aki--kun - Tumblr blog

[aki--kun]

Today I learned about a couple that decided to rebuild their deserted piece of land of 600 hectares in Aimorés, Brazil. They planted more than 2 million tree saplings. As a result, the site has 293 plant species, 172 bird species and 33 animal species, some of which were on the verge of extinction. It only took 18 years!

In the early 1990s, Brazilian photo-journalist Sebastião Ribeiro Salgado was stationed in Rwanda to cover the horrific accounts of Rwanda genocide. The on-ground experience left him traumatised. In 1994, he was returning to his home in Minas Gerais, Brazil, with a heavy heart, hoping to find solace in the lap of a lush green forest, where he had grown up.

But, instead, he found dusty, barren land for miles and miles, in place of the forest. In only a few years, his beautiful hometown underwent rampant deforestation, leaving it fallow and devoid of all the wildlife. For him, everything was destroyed. “The land was as sick as I was. Only about 0.5% of the land was covered in trees,’ he shared in an interview with The Guardian. Salgado was shattered.

Saldago’s Wife Wanted to Recreate The Forest

It was at this time that Salgado’s wife Lélia made a near-impossible proposal. She expressed her wish to replant the entire forest. Salgado supported her idea, and together the couple set out on a heroic mission. Brazil Photographer Forest

Salgado bought an abandoned cattle ranch from his parents and started building a network of enthusiastic volunteers and partners who would fund and sustain their mammoth project. In 1998, the couple founded Instituto Terra – the organisation which tirelessly worked to bring a forest back to life.

PNHR Bulcão Farm | by Weverson Rocio – 2012

Salgado sowed the first seed in December 1999. The couple hired around 24 workers in the beginning and was later joined by numerous volunteers over the years. They worked day and night – from uprooting the invasive weeds to planting new seedlings. Soon, their hard work bore fruit as tropical trees native to the region started flourishing in the area. They received a donation of over one lakh saplings which gave rise to a dense forest. The handcrafted forest comprises mostly of local arboreal and shrub varieties. Latest satellite imagery revealed how a soothing green forest cover has enveloped the area which once was a devastating arid eyesore.Since 1998, they have planted more than 2 million saplings of 293 species of trees and rejuvenated 1,502 acres of tropical forest. The biodiversity-rich zone has recently been declared as a Private Natural Heritage Reserve (PNHR).

The Impact of Salgado’s Forest

The afforestation project, which is undoubtedly one of the greatest environmental initiatives in the world, has also helped to control soil erosion and revived the natural springs in the area. Eight water springs which once dried up, flow at around 20 litres per minute at present, relieving the drought-prone region of its woes. Salgado’s forest also happens to solve the much-debated notion about climate change, proving that the trend can be reversed if tried. His forest has resulted in causing more rainfall to the area and cooler weather, bringing a drastic and desirable change in the climate.

Instituto Terra’s Fauna | by Leonardo Merçon – 2012

The most important positive aspect of the forest till now has to be the return of the lost fauna. More than 172 species of birds, 33 species of mammals, 15 species of amphibians and reptiles have been spotted in the forest interiors, something which was beyond imagination two decades ago. Many of the plant and animal species in his forest actually feature on the endangered list.

Efforts For Good

Climate change is a harsh reality. Mankind is bearing the brunt of the relentless destruction they inflicted on the planet. Yet, people like Salgado and Lélia fill us with hope, proving that patience and persistence can be our keys to heal the wounds of nature. If two people can create a 1502-acre forest in just 20 years, then imagine how much can be done if everyone comes together to protect the environment. It must be reminded that for every tree we plant, we are adding 118 kgs of oxygen to the air every year, and reducing the carbon footprint by 22 kgs.

Efforts For Good urges all the readers to actively engage in planting trees and gradually turn this into a fixed habit.

Sources: http://www.scienceinsanity.com/2019/03/brazilian-couple-created-1502-acre.html

https://www.reddit.com/r/interestingasfuck/comments/bg0ebn/a_couple_decided_to_rebuild_their_deserted_piece/

[aki--kun]

[aki--kun]

The Ottawa Journal, Ontario, May 15, 1929

[aki--kun]

ATTENTION WRITERS

Google BetaBooks. Do it now. It’s the best damn thing EVER.

You just upload your manuscript, write out some questions for your beta readers to answer in each chapter, and invite readers to check out your book!

It’s SO easy!

You can even track your readers! It tells you when they last read, and what chapter they read!

Your beta readers can even highlight and react to the text!!!

There’s also this thing where you can search the website for available readers best suited for YOUR book!

Seriously guys, BetaBooks is the most useful website in the whole world when it comes to beta reading, and… IT’S FREE.

[aki--kun]

Unfuck tomorrow morning

Wash the dishes in your sink

Get your outfit for tomorrow together, including accessories

Set up coffee/tea/breakfast

Make your lunch

Put your keys somewhere obvious

Wash your face and brush your teeth

Take your medication/set out your meds for the morning

Charge your electronics

Pour a little cleaner in the toilet bowl (if you don’t have pets or children or sleepwalking adults)

Set your alarm

Go to bed at a reasonable hour

[aki--kun]

Grow your own vegetable garden from food scraps! – 19 foods which can be regrown

[aki--kun]

Some time after the ToP…….Goku is still ruining the fun for Vegeta lol

[aki--kun]

character idea: Elf who was too BOMB for the traditional, dainty elves and left to become the strongest and angriest elf of all time.

[aki--kun]

I overdid things as usual lol

And I have more on the way in the next weeks ‘cause I can’t stop drawing stupid DB comics.

PLS Kami help me

[aki--kun]

Kick Like A Girl

[aki--kun]

Sparring | Dragon Ball Super: Broly

[aki--kun]

https://twitter.com/xXAutumnIvyXx/status/1086364495172141056?s=19

[aki--kun]

Hey. Do you need a hug?

Maybe you’re having a stressful day. Maybe you just need a deep breath. Maybe you just didn’t realize how stressed you are. It’s okay! You deserve love and warmth in your life.

Are you comforted by words? 

Here’s an Emergency Compliment

Here are some kind words you can personalize with your name 

Here are 15 more emergency compliments 

Here is a Self Esteem Boosting Confidence Machine 

take a moment - video 

believe in yourself - video 

Inspiration from Jacksepticeye - PMA 

encouragement from Mr. Rogers - video 

you are ENOUGH - video 

Do you need to hear some pleasant ambient sounds?

How about rain sounds you can customize? 

You can listen to a cafe here  

or how about a crackling fireplace?  

ASMR? Stimming? 

Soap cutting ASMR - video 

more soap ASMR - video 

a 4 hour ASMR video to help with sleep 

ASMR face and scalp massage - video

ASMR slime - video 

the most satisfying video in the world 

more satisfying videos 

Lora Zombie speed painting - video 

Agnes Cecile speed painting - video  

the fastest workers in the world - video 

how candy canes are made - video 

Mr. Rogers shows how crayons are made - video 

How about a game or activity distraction?

Play 2048 here 

A whole website of free games!  

play chess against a computer 

Here are some coloring pages you can do online!  

Play Flow online here 

here’s a game where you stretch a giraffe’s little neck to give kisses 

Learn about the history of life on earth with PBS Eons 

Do you need something soothing?

Control the pattern of rain here! (flashing colors warning)

try doing nothing for two minutes 

Vent to a stranger online for FREE!  

weavesilk, where you can create a soothing pattern 

have you ever been to the nicest place on the internet? 

watch Bob Ross bring joy to painting - playlist 

How about a laugh?

Vines you can show your grandparents 

History of the entire world, I guess  

History of Japan 

Rhett and Link caption fails 

Thomas Sanders Vines 

The Demented Cartoon Movie (warning for flashing colors) 

The ASDF movie 1-11 

The Horribly Slow Murderer with the Extremely Inefficient Weapon by Richard Gale  (warnings for some bruises and some violence)

Rhett and Link VS Hank Green - SHUT UP AND DANCE 

It’s going to be okay. Today may be the worst day of your life - but tomorrow won’t be. Life is a series of ups and downs, and that means there’s going to be good and bad. Drink some water, let yourself cry if you need to, and get a good night’s sleep. You’ll feel better in the morning. 

[aki--kun]

1925 ☭ – Female workers and peasants, make your way to the voting booth! Under the red banner, in the same ranks as the men, we inspire fear in the bourgeoisie!

[aki--kun]

It’s not too hard friend… just squeeze, pull and press the right buttons.

[aki--kun]

Shaolin Monkey Staff 

[aki--kun]

Sorry if this is bothers you, but I'm trying to find common ground with my friends/acquaintances, some who happen to be socialists. I'm a capitalist, and I'm having difficulty trying to understand socialism from a view that makes sense to support. Do you think there are some texts I can read to try and digest socialism? (I'm not trying to become a socialist, just trying to understand socialism. In my own current opinion, which by all means may be wrong, socialism sounds a bit stupid.)

Well first things first, I’m just curious if you’re working with the right definition of socialism. Not to imply your friends are wrong, just that a lot of the time these days political philosophies labeled “socialist” are still ultimately capitalist in structure. A lot of the “democratic socialism” of Bernie Sanders, for instance, is just advocating for a style of capitalism similar to the social democracies of Scandinavia; still a preferable setup if you ask me, but genuine socialism it ain’t. The socialist project has always been focused around democratizing the sources of society’s wealth, in such a way that social functions and activities are directly managed by the people they impact, rather than by unaccountable property-owners and CEOs. Basically taking the democratic instinct a step beyond the representative politics celebrated by capitalism and bringing it into the economic and social realms. It’s about overcoming the exploitative social arrangement inherent to capitalism — getting rid of the division between the powerful, capital-owning minority and the dispossessed, working-class majority.

There’s more to it than that, but I suppose that’s what the book recommendations are for. Here are a few you might find interesting:

Marx’s Capital Illustrated by David Smith

The Origin of Capitalism by Ellen Meiksins Wood

Subterranean Fire by Sharon Smith

No One is Illegal by Justin Akers Chacón and Mike Davis

Bullshit Jobs by David Graeber

Socialism…Seriously by Danny Katch

Why Bad Governments Happen To Good People by Danny Katch

The ABC’s of Socialism from Jacobin Magazine

Four Futures by Peter Frase

Why Marx Was Right by Terry Eagleton

Ours To Master and To Own by Immanuel Ness and Dario Azzellini

Workers’ Councils by Anton Pannekoek

I tried to include stuff that gets to the core concepts — what capitalism actually is, how it started, how it’s possible to overcome it, and what socialism is and why we support its creation. They may or may not win you over, but then again I’m also posting these recommendations for other people to see too.

Here’s hoping you understand our position better and you have more conversations with your friends. Seeking economic justice and wanting to restructure society from the bottom-up are not “stupid” concepts, and as capitalism starts to crumble from the onset of climate change and ever-worsening economic crises maybe you’ll start to see that.

(And if anyone else is able to find free online/pdf versions of the books I only posted Haymarket/Verso/Jacobin links to, that would be super appreciated!)