#Farm and Ranch Policy

[centralbucksinsurance]

Farm and Ranch Policy for Bucks and Montgomery Hobby Farmers

Do you need a Farm and Ranch Policy?

What Is Farm and Ranch Owners Insurance?

Whether you are a Bucks or Montgomery Pennsylvania farmer who grows corn or soybeans, or a family with a small acreage hobby farm, the land is your livelihood. Farming and ranching is more than what you do, it is who you are. At Dtown Insurance, we can find you the right coverage that protects everything you work hard for each day.

Farm and ranch owners insurance is dual coverage that protects your farm operations and the home that you live in. With it, you will have a custom blend of homeowners coverage and business insurance with additional options to best fit the specific needs of your farm or ranch.

Family Farm and Ranch Insurance Coverage

In addition, to keep a successful business running, you need the right protection for your property, farm tractors, barns, and sheds on your property. That is why a Farm and Ranch policy will help safeguard your farm or ranch with customizable coverages that lets you build a single, reliable policy.

Parts of a Farm and Ranch Insurance Policy

Dwelling coverage

Offers protection for your farm home and all your stuff in your home against fire, lightning, windstorms, hail and most accidental losses, including vandalism and theft.

Farm personal property coverage

This provides protection for personal items in your farmhouse: clothes, furniture, and tvs.

Additional living expenses coverage

Pays for increases in living expenses if you have to move out of your home due to a covered loss. This coverage will pay for food and rent while your home is being repaired.

Additional Private Structures

Most Bucks and Montgomery County hobby farms have detached garages or other private structures that are designed solely for your personal use.

Includes private garages, utility buildings, boat slips and docks in same location as your house.

Other structures covered include gazebos, tennis courts, children's playhouses, structures for hot tubs, in-ground outdoor swimming pools and above-ground swimming pools and pool houses and outdoor kitchens.

In addition, if you are renting out a space to tenants to board a horse on your farm, and that space incurs a covered loss that causes the space to become unusable, you will have coverage that can help pay the rental value of that horse stall.

This added coverage can make a big difference to your bottom line.

Farm building coverage

This coverage helps protect your pole barns, machine sheds, detached garages or other outbuildings.

Farm liability coverage

Delivers protection for the unexpected — including accidents, bodily injury, medical expenses or farm property damage.

Optional Farm and Ranch Insurance Coverages

Optional coverages help you customize your policy to your specific farm and ranch needs. Consider it added protection for extra peace of mind.

Farm equipment breakdown coverages

This covers a direct physical loss to your tractors, and other equipment due to an accident.

Additional farm and ranch property coverages

Optional coverage that offers extra protection, including increased limits on borrowed tractors and machinery, additional livestock hazards and more.

Supplementary coverages

Extra protection built into your policy for fire department service charges, private power and light poles, debris removal, clean up and more.

If you have a small farm, or a hobby farm, in Bucks County Pa contact us at Dtown Insurance. We're here to help  you get the coverage you need for your farm or ranch.

Blog is originally published at: https://www.dtowninsurance.com/farm-and-ranch-policy-for-bucks-and-montgomery-hobby-farmers

It is republished with the permission from the author.

[witchofthesouls]

You're the first person I've come across who opened the for to these kinds of conversations, so might I propose that liquid energon is considered only for military, medical, or neonatal purposes on the colonies.

As you and many, many others have theorized, before the Quintassons and before the Thirteen began to die off, Cyberton most likely had an incredible complex biosphere that would make even our most diverse and most extreme seem bland. There would've been several generations who would've learned how to cultivate and forage and hunt on the surface and in the highest caverns and tunnels.

So assuming the Titans who became colonies took "pieces" of Cyberton when they left, they likely ended up preserving whole swathes of nature without actually intending to. Modern day Velocitrons and Camiens would thrive off "leave no footstep" culture as they hunt and move.

How horrific would the state of Cybertronians be to the colony denizens? Mechs who claim civility and order yet seem to lack any and all ability to actually feed themselves. What they will eat, they waste massive quantities, and they seem to be deeply suspicious of someone taking or sabotaging what little they can keep.

I think this could go a lotta ways.

Ohhh, I love worldbuilding like this. It just makes more sense to really delve into the differences between Cybertron and the Lost Colonies, besides "they got girls and no war lol."

Each of the Titan cities has a unique culture and cast, so it's a shame that it all got dropped or it didn't really tie neatly as it could had, so-

I'm going to make it make sense, even if I need to get the blender on canon lore to make a soup!

I did talk about some cultural differences and clashes between the Lost Colonies either through posts ('Caminus' and 'Titans' tags) or in the tags, and I had talked about how liquid Energon may have been playing a role of starvation rations. (Ehhh in TFP since they seem to be on a pure liquid diet, but it can be included in IDW/MTMTE).

But yeah, I can definitely see liquid Energon being used for medical, military, and neonatal usage. It would be interesting to explore differences and similarities in processing, storage, supplements, approach in distribution, and any associated folklore about it (i.e., Eukarians' farm-to-table fuel as it suits their beast-modes versus Velocitron and its pride over solar-derived Energon allowing them to delve into racing and research versus Caminus' recycling culture to mimick the Forge).

Funnily enough, the ones that develop the "Leave No Footsteps" as a whole would be the Eukarians as Chela left the planet's indigenous fauna relatively intact for beast-modes to be truly free. The tribes of Eukaris seem to mimic very early forms of civilizations along with hunter-gatherers. They're not ashamed to utilize the full scope of their alt-enhanced perception. Similar to how they adapted to their new home, the indigenous fauna adapted as well. Frightenly well to other Cybertronian perspectives; the Eukarians as a whole would be more familiar with different kinds of relationships with plants and animals, both the wild creatures and domesticated stocks. It would be interesting if the tribes managed to develop unique agricultural/livestock methods from each other (i.e., Fur Walkers are focused on ranching and semi-nodamic for their stocks versus Wave Walkers' aquaculture and mutual relationships with aquatic hunters or consumers to hunt and forage). Personally, I think the Eukarians would be the closest to understanding Earth's chaotic biomes and fauna. (Most definitely tensions with Cybertron via its Functionist society that Chela took his people to escape and the policies of organophobia, terra-forming, and stigma/discrimination against beast-modes and the nature.)

Velocitron came from scientists searching for fuel alternatives. Like, what if they tapped into the powerful solar rays that plagued the half the planet? In some ways, then modern Velocitron is a victim of its own success as the strong fuel basically led to too much excess energy and hyperfocus to point of ignoring all else, combined with their search for more fuel efficiency and race against the scorching suns, it's no surprise why racing became so dominant to the point Navitas was severely neglected. A meritocracy drenched heavy elitism as they're a highly educated group with a deep disdain for any frames deemed "too slow" or "too clunky."" They managed to figure out their own fuel issues. How the hell Cybertron with all of its resources to throw into their civil war couldn't? (On a side note, it would be absolutely hilarious and in-character if they snubbed Optimus and Megatron since they're not racers and weren't formally educated by Velocitron standards.)

Camiens, unlike many of the other Cybertronians, would actually forge mutual and positive ties with their organic neighbors via mercenary, exploration, and trade as Caminus deeply values social ties and community to the point that Cybertronians not raised in their city-state can be uncomfortable on how 'open' Camiens intermingle with one another as field byplay is a very used communication method. Caminus is situated in a planetary system that has immense raw resources but lacks the infrastructure that would have enticed the Galactic Alliance to add the space, and many are wary of the Quintesson's empire as they typically strip everything from planets via legal contracts or economic force. The work provided by offworlders allows the city-state to supplement their diet. They're a passionate and creative people, and it's seen on their takes on stretching out food as they blend whatever available to consume. So Depression meals, rural cooking, and recipes that channels 'End of Month' Food Challenge. (Most definitely have tensions with Cybertron as Camiens are appalled how distant and cold each mecha carries themselves in a strange self-imposed isolation as well as the sheer waste of fuel that happens, organophobia, and Functionist teachings as Camiens typically collect multiple skills and careers since everyone works.)

[tomwambsmilk]

would connor and tom actually work as a couple?

Got this a while ago (sorry my inbox is. a mess.) but I HAVE been thinking about it kind of obsessively ever since so I'm gonna answer it now. Here's how I think it would go:

They move to Connor's New Mexico ranch and bake bread and (badly) ride horses and both think of themselves as much better ranchers than they actually are. The ranch is decked out in Napoleonica and Ancient Roman artifacts. They live in romantic bliss for a while, throwing big romantic gestures at each other. Tom slowly starts to go batty like Jack Nicholson in the Shining because he doesn't have any subordinates to punch-bag and he never gets to wear a suit anymore and despite what he says about sheep farming or whatever he's always been a pretty ambitious career-oriented guy. Connor tells Tom he wants to run for President and Tom KNOWS this is not a good idea but he's thisclose to putting an axe through the front door for fun and he needs a project so he tells Connor to go for it and makes himself Connor's campaign manager. Tom becomes obsessed with winning despite Connor's batshit policy platform (which they end up having several fights about because Tom wants him to change it to something moderately palatable to the public). He engages in several strategies of dubious ethics and legality to get some of Connor's key opponents to drop out until he actually has half a shot in the Republican primary. He's going up against Mencken. He fucks the debate so bad that Tom decides to run a smear campaign against Mencken only to discover that they've spent all their money. (Connor's funds only came from Waystar stock dividends and Tom hasn't been working). They are Flat Broke. Tom leaves in the middle of the night and moves back in with his parents in Minnesota. Connor drops out of the race.

Tom gets a job doing accounting for a local business that he fucking hates and gets a mediocre apartment that he also hates. One day Connor shows up at his mediocre apartment and tells Tom that he misses him and he still loves him etc and then he proposes right there and Tom is so blown away by the gesture that he accepts without considering whether this is actually a good idea. They will get married at Lake Como (Minnesota edition). Connor starts spending all of the money Tom is earning at his mediocre job because he has no idea how to live as middle-class and it puts strain on the relationship. GoJo buys Waystar (which kind of comes as a surprise because neither of them knows what the fuck is going on ever) and suddenly Connor has 3 billion dollars and they aren't "poor" anymore so they never address the strain on the relationship. They move back to New York and buy Logan's apartment from Marcia and Connor asks Kendall to give Tom a job so Tom has "something to do". Kendall and Roman make Tom COO because they need a new one now. Long hours late nights etc Tom ends up having affairs with both Ken and Roman (separately). Connor has no idea because he's too busy sitting at home trying (and failing) to learn how to carve marble so he can make a life-size statue of Napoleon. Tom feels so guilty about it he tries to throw himself in the Hudson but he jumps from a place way too low to cause any injury at all. He gets fished out and they call Connor because Connor is his emergency contact and Tom tells him he slipped but Connor knows better (although he doesn't know why). He decides to try and carve a life-size statue of him and Tom instead to unveil at the wedding.

They get married at Lake Como (Italy edition) and leave for their honeymoon on a small boat. The boat hits a rock and capsizes and they both drown. Their bodies wash up on the Italian coast clinging to each other. All three Roy siblings forget to go to their joint funeral

[aoxue]

DJ IS BACK WITH ANOTHER AU IDEA! SL has inherited a ranch from his estranged relative and has absolutely no idea what to do with it OR how to tend to horses. include as many characters as you please >:)

Alright for this AU ask we're having a songxiao Hallmark movie because I've never actually done something like that before

Song Lan is a lawyer at a big city, high power law firm. He went into law hoping to further efforts for climate justice, conservation, etc., before repeatedly finding that most environmental law positions are about helping big actors find loopholes in environmental policy to keep getting away with things. So now he's in, like. Contract law, and it's fine, but not something he's very passionate about, and the firm he's at keeps him too busy to think too hard about it.

He inherits this ranch from some distant, distant relative he's never heard of? Song Lan thinks it's a scam at first, but the paperwork all looks legit. He's friends with Lan Xichen (from college, now a music professor) who tells him to take a much needed break after this most recent big case and check it out. Recurrent minor role as the supportive friend from home who encourages the main character to go out and live a little.

White Snow Ranch is a small operation in a space that once housed a much larger business. Luo Qingyang is the foreman who keeps things running, and she lives on site with her family. Xue Yang is an unreliable stablehand who hasn't been fired yet because he's got such a knack for fixing the machinery around the ranch. He has a side gig that pays him way more per hour doing survey work for Jin Oil, who have been trying to buy up land in the area.

White Snow has a handful of horses at any given time, breeding and selling to local buyers. Some of the other space in the stables gets rented for people to board their own horses. A-Qing is one such boarder. She's a teenage girl who wants to Win The Rodeo This Year. She's the one who does the most to teach city slicker Song Lan how to ride and laughs at him a lot.

Her older brother, Xiao Xingchen, is the kind and attractive large animal vet who makes calls to farms and ranches across the county. He's an environmental activist on the side. He's a pest to the oil companies and corporate farms that keep snatching up land in the area, and the office of Jin Oil's CEO have multiple numbers from him blocked. Romance arc naturally commences.

Song Lan is getting pressured to sell the ranch from pretty much the moment he arrives. Instead of folding (because what is he going to do with a ranch), he (with Xingchen's help) talks to the locals and looks into the sales of land to Jin Oil. And what do you know, the company has been doing subtle but illegal things with their contracts that have been shorting the landowners. Through Hallmark magic, they can press charges, beat the company, and get some kind of a win for he locals in about a month with no retaliation. Because love, hard work, and justice always win, forever (i.e., the 90-minute run time)

Seventh point because I've already accidentally gone over and that's that Song Lan transfers ownership of the ranch to Mianmian, since practically, this is already her gig, which gives her more freedom to make some more radical business decisions and rejuvenate White Snow. They start raising bison in addition to horses as a species restoration effort, for one thing. Maybe they use some of the space for solar panels or wind turbines as a clean energy thing, and maybe Xue Yang keeps that running smoothly. Song Lan keeps doing law stuff with a more environmental justice lean and he and Xiao Xingchen move in together. A-Qing achieves her rodeo dreams. Happily ever after, roll credits

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Collective effort monitors Amazon wildlife in heavily logged Brazil state

Indigenous communities, the government and civil society organizations are working to identify the status and whereabouts of animals in one of the most deforested states of the Brazilian Amazon.

Devastated by the expansion of cattle ranching and soy farming, Rondônia has seen changes in the composition of its fauna due to alterations in the landscape.

The initiatives for surveying and monitoring Rondônia’s fauna are being carried out in conservation units, Indigenous territories and restored forest areas on private lands; the goal is to guide conservation policies.

Continue reading.

[unhallowedrp]

OUR FACTIONS.

The remaining factions we have, as well as the developing groups up for adoption for members to build onto!

05. GREENSVILLE PRISON.

The Greenville prison group was a naturally forming community within the prison, headed by older prisoners, surviving guards, and visitors that were stuck during their lockdown. What was once a means to keep them inside became a haven of protection, the prisoners reconstituting their fences with further defenses, including large car barricades, spikes, and rotating guards to keep the perimeter clear of any infected that stray too close. The hierarchy of the prison mirrors what was already established, with the leaders proven to be 'strong' by their peers. Typically reserved for those that have been inside the prison for even longer than the outbreak, decisions are not quite democratic but do concern the wider prison community. They may be discussed as a community but ultimately what is decided falls upon those in charge. Entry into the prison by outsiders is minimal, and visitors heavily scrutinized. Though they do not label themselves as raiders, the prison's relationship with surrounding established communities remains wire thin and ever-changing. They've managed to hold their ground, using what farmland they've grown as a weapon to sway other groups into submission via trade. However, the prison group is known to strike raids on lesser factions or those that tempt their ire. They are formidable opponents and are not known for their mercy. CULTURE. . . Members of the prison community are expected to contribute to the wider group. Those unable to do so are tossed out as they believe useless hands are a death sentence. Their repeating motto is everyone's got a job to do and often times the least desired or more difficult jobs are rotated. In doing this, a majority of the prison members are fully capable of honing (and often do) several useful skills. Farming, cooking, weaponsmithing, guarding, etc, almost everyone inside can prove themselves proficient. Prison members are also expected to keep the prison up to standards and learn how to use a weapon for basic defense. Leadership is earned, not voted or chosen. Challenges are not unheard of, and occasionally they can be fights to the death. Not all are as dramatic, with some gaining power through connections and incredible deeds that earn them respect and reputation with other leaders. Strength is valued in all sense of the word. OCCUPATION IDEAS. . . leadership, guard, cook, farmer, medic, scout, raiding party, cell block management, cleaner.

06. THE SALTWATER COWBOYS.

Original inhabitants of Assateague Island (and/or Chincoteague Island), the Saltwater Cowboys were established generations before the infection took hold and were known for decades to be responsible for the island's wild horse population, for monitoring on-island events, for tackling fires and for the upkeep of a few cattle ranches. Many had spent years - if not their entire lives - on the island and, intimately acquainted with every inhabitant, port and corner, the Saltwater Cowboys mobilised when word of the outbreak reached them, island inhabitants looking to them for safety and direction. Uniting with the remains of the National Park Service and rallying able members of the island, they were responsible for the closure and patrol of its borders and docks, as well as the systematic sweeping of and elimination of infected within their community. Outsiders were killed on sight and supplies island-wide seized and carefully rationed. For their efforts, Assateague Island became one of the few places in Virginia that could boast little to no threat of infection. Their success saw them through years with relatively few incidents and the Saltwater Cowboys' strict no one in, no one out policy has remained firmly in place- until recently. Supplies are dwindling, and rationing cannot stretch them forever, the question beginning to be raised as to how long they'll be trapped here and whether they've doomed themselves in isolating themselves from the rest of the world. Recently, the island's dwindling supplies and strict organisation bore a group of Saltwater Cowboy dissidents - now known as the Trailmen - who took off inland with more than half of the remaining supplies, the stocks left more meagre than many dare address out loud. Desperation is mounting, conflict brewing in the underbelly of the Island; it is up to the Saltwater Cowboys to secure new avenues of trade .. or worse. They've done terrible things in the name of survival. They can do it again if they have to. CULTURE. . . Firm communal isolationists who have only recently begun to question whether or not to open their borders to outsiders. The Saltwater Cowboys - together with inhabitants of the island and stragglers from the National Park Service - still put a heavy focus on community, on helping one's fellow man, in doing what one can for the whole. Though the cattle herds are beginning to dwindle, the ranches are still dutifully maintained. Likewise, the Saltwater Cowboys have made use of native wild horse populations; catching and breaking a horse to use as a mount is considered essential for each member. Owning multiple has fallen out of fashion, considered wasteful, an unnecessary drain on resources. Subsequently, a Saltwater Cowboy's horse is oft among their most prized possessions. There are few formally stated roles and, instead, a Saltwater Cowboy is expected to do what is required of them in the moment, including counting and handing out supplies, tending the horses and/or cattle, patrolling the island, guarding the docks, dispatching infected, manning the lighthouse, repairing fences and buildings, establishing new defences, keeping watch, etc. The Saltwater Cowboys used to dispose of the infected by throwing them into the ocean. This practice has since been forbidden, as Swellers have begun to wash up on the island's shores. Now, they favour burning their dead. OCCUPATION IDEAS . . . Cattle ranchers, handymen, firemen / fire station volunteers, farriers, construction workers, veterinarians, etc.

07. THE TRAILMEN.

Derived originally of the Saltwater Cowboys, the Trailmen began as a whisper of dissatisfaction and disillusionment as Assateague Island's supplies dwindled beyond comfort, the growing desperation seized by an opportunist and used a a foundation for dissent. Ember grew to spark and in turn to flame; those beginning to question the leader of the Saltwater Cowboys - Sawyer Cassidy - and his methods rallied silently, plans kept internal, with the unofficial figurehead Valentin preaching on freedom, on sustainability, on staying here being to live a life in purgatory. One day they were Assateague Island inhabitants, dispatching the infected washed up along its shores and patrolling the borders, and the next they'd packed more than half of the remaining supplies, mounted up and made for Virginia's Eastern coast, leaving the island and her unblinking lighthouse behind. What they found was the Old Dominion. Danger, yes, learning the infected new, given their limited exposure- but the Old Dominion, its open air and endless trails, the dregs of civilisation still alive in its corners. The life they've established is a nomadic one, rarely in one place for long - travelling back and forth along the Appalachian Trail and the checkpoints they've established. Outlaws above all else, cowboy hats and all, they occasionally trade but make more a habit of raiding and looting, more than happy to take advantage of and ransack any campsite or cabin left uninhabited, rough and ready, clearing the trails of infected as they go. They do not hesitate to kill for their own. They're not particularly keen on outsiders but, in direct spite of the ideals of the Saltwater Cowboys, do allow new members to join from time-to-time, provided that prospective member is able to prove themselves a good (useful) fit. CULTURE. . . The Trailmen prize freedom and spirit above all else, putting a strong emphasis on individualism. Many condemn industrialization, blaming it - and a disconnect or disrespect for nature - as the lead cause of the infection, subsequently condemning wider civilisation. They live nomadically and prefer to camp in open air than to squirrel themselves away in the remains of buildings. Indulgence takes something of a front seat; the strict rationing of Assateague Island has left many of the original Trailmen with a real distaste for enforced moderation, and are largely free to do as they please, provided they stay devoted to one another. Like the Saltwater Cowboys, a heavy focus is placed on the Trailmen's owning of horses; they're used both as mounts and as pack animals, allowing the Trailmen to cover great distances quickly. A man is nothing without his horse.

BONUS: OUR DEVELOPING GROUPS UP FOR ADOPTION IN GAME. Please note members will not be allowed to make a faction of their own for their first character, and must purchase the ability to create a group through our points shop. For those interested in their own group, we have provided a few developing groups for adoption!

[plethoraworldatlas]

Critics of factory farming renewed demands for U.S. policy reforms on Tuesday in response to new federal data on the nation's agricultural activity, which is released every five years.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) put out its report about the 1.9 million farms and ranches that collectively spanned more than 880 million acres as of 2022—a loss of nearly 142,000 operations and over 20 million acres since 2017. The document features state tallies and other details including inventory and values for crops and livestock.

"The USDA's new data show that without policy changes, factory farms will continue to get bigger and bigger, wreaking havoc on public health, the environment, and the climate," warned Environmental Working Group (EWG) Midwest director Anne Schechinger.

...

Food & Water Watch (FWW), which also analyzed the new government data, found that "there are currently 1.7 billion animals raised on U.S. factory farms every year; an increase of 6% since 2017, 47% more than roughly 20 years ago in 2002.

"The group emphasized that "as factory farms take over, the number of small dairies raising animals outside the factory farm system plummeted, with barely one-third as many today compared to 20 years ago."

[simonalkenmayer]

I think the thing I’ve had the most difficulty watching is the evolution of fascism, hand in hand with its monetary crutch, capitalism. They instantiate, support, and feed one another. Always will, I think. At least as long as bigotry is real. So of course I’ve watched you build that too.

Do I mean people of the past weren’t bigoted? No of course not. Humans have always been bigoted. Now I know it’s because of how you think, how your brains work, and no longer expect empathy. What I mean is, I’ve watched you construct new prejudices that are not connected to the past at all. And then live by them as if they are long-held, derived of centuries of anecdotal evidence, when they’re actually the result of an ad campaign, or eugenics or some stupid policy shift twenty years ago.

I’ll give you a tame example:

“men with long hair are not civilized/educated/well off.” It has variations but any man with long hair knows precisely what I mean.

The year I left London to come to the new world, the King had long hair. Long hair was the fashion. And then eventually powdered hair (why? Dry shampoo and then conspicuous nonsense) In London, I used to sit outside a coffee shop next to what you might call a barber shop, but wasn’t then, because well…everything’s different and there’s no point telling you a barber was more like a dentist. Anyway, I used to sit outside next to one of these and listen to the conversations about beard shapes. Yes. Beard shapes. They all had names.

Men have always groomed. Masculine men groomed. Kings and powerful men groomed. They had long hair and they wore it in vain ways. Masculinity contained as much vanity as femininity, if not more.

So are women vain? Or…did misogyny and patriarchy force women to be seen and not heard? Are men with hair gruff and uncouth? Or did haircuts come to demonstrate cleanliness, wealth, and militaristic nationalism? Clean cut for the slaughter, you soldiers in a row.

What about race?

Before the slave trade existed, black people were known. They traveled. They had business dealings.! Their empires were KNOWN. There was prejudice, of course, but it came out of the Crusades and the religious background of most of the black men with which Europeans tended to associate. Primarily Moors. When other parts of Africa were colonized and explored, black culture became spectacle. They were exotic. Not necessarily thought of as lesser, just strange. But then they were judged lesser by men who needed cheap labor that couldn’t back out. Colonies demanded tending, and no citizens would do it willingly. So it is that men who lived no more simply than did we at the time, were judged lacking—first in civility, then culture, then intellect. Then whole unscientific pseudosciences were constructed to declare white superiority, even though half the world remained unexplored and we couldn’t even tell you about what was in the water or the sky. These people still believed in the nonsense Pliny shat out! Google it. I haven’t energy. But here they were manufacturing the bigotry of race as if they were somehow experts on reality when they didn’t even know how blood worked.

I watched you carve this country out of native stone. I even helped when the eating was good. I watched Racism rise, and watched all the new arguments—fucking stupid arguments—barked as if they were long held truth, when they sprang out of ignorance of their own pathetic, cog-like automated path through someone else’s political worldview. The King, the Lord, the Governor, the President…who cares, we all know it’s they who decide what you’re to know or think or feel, how your concepts of reality will sway. What does god say? Ask the Pope. Oh he’s not an authority anymore? Ask the minister. No wait, we’ve changed religion again. You can ask god yourself and get whatever answer suits you best. How convenient.

How can black men be inferior if they are fine to do every job you give them? How are they inferior if they serve in your workshop/farm/ranch/home. Clearly they could do those tasks, so how is the one who enslaved them superior? Force. I watched you lie to yourselves and think strength equated to morality. So it is that churches were the loudest racists of all.

I’ve watched you chew through geniuses and the cosmos to dismantle things it took but one generation and greed to set into motion. All the while, humanity claims superiority over all other creatures while it burns up the world.

The arrogance. The hypocrisy.

It’s outrageous. It’s baffling. It’s shocking. It’s horrific. It’s been my entire god damn existence! Bow out? Do the right thing? How? Where? Show me a way to live cleanly, away from the warped reality you continue to inflict on everyone here? The only way to handle any of it is to laugh at you and inflict my reality upon you as often as possible. Maybe I’ll smack some perspective into you.

You built computers. You built the internet. You built Tumblr. I’ll haunt it like any house, chateau, cathedral, cave. I’ve been carving bits off you for centuries. The tasty bits, mind you. Not the disgusting ones.

Don’t expect me to be nice. I’ll be plain. I’ll be polite. I’ll even be kind. But nice?

No.

You’re not entitled to it. Nor are you owed it. Nor are you deserving. Nor should you feel as if being nice is somehow better than plain truth. Nice is cowardice. It’s flaccid. It’s meaningless. Nice? Agreeable? Amiable?

Sard off.

I’m too tired and you’re too annoying.

I’m instituting a one drink minimum on my ask box. Until you’ve had one drink to untwist your knickers and rectally ease out that stick you use to stiffen your spine, I haven’t the time God gave the wink.

One drink minimum. I insist.

I’m going to institute a one drink minimum for any ask in my box. If you haven’t had at least one drink to unwind your knickers and rectally extract the self-righteous stick you use to stiffen your spine, I haven’t the time of day God gave the wink. One drink. I insist.

One drink minimum on my ask box.

[letsgethaunted]

The Deepest Dive on the Jeffrey Epstein Conspiracy, Part 3

Welcome to Episode 178: The Deepest Dive on The Jeffrey Epstein Conspiracy, Part 3! In the final installment of this especially deep dive Nat asks Aly what kind of “insurance policy” Epstein and Ghislane may have been in possession of. Listen to hear of the tangled web that connects the royal family, the 2016 election, and a baby farming ranch in New Mexico! Allegedly, this episode will haunt you forever.

THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED!! Find out more about this week’s advertisers below!

MIRACLE MADE - This episode is sponsored by Miracle Made. Try Miracle Made! Go to TryMiracle.com/HAUNTED and use the code HAUNTED to claim you FREE 3 PIECE TOWEL SET and SAVE over 40% OFF.

APOSTROPHE - This episode is sponsored by Apostrophe. Go to Apostrophe.com/LETSGETHAUNTED and click Get Started! Use our code LETSGETHAUNTED at sign up and get your first visit for only five dollars!

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[kindred-sims]

Tag Game for Historical Simblrs!

Thank you to the delightful @antiquatedplumbobs for tagging me! 💕

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1. What has been your favorite time period to play in or which one are you most excited for?

From my own personal gameplay I did a while back, I really enjoyed the 1920s! I adore the fashion and music of that time period so that's always a fun one for me. For the Wakefields, I'm also equally as excited to do the 20s again, as well as the 1960s since I may or may not have a storyline in mind for it already (even if may be very far away, but it doesn't hurt to plan ahead). 👀

2. Do you have a favorite piece of historical cc? (CAS or BB)

Anything by @gilded-ghosts, particularly the Victorian Visions set. I absolutely adore Victorian era fashions and it just really scratches that particular itch for me so well.

3. Who is your favorite sim currently?

My lovely Josephine of course! Carrie as well, though, she may not be the heir for the 1900s (spoiler alert, sorry), but I do have quite a lot planned for her story that I'm very excited to explore.

4. What is your favorite world?

At the moment, its tied between Henford-on-Bagley and Brindleton Bay, though Windenburg is certainly a close contender. All three just really have the right feel for historical gameplay and I find myself coming back to them the most.

5. Are you more gameplay or story focused?

I try to keep a good balance of both, I'd say. Sometimes I try to plan a whole story ahead of time, but that doesn't usually work so well when the game decides it has other plans. So I mostly just try to work around it whenever that happens, but I don't mind! It gives me the chance to get creative and I always love having that chance.

6. Do you like to play with pets in your historical saves?

Yes! I make it a policy to try and give each generation their own pet(s), I feel like its only fair.

7. What’s your biggest immersion breaking pet peeve with the game?

I would say the sims constantly whipping their phones out, but thankfully I have mods to take care of that. The randomly generated townies, however, drive me nuts! I can't even begin to say how annoying it is when I'm trying to stage a scene in a public area and some pink-haired sim with a weird name walks by in the background, I truly cannot stand it.

8. What’s your favorite in-game historical item? (CAS or BB)

The cross-stitching kit that came with Cottage Living, if that counts! I actually got so happy when I saw that included with the gameplay, and I was obsessed with making my sims constantly use it. I just think its a cute little hobby for them to do and it really adds to the authenticity of the time period for me.

9. What would you like to see as a new pack or asset to the game?

Oh gosh, a horse ranch pack would actually be tons of fun, although I'm not sure what purpose horses would serve in a game that isn't open-world. I just think they'd be neat to have is all. A Victorian-themed pack would also be nice as well!

10. What pack do you think is invaluable as a historical simmer?

Cottage Living, for sure! That is, if you're starting off with/plan on doing a farm at any point. I purposefully waited for that one to come out before I even attempted my first decades challenge.

11. Do you have a favorite mod to enhance historical gameplay?

The Timeless mod by @pandorasimbox is always a good one, it definitely adds to the overall immersion for me!

12. What’s your ideal family size for playing?

However many sims I can handle at the time. I know realistically my households would be a lot bigger, but I also have my limits, you know? The most I'll probably do is six, but again, it really depends.

13. Do you use poses?

Only when I really have to! If I know a scene is going to be story-heavy, then I try to incorporate as many poses as possible, but other times I mostly just tend to stick to gameplay since admittedly, posing can get incredibly tedious at times.

14. Do you use any overrides in your game?

Too many to count! I don't know what I'd do without them, honestly.

15. Do you, or did you, play off-the-grid during your game?

I try to play off the grid up to a point, but it gets annoying sometimes when my sims are constantly forced to eat mushroom soup for the hundredth time or when I have to put a million candles just to see inside of the house. I'm at the point where I may just end up removing that lot trait, but we'll see.

16. What lifespan do you play on?

A slightly-modified normal! Since I'm usually playing a legacy, I try to keep things moving at a steady pace, though I'll admit I've gone back and forth between normal and long multiple times if I'm wanting to take my time with a particular storyline.

17. What inspired you to start playing a historically?

I think a lot of it mainly comes from my love of historical fiction. I was a wee bit of a history nerd growing up (still am, otherwise we wouldn't be here), was obsessed with American Girl novels, the Dear America books, you name it I read it. I also visited a lot of historical museums and battlegrounds and read a lot of biographical stories about important figures in history, as well as consuming historical themed movies and TV shows too (The 1970s adaptation of Little House on the Prairie in particular is one of my favorites). Although I don't think it ever occurred to me to try a historical gameplay until I discovered the decades challenge, and after reading a few of them I decided it was something I'd really love to do for myself. Eventually I'd love to branch out and do more historical themed stories and gameplay, but for now, I'm enjoying the Wakefields and what I have in store for them!

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As far as tagging goes, I'm leaving this open to anyone else who might like to do this! ❤️

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

 In a development that should give hope to all Americans, a group of Montana youth secured a court victory that invalidated a state law prohibiting the consideration of climate effects in the approval process for new energy projects. The victory is a watershed moment, even though the ruling is narrow. The Montana constitution guarantees its citizens the right to a ���clean and healthful environment.” Prohibiting the consideration of climate effects of new energy projects is plainly antagonistic to that guarantee. A state court judge correctly granted judgment in favor of the young people of Montana. See Washington Post, Judge rules in favor of Montana youths in landmark climate decision.

          The decision faces ongoing opposition from Montana’s attorney general, who called the decision “absurd” and promised an appeal that will end up in the Montana Supreme Court. No matter. The dam has broken and the victory by sixteen young citizens of Montana will inspire hundreds (or thousands) of additional suits. Some of those suits will succeed, encouraging more such suits. Fossil fuel lobbyists have ruled supreme in state legislatures for more than a century. The victory today is a very small step forward, but it is significant, nonetheless. It is particularly impactful because the plaintiffs were youths ranging in age from 5 to 22 years old.

          The Montana litigation is part of a global litigation strategy to challenge climate change. The Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia Law School has published a report on climate change litigation across the world.  See Global Climate  Litigation Report | 2023 Review. Amidst the noise of the Trump indictment watch, good things are happening in the background.

[Robert B. Hubbell newsletter]

+

In 1972, after a century of mining, ranching, and farming had taken a toll on Montana, voters in that state added to their constitution an amendment saying that “[t]he state and each person shall maintain and improve a clean and healthful environment in Montana for present and future generations,” and that the state legislature must make rules to prevent the degradation of the environment. 

In March 2020 the nonprofit public interest law firm Our Children’s Trust filed a lawsuit on behalf of sixteen young Montana residents, arguing that the state’s support for coal, oil, and gas violated their constitutional rights because it created the pollution fueling climate change, thus depriving them of their right to a healthy environment. They pointed to a Montana law forbidding the state and its agents from taking the impact of greenhouse gas emissions or climate change into consideration in their environmental reviews, as well as the state’s fossil fuel–based state energy policy. 

That lawsuit is named Held v. Montana after the oldest plaintiff, Rikki Held, whose family’s 7,000-acre ranch was threatened by a dwindling water supply, and both the state and a number of officers of Montana. The state of Montana contested the lawsuit by denying that the burning of fossil fuels causes climate change—despite the scientific consensus that it does—and denied that Montana has experienced changing weather patterns. Through a spokesperson, the governor said: “We must focus on American innovation and ingenuity, not costly, expansive government mandates, to address our changing climate.”

Today, U.S. District Court Judge Kathy Seeley found for the young Montana residents, agreeing that they have “experienced past and ongoing injuries resulting from the State’s failure to consider [greenhouse gas emissions] and climate change, including injuries to their physical and mental health, homes and property, recreational, spiritual, and aesthetic interests, tribal and cultural traditions, economic security, and happiness.” She found that their “injuries will grow increasingly severe and irreversible without science-based actions to address climate change.”  

The plaintiffs sought an acknowledgement of the relationship of fossil fuels to climate change and a declaration that the state’s support for fossil fuel industries is unconstitutional. Such a declaration would create a foundation for other lawsuits in other states. 

[Heather Cox Richardson :: Letters From An American]

[ao3feed-destiel-02]

Swap My Life

Swap My Life https://ift.tt/3vuGfY8 by subzeroflame1216 This Week on Swap My Life! The Winchesters are a fun loving, horse ranch owning, country living family in Texas. With three kids, two huskies, a German Shepard, among others, the ranch is a busy place. Hard work is important but their kids have the run of the ranch because kids should be kids as long as they can be. Dean works long hours leaving his wife Lisa to manage the house and kids alone. Their open door policy leaves them with a revolving door of visitors popping in and out throughout the day, not always at the best times for Lisa. The Winchesters are swapping with The Novaks. Castiel and Hannah started their tech company right out of college, building it into the most formidable force in the industry to date. The Novaks employ a team, overseen by Hannah, to help them keep everything running smoothly including a family stylist and personal chef. Their six year old twins, Jack and Claire, spend days with the nanny as well as a STEM tutor Hannah had picked out since their first ultrasound! Their housekeepers keep their Chicago loft sparkling, just like Hannah prefers for it to be. Will this end in a disaster or will both families come away from this experience with more than they ever could have hoped for? Words: 11517, Chapters: 2/?, Language: English Fandoms: Supernatural (TV 2005) Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: F/M, M/M Characters: Dean Winchester, Castiel (Supernatural), Sam Winchester, Eileen Leahy, Mary Winchester, Lisa Braeden, Emma (Supernatural: Slice Girls), Ben Braeden, Jack Kline, Claire Novak, Bobby Singer (Supernatural), Ellen Harvelle, Jo Harvelle, John Winchester, Charlie Bradbury, Bobby John (Supernatural: Two and a Half Men) Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Reality TV, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Closeted Castiel (Supernatural), Openly Bisexual Dean Winchester, Angst with a Happy Ending, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst and Feels, Minor Castiel/Hannah (Supernatural), Minor Lisa Braeden/Dean Winchester, Getting to Know Each Other, Pining, Mutual Pining, Falling In Love, Family Drama, Family Dynamics, Castiel and Dean Winchester Have a Profound Bond, Castiel and Dean Winchester Being Idiots, Castiel and Dean Winchester Need to Use Their Words, Happy Ending, Horse Ranch Owner Dean, CEO Castiel (Supernatural), Alternate Universe - Farm/Ranch via AO3 works tagged 'Castiel/Dean Winchester' https://ift.tt/wM2jnVE February 09, 2024 at 09:07PM

[starseedfxofficial]

Forget AI Limits, Let Innovation Reign: Bowman Spills the Tea Forget AI Limits, Let Innovation Reign: Bowman Spills the Tea Imagine AI in finance is like your new credit card, but someone keeps telling you, "Only use it for groceries." It’s like putting the AI equivalent of Michael Jordan in a library—tons of potential, but held back by a narrow purpose. Well, thankfully, the Fed’s Bowman is no fan of those limits. She’s urging against the temptation to restrict AI in the banking sector, warning it could freeze up some much-needed innovation. Bowman’s call isn’t just about letting the tech breathe—she believes AI has the potential to massively improve data reliability and be a powerhouse in anti-fraud efforts. This is like upgrading from dial-up to high-speed—all while keeping the bad guys from raiding your digital wallet. Trump’s New Picks: A Hedge Fund Guy, A Ranch Expert, and A Wild Card Now, buckle up, because U.S. politics is serving up an eclectic cocktail of cabinet appointments. President-elect Trump has picked some head-turning nominees for key roles—like hedge fund CEO Scott Bessent for Treasury Secretary. It’s like hiring Gordon Ramsay to organize a food bank—you’re bound to get some spice. But Bessent is about more than that; his priority is delivering those sweet, sweet tax cuts we heard about, and keeping the dollar as the reigning heavyweight champion of global currencies. He’s all about making first-term tax cuts permanent and nixing those pesky taxes on tips, Social Security, and overtime pay. It's a "let the people keep their dough" approach—at least, as long as they’re tipping well. But wait, there’s more: Brooke Rollins for Agriculture Secretary. Seems like Trump went full yee-haw with this pick, looking to stir things up in the farming sector. And rounding it out is Representative Lori Chavez-DeRemer for Labor Secretary. It’s like assembling the Avengers, but with economic and labor policy skills instead of superpowers (though some would say charisma is a superpower in politics). Bessent’s Budget Plan: Cut Taxes, Drill More Oil, and ‘Make America Grow’ For traders watching U.S. fiscal policy like a hawk (or perhaps, like a trader watching the GBP/USD pair on NFP Friday), here’s what’s in store. Treasury nominee Scott Bessent is laying out a game plan that involves pushing for 3% U.S. GDP growth while slashing the budget deficit to 3% of GDP by 2028. That’s a lot of threes, and if you’re a numerologist, it might feel like the universe is trying to tell you something. He’s also planning to pump up oil production by an additional three million barrels per day. Basically, the goal here is to make America grow—and then make it grow some more, with a little energy self-reliance sprinkled on top for good measure. Confronting the IEA: Trump vs. Green Energy Focus In other headline-grabbing news, President-elect Trump seems ready to knock on the IEA’s door, but not with roses. No, this is more like showing up to an ex’s place demanding to "talk things out." Trump’s main beef? The IEA’s green energy focus. Instead of staying stuck in eco-talk, Trump is looking to lift the pause on new LNG export permits—like someone finally unpausing Netflix when the popcorn is ready—and wants to move swiftly on pending permits. Plus, he’s going to be asking Congress to replenish the strategic petroleum reserve. Think of it as the country’s "rainy day" stash of oil, and apparently, it’s starting to drizzle. What's the Takeaway for Traders? Okay, let’s break this all down with some actionable insights for Forex traders. First off, Bowman’s stance on AI points to a more innovation-friendly environment in U.S. finance. This could lead to quicker, more accurate economic data—which means less market hesitation and more decisive trading moves when numbers hit the wire. If you’re a data-dependent trader (aren’t we all?), this is like getting your favorite pizza delivered faster, with extra cheese—good for everyone. Then there’s Scott Bessent, ready to take the Treasury reins with a pro-growth agenda. His plan to boost GDP, cut taxes, and raise oil production could point toward a stronger USD—at least in the short term. Remember, higher oil production might weigh on oil prices, potentially benefitting the dollar through lower energy costs. This all suggests some possible bullish moves on USD crosses, especially against currencies dependent on energy imports. Lastly, Trump’s planned confrontation with the IEA is about shifting the focus away from green energy and back to good ol’ fossil fuels. How does this impact the markets? Well, increased oil production could push WTI and Brent prices down, which often correlates with USD strength. It's also a headwind for oil-exporting currencies like CAD and NOK, so keep an eye out for some volatility there. As always, look at how traders react to the news rather than just the news itself��as market sentiment can often overshadow pure logic. Wrapping Up with a Smile And there you have it. Bowman says let AI thrive, Bessent wants to grow, drill, and cut (taxes, not spending), and Trump is off to shake up energy policies. For traders, it’s all about finding the hidden gems—those little nuggets of news that give you a strategic edge. As always, look beyond the obvious, stay curious, and remember—the market is like a stand-up comedy act. Sometimes it goes your way, sometimes it bombs, but the real pros keep on swinging. If this article had you nodding your head, intrigued by the news, or laughing at the pizza analogy, then we might just be the community for you. Join us over at StarseedFX for expert analysis, live trading tips, and a community that loves to dive into the deep end of Forex—and make sure you swim back with a smile. —————– Image Credits: Cover image at the top is AI-generated   Read the full article

[igettalk]

President-elect Donald Trump has chosen South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem to be the next Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), CNN reports. Noem, a strong supporter of Trump, is set to take charge of the large $60 billion Department of Homeland Security (DHS). This agency handles a lot of crucial responsibilities, including securing the borders, enforcing immigration laws, and responding to disasters. Her appointment comes alongside Trump’s decision to bring in two other prominent figures known for their hardline stances on immigration, Stephen Miller and Tom Homan, to senior positions in his administration.Earlier this year, Kristi Noem was considered as a possible running mate for Trump. The 52-year-old, who is currently the 33rd governor of South Dakota, has consistently sent National Guard troops to the southern border, clearly supporting Trump’s strict immigration policies. However, Noem's appeal as a possible candidate fell through after she was involved in multiple controversies, including one stemming from a personal anecdote she shared in her memoir. In the book titled ‘No Going Back: The Truth on What’s Wrong with Politics and How We Move America Forward,’ she revealed that she once euthanized her pet dog when it failed to meet her standards as a hunting dog. Her action led some critics to accuse her of being a "puppy killer." https://twitter.com/raggapegs/status/1856224771001704489 At the time, Noem defended herself by explaining that tough decisions like hers are sometimes part of life on farms and ranches. Still, the incident hasn't yet cooled off, even as Trump continues to push his immigration agenda by selecting her to lead the Department of Homeland Security. https://twitter.com/KarenSm90878291/status/1856225157502623947 Needless to say, the change in personnel will likely help the President-elect to deliver on his campaign promises to tackle illegal immigration during his second term. By choosing Kristi Noem, he's ensuring that someone who shares his views will be in charge at DHS. Read the full article

[bandgeek5]

Seconding all of this as someone who works in conservation! Although I can mostly just speak to the California stuff.

TLDR though, here are 4 of my favorite relatively easy action points

1. Support small local farms/ranches using regenerative practices. Farmers markets are great for this. I’ve heard directly from these folks about how they’re struggling in the landscape of big commercial ag and they could really use more support. Family owned ranches in particular are disappearing, so take a moment to consider where your beef is coming from. Also there are some really cool urban farms around which tend to have more LGBTQ+ and BIPOC farmers

2. Plant native plants! And DO NOT plant invasives out in the world for looks or for food. Looking at mint here, unless you’ve got it very well contained in a pot, and English ivy >:(

Here’s a good list of landscape plants to NOT plant in California https://wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Plants/Dont-Plant-Me

3. Volunteer! Or even just pick up trash or (learn to identify and) pull invasives when you see them and when you can

4. Focus on local/state environmental policies and sign petitions/vote accordingly

Planet's Fucked: What Can You Do To Help? (Long Post)

Since nobody is talking about the existential threat to the climate and the environment a second Trump term/Republican government control will cause, which to me supersedes literally every other issue, I wanted to just say my two cents, and some things you can do to help. I am a conservation biologist, whose field was hit substantially by the first Trump presidency. I study wild bees, birds, and plants.

In case anyone forgot what he did last time, he gagged scientists' ability to talk about climate change, he tried zeroing budgets for agencies like the NOAA, he attempted to gut protections in the Endangered Species Act (mainly by redefining 'take' in a way that would allow corporations to destroy habitat of imperiled species with no ramifications), he tried to do the same for the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (the law that offers official protection for native non-game birds), he sought to expand oil and coal extraction from federal protected lands, he shrunk the size of multiple national preserves, HE PULLED US OUT OF THE PARIS CLIMATE AGREEMENT, and more.

We are at a crucial tipping point in being able to slow the pace of climate change, where we decide what emissions scenario we will operate at, with existential consequences for both the environment and people. We are also in the middle of the Sixth Mass Extinction, with the rate of species extinctions far surpassing background rates due completely to human actions. What we do now will determine the fate of the environment for hundreds or thousands of years - from our ability to grow key food crops (goodbye corn belt! I hated you anyway but), to the pressure on coastal communities that will face the brunt of sea level rise and intensifying extreme weather events, to desertification, ocean acidification, wildfires, melting permafrost (yay, outbreaks of deadly frozen viruses!), and a breaking down of ecosystems and ecosystem services due to continued habitat loss and species declines, especially insect declines. The fact that the environment is clearly a low priority issue despite the very real existential threat to so many people, is beyond my ability to understand. I do partly blame the public education system for offering no mandatory environmental science curriculum or any at all in most places. What it means is that it will take the support of everyone who does care to make any amount of difference in this steeply uphill battle.

There are not enough environmental scientists to solve these issues, not if public support is not on our side and the majority of the general public is either uninformed or actively hostile towards climate science (or any conservation science).

So what can you, my fellow Americans, do to help mitigate and minimize the inevitable damage that lay ahead?

I'm not going to tell you to recycle more or take shorter showers. I'll be honest, that stuff is a drop in the bucket. What does matter on the individual level is restoring and protecting habitat, reducing threats to at-risk species, reducing pesticide use, improving agricultural practices, and pushing for policy changes. Restoring CONNECTIVITY to our landscape - corridors of contiguous habitat - will make all the difference for wildlife to be able to survive a changing climate and continued human population expansion.

**Caveat that I work in the northeast with pollinators and birds so I cannot provide specific organizations for some topics, including climate change focused NGOs. Scientists on tumblr who specialize in other fields, please add your own recommended resources. **

We need two things: FUNDING and MANPOWER.

You may surprised to find that an insane amount of conservation work is carried out by volunteers. We don't ever have the funds to pay most of the people who want to help. If you really really care, consider going into a conservation-related field as a career. It's rewarding, passionate work.

At the national level, please support:

The Nature Conservancy

Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation

Cornell Lab of Ornithology (including eBird)

National Audubon Society

Federal Duck Stamps (you don't need to be a hunter to buy one!)

These first four work to acquire and restore critical habitat, change environmental policy, and educate the public. There is almost certainly a Nature Conservancy-owned property within driving distance of you. Xerces plays a very large role in pollinator conservation, including sustainable agriculture, native bee monitoring programs, and the Bee City/Bee Campus USA programs. The Lab of O is one of the world's leaders in bird research and conservation. Audubon focuses on bird conservation. You can get annual memberships to these organizations and receive cool swag and/or a subscription to their publications which are well worth it. You can also volunteer your time; we need thousands of volunteers to do everything from conducting wildlife surveys, invasive species removal, providing outreach programming, managing habitat/clearing trails, planting trees, you name it. Federal Duck Stamps are the major revenue for wetland conservation; hunters need to buy them to hunt waterfowl but anyone can get them to collect!

THERE ARE DEFINITELY MORE, but these are a start.

Additionally, any federal or local organizations that seek to provide support and relief to those affected by hurricanes, sea level rise, any form of coastal climate change...

At the regional level:

These are a list of topics that affect major regions of the United States. Since I do not work in most of these areas I don't feel confident recommending specific organizations, but please seek resources relating to these as they are likely major conservation issues near you.

PRAIRIE CONSERVATION & PRAIRIE POTHOLE WETLANDS

DRYING OF THE COLORADO RIVER (good overview video linked)

PROTECTION OF ESTUARIES AND SALTMARSH, ESPECIALLY IN THE DELAWARE BAY AND LONG ISLAND (and mangroves further south, everglades etc; this includes restoring LIVING SHORELINES instead of concrete storm walls; also check out the likely-soon extinction of saltmarsh sparrows)

UNDAMMING MAJOR RIVERS (not just the Colorado; restoring salmon runs, restoring historic floodplains)

NATIVE POLLINATOR DECLINES (NOT honeybees. for fuck's sake. honeybees are non-native domesticated animals. don't you DARE get honeybee hives to 'save the bees')

WILDLIFE ALONG THE SOUTHERN BORDER (support the Mission Butterfly Center!)

INVASIVE PLANT AND ANIMAL SPECIES (this is everywhere but the specifics will differ regionally, dear lord please help Hawaii)

LOSS OF WETLANDS NATIONWIDE (some states have lost over 90% of their wetlands, I'm looking at you California, Ohio, Illinois)

INDUSTRIAL AGRICULTURE, esp in the CORN BELT and CALIFORNIA - this is an issue much bigger than each of us, but we can work incrementally to promote sustainable practices and create habitat in farmland-dominated areas. Support small, local farms, especially those that use soil regenerative practices, no-till agriculture, no pesticides/Integrated Pest Management/no neonicotinoids/at least non-persistent pesticides. We need more farmers enrolling in NRCS programs to put farmland in temporary or permanent wetland easements, or to rent the land for a 30-year solar farm cycle. We've lost over 99% of our prairies to corn and soybeans. Let's not make it 100%.

INDIGENOUS LAND-BACK EFFORTS/INDIGENOUS LAND MANAGEMENT/TEK (adding this because there have been increasing efforts not just for reparations but to also allow indigenous communities to steward and manage lands either fully independently or alongside western science, and it would have great benefits for both people and the land; I know others on here could speak much more on this. Please platform indigenous voices)

HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS (get your neighbors to stop dumping fertilizers on their lawn next to lakes, reduce agricultural runoff)

OCEAN PLASTIC (it's not straws, it's mostly commercial fishing line/trawling equipment and microplastics)

A lot of these are interconnected. And of course not a complete list.

At the state and local level:

You probably have the most power to make change at the local level!

Support or volunteer at your local nature centers, local/state land conservancy non-profits (find out who owns&manages the preserves you like to hike at!), state fish & game dept/non-game program, local Audubon chapters (they do a LOT). Participate in a Christmas Bird Count!

Join local garden clubs, which install and maintain town plantings - encourage them to use NATIVE plants. Join a community garden!

Get your college campus or city/town certified in the Bee Campus USA/Bee City USA programs from the Xerces Society

Check out your state's official plant nursery, forest society, natural heritage program, anything that you could become a member of, get plants from, or volunteer at.

Volunteer to be part of your town's conservation commission, which makes decisions about land management and funding

Attend classes or volunteer with your land grant university's cooperative extension (including master gardener programs)

Literally any volunteer effort aimed at improving the local environment, whether that's picking up litter, pulling invasive plants, installing a local garden, planting trees in a city park, ANYTHING. make a positive change in your own sphere. learn the local issues affecting your nearby ecosystems. I guarantee some lake or river nearby is polluted

MAKE HABITAT IN YOUR COMMUNITY. Biggest thing you can do. Use plants native to your area in your yard or garden. Ditch your lawn. Don't use pesticides (including mosquito spraying, tick spraying, Roundup, etc). Don't use fertilizers that will run off into drinking water. Leave the leaves in your yard. Get your school/college to plant native gardens. Plant native trees (most trees planted in yards are not native). Remove invasive plants in your yard.

On this last point, HERE ARE EASY ONLINE RESOURCES TO FIND NATIVE PLANTS and LEARN ABOUT NATIVE GARDENING:

Xerces Society Pollinator Conservation Resource Center

Pollinator Pathway

Audubon Native Plant Finder

Homegrown National Park (and Doug Tallamy's other books)

National Wildlife Federation Native Plant Finder (clunky but somewhat helpful)

Heather Holm (for prairie/midwest/northeast)

MonarchGard w/ Benjamin Vogt (for prairie/midwest)

Native Plant Trust (northeast & mid-atlantic)

Grow Native Massachusetts (northeast)

Habitat Gardening in Central New York (northeast)

There are many more - I'm not familiar with resources for western states. Print books are your biggest friend. Happy to provide a list of those.

Lastly, you can help scientists monitor species using citizen science. Contribute to iNaturalist, eBird, Bumblebee Watch, or any number of more geographically or taxonomically targeted programs (for instance, our state has a butterfly census carried out by citizen volunteers).

In short? Get curious, get educated, get involved. Notice your local nature, find out how it's threatened, and find out who's working to protect it that you can help with. The health of the planet, including our resilience to climate change, is determined by small local efforts to maintain and restore habitat. That is how we survive this. When government funding won't come, when we're beat back at every turn trying to get policy changed, it comes down to each individual person creating a safe refuge for nature.

Thanks for reading this far. Please feel free to add your own credible resources and organizations.