published in 2017, Mejia and his team reported finding more than a third of the people in one Alabama county were infected with hookworm disease.

Mejia has worked to quell hookworm disease in Ecuador, Mozambique, the grassy plains of northern Argentina. Now, he and partners are leading efforts to control the outbreak in rural Alabama. We talked with him by telephone about the disease and the various struggles the U.S. has keeping it under control compared with resource-poor countries. His answers have been lightly edited for space.

What does hookworm need to thrive?

It's a really fragile parasite. It needs moist, loamy soil — the same type of soil found in Alabama, the plains of Argentina and other places with hookworm. It needs a tropical or subtropical climate. And it requires poor sanitation conditions where human waste gets into the soil.

How long has hookworm been in the U.S.?

Public health people have talked about hookworm since the 1800s. In the 1900s, a study in some counties in Alabama found about 60% of people had hookworm — mostly African Americans and poor whites. The sharecropper was the classic presentation. The Rockefeller Foundation funded a project to try to eradicate hookworm, and studies in the 1950s showed the infection rate was about 40%, not just in Alabama, but throughout the South. But in recent years, because interest had apparently waned, hookworm studies in the U.S. disappeared off the radar.

Until I came on the scene in 2013.

So what can of worms did you open in 2013?

We studied rural Alabama and found about 35% of people in one county are infested with hookworm. We chose Lowndes County because it previously had a high rate of hookworm, continues to have a high rate of poverty, and many residences have open sewage systems. (The study, "Human Intestinal Parasite Burden and Poor Sanitation in Rural Alabama," was published in October 2017, in American Journal of Tropical Medicine )

Is hookworm found anywhere else in the U.S.?

The only recent human studies have been done in Alabama. But soil and conditions can be similar in parts of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and South Carolina. We assume conditions are right in much of the Southeast U.S., but urban areas will have very little because of paved driveways, cement floors and sidewalks, while rural areas will have more.

What are the symptoms and long-term consequences of hookworm infection?

There's a little bit of a rash where the worm entered. The worm travels to the lung, and some people can get pneumonia. There's some evidence that it can contribute to asthma. When it's in the small intestine, it can cause diarrhea. The most serious problem is anemia, because the worms are voracious consumers of red blood cells.

Can poor countries offer any pointers to the U.S. in handling hookworm?

How do they handle it in poor countries? They don't handle it. They're overwhelmed. They try, but their hands are tied by poverty.

But one thing they do with great efficiency is give albendazole, a drug used to treat hookworm. I was in Argentina at a school, and they had all the kids line up for treatment. They took it in front of us.

It's mass drug delivery. They go into a school, and they don't even test for hookworm. The problem is so great, they assume most kids are infected, and they get automatic treatment twice a year.

In the U.S., we're more independent thinking. Can you imagine going anyplace in the U.S. and saying, "Your kids have to take this tablet." It wouldn't fly!

Was the treatment the kids in Argentina got effective?

Yes, but then they go back home. In three or four months, all of them are reinfected. That's the problem. It's a Band-Aid on a major health problem.

If we could provide better sanitation systems, we could curb the infection rate, but there's not enough money to pay for septic systems in many parts of the world.

Are there disadvantages to being diagnosed with hookworm in the U.S. compared to poorer countries?

One disadvantage in the U.S. is the cost of treatment. In Colombia, we treated 400 patients with albendazole for pennies per patient, thanks to a donation from Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks. But in [most places in] the U.S., the cost is astronomically higher — up to $500 a pill. If you don't have insurance, the cost is prohibitive. [In rural Alabama, thanks to a new collaboration between researchers at the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and the Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Co., children with hookworm infection will receive the drugs at greatly reduced cost.]

Another disadvantage in the U.S. is diagnostics. In Ecuador, they know what a parasite looks like under a microscope. In the U.S., because hookworm is rare, physicians who won't know what to look for could miss it.

Are there unique difficulties in doing research in poor, rural areas of the U.S.?

There's a problem of centuries of mistrust of the health care system in rural America — especially among African Americans. I had a plan to do 100 stool samples from 100 people. I only got 11. They were wonderful people. They invited us in and gave us glasses of Tang. But no one wanted to give us a stool sample. Finally, we got 60 samples because a community organizer, Catherine Flowers, helped us. They knew her and trusted her, and we got the samples.

We also had a lot of pushback from public health departments because they wanted to deny the problem. It can't be us! We're the United States! I understand that it's embarrassing. It's all about poor sanitation, about poverty. In Alabama, it's illegal not to have a septic system. But many people who live in the poorest areas can't afford a septic system.

Without a septic system, what happens when people flush the toilet?

People do what's called straight piping for sewage, running a large pipe as far away from the home as possible. All the sewage goes through these pipes to a ditch or a landfill. But it's hilly and it rains, so the hookworm eggs end up getting spread throughout the environment.

The same thing is true in Colombia and Honduras and a lot of poor countries. There, they use outside latrines and outhouses, but it all ends up getting into the soil.

Treatment works — but only temporarily until people get reinfected. So what's the answer?

It's a sanitation problem and the solution is adequate sanitation systems. It's going to take not just physicians and scientists to fix it. It's going to take engineers, and politicians who say that we need money for this.

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rcardamone · 4 years

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Final Part 5: The Real Limit

The final chapter in “The Human Planet” begins with a quote by Lewis Mumford: “Every culture lives within its dream.”1 Dreams are the ultimate limit. While we likely encounter other constraints in the ongoing formation and changes of our cultures and selves, our aims are dictated by what we can conceive. This is as true for an individual as it is for a culture. To broaden the scope of a culture’s dreams starts with broadening those of individuals. And before broadening the dreams of other individuals, one must do so with their own.

Lewis and Maslin assert that there are only three possible outcomes for humanity. First, they entertain the possibility that business as usual, as in “the continued development of the consumer capitalist mode of living towards greater complexity” could survive the challenges brought on by human impact on the environment. 2 I do not want to linger here as I agree with Lewis and Maslin that this is highly unlikely. However, I think its important emphasize that even if the system was certain to sustain itself indefinitely, that, fundamentally, would not be a desirable outcome. The system simply does not maximize the possibilities of human life for the vast majority of the people within it. Lewis and Maslin provide an exceptionally concise summary of the core of the system: “In today’s world [people] are required to sell their labour in order to obtain what they need to live. People must work and continually increase their productivity--if they don’t somebody more productive will replace them. For this people earn, on average, more money over time, with which they buy more goods and services to live better. The owners of the resources live on the profits they extract from the labour-sellers, and reinvest some of those profits in order to further increase productivity to produce more goods and services.” 3 It is clear that this reduces human flourishing, even for those who succeed within the system, to a very narrow thing: the consumption of more goods and services to make life better. This is not to minimize the value of having enough material resources to live well. That is important. However, it is not what makes a human life worth living. At least not for me.

I think the essence of the fallacy consumer capitalism is built on, that we must constantly pursue more to improve our lives, is beautifully captured in the tale of the Mexican Fisherman told by Mark Albion (from the assigned materials for March 2nd). In the story, a young traveler, a businessman with an MBA, asks a fisherman why he has not caught more fish. He replies, “I catch enough to support my family and I live a full and busy life.” He explains his daily routine, which includes time to work, but also time for family, and music, and wine, and teaching. The MBA replies by explaining steps the man could take to build a fishing empire over time. At each step, the fisherman asks the question, “then what?” After becoming a millionaire a million times over, the MBA explains, realizing his foolishness, the fisherman would be able to retire to a small village, fish a little, spend time with his family, teach the children to fish, and play guitar with his wife. 4 The moral is simple and profound: The man already had enough, and he knew it. Growth could do nothing for him. The strange part of this is, we can all recognize that the fisherman’s life is good. We understand why it is good, since it is what we would hope to retire to. But somehow, our culture has convinced us that first we must participate in the charade of growing for growth’s sake. Simply put, consumer capitalism has no governing concept of enough. The question of, “how much is enough?” is rarely asked and answered with solidity. Instead, we reach for ever more, with many of us knowing on some level that what we are doing is ridiculous and empty. That is the dream our culture has created, and it is a dream that many of us, whether we like it or not, live inside both in ways that we recognize and ways we do not. And we, within that system, are the “winners,” who have attained the best or close to the best it has to offer. If that dream was not morally unconscionable for its impact on the future, it would still be an unacceptable burden on the human soul.

Figure 1, The MBA and the Mexican Fisherman 5

I subscribe to Lewis and Maslin’s argument that the two positive feedback loops capitalism relies on, “the solving of problems via the scientific method, which improves technology, thereby allowing greater numbers of problems to be solved; and the investment of profits into the production of ever more profits, which requires ever-more energy inputs,” cannot continue indefinitely given the finitude of the system (the planet) on which we live and that their cessation (or dramatic change) may be closer than we think. 6 However, what does worry me is our apparent desire to hold on to our current way of living for as long as possible, even if it means denying reality. This fact was made painstakingly clear to me by the presented information about the projections used to draw up the terms of the Paris Climate Accord, that this is exactly what we are doing as a world. As Lewis and Maslin succinctly put it, “modelling scenarios...are narratives in mathematical form.” The modelling narrative told to make the Paris Climate Accord look like it can lead to net zero carbon emissions by 2050 is at best laughably optimistic and at worst a conscious lie. The models rely heavily on the deployment of Bioenergy Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS). There are two methods of this, one of which involves, “collecting the waste carbon dioxide from fossil fuel-burning power plants and burying it underground to keep it safely out of the atmosphere.” The second is to “grow crops and trees for fuel, burn them in a power station to produce electricity, and capture the waste carbon dioxide, again by burying it.” 7 In essence, the models “use historical precedent to set the expected maximum pace of emission reduction, which leaves lots of remaining fossil fuel emissions. The models then use BECCS to square that with the much smaller actual carbon budget to keep emissions below 2 degrees Celsius” 8 In order to make the models work, BECCS would have to store “1300 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide which is larger than the total amount of carbon dioxide we are allowed to emit if we are going to limit global warming to 2 degrees celsius.” To do that would require, “15,000 of these plants...running. Moreover it has become clear that carbon capture and storage is more complex than expected.” 9 One might argue that the models are simply realistic in that they set a maximum pace of emissions reductions and try to work with that. However, we are, as a species, hedging a tremendous bet on an unproven technology being deployed at a colossal scale. That does not seem so realistic. Why are we doing this? To quote Lewis and Maslin, “because it puts off taking action now.” I have to admit that this was wildly disappointing to read, and this is exactly the type of thing that makes me assume we are headed for the second option Lewis and Maslin posit: Collapse.

Figure 2, Graph showing significant role of BECCS in Reaching Paris Climate Targets 10

When Lewis and Maslin imagine futures where not enough is done to keep global warming to a manageable level, they do not definitively answer the question of whether this would trigger total collapse of interconnected civilization. They do however make the point that a world where emissions are not quickly cut to zero would be one of “dizzying social, environmental, social and political change to deal with the failures to curb earlier problems.” Furthermore, on whether this could be sustainable, they state that, “[i]t is worth recalling what we have learnt from the collapse of various aricultural societies in the past: societies often get more complex as they solve problems, but when the marginal returns on these investments in complexity is lost, some of this complexity is lost. This loss is another way of saying that they collapse.” 11 What can be lost in discussions of diminishing complexity is that collapse entails human suffering on a colossal scale. The collapse of ecosystems will bring on the collapse of food supply chains and economies. The collapse of geopolitical stability resulting from this will bring on war. “Some complexity” being lost may sound like an acceptable option due to Lewis and Maslin’s gentle word choice, but it entails an unimaginable human cost that cannot be even entertained. Still, I have to admit that in my rational mind, I see this as the most likely option. Nothing in Lewis and Maslin’s chapter inspired realistic hope in me that this can be avoided. I continue to think, and many of the trends they describe in the chapter bear this out, that consumer capitalism is deeply entrenched and will likely require a massive shock, perhaps something on the order of this collapse, to be fundamentally restructured. The will to do enough to prevent catastrophic warming, which would almost by its nature mean making dramatic changes to capitalism, quite simply does not seem to be there right now. Perhaps there will come a day in the future when it is, but drastic action has to start happening now or extremely soon if we hope to prevent catastrophic warming. I cannot rationally envision this happening.

It is here that I encounter not only my culture’s limits for dreams of the future, but my own. I do not want to be somebody who accepts the inevitability of collapse. I want to be somebody who believes in and works for the creation of the third way Lewis and Maslin imagine as possible: a radical change in our mode of living. And yet, I have quite a hard time dreaming of this future as they do without thinking myself naive. The best argument I can offer myself is that if I accept the impossibility of such a future, then I help to absolutely guarantee that impossibility. However, if I dedicate myself to the third way, even if I cannot rationally justify why I think it is possible, there remains some possibility, even if it is small, that I will be a part of bringing it about. Thankfully, there is so much that I do not know, least of all the future. And there will always be solace in what is yet to be.

Words: 1827

1 Lewis, Simon, and Mark Maslin. The Human Planet: How We Created the Anthropocene: a Pelican Book. London: Pelican, 2018.

2 Lewis and Maslin 369

3 Lewis and Maslin 400

4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7JlI959slY

5 Lewis and Maslin 371

6 Lewis and Maslin 395

7 Lewis and Maslin 395

8 Lewis and Maslin 396

9 Lewis and Maslin 397

10 https://www.google.com/search?q=graph+beccs&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi2sq30zp_pAhVKmK0KHQ5_DEgQ_AUoAXoECAwQAw#imgrc=_VR5xjjfgj4_cM

11 Lewis and Maslin 387

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perfectzablog · 5 years

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Eight Ways To Teach Climate Change In Almost Any Classroom

NPR/IPSOS did a national poll recently and found that more than 8 in 10 teachers — and a similar majority of parents — support teaching kids about climate change.

But in reality, it’s not always happening: Fewer than half of K-12 teachers told us that they talk about climate change with their children or students. Again, parents were about the same.

The top reason that teachers gave in our poll for not covering climate change? 65% said, “It’s not related to the subjects I teach.”

Yet at the same time, we also heard from teachers and education organizations who are introducing the topic in subjects from social studies to math to English language arts, and at every grade level, from preschool on up.

Which raises the question: Where does climate change belong in the curriculum, anyway?

The “reality of human-caused climate change” is mentioned in at least 36 state standards, according to an analysis done for NPR Ed by Glenn Branch, the deputy director at the National Center for Science Education. But, it typically appears only briefly — and most likely just in earth science classes in middle and high school. And, Branch says, that doesn’t even mean that every student in those states learns about it: Only two states require students to take earth or environmental science classes to graduate high school.

Joseph Henderson teaches in the environmental studies department at Paul Smith’s College in upstate New York. He studies how climate change is taught in schools, and believes it needs to be taught across many subjects.

“For so long this has been seen as an issue that is solely within the domain of science,” he says. “There needs to be a greater engagement across disciplines, particularly looking at the social dimensions,” such as the displacement of populations by natural disasters.

At the same time, there’s a tension in pushing more educators to take this on. “I worry a lot about asking schools to solve yet another problem that society refuses to deal with.”

As a potential response to this criticism, the nonprofit Ten Strands follows an “incremental infusion” model in California. In other words, environmental literacy becomes part of subjects and activities that are already in the curriculum instead of, the organization says, “burdening educators” with another stand-alone and complex area to cover.

We also heard from teachers who say they are searching for more ideas and resources to take on the topic of climate change. So, here are some thoughts about how to broach the subject with students, no matter what subject you teach:

1. Do a lab.

Lab activities can be one of the most effective ways to show children how global warming works on an accessible scale.

Ellie Schaffer is a sixth-grader at Alice Deal Middle School in Washington, D.C. She’s done simulations on greenhouse effects in science class, using plastic wrap to trap the sun’s heat. And she’s used charcoal to see how black carbon from air pollution can speed the melting of ice.

These lessons have raised her awareness — and concern. “We’ve ignored climate change for a long time and now it’s getting to be, like, a real problem, so we’ve gotta do something.”

Many teachers we talked with mentioned NASA as a resource for labs and activities. The ones in this outline can be done with everyday materials like ice, tinfoil, plastic bottles, rubber, light bulbs and a thermometer.

On the Earth Science Week website, there’s a list of activities and lesson plans aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards. They range from simple to elaborate.

2. Show a movie.

Susan Fisher, a seventh-grade science teacher at South Woods Middle School in Syosset, N.Y., showed her students the 2016 documentary Before the Flood, featuring Leonardo diCaprio journeying to five continents and the Arctic to see the effects of climate change. “It is our intention to make our students engaged citizens,” Fisher says.

Before the Flood has an action page and an associated curriculum. Common Sense Media has a list of climate change-related movies for all ages.

The 2006 film An Inconvenient Truth and its 2017 sequel, An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth To Power have curricular materials created in partnership with the National Wildlife Federation.

3. Assign a novel.

Rebecca Meyer is an eighth-grade English language arts teacher at Bronx Park Middle School in New York City.

She assigned her students a 2013 novel by Mindy McGinnis called Not a Drop to Drink.

“As we read the novel, kids made connections between what is happening today and the novel,” Meyer says. “At the end of the unit, as a culminating project, students choose groups, researched current solutions for physical and economic water scarcity and created PSA videos using iMovie about the problem and how their solution could help to combat the issue.”

She described the unit as a success. “They were very engaged, they loved it,” she explains. “A lot of them shared this information with their families. When parents came in for parent-teacher conferences they mentioned their kids had been talking to them about conserving water.”

Not A Drop To Drink belongs to a subgenre of science fiction known as “cli-fi” (climate fiction) or sometimes eco-fiction. You can find lists of similar books at websites like Dragonfly.eco or at the Chicago Review of Books, which has a monthly Burning Worlds column about this kind of literature.

Looking for English topics for younger students? EL Education covers environmental topics, including water conservation and the impact of natural disasters, in its K-5 English language arts curriculum.

4. Do citizen science.

Terry Reed is the self-proclaimed “science guru” for seventh-graders at Prince David Kawananakoa Middle School in Honolulu. He’s also spent a year sailing the Caribbean, and on his way, he collected water samples on behalf of a group called Adventure Scientists, to be tested for microplastics (spoiler: even on remote, pristine beaches, all the samples had some).

He has assigned his students to collect water samples from beaches near their homes to submit for the same project. He also has them take pictures of cloud formations and measure temperatures, to see changes in weather patterns over time. “One thing I stress to them, that in the next few years, they become the voting public,” he says. “They need to be aware of the science.”

5. Assign a research project, multimedia presentation or speech.

Gay Collins teaches public speaking at Waterford High School in Waterford, Conn. She is interested in “civil discourse” as a tool for problem-solving, so she encourages her students “to shape their speeches around critical topics, like the use of plastics, minimalism, and other environmental issues.

6. Talk about your personal experience.

Pamela Tarango teaches third grade at the Downtown Elementary School in Bakersfield, Calif.. And she tells her students about how the weather has changed there in her lifetime, getting hotter and drier: “In our Central Valley California city of Bakersfield, there has been a change in the winter climate. I told them about how, when I was growing up in the 1970’s we often had several two and three-hour delays to school starting because of dense tule fog which affected visibility. We really never have those delays in the metropolitan area. It is only the outlying areas which still have two and three-hour dense fog delays, and they are rare even for the rural areas.”

(Although the Central Valley winter has indeed become hotter and drier due to climate change, recently a University of California, Berkeley study has attributed the reduction in tule fog specifically to declines in air pollution.)

7. Do a service project.

“I teach preschoolers and use the environment and our natural resources to highlight our everyday life,” says Mercy Peña-Alevizos, who teaches at Holy Trinity Academy in Phoenix. “I stress the importance of appreciation and eliminating waste. My students understand and have fantastic ideas. We recycle and pick up around our neighborhood.”

Environmental service projects can be simple, elaborate or just for fun. Check out the #trashtag challenge on social media, for example.

8. Start or work in a school garden.

Mairs Ryan teaches science at St. Gregory the Great Catholic School in San Diego. “The sixth-graders oversee the school garden, as well as, our vermin composting bin, christened the ‘Worm Hotel’. The garden is their lab and the students ‘live and learn’ soil carbon sequestration and regenerative agriculture. Our school’s compost bin is evidence that alternatives exist to methane-producing landfills. In looking for more solutions to reduce methane, students debate food reuse practices around the world.”

Check out ThePermacultureStudent.com for resources on building school gardens with rainwater capture and compost systems to regenerate the soil. There are local and regional resources like the Collective School Garden Network in California,and Growing Minds in North Carolina, which offers basic plans for a school garden as well as lesson plans that connect gardening to Common Core standards.

Here are some more resources

After the publication of our climate poll story on Monday we heard from people all over the country with dozens more resources for climate education.

Alliance for Climate Education has a multimedia resource called Our Climate Our Future, plus more resources for educators and several action programs for youth.

The American Association of Geographers has free online professional development resources for teachers.

American Reading Company sells an English Language Arts curriculum called ARCCore that includes climate change themes.

Biointeractive, created by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, has hundreds of free online education resources, including many on education and the environment, and offers professional development for teachers.

Climate Generation offers professional development for educators nationwide and a youth network in Minnesota.

CLEAN (Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network) has a collection of resources organized in part by the Next Generation Science Standard they are aligned with.

Global Oneness Project offers lesson plans that come with films and videos of climate impacts around the world.

Google offers free online environmental sustainability lesson plans for grades 5-8.

The Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility has a group of 19 lessons for K-12.

“We believe that the social and emotional skills we help strengthen in young people and adults are sorely needed to combat the fear and avoidance we and students experience around climate change,” spokesperson Laura McClure told NPR.

The National Center for Science Education has free climate change lessons that focus on combating misinformation. They also have a “scientist in the classroom” program.

The National Science Teachers Association has a comprehensive curriculum.

The Paleontological Research Institution in Ithaca, NY has a book called the Teacher-Friendly Guide to Climate Change.

Ripple Effect “creates STEM curriculum” for K-6 “about real people and places impacted by climate change,” starting with New Orleans.

Ten Strands offers professional learning to educators in California in partnership with the state’s recycling authority and an outdoor-education program, among others.

Think Earth offers 9 environmental education units from preschool through middle school.

The Zinn Education Project (based on the work of Howard Zinn, the author of A People’s History Of The United States) has launched a group of 18 lessons aimed specifically at climate justice. Some are drawn from this book: A People’s Curriculum For The Earth: Teaching Climate Change And The Environmental Crisis.

Eight Ways To Teach Climate Change In Almost Any Classroom published first on https://greatpricecourse.tumblr.com/

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bisoroblog · 5 years