#5 gallon water filter

[saganlife]

5 Gallon Jug Water Filter System, Countertop Water Filter (Jug Not Included) - Sagan Life

With the Journey™ water filter for your 5 Gallon Jug easily dispense purified, greating tasting water obtained from the convenience of your kitchen faucet.

To know more: https://saganlife.com/product/5-gallon-jug-filter-system/

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[bijoumikhawal]

Hurricane Helene Relief Funds

Brother Wolf Animal Rescue operates out of Asheville, which has been hit aggressively by storm and flood damage

The Asheville Survival Program is reaching out. They appear to actually be the ones who use the Cashapp $Streets1de, and they just got put with Appalachian Med for convenience.

Beloved Asheville is reaching out. www.PayPal.me/belovedasheville and venmo.com/beloved-asheville

Homeward Bound helps the homeless in the Asheville/Buncombe area

Theres a fund for smaller rural communities around Asheville. It's close to its goal, but I really wish they'd set it higher considering what people are gonna need. Someone make sure they surpass it!

Charlotte NC is reaching out. Charlotte Mutual Aid: Helene Disaster Relief. CashApp: MutualAid704. Venmo: MutualAid704. Open Collective: Helene.cltfnb.com

Olive Branch Ministry is reaching out from West NC

Josh Griffith is fundraising for his efforts to deliver food in WNC

Breathitt County in Kentucky is fundraising to help NC through the Rousseau Volunteer Fire Department, as well as asking for physical supply donations. Their paypal is jrousseauvfd, put "for NC flood". Jaxon Flower shop in Jackson KY will also take physical donations. They aren't looking for clothes, moreso cleaning supplies and other items.

North Durham Mutual Aid is reaching out.

Eastern Kentucky Mutual Aid is also reaching out for funds. There looks like there might be two orgs with similar names, but if so both are helping. There's PayPal.me/ekymutualaid, Venmo - @ekymutualaid, or Cashapp - $ekymutualaid. There's also a Facebook group where individuals are posting requests for aid.

There's a fund for relief in Erwin, Tennessee

Helbender Harm Reduction is collecting physical supplies in Knoxville alongside First Aid Collective Knoxille, whose Cashapp/Venmo is: $firstaidcollectknox. If you're nearby they're looking for clothes, blankets, shelf stable food, rain gear, flashlights, and batteries, which is what most other groups asking for supplies are looking at too.

The TriCities Mutual Aid group is mostly asking for volunteers and supplies in the Tennessee/Virginia area. However, they may shift to donations, and you can reach out to them to see if they would be welcome either way.

Food Not Bombs Tallahassee has a cashapp: $fnbtally2022. They and Mutual Aid Athens are also boosting any community calls for funds, labor, or supplies in various states on their Instagram pages

Taylor County FL is reaching out. Paypal: Mskatonic138@gmail.com and Venmo @Mskatonic138

The Footprint project's Florida team is asking for people to support their response by texting HELENE to 44-321

Since I don't know if the post I made late last night will get traction I'll reiterate that Mutual Aid Disaster Relief is a trusted org. You can send funds at the linked site, or via Paypal: MutualAidDisasterRelief@gmail.com Or Venmo: @MutualAidDisasterRelief

Appalachian Med is another trusted org I shared last night. They have Venmo: @AppMedSolid. Put Flood Support in the description

Animal Disaster Relief Coalition is helping people make sure their animals are fed.

A list of Mutual Aid groups can be found here

A friend of mine, Vyn, is asking for help since he'll be out of power for around a week in Southeast GA

Other physical supplies people will be looking for in flood impacted areas include:

bottled water, potentially water filters

personal hygiene items: wipes, camping showers, tampons/pads/other menstrual products, handsanitizer, mosquito spray, laundry detergent, washboards, toilet paper, diapers, and especially any products safe for sensitive skin

medications- ibuprofen, monistat and other meds for yeast infections, cold and cough meds, any diabetic meds that can be safely shared, etc

individually wrapped low or no prep food items, baby formula, and Gatorade

duffel bags, backpacks, heavy duty storage totes and trash bags, 5 gallon buckets, coolers

Fans, dehumidifiers, moisture sensors, generators, gas and gas cans, solar charging items and battery banks, first aid kits

chainsaws, crowbars, hammers, air filters, respirators, 2×4 planks, bleach, roofing nails, heavy duty gloves, and potentially waders.

and board games or other non electric activities for children

Double check if you can before you donate these items to make sure whatever local drive you're headed to wants them and can distribute the more specialized ones where they're needed

And please! Add any funds you know of, especially for South Carolina and North Georgia since I wasn't seeing many funds for those areas! I know South Carolina is in desperate need and there's definitely parts of North Georgia in need too. Atlanta saw some bad flooding so keep an eye for them too!

[saganlifellc]

PowerFlo Water Jug Filtration System

The innovative Jug Water Filter will save you time and money – while providing great tasting purified water for pennies a gallon. Water is pulled through the filter and up the tubing by the rechargeable batter operated pump that securely sits on top of the jug. The Power Pump is USB rechargeable.

To Know More: https://saganlife.com/product/5-gallon-jug-filter-system/

[darkartsanna]

Hurricane Helene Relief Funds to those affected in the Southern Regions *will edit as I find more, please reblog as usual and check back for updates (Liking doesn't circulate it and isn't helpful)* *9/30 Has been edited! (Also, I think whenever I edit this it doesn't update the versions already reblogged?) ORGANIZATIONS American Red Cross FEMA Disaster Assistance Improvement Program Warmline Directory (Mental health resource) AKC Pet Reunite Food Not Bombs Operation BBQ Relief Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies & Roll Mobility Operation Air Drop GEORGIA State and Local Level Referrals - (60 Organizations Listed) Emergency Shelter Locations Animal League

NORTH CAROLINA Brother Wolf Animal Rescue Asheville Survival Program Homeward Bound State and Local Level Referrals Beloved Asheville Rural Community funds CLT Mutual Aid Fundraiser for a NC resident to deliver food to affected areas Mutual Aid Disaster Relief Animal Disaster Relief Coalition Mutual Aid Disaster Groups

Special Note: There are 2 Wifi Stations now open for public use. The locations are: SPOT 1: DoubleTree Hilton Downtown 199 Haywood SSID: SORTOR STARLINK Pass: ncstrong SPOT 2: Asheville Shelter Ferguson Building 340 Victoria Rd SSID: HALL STARLINK Pass: ncstrong SOUTH CAROLINA State and Local Level Referrals (44 Organizations Listed) FLORIDA Volunteer Florida Disaster Fund FootPrint Project State and Local Level Referrals - (52 Organizations Listed)

TENNESSEE HellBender Harm Reduction

More supplies to consider donating in hurricane impacted areas:

Bottled water, potentially water filters

Personal hygiene items: wipes, tampons/pads/other menstrual products, hand sanitizer, mosquito spray, laundry detergent, toilet paper, diapers, and especially any products safe for sensitive skin

Medications like ibuprofen/tylenol, yeast infection medicine, cold & cough medicine, any diabetic meds that can be safely shared, etc

Individually wrapped low to no prep food items, baby formula, and Gatorade

Pet Food

Sunscreen

Heavy duty bags, Duffel bags, backpacks, and trash bags, 5 gallon buckets, coolers

Fans, dehumidifiers, moisture sensors, generators, gas, gas canisters, solar charging items, portable battery banks, first aid kits

Chainsaws, crowbars, hammers, air filters, respirators, 2×4 planks, bleach, roofing nails, heavy duty gloves, and waders.

Books, Board Games or other non electric activities for children

Double check before donating items, especially if your local drive is accepting donations of particular products and can distribute the more specialized ones where they're needed.

[pumpsoul-oct123]

The Importance of Preparedness: 10 Essential Items for Your Survival Kit

1. Water and Water Filtration

What to Include:

Water: At least one gallon per person per day for at least three days.

Water Filtration System: Portable water filters or purification tablets to ensure you can make any water source potable.

2. Non-Perishable Food

What to Include:

Canned Goods: Fruits, vegetables, and ready-to-eat meals.

Dry Goods: Rice, pasta, cereals, and protein bars.

Specialty Items: Baby formula, pet food, and items for dietary restrictions.

3. First Aid Kit

What to Include:

Basic Supplies: Bandages, antiseptic wipes, adhesive tape, and scissors.

Medications: Pain relievers, antihistamines, and any prescription medications.

Specialized Tools: Tweezers, a digital thermometer, and a CPR mask.

4. Emergency Lighting and Power

What to Include:

Flashlights and Batteries: LED flashlights with extra batteries.

Solar-Powered Lights: Solar lanterns and portable solar chargers for electronic devices.

Hand-Crank Radio: A multi-function radio that can receive weather updates and charge your phone.

5. Shelter and Warmth

What to Include:

Emergency Blankets: Thermal blankets or sleeping bags.

Tarp and Duct Tape: For creating makeshift shelters.

Warm Clothing: Hats, gloves, and extra layers of clothing.

6. Personal Hygiene Items

What to Include:

Sanitation Supplies: Wet wipes, hand sanitizer, and biodegradable soap.

Toiletries: Toothbrushes, toothpaste, and feminine hygiene products.

Waste Bags: Plastic bags for disposing of waste safely.

7. Important Documents

What to Include:

Identification: Copies of passports, driver’s licenses, and Social Security cards.

Medical Information: Health insurance cards, medical records, and prescriptions.

Financial Information: Bank account details, credit card information, and insurance policies.

8. Tools and Supplies

Why It’s Essential: Having the right tools can make a significant difference in an emergency, allowing you to perform necessary repairs, signal for help, or navigate your surroundings.

What to Include:

Multi-Tool: A versatile tool that includes pliers, a knife, and screwdrivers.

Whistle: For signaling for help.

Maps and Compass: Local maps and a compass for navigation if GPS is unavailable.

9. Communication Devices

What to Include:

Cell Phone and Charger: An extra charger or power bank.

Two-Way Radios: Battery-powered radios for communication if cell service is down.

Emergency Contact List: A written list of important phone numbers.

10. Personal Protection Equipment

What to Include:

Face Masks: N95 respirators or other protective masks.

Gloves: Durable work gloves for handling debris.

Protective Clothing: Long-sleeved shirts and pants to protect against exposure.

[sergeantgoggles]

Say a prayer or six for me, chat.

Milton is coming for my house.

(No, we are not evacuating. I have two cats and a small senior dog and only one small carrier, and the nearest pet friendly shelter is 30 minutes away. We are sheltering in place. We are not in a flood zone, and we have sandbags to help with aerial flooding. Our complex does not allow us to board up windows, but we're taking precautions where we can. We have a full case of bottled water, two 5-gallon jugs, and a gallon filter. We have a gas grill so we are able to cook, and have plenty of canned foods that are fine cold.)

All that said, if you have any cloneship fics you wanna recommend, feel free to drop them in the replies so I have something to read when we lose power.

[purlturtle]

Untitled Post-Apocalyptic Fic, part 5

(part 1) (part 2) (part 3) (part 4)

“Ingenious,” Helena commented, doing her best not to flinch at every flash of lightning, every crackle of thunder. She nodded towards the water bag in Myka’s hands that was filling rapidly with the rain water pouring down the tarpaulin.

“Thanks,” Myka said dryly. “Can you twist the nozzle open on the filter? The bag should be full enough by now; the pressure will push the water through and into the bag.” She, in turn, nudged her knee against the water bag attached underneath the filter.

Helena complied, and indeed water began to trickle, then stream, into the bag. “Safe water, in the middle of the Badlands, miles from any well,” she marveled.

“Yup.” Myka shifted her weight, grabbed the bag more securely.

There was another bolt of lightning chased by thunder. Helena gritted her teeth. “It’s right above us,” she remarked. “Any chance that it’ll blow over soon?”

Myka weighed her head. “We haven’t had a storm in a while. Could be it’ll be quick, could be it’s picked up a lot of momentum on the prairies. Hard to tell.” She cast Helena a sidelong glance. “We’re safe here.”

Helena bit her lips together so as not to mutter, “Says you.”

They were in a U-shaped cove up in the hills, miles from the road. Probably used to be a whirlpool on the side of a stream, millennia ago, Helena reckoned – now it was half-covered by the angled tarpaulin, which Myka had not tightened all the way at the lower end, so that water was pooling in the slack – and pouring into the filter’s bag.

Helena had to admit that it was reasonably dry underneath the tarpaulin, but she would most certainly have preferred a stout roof over their heads, for a storm as violent as this. The tarpaulin was the flimsiest she’d ever seen in her life.

“Second bag,” Myka said with a curt gesture.

Helena held it out and, at Myka’s nod, switched the now-full bag of filtered water against this empty counterpart. Soon they’d have two gallons of filtered water and another half-gallon of unfiltered. Thirsty as she’d been all day, that fact should be cheerful – but it was hard to feel cheer when thunder rattled one’s brain.

“When did you learn that your shifting included any item attached to that animal’s body?” she asked Myka, if only to distract herself. That was how they had acquired the tarpaulin, and the tent, and the bedrolls – Myka had shifted into what had clearly been a pack horse, after instructing Helena to take everything off of her once she did.

“Happenstance,” Myka replied, “and then trial and error.” She glanced at Helena and shrugged. “I hope you like club sandwiches. They’ve been eighty, ninety percent of my nutrition as of late.”

Helena, who had heard the term but didn’t remember what specific kind of sandwich it signified, simply nodded, in the assumption that Myka had a shifting-related source of said sandwiches. “Yes, of course.” When Christina had been an infant, before Charles had found it within himself to take his sister and her bastard in, Helena had subsisted on the scraps of eel pie shops. Anything with the word “club” in its name could not be bad.

Another crack of thunder sounded, loud and sharp and right overhead. Helena looked out into the darkness beyond their little haven, and saw nothing but night; she was glad that the pack horse’s panniers had also held some fire wood. When she turned back to the flickering fire, Myka had shifted into a dog – lying on its side next to the fire, tail wagging, a small square pack of plastic on its multi-colored rump. Helena dutifully picked it up and looked aside as the dog began to blur again. Not just attached, then, she mused, but simply on the animal. She knew these packs; Artie had eaten (and offered her) sandwiches out of these often.

A small woof made her turn around again; Myka was still – no, again – in dog shape, this time with an apple and two small plastic bottles of water on its side. Again the tail wagged; again Helena picked up the bounty. Again the blur; this time Helena simply closed her eyes, until she heard another woof: another box of sandwiches, for which she was glad: her stomach was growling, and the idea of sharing that one pack had not appealed.

[reality-detective]

If you're lööking for a water filtration system and that lööks good I would recommend this 👇 one and you get the benefits of the copper.

If you want to go a little cheaper 👇

I have the Pro-One and I have filtered salt river water through it and the water tasted great. Both of these filter out fluoride, chlorine and other contaminates for drinking.

Or you could make your own using 2-5 gallon buckets, just buy the filters and the tap.🤔

[auckie]

waiting for the beta fish post to drop ill wait however long it takes idc 🦦

Okay. I’m ready. Nothing demotivates me more than losing progress on like. A game, or word document or whatever. A lost ask is like a grain of sand dropped into the ocean.

Anyways!

So betas are often sold in little cups, right? And the people at say, pet smart tell you, ‘yeah a bowl will do’. WRONG! While betas are somewhat low maintenance fish compared to many— a cheap but beautiful option that seemingly needs no filter or heater and very minimal space, it is now widely accepted that this is flat out untrue. Everyone knows males cannot be kept together, but even having just one fish I would highly recommend a ten gallon. May seem excessive but considering that betas do well in high tannin naturalistic setups, you’re going to want to fill this space with plants and hides. What’s more is if you don’t want to do a self filtering tank (which will still require moving water and regular changes/cleanings or refills), it is still generally recommended that you do invest in a filter and heater. I’ve seen some people go about this by using natural sunlight or heat lamps but 1) harder to regulate 2) risks overheating.

I used to keep fish. Betas and a warm fresh water 1 gallon with a few species together. I don’t anymore for a few reasons. Mostly the upkeep, and because for me personally. I just don’t like keeping fish. Any animal that’s bigger than your thumb, if it lives in a cage or tank and spends most of its time in there. This isn’t to say it’s wrong by any means, but like birds…I’ve just come to think ‘yeah we probably shouldn’t be keeping them outside of their natural habitat esp if they’re highly social or mobile creatures. Moreover with long life spans and high social/mating needs.’ Again! Not condemning the practice for others. It can certainly be done right! But it’s often a lot more time consuming and costly than people realize. Now if you’re willing to invest in what it takes to keep the animal comfortable by all means! Aquarium keeping can be super rewarding, and making naturalistic setups makes for beautiful and calming decor. It’s an amazing hobby. Even if you can’t keep something as simple as duckweed alive for whatever reason, artificial hardscapes with plastic plants and such can still look okay. And a ten gallon + tank vacuum + simple filter and heater really won’t cost you much! I highly recommend looking to YouTubers for tank inspiration, and tips!

If you do decide to go for a 3-5 gallon, or some nontraditional choice of habitats, like a large vase. Well I can’t stop you, and that doesn’t t mean your fish will die. It was a common myth not to long ago that fish couldn’t feel pain, and that their memory spans only lasted for 3 seconds. This is false, and luckily not as widely believed thankfully— but it’s a great example of how people will assume that non mammalian animals have simpler needs due to misunderstanding how their bodies operate, simply because of how different they are than say a cat or dog. Not accusing you of this by any means— you may very well be waaay more informed and aware of this than I am. But it’s a necessary disclaimer.

Other easy to keep fish include neon tetra, fantail guppies (but do not mix them with fish who will nip their tails), and the classic goldfish. another disclaimer about the latter: flushing goldfish thought to be dead, or simply tossing unwanted ones into local water ways has caused them to become a highly invasive species in many areas across North America. Do NOT do this. They’re outcompeting native species due to how fucking hardy they are, and growing to insane sizes. The lack of natural predators and peoples unwillingness to fish for them makes for a particularly nasty pest :/

These aforementioned fish save the goldfish will need the same basic things as a beta, but can be kept in mixed sexed groups, and tetras are often kept with great danio, mollies, and even tiger barbs (who are cute but can be a little aggressive for smaller beginner fish). All of these are available at big chain pet stores for very cheap.

If you’re hellbent on forgoing heaters and filters you could try triops (they don’t require much space but love to dig so have some specific substrate needs, and don’t live very long but can be multigenerational and sustained if done correctly. They’re also insanely cute and entertaining to watch), shrimp (so many different kinds!), snails, or even a mixture of these!

There’s also ecojars. Very cheap to make, and very educational! I love microfauna and follow a lot of YouTubers who’ve had great success making both aquatic and terrestrial ecojars from the local environments around them. If you live by the coast, brackish and saltwater jars are a lot harder, but freshwater ones are very simple! Terrestrial ones are basically just vivariums/terrariums you can even stock by going out to forage for things like snails, slugs, isopods, millipedes, etc. Clean up crew critters do well, but larger predatory insects are a bit harder to keep in an enclosed/self sustaining habitat. That brings us to our next options!

If I can sell you out of aquariums for an easier and possibly cheaper or equal price with a lot less upkeep! But. It involves insects so I’m going to put it under a cut in case that is not something you’re looking for. It’s long too, so feel free to ignore it. BUT! If I’m able to wet your whistle please feel free to ask for more info 🤠

Bugs! Well, arthropods. Such as: isopods (I have rubber duckies and they are doing exceptionally well eating nothing but leaves with the occasional fruit or veggie and calcium sources! They cohabitate with spring tails, harmless soil mites, and terrestrial amphipods. There are many much cheaper and hardier species that are easier to find such as dwarf whites, dairy cows, or even local wild caught ones! Another warning is to NOT dump these outside. And be careful foraging for things from outside for them to eat because you never know what’s been treated with pesticides or beneficial nematodes, or is infested with fungus, mold, or harmful pest species like parasites or mites).

Really all you need for any given species is a little container with a few air holes, substrate such as coco fiber, reptisoil, jungle mix, or your own backyard topsoil which ideally has been baked to sterilize. You can also bake pinecones and oak or magnolia leaves for them to feed on. Crush them up and mix them into the substrate, and add either crushed oyster shells or maybe bits of limestone or coral if you have them available. You can buy cuttlefish bone online as well. They love cork bark, but again, I’m sure if you find and bake bark or bits of drift wood, you can make that work too. They loooove to eat moss, and some species will readily gobble up fish food and bee pollen. Josh’s frogs (as well as other brands) make some specific powder blends that I feed mind. I think it’s called bug burger. The general practice is to create a ‘moist side’ and ‘dry side’ gradient so the isopods have a choice of where to go. They have gills but that doesn’t mean they want to always be drowning in 90% humidity. There’s a lot of beautiful exotic species but they get expensive fast, and are often fond of burrowing or hiding in sphagnum moss so you won’t always see them, and well. They’re usually tiny.

Millipedes are very similar— some are huge and beautiful, some even look like giant isopods (pill millipedes), but burrow, so…you won’t get the most visual bang for your buck.

A lot of people are very fond of finding and keeping jumping spiders. They’re cute to look at and fun to feed, but this requires buying feeders (crickets, meal worms, roaches, or fruit flies depending on size and what’s available near you), but that’s not always everyone’s speed. Plus they don’t live very long once they’re adult size and sexually mature. You can buy them as well but, I prefer to just enjoy them outside. Why take a solid guy out of his environment if he’s not gonna live much longer and is doing his part in ridding your yard of gross bitches? They do a NUMBER on mosquitos.

Beetles! Some species stay grubs for the majority of their lives and will be buried until they’re ready to go out and find love, so as much as I love larger species that are fun to interact with, I’m going to lean towards what I own: the blue feigning death beetle

Very silly little beasts. Very low maintenance! They live in American deserts and are covered by a powdery residue that helps them retain moisture. You can make a mix of sand and coco fiber and keep them in an open top tank (I keep mine in a huge fish bowl), and provide them with hides such as cholla wood or cork bark, rocks and even plastic decor. They will eat almost anything and get most of their moisture from their diet. I feed mine cut up fruits and veggies, the occasional roach, beetle jellies, bug burger, chicken feed, cat food (wet or dry), sugar water in little bottle caps with a sea sponge, moss, or cotton ball in them, fish flakes, freeze dried peas, bee pollen, and even like. Leftover bread or popcorn so long as it’s unseasoned. They can go a while without food or water too, so handle neglect well. But so long as you give them a ‘wet sweet food’ and protein at least once a week you should be Gucci. They’re diurnal afaik and will begin moving about when it’s light out. They don’t need heat lamps or anything of the sort.

They rarely bite and when they do it’s because you have food on your hand, and it doesn’t hurt. They can’t climb or fly, and play dead when threatened. Very cute to watch, and hold, and they’re constantly fucking. Sometimes a male will see another male trying to feel up a larger female, and will climb atop them both and start trying to have sex with the male. I’ve seen two males feeling up and trying to go at it with a rock. They’re so funny. But it’s very difficult to breed them in captivity. They live a while tho so hey, you got a while to research and experiment! Because of this, however, most available for purchase are wild caught. And I personally am not crazy about that.

Scorpions! There’s a good amount of largely harmless species that make for great pets! Asian forest and emperor are the first two that pop into my head. They glow under UV light, making them easy to find, and don’t have to eat super often. The one I own loves to run up to the side of its enclosure whenever I walk by, throwing its claws up to show me it means business. I’ve never been stung but I hear it’s like a bee sting. The two species listed are cheap and prefer it moist, and afaik don’t really sting once they’re mature. They prefer to use their claws to do the talking. Below is a random species under UV light:

And finally, the most visually pleasing, long living, and low maintenance yet entertaining things I own: tarantulas. Given that I work at a tarantula breeder and am incredibly biased feel free to ignore this next bit, but also hear me out. I’ve never been afraid of tarantulas, but used to be a bit wigged out by spiders as a kid. T’s, at least the new world species I own, are so. Much more stationary, slow, and just. Nonchalant than most true spiders I’ve kept. You will usually know if and when they’re about to strike.

Orb weavers have never done well for me, but I’ve had some luck with cobweb weavers (they don’t tend to remake their webs every fucking day which helps with setting up a habitat), but they just don’t live very long— and when something has such a short lifespan I feel guilty for keeping it from its primary goal of breeding. Tarantulas, however, can live for up to 20+ years. And you can make money breeding them! But a lot of discords or Facebook groups dedicated to this are. Like full of the most obnoxious people you’ve ever met. Males don’t live as long, they usually croak after sexually maturing and then molting again. If they’re lucky they might make it one more. And they don’t have a great chance when it comes to breeding and surviving. Depends on the breeder controlling the situation. I’ve read that the longest lived one on record was a female Goliath bird eater* clocking in at over 30 years old. That’s a fucking cat. Not all get huge either! There’s dwarf species, and many are arboreal meaning you’re likely to see it often!

The shop I work at, along with most tarantula breeders recommend a GBB as a first time spider. I fucking Do Not. They’re aggressive, cute as spiderlings but less cute as adults, gross (web and bolases and shit everywhere), kick urticating hairs* that drive me nuts. And they just suck.

I have two coworkers who follow me and will strongly disagree but I don’t care because I know I’m right on this one: my top beginner picks are the caribena (formerly avicularia) versicolor.

As slings they are bright blue and so fucking funny. They walk like a cat with mittens on and their urticating hairs are so fucking mild that you won’t even notice them. Their red mouths stick out like a shitty lipstick on their stupid blue bodies and they love to shake their butts before they jump, like a cat but way worse. They’re not terribly fast and their bite is nothing. It’s worthless. They’re…somewhat sensitive and do like to randomly die, but so long as you keep them in an arboreal enclosure with ventilation and a weekly misting? You’re golden baby. They eat well, are arboreal so you’ll always see them, and can be kept in fairly small enclosures for quite some time! Here’s what they look like as adults:

Still pretty! And not scarily massive.

I own an even more sensitive species: the Brazilian jewel tarantula. It’s a dwarf species but stupid expensive and makes a shitty trapdoor so you don’t see it often which is a shame bc they’re beautiful and so adorable. Similar mannerisms and levels of ‘this piece of shit can’t hurt me’. Ideally you won’t be handling them but, well, I can’t blame you if you do bc it’s fun. I don’t own any species that care hurt me bc why would I want to?

For some. More common first time reccs tho, I would probably say the Arizona blonde (very chill and fuzzy. Somewhat more itchy), the Brazilian black (a little less stunning but also pretty chill and fun to watch because they will completely rearrange the furniture of their habitat for no reason), the Chilean rose hair (read previous)— basically any grammastola or brachypelma species. Hamorii (Mexican red knees) look cool. Another controversial pick are cyriocosmus. They have golden hearts on their butts! They’re pricier though, and again, other t keepers act as if they’re hard. They’re not. Most new world species are simple if you just research them— my boss often will balk and laugh when she hears people are buying 1/2 inch slings and putting them in like, 5 gallon tanks. But it’s literally fine. They def don’t need that much space but if they burrow. Look for the hole. Give them enough substrate, keep it moist but not sopping. Ventilation is key. Some people use empty, clear take out bins or medicine vials to keep these things in, and that’s fine so long as there’s air holes. You can use a soldering iron or small drill, or even a pin to poke some into the container, depending on how hard it is. Even larger spiders have been kept in big empty jars and such. You feed them once a week unless they’re in premolt (they get fat and shiny or lose their hair on their asses and may make a molt mat of web, or a little enclosed webbing bubble, or bury themselves and won’t eat during this time which, depending on species, could be a while), or whenever they look skinny!

If they’re arboreal give them a vertical climb, be it a real plant or plastic, cork bark, even aquarium decor. So long as it’s not sharp because tarantulas are surprisingly delicate.

Feed them something the size of their ass give or take, and disable it using little, sharp feeding tongs (grab the head and drop it in near them, or hold it to them at a distance and if it’s moving they’ll usually strike). Some super tiny slings will even eat springtails. Larger, adult T’s can take multiple dubia or even big ass roaches like hissers. It’s kind of sad feeding them off but, the spiders gotta eat 🤷‍♂️ if you’re interested and have any questions on other species, or the ones I listed, lemme know!

Okay. And by far. The least wanted or liked recommendation I have. Are roaches 😔 there’s some beautiful species out there man. Hissers are super fucking docile, but prolific. They hiss when scared, but never bite. They don’t even eat each other in times of duress! They do have spiky leg bits which can scare some people off. But take a look at emerald roaches (which are. Expensive 😶), don’t they look like cool beetles? They’re arboreal! Then there’s the table mountain roach, which SQUEAKS when scared! The domino roach! I’ve posted pics of molting roaches many times— they’re soft and white and have huge, mantid like eyes. It’s very disarming and cute. They’re so much more intelligent than we give them credit for. The roaches I keep at work know when I’m about to feed them and they all clamor at the tops of their bins, and once the feed is in they all grab a bit and run off with it in their mouths like dogs! Many tropical, burrowing species are basically little cows, and many are amazing parents which is a rarity in the insect world!

Most of these fellers can do well in a plastic bin with a top, with ventilation of course. And the usual substrate, hides like cork bark and rocks and moss, misting, and similar feed to isopods and the beetles I mentioned. As for price and availability, well, you’re probably only going to be able to find hissers and dubia unless you have a niche store near you or are willing to have them shipped. And while I love both of them. They are gross. They’re R strategists to a T and will multiply to the point that they require sell offs or regular culling. Which, if you own species that eat them, it can be a win win! But they also are hard to keep clean. So I probably, actually do not recommend them 😞 the less prolific, more beautiful species are cleaner, but more expensive. But hey, I had to shoot my shot, right?

Okay. Well. Thank you for listening if you got this far. Good luck either way and thanks for being patient!

*Goliath bird eaters and any similar named bird eating tarantula do not. I mean they *can* eat birds yeah but that’s just a shocking name that stuck. Don’t let that scare you. But also that species sucks so it doesn’t matter

*pretty sure I put another asterisk in here but I can’t find it and don’t remember what it was for sorry. Shoot me an ask if it was like. Killing you ig

[caterjunes]

grayson went downstairs for a late-night bowl of cereal & heard water splashing in the basement (which has been flooding with distressing frequency). they looked and spotted the new water heater's condensation pump IN THE ACT of gushing gallons and gallons of water all over the floor!!

they called for me, i ran downstairs in my underwear (just having showered like ten minutes earlier). i tbh sort of wrench the pump into a 5-gal tub (which it RAPIDLY starts filling) to give us time to diagnose the problem. this is not helped by there being like 4 tubes/pipes plumbed into/out of this thing.

i try to pick it up to get a better look at what it's doing and it feels like it buzzes weirdly on my fingers or maybe hand? so i drop it back in the tub (mostly submerged) and try again. same thing. grayson tries it, same thing. i'm like oh shit where did those LOOSE WIRES ON THE PUMP COME FROM OH MY GOD WE'RE STANDING IN AN INCH OF WATER AND I THINK WE JUST GOT SHOCKED. we both get the hell out of the water, i shut off the power to the water heater & go back to try again (grayson has heart disease! do not want them taking any risks w/ electricity!), get zapped AGAIN. i realize the pump is plugged into an outlet on a different circuit and unplug it (by the cord) (in hindsight should've turned off the whole circuit).

the pump stops pumping & i can move it to a new bucket (good! the old one is now overflowing) but it is still gushing water. grayson realizes our Mysterious Whole-House Filter Of Unknown Custom Design is in the middle of its flush cycle so we shut it off. and the water stops. we turn the spigots to bypass the filter so it won't do that again, hopefully.

turns out when the water heater installers put the condenser pump in, they (for some reason) routed the filter flush outflow pipe down through it, then out to the main outflow pipe using the condenser pump. but the flush cycle has such high flow rate that it absolutely overwhelmed the tiny little condenser pump and just poured out of every opening in it. so. i'm annoyed. this didn't need to happen.

[tacticalhimbo]

TRIANGLE NC DROP OFF SITES FOR HELENE AID

CARRBORO, NC: Back Alley Bikes 100 Boyd St. Carrboro, NC 27510 Open Tues-Sat 11AM-6PM

RALEIGH, NC: Rumah 415 Hillsborough St. Raleigh, NC 27603 Drop Off During Events, See Calendar on Website [ raleighmutualaid.info ]

DURHAM, NC: Art Post 718 Iredell St. Durham, NC 27705 Accepting Drops Starting Monday, Sept. 30 Monday-Saturday 12-6

Contact if you have news of WNC to share or info about donations:

[ info@trianglemutualaid.org ]

CRITICALLY NEEDED SUPPLIES (BY CATEGORY)

Cleanup

Heavy Duty Storage Totes

Heavy Duty Tarpsa

Gas & Gas Cans

Generators & Fuel

Roofing Nails

Wire Brushes

Heavy Thickness Contractor Trash Bags

Brooms

Flat Shovels

Snow Shovels

Mops

Crowbars/Prybars

Chainsaws

Hammers

Moisture Sensors

Dehumidifiers

Box Fans

5 Gallon Buckets

Tyvek Suits

Earplugs

Respirators & P100 Filter Cartridges

N95 Masks

Goggles

Nitrile Gloves

Heavy Duty Rubber Gloves

2x4s (Wood)

Bleach

Personal Needs

Baby Formula

Diapers

Baby Wipes

Coolers

Dollar Store Glasses

Water

Gatorade/Hydration Powder

Apple Cider Vinegar

Sweets/Candies/Comfort Items/Kid's Snacks

Laundry Detergent

Washboards

Mosquito Spray

Toilet Paper

Solar Chargers & Battery Banks

Non-perishable Food

Scan the QR Codes in the third image or use the following information to contribute monetarily!

Buncombe county and surrounding counties are currently experiencing widespread flooding and are preparing for the cascade of damage and emergency that follow. Funds will be used to support community members affected by any immediate and long-term damage.

[ $TriangleMutualAid on CashApp ] [ MutualAidDisasterRelief@gmail.com on PayPal ] [ @ MutualAidDisasterRelief on Venmo ]

[ @ AppMedSolid on Venmo ; Put "Flood Support" in the description ] [ $Streets1de on CashApp ; Put "Flood Support" in the description ]

[saganlife]

5 Gallon Jug Water Filter System, Countertop Water Filter (Jug Not Included) - Sagan Life

With the Journey™ water filter for your 5 Gallon Jug easily dispense purified, greating tasting water obtained from the convenience of your kitchen faucet.

To Know More: https://saganlife.com/product/5-gallon-jug-filter-system/

[bettaworldforbettas]

Why is Target selling this 0.5 gallon "aquarium"?

Target is promoting harmful pet products and misleading consumers. The 0.5 gallon Nature's Aquaponic by Penn-Plax is not a "healthy environment" for betta fish.

There's no space for bettas to swim, nor is there room for a filter and heater. Toxins accumulate rapidly in the low water volume, but the marketing of this tank gives people the (wrong) impression that the plants alone will sufficiently filter the water.

Will Target discontinue its sale of under one gallon betta fish tanks?

Target currently lists four under one gallon tanks on its website (all by Penn-Plax): 0.5 gal Nature's Aquaponic, 0.7 gal 3-1 Betta kit, 0.7 gal SpongeBob kit, and 0.7 gal Finding Dory kit.

Bettas need 5+ gal, a filter, heater, and lots of environmental enrichment like plants and hiding spots.

[chryza]

would a beta fish be a good starter fish? how big does the bowl need to be? should i just get one at petsmart or is there a better plan? how often do i need to clean the bowl? should i get a second bowl to swap between when its time to clean or will shifting from one bowl to another be a problem for the fish? how often do i feed the beta?

HELLO I LOVE YOU ANON

Yes! Betta fish are fantastic starter fish for someone looking to get into aquariums, but I think one of the biggest misconceptions is that fish are "easy" pets. To really take good care of your fish, it's a significant investment and requires consistent time investment. For me, setting up a tank from scratch usually costs between $75-$150.

The biggest thing to note is that bowls are insufficient for a betta (Or really any fish). If you're thinking about getting a fish, you should invest in a good tank with a filter, and additionally purchase a heater (Bettas are tropical! They like water between 75-85 degrees).

Aquarists bitch and fight with each other about the minimum requirement for betta fish, I've seen everything from 2.5-10 gallons be listed as "the minimum". 5 gallons is what you should shoot for imo because it's easier to keep your nitrogen cycle going (which you can research if you don't know already!). I have a 3 gallon tank I keep because my room is small and I'm experienced enough to be able to monitor my water quality.

Speaking of, you'll also want to buy a water testing kit that tests for the Ammonia, Nitrate, and Nitrite levels in your tank. Starting a tank for a fish is a big responsibility that requires kickstarting the bacterial cycle that breaks down waste and keeps the water safe for the fish. Typically, a tank will require a 25%-50% water change every week to two weeks so you can keep your fish in the water while you change it (testing the water will let you know how often your tank needs changing). You don't want to dump out all the water because it will kill the necessary bacteria colonies!

Finally, as for feeding, I recommend feeding twice a day. I loved to spoil my betta with frozen food, but dried food or pellets work just as well, though my favorite betta food is the Betta Dial-a-Treat that has different protein options.

EDIT: About where to buy fish. Personally I prefer petco over petsmart because petco tends to stock better options for the morphs I like (Koi, platinums, dumbos) but if you only have petsmart that's fine. However, don't feel limited by that! See if you have a local fish/pet store to shop at instead. When I got more experienced in the hobby, I began importing fish directly from Thailand and Indonesia to get what I wanted!

Fish are a lot more work than people realize! But if you give your betta fish an ideal habitat, you'll see their personalities blossom and they'll show you their intelligence and understanding in ways that are amazing for creatures so small! That's why bettas are my favorite--every single one is its own individual with preferred tastes and habits. It's a really rewarding hobby imo.

[captawesomesauce]

So I'm just getting a bit of my stuff prepped for Hurricane Hilary and these pics are just a snippet of what I've got lined up. The thing is, I'm not too worried about Hilary as I'm planning on staying home, chilling, and just reading on my kindle until it passes. BUT, all of this stuff is good to have in case of an earthquake which can happen any day of the week, any time of the day! So it's good to be prepared! For those who want my list that I have been checking off today, it's below the read more. The key things are:

Food (x)

Water (x)

Meds & First Aid (x)

Cash on hand (x)

Gas in car (x)

Fans for dealing with the heat (x)

Solar Panels & Battery packs (x)

Stuff to do (arts/crafts/kindle) (x)

Wet weather gear (x)

Clothes 1 pair of leather wildland gloves Clothes 1 pair of padded extraction gloves Clothes 2 Fire Brush jackets Clothes 2 Hard hats Clothes 2 pair of good closed toe shoes Clothes 2 pair of gorilla grip safety gloves Clothes 2 rain coats Clothes 2 rain hats Clothes 2 Umbrellas Cooling 1 Fan/lantern (C batteries w/4 extra batteries) Cooling 1 standing room fan Cooling 3 handheld fans w/water tanks Fire 1 Fire extinguisher outside front door Fire 1 window/balcony escape ladder Fire 3 Fire blankets (1 in the kitchen, 1 bedroom, 1 office) Fire 4 Fire extinguishers throughout the house Food 1 long bbq lighter Food Lots of blueberries Food Lots of canned soups Food lots of condiments Food Lots of crackers/chips/Pretzels Food Lots of freeze dried fruits/veggies Food Lots of Nuts and Trailmix Food Lots of ramen Food Lots of shelf stable/canned meats Food Lots of veggies Light 1 handheld led lantern/flashlight Light 12+ led lights for rooms Light 2 chest mounted lights with reflective harnesses Light 2 handheld flashlights Light 2 head mounted lights Light 8 led puck lights med 1 large stocked first aid kit w/burn & trauma supplies med 1 small stocked first aid kit with bleeding supplies med blood pressure cuff Med N95 & P100 masks med pulse ox meter med stethscope Misc Cash on hand in small bills Power 1 100w Solar Panel Power 1 car jumper/battery pack Power 1 Large Battery pack 146WH 42000mAH Power 1 Large Battery pack 150Wh 40800mAH Power 1 Large Battery pack 250WH 64800mAH Power 1 orange solar panel battery pack (10,000) Power 1 orange solar panel battery pack with wireless charging (10,000) Power 1 white battery pack Power 2 21W Solar Panel Power lots of rechargeable and non-rechargeable AA/AAA batteries Radio 1 desk scanner with NOAA weather alert Radio 2 handheld transceivers Radio 2 programmed handheld scanners w/NOAA radio SD Mace Peppergun SD Taser Stuff to do 2 kindles loaded with books Stuff to do arts and crafts projects Tool 1 demolition tool Tool 1 folding pocket knife Tool 1 Machete/Saw Tool 1 Multipurpose Shovel (shovel/e-tool/window breaker/fire starter/saw/axe) tool 1 raptor EMS shears Tool 1 SOG multitool Tool 2 full rolls of duct tape Tool 2 full rolls of masking tape Tool Various Bungee cords Tool Various ropes & tie downs Water 1 5 gallon collapsible water bucket in the tub Water 1 5 gallon water bottle w/dispenser Water 1 large pitcher of water Water 2 30 cup water filter pitchers Water gallons of bottled water Water multiple 2l and 3l camping bladders of water

[learnwithmearticles]

Technology's Use of Water

While water is renewable, it is finite. Its renewability depends on us using and managing our water resources responsibly.

Previous articles on this page have discussed hydropower and how it produces less waste and costs less than other resources. We have also briefly discussed how other energy sources consume water as a coolant or receptacle for waste. Entire university courses are dedicated to human uses of water.

Water Scarcity

Only 3% of water on Earth is freshwater. Of course, we need this to drink, but we need it for many more services beyond that.

Many plumbing fixtures are made of copper, which saltwater severely corrodes, same as lead and, over a longer time, PVC. Toilets on average use 1-5 gallons of water per flush. If we want to preserve freshwater by switching to saltwater plumbing, we would have to rethink and re-pipe entire plumbing systems.

We lose safe water in rain, as well. Supported by a study in Environmental Science and Technology, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in 2022 stated that rainwater is not safe to drink. Chemicals known as per-/poly-fluoroalkyl substances break down extremely slowly, and have leached from many products like cleaners, fabrics, and shampoo into the water cycle. Removing PFAS from water requires filters of activated carbon or reverse osmosis membranes, which also require frequent maintenance.

A lot of water is also not available to us because it is in ice caps and glaciers, which are estimated to be about 68% of Earth’s freshwater. This water is also being lost, because as glaciers melt at increasing rates, that freshwater becomes saltwater in the ocean.

These limitations mean that water is not necessarily renewable yet, especially because treating water produces its own waste and pollution. We have to be responsible with the small percentage of water we have access to.

Irresponsible Use

There are a ridiculous amount of ways in which we waste water. Leaks, watering lawns, and leaving taps running are some of the big household wastes of water. While individual accountability and changes can still make a big difference, I want to focus on bigger impacts.

One example is in nuclear power production. Nuclear power plants use water to cool down used fuel when it is done being used in the reactor. This results in radioactive and thermal water pollution.

Agriculture is another common cause of water pollution. Excess water from rain or artificial watering runs off of agricultural fields and flows towards streams and bodies of water. This runoff often includes amounts of fertilizers and pesticides ranging from minimal to extremely harmful. This leads to improper levels of oxygen, nitrogen, and hydrogen within the water. Like water contaminated by pharmaceuticals, this is not safe to drink, and something not safe for skin contact.

Technology is also a major factor of water demands. Artificial Intelligence and cryptocurrency are heavy water consumers.

AI is beneficial within waste management, as it is able to quickly analyze information and identify issues, potential problems, and potential areas of improvement. Unfortunately, AI training requires a large amount of water. One study states that training GPT-3 alone can evaporate 700,000 liters of freshwater. In 2027, AI is predicted to consume 4.2 to 6.6 billion cubic meters of water. In comparison, Denmark nationally consumes around one billion cubic meters in a year.

Cryptocurrency is even worse. It goes through a process called mining in which transactions are verified and new ‘coins’ are generated into the system. This process is extremely water-demanding. For example, in 2021, mining of Bitcoin consumed more than 1,600 gigaliters of global water. On average, each cryptocurrency transaction consumes 16,000 liters of water in cooling down the computer equipment and the power plants that provide the electricity.

Saltwater as an alternative in these situations does exist; however, this process has the disadvantages of one-time use, large water intake, sewage discharge, and ocean pollution. Technology has begun to improve on this method with seawater circulation cooling technology, which reduces sewage discharge and water intake, but remains an imperfect solution.

Technology has the potential to drastically improve environmental management and restoration, but still has a long way to go before we offset the huge impacts we have made. Freshwater is taken for granted by many people, and the systems that disproportionately consume the most of it are not held accountable. This cycle must stop if we want to make water a truly renewable resource.

Additional Resources

1. Water Renewability

2. Corrosion on Plumbing

3. Treating PFAS

4. Household Water Waste

5. Nuclear Water Waste

6. AI Helping Water Management

7. AI Water Consumption

8. Crypto Mining Water Consumption

9. Seawater cooling technology