#Harvest Health and Recreation

[reasonsforhope]

"In an unprecedented step to preserve and maintain the most carbon-rich elements of U.S. forests in an era of climate change, President Joe Biden’s administration last week proposed to end commercially driven logging of old-growth trees in National Forests.

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, who oversees the U.S. Forest Service, issued a Notice of Intent to amend the land management plans of all 128 National Forests to prioritize old-growth conservation and recognize the oldest trees’ unique role in carbon storage. 

It would be the first nationwide amendment to forest plans in the 118-year history of the Forest Service, where local rangers typically have the final word on how to balance forests’ role in watershed, wildlife and recreation with the agency’s mandate to maintain a “sustained yield” of timber.

“Old-growth forests are a vital part of our ecosystems and a special cultural resource,” Vilsack said in a statement accompanying the notice. “This clear direction will help our old-growth forests thrive across our shared landscape.”

But initial responses from both environmentalists and the logging industry suggest that the plan does not resolve the conflict between the Forest Service’s traditional role of administering the “products and services” of public lands—especially timber—and the challenges the agency now faces due to climate change. National Forests hold most of the nation’s mature and old-growth trees, and therefore, its greatest stores of forest carbon, but that resource is under growing pressure from wildfire, insects, disease and other impacts of warming.

Views could not be more polarized on how the National Forests should be managed in light of the growing risks.

National and local environmental advocates have been urging the Biden administration to adopt a new policy emphasizing preservation in National Forests, treating them as a strategic reserve of carbon. Although they praised the old-growth proposal as an “historic” step, they want to see protection extended to “mature” forests, those dominated by trees roughly 80 to 150 years old, which are a far larger portion of the National Forests. As old-growth trees are lost, which can happen rapidly due to megafires and other assaults, they argue that the Forest Service should be ensuring there are fully developed trees on the landscape to take their place...

The Biden administration’s new proposal seeks to take a middle ground, establishing protection for the oldest trees under its stewardship while allowing exceptions to reduce fuel hazards, protect public health and safety and other purposes. And the Forest Service is seeking public comment through Feb. 2 (Note: That's the official page for the proposed rule, but for some reason you can only submit comments through the forest service website - so do that here!) on the proposal as well as other steps needed to manage its lands to retain mature and old-growth forests over time, particularly in light of climate change.

If the Forest Service were to put in place nationwide protections for both mature and old-growth forests, it would close off most of the National Forests to logging. In an inventory concluded earlier this year in response to a Biden executive order, the Forest Service found that 24.7 million acres, or 17 percent, of its 144.3 million acres of forest are old-growth, while 68.1 million acres, or 47 percent, are mature."

-via Inside Climate News, December 20, 2023

-

Note: This proposed rule is current up for public comment! If you're in the US, you can go here to file an official comment telling the Biden administration how much you support this proposal - and that you think it should be extended to mature forests!

Official public comments really DO matter. You can leave a comment on this proposal here until February 2nd.

[dandelionsresilience]

Good News - June 8-14

Like these weekly compilations? Tip me at $Kaybarr1735! And if you tip me and give me a way to contact you, at the end of the month I'll send you a link to all of the articles I found but didn't use each week!

1. Rare foal born on estate for first time in 100 years

“The Food Museum at Abbot's Hall in Stowmarket, Suffolk, is home to a small number of Suffolk Punch horses - a breed considered critically endangered by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust. A female foal was born on Saturday and has been named Abbots Juno to honour the last horse born at the museum in 1924. [...] Juno is just one of 12 fillies born so far this year in the country and she could potentially help produce more of the breed in the future.”

2. The cement that could turn your house into a giant battery

“[Scientists] at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have found a way of creating an energy storage device known as a supercapacitor from three basic, cheap materials – water, cement and a soot-like substance called carbon black. [... Supercapacitators] can charge much more quickly than a lithium ion battery and don't suffer from the same levels of degradation in performance. [... Future applications of this concrete might include] roads that store solar energy and then release it to recharge electric cars wirelessly as they drive along a road [... and] energy-storing foundations of houses.”

3. New road lights, fewer dead insects—insect-friendly lighting successfully tested

“Tailored and shielded road lights make the light source almost invisible outside the illuminated area and significantly reduces the lethal attraction for flying insects in different environments. [...] The new LED luminaires deliver more focused light, reduce spill light, and are shielded above and to the side to minimize light pollution. [... In contrast,] dimming the conventional lights by a factor of 5 had no significant effect on insect attraction.”

4. When LGBTQ health is at stake, patient navigators are ready to help

“[S]ome health care systems have begun to offer guides, or navigators, to get people the help they need. [... W]hether they're just looking for a new doctor or taking the first step toward getting gender-affirming care, "a lot of our patients really benefit from having someone like me who is there to make sure that they are getting connected with a person who is immediately going to provide a safe environment for them." [... A navigator] also connects people with LGBTQ community organizations, social groups and peer support groups.”

5. Tech company to help tackle invasive plant species

“Himalayan balsam has very sugary nectar which tempts bees and other pollinators away from native plants, thereby preventing them from producing seed. It outcompetes native plant species for resources such as sunlight, space and nutrients. [...] The volunteer scheme is open to all GWT WilderGlos users who have a smartphone and can download the Crowdorsa app, where they can then earn up to 25p per square meter of Balsam removed.”

6. [Fish & Wildlife] Service Provides Over $14 Million to Benefit Local Communities, Clean Waterways and Recreational Boaters

“The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is distributing more than $14 million in Clean Vessel Act grants to improve water quality and increase opportunities for fishing, shellfish harvests and safe swimming in the nation’s waterways. By helping recreational boaters properly dispose of sewage, this year’s grants will improve conditions for local communities, wildlife and recreational boaters in 18 states and Guam.”

7. Bornean clouded leopard family filmed in wild for first time ever

“Camera traps in Tanjung Puting National Park in Indonesian Borneo have captured a Bornean clouded leopard mother and her two cubs wandering through a forest. It's the first time a family of these endangered leopards has been caught on camera in the wild, according [to] staff from the Orangutan Foundation who placed camera traps throughout the forest to learn more about the elusive species.”

8. Toy library helps parents save money 'and the planet'

“Started in 2015 by Annie Berry, South Bristol's toy library aims to reduce waste and allow more children access to more - and sometimes expensive - toys. [...] Ms Berry partnered with the St Philips recycling centre on a pilot project to rescue items back from landfill, bringing more toys into the library. [...] [P]eople use it to support the environment, take out toys that they might not have the space for at home or be able to afford, and allow children to pick non-gender specific toys.”

9. Chicago Receives $3M Grant to Inventory Its Trees and Create Plan to Manage City’s Urban Forest

“The Chicago Park District received a $1.48 million grant [“made available through the federal Inflation Reduction Act”] to complete a 100% inventory of its estimated 250,000 trees, develop an urban forestry management plan and plant 200 trees in disadvantaged areas with the highest need. As with the city, development of the management plan is expected to involve significant community input.”

10. Strong Public Support for Indigenous Co-Stewardship Plan for Bears Ears National Monument

“[The NFW has a] plan to collaboratively steward Bears Ears National Monument to safeguard wildlife, protect cultural resources, and better manage outdoor recreation. The plan was the result of a two-year collaboration among the five Tribes of the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition and upholds Tribal sovereignty, incorporates Traditional Ecological Knowledge, and responsibly manages the monument for hunting, fishing, and other outdoor recreation while ensuring the continued health of the ecosystem.”

June 1-7 news here | (all credit for images and written material can be found at the source linked; I don’t claim credit for anything but curating.)

[rebeccathenaturalist]

Help Stop a Clearcut - Deadline May 17, 2024! Reblogs appreciated!

Hey, folks, got a time-sensitive request for y'all--even if you aren't a PNW resident, can you please put in a word to save the legacy/mature forest on Mothball Hill just outside Astoria, OR? Comments to NOT clearcut the forest on Mothball Hill can be sent to odf.sfcomments@odf.oregon.gov and need to be received by 5pm Pacific Standard Time on May 17. Reblogs ALSO help!

As per this article:

"North Coast Communities for Watershed Protection requests your consideration and immediate action to help safeguard drinking water and residents’ health in rural neighborhoods east of Astoria. Written comments are needed by Friday, May 17, regarding ongoing and upcoming Oregon Department of Forestry timber harvests in Clatsop County. Anybody may submit a comment to ODF; you do not need to be a resident of Clatsop County. Please see below for more details.

Currently, the NCCWP Astoria Chapter is working to notify residents whose property is in close proximity to proposed 2025 ODF timber harvests in Clatsop County. On May 5, we surveyed Unit 2 of the Mothball Hill Harvest and met some of the concerned residents whose property is immediately adjacent to the timber sale. We are working with them closely.

Leading up to the May 17 deadline for comments about the ODF Annual Operations Plan (AOP), we are hoping to visit as many of these sites as possible — knocking on people’s doors directly adjacent to these potential timber harvests. Many people who live in these houses may not be aware that the forestland near their homes is scheduled to be clearcut and sprayed with a “cocktail” of pesticides. Our goal is to notify these homeowners and provide them with appropriate resources and support so that they can get involved and comment on the AOP before the opportunity ends. These clearcuts and pesticide applications may directly affect people’s health, livelihoods, recreational activities, and property values. Ultimately, they will adversely affect the quality and quantity of coastal drinking water by exacerbating the climate crisis, perpetuating drought, and increasing the risk of wildfires, landslides, and the runoff of sediment and pesticides into waterways.

Here’s a letter sent to community members, ODF, BoF, and Clatsop Co. officials from Darren Orange, a resident neighboring the Mothball Hill Harvest: 

A request for your consideration and action,

The Oregon Department Of Forestry released their 2024 Annual Operations Plan and has selected a previously unmanaged, non-intentionally planted, natural “Legacy Forest” for CLEARCUT AND AERIAL SPRAY. The location is in Clatsop Forest Astoria District on “Mothball Hill” east of Astoria in the John Day estuary. This proposed clearcut will impact a previously unmanaged biodiverse forest with trees, and mycorrhizal networks well over 100 years old. The geographical location is extremely steep and the boundaries for cutting would push into the Columbia River at its northernmost point. Slide potential is high, threatening the railroad, and homes both on private drive Phil Rd., Highway 30, and Deer Valley Rd. 

Located between Astoria, (2 miles to the west) and the Twilight Eagle Sanctuary (2 miles to the east) this rich habitat and watershed is home for bald eagles, beaver, blue heron, cougar, bobcat, coyotes, and waterways for native salmon.  The year-round streams run directly into the John Day and Columbia Rivers. The location will be seen on Highway 30, and visible from both rivers as a monstrous scab. 

The home and hobby garden I share with my wife borders 300′ of Clatsop Forest. Neon survey markers now weigh heavily, glaring at us 20′ from our kitchen window. Trees marked for cut purposely planted by homeowners over 50 years ago as property lines now marked for harvest. We watch: protected migratory birds, marine birds, bald eagles, blue heron, osprey, and others. We’ve listened to the call of bobcats and coyotes from their resting and breeding dens. We’ve seen beavers in the estuary. Salmon and crayfish are commercially harvested here. The rich native flora and mycelium network show the health of the forest and offer many plant medicines. This is just a window of the species we see everyday. 

The impact and damage on this ecosystem is vast. The unintended consequences of aerial spray, blowdown due to compromised forest integrity, slides, and aesthetic harm to private property value, boating/kayaking and tourism, commercial and recreational fishing are all part of the cost vs minimal $1.1 million dollar profit.

PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE ENCOURAGED, AND CLOSE VERY SOON ON MAY 17TH!

I’m asking the greater community to please write and pass along your concerns to the Oregon Department of Forestry about this clearcut timber sale in one of the oldest stands in the area. This stand has not been managed or replanted so it represents a key forest in its health and history. I ask that ODF look into alternative locations such as managed/planted forests with less impactful methods that follow the soon to be Federal Habitat Conservation Act that would preserve older stands. I ask that ODF follow their own Key Performance Measures of complex layered forest structure. I ask ODF NOT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS TIMBER SALE.

Sincerely, 

Darren Orange

local resident of 25 years

business owner

property owner

Email – odf.sfcomments@odf.oregon.gov

interactive map

[grislyintentions]

|| HC- Abilities (Qing'Er) ||

History

HSR Verse: Much like other Memokeepers, Qing'er is very much capable of extricating memories from people (living and dying). By that means, she is able to 'experience' said memories with them as well by recreating and wandering in their 'dream/memory'.

Memokeepers are able to warp/distort memories by causing temporary amnesia (removing someone's knowledge of their existence etc), distorting the events/facts or implanting 'false memories' as a means to fill in the blanks.

The only reason they don't is because most are naturally inclined to follow a 'code of conduct'. Most with the exception of the Cremators and Qing'er. While she doesn't necessarily consider herself a part of the extremist group, she is unfortunately very closely associated with them thanks to her misdeeds.

Genshin Verse:

Qing'Er is a minor serpent deity (green) estimated to be around 6000+ years old to date. Before being driven out of her homeland, she resided with her sister (white) in a village temple, where the villagers prayed to both deities for bountiful harvests and health.

While her sister held dominion over matters related to their wellbeing, Qing'er on the other end earned the moniker "Bane of Pestilence" as the deity overseeing the elimination of pests (五毒), monsters and disease that plagued the area.

Qing'Er and her powers are distantly related to Geo elements. However, her primary source of expertise lies in purification arts.

[ultimate-worldbuilding]

Creating a Space Station

Name and Location:

Name of the space station

Orbital location (e.g., around a planet, moon, or in deep space)

Any unique features or characteristics of the location

Background and Purpose:

Brief history and reasons for the station's construction

Primary purpose or mission of the station (e.g., research, colonization, defense, trade, mining, etc.)

Key organizations or entities involved in its establishment

Design and Structure:

Overview of the station's architectural design and layout

Different modules or sections of the station (e.g., living quarters, research labs, docking bays, etc.)

Key engineering feats or technological advancements used in its construction

Size and Population:

Dimensions of the space station (length, width, height)

Estimated population and demographics (humans, aliens, robots, etc.)

Capacity for expansion and accommodating future growth

Systems and Resources:

Life support and Resource systems: Air generation and filtration, Water purification and recycling, Waste management, Artificial gravity, Temperature and air pressure control, Radiation protection, Fire suppression systems, Medical supplies and tools, Food production, Maintenance and Repair tools and facilities

Energy source and storage: Solar power, Nuclear fusion, Advanced batteries, Fusion reactors, Harvesting solar flares

Living Quarters and Facilities

Description of residential areas (individual quarters, communal spaces, recreational facilities)

Water block

Medical facilities and healthcare services available

Education and training facilities for residents and their families

Scientific Research and Laboratories

Different types of laboratories and equipment available depending on the stations’s mission

Astronomical observatories, Biological Laboratory, Climate and Environmental Studies, Planet observation and Research, Rock Analysis Facility

Transportation and Docking:

Docking bays for spacecraft and shuttle services

Transportation systems within the station (elevators, maglev trains, etc.)

Maintenance and repair facilities for visiting spacecraft

Security and Defense:

Security measures and protocols

Defense systems against potential threats: Shielding technology, Defensive satellites & space drones, Cloaking Technology, Countermeasures (flares, countershots, etc), Intruder Detection Systems, Surveillance and AI protection, Protection by AI or Hacker from outside hacks, Self-Repair System

Security personnel and their roles and ranks

Communication and Information Systems:

Communication technology used for inter-station and interstellar communication

Data storage and retrieval systems

Access to networks anddatabases

Trade and Economy:

Types of goods and resources traded on the station

Cargo of the space station

Economic systems

Currency used

Marketplaces within the station

Social and Cultural Aspects:

Societal norms and cultural diversity among the station's residents

Recreational and entertainment facilities (cinemas, sports arenas, etc.)

Events or celebrations unique to the station's culture

Governance and Administration:

Station hierarchy and governing bodies (administrators, council, etc.)

Laws and regulations specific to the station

Interactions with external governing entities (planetary governments, interstellar alliances, etc.)

Exploration and Discovery:

Expeditions or missions launched from the station

Discoveries made during exploration and sample gathering efforts

Spacecrafts and vehicles associated with the station's exploration activities

Environmental Considerations:

Measures taken to mitigate the effects of microgravity or radiation on residents' health

Environmental controls and simulations for recreating gravity and natural environments

Preservation of ecosystems and biodiversity on the station (if applicable)

Emergency Response and Crisis Management:

Protocols for handling emergencies (fires, system failures, medical emergencies, etc.)

Emergency evacuation plans and escape pods

Training programs for emergency response teams

Relations with Other Space Stations or Entities:

Collaborative projects or joint initiatives with other space stations

Trade agreements or diplomatic relations with neighboring stations or colonies

Conflict resolution mechanisms for inter-station disputes

Notable Individuals or Figures:

Prominent leaders from the station

Accomplishments and contributions of notable residents

Astronauts, scientists, or pioneers who have called the station home

Challenges and Risks:

Environmental and technological risks faced by the station

Political and social tensions within the station's community

External threats and conflicts affecting the station's stability

Future Expansion and Development:

Plans for future expansion and upgrades (where are they gonna get the resources for this?)

Integration of new technologies, scientific advancements into the station's infrastructure

Long-term goals for the station

[the-rogue-that-goes-stab]

SSC Derrima

Based on the imagery of water bending but solar plasma, the SSC Derrima (named after the Derrima stellata, or Pink Star Moth) is a frame exploiting SSC's use of singularity tech for energy. The Derrima uses a miniature singularity for power and uses it to launch powerful plasma currents.

A member of the Lux Iconic line, the Derrima's gimmick of an internal singularity generator is realized with a trait which happens to be named Contained Singularity. This system fits into my similar gimmicks of fundamentally changing how health systems work (see the Tarrasque and Allip) by reversing the functionality of the Heat Self for the Derrima. Rather than Heat being how much heat it's reactors can handle before risking meltdown, the Derrima's heat (which I would love to rename to Energy) represent how much stored up power it has. Thus heat self drains heat rather than inflicting it. This also causes heat systems (and overcharge) to be unusable without heat. To better supply the Derrima with this energy system, it can set itself to its danger zone at the start of a scene as well as has access to an action that makes it take the next step of overcharge as heat (similar to the Allip, overcharge drains the Derrima's energy).

[A brief amendment to explain why this exists: so there is a way of harvesting energy from a black hole. It's called the Penrose Principle. It's basically yeeting a object through the "safe" parts of a blackhole to then launch something from the object deeper into the blackhole, this allows for energy gain at the cost of the object feed into the singularity. The Derrima in lore uses this technique to fuel itself, sending (likely) specialized nanites through the exterior of the singularity to harvest that sweet sweet energy. Now back to your regular trait programming.]

The other traits of the Derrima are having a super heated Hull that causes burn on improvised attacks (a reference to an old project) and Insulated (yippee, burn immunity).

Mount wise it's just double flex mounts for either its own weapon or any number of heat self weapons (Catalyst Pistols, Shock Knives, etc)

For its core power, it's an efficient protocol that puts the Derrima to its Heat Cap and allows it to Overcharge twice this turn. At the end of your turn, you lose all heat.

Playstyle wise, the Derrima is basically an SSC Genghis, just less aoe focused for the benefit of dodging and area lock down

License:

1) Antiphoton Paneling (system) - it's sunglasses for your mech. Yippee, immunity to effects similar to Shock Wreathe or Flash Powder that blinds you (Blind should have been a condition from lancers creation even if it was only used by Metalmark because now we either have to manually recreate the blindness effect or have numerous copies of the same status)

1) Superhot Munition (mod) - yippee, free burn damage and heat self to a weapon

2) frame

2) Plasma Channeler (weapon) - based on the original inspiration of a spellcasting mech, this main launcher weapon fires globes of plasma that deal burn. While probably needing to be removed for proper balance, the weapon also lights you on fire because rolling controlled plasma over your hull will do that to you. As just described, this isn't a gun, more like a hull augmentation that provides grooves for hot plasma from the reactor to be channeled forth into a projectile.

2) Wall of Light (deployable) - this system gives an action to deploy a wall of plasma. This wall is Line 4, three spaces tall, provides hard cover and blocks line of sight. The first time a character enters (or just starts its turn in it) they take 2 burn. The wall lasts until the end of the scene or the action to deploy it used again, the oldest wall then fizzling out and dealing 1 Burn to any one overlapping the wall. Oh also using this action deals self heat and a bit of burn.

3) Energy Absorption (system) - a system granting you a reaction to use when you take damage, it reduces the damage you take by 1 at the "cost" of receiving 1 heat

3) Vortex Singularity (system) - a limited system that allows you to create a non-damaging blackhole that sucks characters at the start of their turn. For every character that is consumed, the more it pulls in characters. When a character is pulled into the singularity, they are harmlessly removed from the battlefield. After the singularity eats enough characters, it pops and allows for the reshuffling of characters that were eaten.

[snekverse]

Concepts for the DW

This is a continuation from an ask I got and it was just,,, so long i didn’t want to put all of it under the ask lmao so here’s pt2!

Irene's powers were split between the Divine for the most part, each getting a complimentary set of powers that sort of shaped their personas

Esmund was the Protector or Defender, patron of guards, the innocent, trust, etc. His physical body was almost indestructible and he could summon powerful shields/forcefields at will. He had incredibly heightened senses. He was loyal, steadfast, and headstrong. He only ever had one partner, and his sole bloodline became the Ro'Meave bloodline.

Many guards wear Esmund's symbol, often as jewelry, tattoos, or armor adornment

Kulzak was the Wanderer, patron of travelers, merchants, wanderlust, etc. He had an incredible sense of direction and was incapable of getting lost. He was very in touch with nature and himself, and could somewhat communicate with animals. He was quiet, aloof, and unpredictable. He had many hookups but no long-term partners, and as a result he had many bloodlines, his most notable descendant being Vylad

Many people carve Kulzak's symbol into the sides of their boats/carts as a form of protection 

Enki was the Scholar or Teacher, patron of students, bookkeepers, wisdom, etc. retains all knowledge they’ve ever consumed, borderline omnipotent, oracle in the sense that bc they have so much accumulated knowledge they can predict patterns/behavior/events/etc with extreme accuracy, can read minds and project thoughts. They were level-headed, fair, and cautious. Had neither long-term nor short-term relationships and as such has no bloodlines. Instead, they passed their relic down to a chosen student of theirs, which ultimately got passed down to Enki (Travis’s mother)

Books, schools, and courthouses were often devoted to Enki

Menphia was the Victor or Fury, patron of soldiers, athletes, righteousness, etc. had immense strength, immense speed, was known for bursting into flame, could summon weapons at will. She was hot-headed, excitable, and stubborn. She did have many relations and did have children, but she didn’t pass her relic on to her bloodline. Instead, she held a tournament, the winner of which won her relic. This became a tradition that also became less and less about Menphia’s relic and more just for the sport.

All victories are dedicated to Menphia, no matter how small, trivial, or otherwise unimportant

Irene was the Matron, Mother, and sometimes the True Divinity, patron of healing, families, and life itself. She could create life from nothing and heal almost any wound, everything seemed vitalized in her mere prescence. She was very detached from the mortal world, and her attitude tended to come off as cold and uncaring. Only had the one relationship and the one kid. After the war with Shad she shut down, became depressed and despondent, and she decided she didn’t want to continue existing. Being a god, even as weakened as she was, she couldn’t do it the way mortals did, so she hid her relic in her dimension and turned to a trusted friend (Hyria) who encased her body in a staff. When she respawned she was so weakened by the separation from her relic she was little more than a mortal body (Aphmau)

Irene was the most beloved of all the Divine, and her worship was the most widespread. People praised her for everything from good harvest and warm weather, to one’s very health and happiness

Shad was the Destroyer, Reaper, and sometimes the Firebrand, and not considered one of the Divine by the vast majority of people. His powers were meant to be similar to Irene’s own, but they were corrupted from a combination of his artificial relic, said relic’s partially human origin, and Shad’s own divine rage. He couldn’t heal, but he could hurt. Anything he touched or interacted with rotted from the inside out. Instead of being able to give new life, he could only recreate what once was (shadow knights). When he was human he was kind and gentle, but after centuries of festering grief and anger, he became unstable, selfish, and cruel. 

Speaking his name was taboo, many people believed it would bring bad luck but it was argued whether or not that was because hearing his name pained Irene or because they were afraid Shad hearing his own name would enrage him

[bloodgulchblog]

Quick, while nobody's looking, check out this chapter of Contact Harvest:

When Avery woke, he was already home. Chicago, the onetime heart of the American Midwest, was now an urban sprawl that covered the former states of Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana. The territory wasn’t part of the United States, not in any formal sense. Some people who lived in the Zone still considered themselves American, but like everyone else on the planet they were citizens of the United Nations—a sea change in governance that was inevitable once humanity began to colonize other worlds. First Mars, then the Jovian moons, and then planets in other systems.

Checking his COM pad on the military shuttle from orbit to the Great Lakes Spaceport, Avery confirmed he was on a two-week pass—that he’d be able to enjoy his first extended break from operation TREBUCHET. There was a note on the pass from Avery’s CO detailing the injuries sustained by the marines on his last mission. All of Avery’s alpha squad had survived with minor injuries. But bravo squad hadn’t been so lucky; three marines were killed-in-action (KIA), and Staff Sergeant Byrne was hanging by a thread in a UNSC hospital ship.

The note said nothing about civilian casualties. But Avery remembered the force of the hauler’s blast, and he doubted any had survived.

He tried not to think—let his mind go blank—as he boarded a maglev passenger train from the spaceport to the Zone. Only later, when Avery stepped out onto the elevated platform of the Cottage Grove terminal, did the hot and humid air of a late Chicago summer snap his senses back into focus. As the sun dove to a fiery finish, he enjoyed what little breeze was coming off Lake Michigan—lukewarm gusts that hammered up the east-west blocks of tumbledown gray-stone apartments, scattering the autumn leaves of the sidewalk maples.

Arms laded with duffel bags, and wearing his navy-blue dress pants, collared shirt, and cap, Avery was drenched with sweat by the time he reached The Seropian, a center for active retirement—or so its hospitality computer told him—as he stepped into the tower’s stifling lobby. Avery’s Aunt Marcille had moved to the complex a few years after he’d joined the marines, vacating the same walkup apartment on Blackstone Avenue they’d shared since Avery was a boy. His aunt’s health was failing, and she’d needed the extra care. And more to the point: she was lonely without him.

As Avery waited for an elevator that would take him up to the thirty-seventh floor, he stared into a recreation room filled with many of The Seropian’s bald and silver-haired residents. Most were clustered around a video display tuned to one of the public COM’s all-news channels. There was a report of fresh Innie attacks in Epsilon Eridanus—a series of bombings that had killed thousands of civilians. As usual, the broadcast featured a UNSC spokesman who flatly denied the military’s campaign was faltering. But Avery knew the facts: The Insurrection had already claimed more than a million lives; the Innie attacks were becoming more effective, and the UNSC reprisals more heavy-handed. It was an ugly civil war that wasn’t getting any prettier.

One of the residents in the rec room, a black man with a deeply lined face and a crown of wiry gray hair, spotted Avery and frowned. He whispered something to a large white woman in a voluminous housedress, overflowing a wheelchair by his side. Soon all the residents that weren’t hard of hearing or too dim-sighted to see Avery’s uniform were nodding and clucking—some with respect, others with scorn. Avery had almost changed into his civilian clothes on the shuttle to avoid just this sort of uncomfortable reaction. But in the end he’d decided to stick with his dress blues for his aunt’s sake. She’d waited a long time to see her nephew come home all spit and polish.

The elevator was even warmer than the lobby. But inside his aunt’s apartment the air was so frigid, Avery could see his breath.

“Auntie?” he called, dropping his duffels on the well-worn blue carpet of her living room. The bottles of fine bourbon he’d bought at the spaceport duty-free clinked together between his neatly folded fatigues. He didn’t know if his aunt’s doctors were letting her drink, but he did know how much she used to enjoy an occasional mint julep. “Where are you?” But there was no reply.

The flower-patterned walls of the living room were covered with picture frames. Some were very old—faded prints of long-dead relatives his aunt used to talk about as if she’d known them personally. Most of the frames held holo-stills: three-dimensional pictures from his aunt’s lifetime. He saw his favorite, the one of his teenage aunt standing on the shore of Lake Michigan in a honey-bee striped bathing suit and wide straw hat. She was pouting at the camera and its cameraman, Avery’s uncle, who had passed away before he was born.

But there was something wrong with the stills; they seemed oddly out of focus. And as Avery stepped down the narrow hallway to his aunt’s bedroom and ran his fingers across the frames’ sheets of glass, he realized they were covered in a thin layer of ice.

Avery rubbed his palm against a large holo-still near the bedroom door, and a young boy’s face appeared beneath the frost. Me, he grimaced, remembering the day his aunt had taken the still: my first day of church. Wiping downward, his mind filled with memories: the suffocating pinch of his white, freshly starched oxford shirt; the smell of carnauba wax, liberally applied, to mask the scuffs in his oversized, wingtip shoes.

Growing up, Avery’s clothes were almost always worn out hand-me-downs from distant cousins that were never quite big enough for his tall, broad-shouldered frame. “Just as they should be,” his aunt had said, smiling, holding up new pieces of his wardrobe for inspection. “A boy isn’t a boy that doesn’t ruin his clothes.” But her painstaking patching and sewing had always ensured Avery looked his best—especially for church.

“Now don’t you look handsome,” his aunt had cooed the day she’d taken the frozen still. Then, as she’d done up his little paisley tie: “So much like your mother. So much like your father,” according to assessments of an inheritance Avery hadn’t understood. There had been no pictures of his parents in his aunt’s old house—and there were none in her apartment now. Although she’d never once said anything unkind about them, these bittersweet comparisons had been her only praise.

“Auntie? You in there?” Avery asked, knocking softly on her bedroom door. Again, there was no answer.

He remembered the sound of raised voices behind other closed doors—the angry end of his parents’ marriage. His father had left his mother so distraught that she could no longer care for herself, let alone an active, six-year-old boy. He took one last look at the holo-still: argyle socks beneath neatly cuffed tan slacks; an unabashed smile, no less sincere for his aunt’s prompting.

Then he opened her bedroom door.

If the living room had felt like a refrigerator, the bedroom was a freezer. Avery’s heart dropped into his stomach. But it wasn’t until he saw the line of sixteen evenly spaced cigarettes (one for each hour of her waking day) untouched on a bedside vanity that Avery knew for sure—his aunt was dead.

He stared at her body, stiff as a board under the layers of crocheted and quilted blankets, as the sweat on the back of his neck froze solid. Then he stepped to the foot of the bed and lowered himself into a threadbare armchair where he remained, spine set against the cold, for almost an hour—until someone keyed the apartment door.

“She’s in here,” muttered one of the complex’s orderlies as he tramped down the hallway. A young man with a sunken chin and shoulder-length blond hair peered into the bedroom. “Jesus!” He jumped back, catching sight of Avery. “Who are you?”

“How many days?” Avery asked.

“What?”

“How many days has she been lying here?”

“Listen, unless I know—”

“I’m her nephew,” Avery growled, his eyes locked on the bed. “How. Many. Days.”

The orderly swallowed. “Three.” Then in a nervous torrent, “Look, it’s been busy, and she didn’t have any—I mean we didn’t know she had any relatives in-system. The apartment is on automatic. It dropped to freezing the moment she…” The orderly trailed off as Avery stared him down.

“Take her away,” Avery said flatly.

The orderly motioned to his shorter, plumper partner cowering in the hallway behind him. Quickly the two men positioned their stretcher beside the bed, peeled back the layers of bedding, and gently transferred the body.

“Records say she was Evangelical Promessic.” The orderly fumbled with the stretcher’s straps. “Is that right?”

But Avery’s gaze had returned to the bed, and he didn’t reply.

His aunt was so frail that her body left only the barest impression in the foam mattress. She was a small woman, but Avery remembered how tall and strong she’d looked when Zone social services had dropped him on her doorstep—a mountain of surrogate maternal love and discipline in his wary, six-year-old eyes.

“What’s your COM address?” the thin orderly continued, “I’ll let you know the name of the processing center.”

Avery drew his hands out of his pockets and laid them on his lap. The squat orderly noticed Avery’s fingers tighten into fists and coughed—a signal to his partner that now would be a good time to leave. The two men worked the stretcher back and forth until it pointed out of the bedroom, then bumped it noisily down the hallway and out the apartment door.

Avery’s hands shook. His aunt had been teetering on the edge for some time. But in their recent COM correspondence, she’d told him not to worry. Hearing that, he’d wanted to take his leave immediately, but his CO had ordered him to lead one more mission. A whole hell of a lot of good that did anyone, Avery cursed. While his Aunt lay dying, he was strapped to a Hornet, circling the Jim Dandy back on Tribute.

Avery leapt from the chair, stepped quickly to his duffels, and pulled out one of the fifths of gin from the duty-free. He grabbed his navy dress coat and stuffed the glass flask into an interior pocket. A moment later, he was out the apartment door.

“Dog and Pony,” Avery asked the hospitality computer on the way down to the lobby. “Is it still in business?”

“Open daily until four a.m.,” the computer replied through a small speaker in the elevator’s floor-selection pad. “Ladies pay no cover. Shall I call a cab?”

“I’ll walk.” Avery twisted the cap off the gin and took a generous swig. Then he added to himself: While I still can.

The bottle only lasted an hour. But others were easy to find, as one night of drinking became two, then three. Gut Check, Rebound, Severe Tire Damage: names of clubs filled with civilians eager for Avery’s money but not the slurred stories of how he’d earned it—except for a girl on a low-lit stage in a dive off Halsted Street. The pretty redhead was so good at pretending to listen, Avery didn’t mind pretending it had nothing to do with how often he’d tapped his credit chip against the jeweled reader in her navel. The money drew her freckled skin and smell and lazy smile closer, until a rough hand fell on Avery’s shoulder.

“Watch your hands, soldier boy,” a bouncer warned, his voice raised above the club’s thumping music.

Avery looked away from the girl, her back arched high above the stage. The bouncer was tall with a substantial gut that his tight, black turtleneck could barely contain. His strong arms were padded with a deceptive layer of fat. Avery shrugged. “I’ve paid.”

“Not to touch.” The bouncer sneered, revealing two platinum incisors. “This is a class establishment.”

Avery reached for a little round table between his knees and the stage. “How much?” he asked, raising his credit chip.

“Five hundred.”

“Screw you.”

“Like I said. Class.”

“Already spent plenty…” Avery muttered. His UNSC salary was modest—and most of that had gone to help with his aunt’s apartment.

“Aw, now see?” The bouncer jabbed a thumb at the girl. She was slowly sliding backward on the stage—her smile now a worried frown. “You gotta talk nice, soldier boy.” The bouncer tightened his grip on Avery’s shoulder. “She’s not one of those Innie sluts you’re used to out in Epsi.”

Avery was sick of the bouncer’s hand. He was sick of being called boy. But having some civilian puke insult him—someone who had no idea what he had actually gotten used to on the frontlines of the Insurrection? That was the last straw.

“Let me go,” Avery growled.

“We gonna have a problem?”

“All depends on you.”

With his free hand, the bouncer reached behind his back and pulled a metal rod from his belt. “Why don’t you and me step outside?” With a flick of his wrist, the rod doubled in length and revealed an electrified tip.

It was a “humbler” stun device. Avery had seen ONI interrogators lay into Innie prisoners with the things. He knew how debilitating they were, and though Avery doubted the bouncer had as much skill with the humbler as an ONI spook, he had no intention of ending up jerking around in a puddle of his own piss on this class establishment’s floor.

Avery reached for his drink, resting at the center of his table. “I’m good right here.”

“Listen, you jarhead son of a—”

But Avery’s reach was just a feint. As the bouncer leaned forward to follow, Avery grabbed the man’s wrist and pulled it over his shoulder. Then he yanked down, breaking it at the elbow. The girl on the stage screamed as ragged bone tore through the bouncer’s shirt, spattering blood on her face and hair.

As the bouncer howled and dropped to his knees, two of his partners—similarly dressed and built—rushed forward, flinging chairs out of their way. Avery stood and turned to meet them. But he was drunker than he’d thought and missed an opening blow to the bridge of his nose that snapped his head back and sent his own blood arcing toward the stage.

Avery reeled back into the bouncers’ crushing arms. But as they rushed him out the club’s back door, one of them slipped on the metal staircase leading to the alley. In that moment, Avery was able to twist free, give much better than he got, and stagger away from the noise of approaching sirens before a pair of blue and white sedans deposited four of the Zone’s finest on the club’s doorstep.

Stumbling along Halsted’s crowded sidewalks, his dress uniform now as filthy as a set of battlefield fatigues, Avery fled from the paranoia of accusing glances to a dirty crawlspace beneath a riveted riser for the local maglev line—a repurposed brace from Chicago’s old elevated railway, still recognizable despite centuries of shoring. Avery stuffed a green plastic trash bag between himself and the riser and settled into a fitful stupor.

Make me proud, do what’s right. This had been his Aunt’s instruction on the day of his enlistment, her small but strong fingers reaching up to cup his nineteen-year-old chin. Become the man I know you can be.

And Avery had tried. He’d left Earth ready to fight for her and those like her—innocents whose lives the UNSC had convinced him were threatened by men inimical but otherwise identical to him. Killers. Innies. The enemy. But where was the pride? And what had he become?

Avery dreamed of a boy choking in the arms of a woman with a detonator—imagined the perfect shot that would have saved all in the restaurant and his fellow marines. But deep down he knew there was no perfect shot. No magic bullet that could stop the Insurrection.

Avery felt a chill that jerked him awake. But the near-silent rumble of a maglev passenger train overhead had only shifted the bag of trash, setting Avery’s back against the perspiring metal of the old brace. He leaned forward and put his head between his knees. “I’m sorry,” Avery croaked, wishing his aunt were alive to hear it.

Then his mind collapsed under the multiplicative weight of loss and guilt and rage.

-

Lieutenant Downs slammed the door of his dark blue sedan with enough force to rock the low-swept vehicle on its four thick tires. He’d had the kid hooked, ready to enlist. But then the parents got wind of his efforts, and the whole thing fell apart. If it weren’t for Downs’ uniform, the father might have taken a swing at him. Though he was no longer field-fit, in his dress blues, the UNSC Marine Corps recruiter was still an imposing presence.

As the Lieutenant reordered his mental list of prospects—the small group of primarily young men who’d shown any interest in his cold calls and street-corner pitches—he reminded himself it wasn’t easy recruiting soldiers during wartime. With a war as brutal and unpopular as the Insurrection, his job was damn near impossible. Not that his CO cared. Downs’ quota was five new marines per month. With less than a week to go he hadn’t landed even one.

“You gotta be kidding me…” The Lieutenant grimaced as he rounded the back of his sedan. Someone had used a can of red spray-paint to scrawl INNIES OUT on the vehicle’s thick bumper.

Downs smoothed his close-cropped hair. It was an increasingly popular slogan—a rallying cry for the more liberal core-world citizens who believed the best way to end the killing in Epsilon Eridanus was simply to let the system go—have the military pull out and give the Insurrectionists the autonomy they desired.

The Lieutenant wasn’t a politician. And while he doubted the UN leadership would ever appease the Innies, he knew a few things for sure: The war was still on, the Marine Corps was an all-volunteer force, and he only had a few days to fill his quota before someone with a lot more brass than him took another bite out of his already well-chewed ass.

The Lieutenant popped the sedan’s trunk, and removed his dress cap and briefcase. As the trunk closed automatically behind him, he strode toward the recruitment center, a converted storefront in a strip mall on Chicago’s old, near-north side. As Downs neared the door, he noticed a man slumped against it.

“48789-20114-AJ,” Avery mumbled.

“Say again?” Downs asked. He knew a UNSC serial number when he heard it. But the Lieutenant still hadn’t quite accepted the drunk outside his office was the Marine Corps Staff Sergeant indicated by the four gold chevrons on his filthy dress-coat’s sleeve.

“It’s valid,” Avery said, raising his head from his chest. “Check it.”

The Lieutenant straightened his soldiers. He wasn’t used to taking orders from a noncommissioned officer.

Avery belched. “I’m AWOL. Seventy-two hours.”

That got Downs’ attention. He cracked his briefcase in the crook of his elbow and withdrew his COM pad. “Give me that one more time,” he asked, inputting Avery’s slowly repeated serial number with swift stabs of his index finger.

A few seconds later Avery’s service record appeared on the pad. The Lieutenant’s eyes widened as a long string of meritorious citations and battlefield commendations cascaded down the monochromatic screen. ORION, KALEIDOSCOPE, TANGLE-WOOD, TREBUCHET. Dozens of programs and operations, most of which Downs had never even heard of. Attached to Avery’s file was a priority message from FLEETCOM, the Navy and Marine Corps headquarters on Reach.

“If you’re AWOL, no one seems to mind.” Downs placed his COM pad back into his briefcase. “In fact, I’m pleased to inform you that your request for transfer has been approved.”

For a moment, Avery’s tired eyes flashed with suspicion. He hadn’t requested a transfer. But in his current groggy state, anything sounded better than being shipped back to Epsilon Eridanus. His eyes darkened once more. “Where?”

“Didn’t say.”

“Long as it’s quiet,” Avery muttered. He let his head fall back against the recruitment center door—right between the legs of a marine in full battle dress on a poster taped to the inside of the door that read: STAND. FIGHT. SERVE. Avery’s closed his eyes.

“Hey!” Downs said gruffly. “You can’t sleep here, Marine.”

But Avery was already snoring. The Lieutenant grimaced, hefted one of Avery’s arms over his shoulder, and carried him to the backseat of his sedan.

As Downs pulled out of the mall’s parking lot into thick, noontime traffic, he wondered if catching a single AWOL war hero was as good as booking five raw recruits—if it would be enough to keep his CO happy. “Great Lakes Spaceport,” he barked at his sedan. “Quickest route.” As a holographic map materialized on the inner surface of the sedan’s curved wind-shield, Downs shook his head. If only I could be so lucky.

[earaercircular]

No, Ikea is not an environmentally friendly company

Environmental scientists: Cheap furniture with a short lifespan is the wrong way to go

Ikea turns 80 and receives attention in the media, including in the Dagens Nyheter (DN) newspaper[1] on March 27. In our time when emissions of climate gases and loss of biodiversity challenge our societies on many levels, it is important to emphasise that Ikea is one of the least sustainable companies of our time. Ikea is a "fast furniture" company that, like "fast fashion", relies on an ever-increasing flow of products with new product designs and low prices, with the aim of maintaining a high level of Swedish consumption of its products. Too high if we want Swedish consumption- and production-based emissions of climate gases, and the impact on biological diversity, to stay within the planetary limits, that is. New fresh interior details, textiles and more cost a fortune. Ikea makes it easy and cheap, but also aspirational and self-rewarding, to follow trends in interior design and furniture, rather than reducing its consumption of finite resources and reducing its footprint on the climate.

Ikea's two designers who are interviewed in DN's article say that "In principle, all of the 2,000 to 2,500 new products that Ikea produces a year are sustainable from an environmental point of view". This is only true based on a definition of sustainability adapted by Ikea, which equates the use of recycled material with environmental sustainability. It is important that Ikea is not allowed to go unchallenged regarding its alleged environmental sustainability.

In addition to driving consumption through a mix of low prices and new design, Ikea distinguishes itself by systematically conveying an image of a company that is environmentally sustainable, which is paradoxical when Ikea's business concept rests on selling the idea that furniture can and should have a short lifespan.

Firstly, Ikea's goal of being a circular company in 2030 does not automatically mean that the company's operations are environmentally sustainable. Circular material use can rarely be fully applied because not all materials can be recycled. Moreover, recycling is never perfect: materials are dispersed and age. Recycling also requires a lot of energy, which must be renewable if the environmental impact is to be minimized. Most often, and this is most likely also the case for Ikea, circular and linear material flows are combined, with the latter continuing to dominate and be the norm. Future growth will require the input of new raw materials that will add to the burden on the concrete planetary boundaries as a growth-oriented company, like Ikea, reinvests its surplus – as when more value can be created with less resources – in more production which in turn requires a higher throughput of energy and raw materials. In other words, circular material use is not an obvious solution to the environmental sustainability challenges we face.

Secondly, the cotton used in the manufacture of Ikea's products is environmentally unsustainable. Better cotton initiative (BCI)[2] cotton used by Ikea is cotton that may be sprayed with pesticides with serious consequences for biodiversity and human health at the production stage. A 2022 study in the scientific journal Ecological Economics shows that the use of chemical pesticides in BCI crops in India is not decreasing.[3]

Thirdly, Ikea's production requires enormous amounts of forest raw materials, both as material for furniture but also for the production of textiles such as viscose and lyocell. The forest needs to stand, and not be harvested, to be an effective carbon sink and create opportunities to recreate losses in biodiversity.

When companies like Ikea want to claim that their business models are environmentally sustainable, all dimensions of this sustainability must be taken into account. Otherwise, the image of a company engaged in greenwashing emerges.

Source

Cecilia Solér, Hervé Corvellec, Herman Stål, Nej, Ikea är inte ett miljövänligt företag, in: Aftonbladet, 2-4-2023

Cecilia Solér is lecturer in business administration, School of Economics at the University of Gothenburg

Hervé Corvellec is professor of business administration, Lund University

Herman Stål is lecturer in business administration, Umeå University School of Economics

[1] Ikea turns eighty. This summer culminates the anniversary festivities that began with a competition for "design classics", Ikea furniture found at auctions and online. Vintage seems to have become fashionable also at Ikea, which for decades urged us to buy new and fresh. So how is the discount giant doing at a time when words like recycling and sustainability are heard everywhere? https://www.dn.se/kultur/80-arsjubilaren-ikea-har-gjort-miljon-till-framsta-malet/

[2] The Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) is a non-profit, multistakeholder governance group that promotes better standards in cotton farming and practices across 21 countries. As of 2017, Better Cotton accounts for 14% of global cotton production. BCI's "global definition" describes "better cotton" in terms of the behaviours of better cotton farmers: Better Cotton is produced by farmers who (1) minimise the harmful impact of crop protection practices; (2) use water efficiently and care for availability of water; (3) care for the health of the soil conserve natural habitats; (4) care for and preserve the quality of the fibre; (5) promote Decent Work

[3] Shakil Ghori, Peter Lund-Thomsen, Caleb Gallemore, Sukhpal Singh, Lone Riisgaard:  Compliance and cooperation in global value chains: The effects of the better cotton initiative in Pakistan and India, in: Ecological Economics 193(3):107312, March 2022; https://www.researchgate.net/publication/357129185_Compliance_and_cooperation_in_global_value_chains_The_effects_of_the_better_cotton_initiative_in_Pakistan_and_India; The Better Cotton Imitative (BCI), the world's largest multi-stakeholder initiative (MSI) for sustainable cotton production, is a prime example of a hybrid “cooperation-compliance” model used by some MSIs to engage farmers and on-farm workers in the global South. Using a mixed methods approach, we investigate the impacts of this hybrid model on economic, environmental, and labor conditions of farmers and on-farm workers on irrigated cotton farms in Pakistan and India. In one of few cross-national comparisons of BCI impacts, we find evidence that farmers participating in BCI's “cooperation-compliance” model report (a) higher gross incomes and (b) lower input costs than comparison farmers. However, (c) BCI had no positive impacts upon labour conditions on cotton farms, as compared to conventional peers. Finally, (d) BCI's impacts are mediated by institutional and geographic differences across the study sites. We conclude that effects of MSIs are hard to generalize but can most meaningfully be understood within particular institutional designs, value chains, specific time periods, and institutional contexts.

[visas-connect]

The Canadian Forester: Nurturing Forests for a Sustainable Future 🌲

Forestry, the science and practice of managing forests, plays a vital role in Canada's natural landscape and economy. At the heart of this crucial field lies the Canadian forester, a dedicated professional trained to ensure the responsible stewardship of our forest resources. Let's delve into the world of Canadian foresters and explore the essential role they play in shaping our forests' future.

While the term "Canadian forester" encompasses various professionals with diverse backgrounds, the Canadian Institute of Forestry (CIF) has established standards that outline the knowledge and expertise expected of a professional forester. With approximately 12,000 foresters in Canada, a significant portion being CIF members, these experts contribute their skills in government agencies, private companies, and non-profit organizations.

The responsibilities of Canadian foresters are multifaceted and impactful. Here are some key areas where their expertise shines:

1️⃣ Forest Management: Canadian foresters develop and implement comprehensive plans to ensure the sustainable management of forests. This includes activities like timber harvesting, wildlife management, and promoting ecosystem health.

2️⃣ Forest Inventory: Conducting surveys and assessments, foresters evaluate the quantity and quality of forest resources. This valuable data helps shape forest management plans and monitor the well-being of our forests over time.

3️⃣ Forest Protection: Foresters play a crucial role in safeguarding forests from threats such as pests, diseases, and wildfires. They also contribute to mitigating the impacts of climate change on forest ecosystems.

4️⃣ Forest Recreation: Enhancing our connection with nature, Canadian foresters develop and manage recreational opportunities within forests. They create avenues for activities like hiking, camping, and fishing, allowing Canadians to appreciate and enjoy the beauty of our forests.

Embarking on a career in forestry requires proper education and training. Pursuing a degree in forestry or a related field from an accredited institution is an essential step. Numerous universities and colleges across Canada offer recognized forestry programs. To further establish expertise and credibility, aspiring foresters can pursue certification through the CIF's program.

The demand for skilled Canadian foresters is anticipated to grow in the coming years as sustainable forest management practices gain prominence. With increasing challenges posed by climate change, forest protection, and the need for sustainable resource use, the role of foresters is more critical than ever.

Forestry offers a rewarding career that allows individuals to work in harmony with nature, make a positive impact on the environment, and contribute to Canada's green economy. If you are passionate about the outdoors, conservation, and sustainable resource management, consider exploring the vast opportunities that await you in the field of forestry.

Visas Connect is here to support your journey towards a career as a Canadian forester. Our expert team can provide guidance on education, certification, and help you navigate the path to a successful forestry career.

🌐 Visit www.visasconnect.com or 📞 +91 8218438971 to explore how we can assist you in realizing your aspirations in the field of forestry.

#VisasConnect #CanadianForester #Forestry #SustainableManagement #ForestProtection #CareerInForestry #EnvironmentalStewardship #Conservation #Nature #Education #ExpertGuidance

[ivan-infra-projects]

Luxurious Gated Community Plots for Sale in Vijayawada | Ivan Infra Projects

In the bustling city of Vijayawada, where urban living is on the rise, finding the perfect balance between tranquility and convenience can be a challenging task. However, Ivan Infra Projects presents an excellent solution for those seeking an elevated lifestyle amidst nature's serenity — their gated community plots for sale in Vijayawada. Boasting a harmonious blend of modern amenities, security, and scenic surroundings, these plots offer a unique opportunity to build your dream home in a prestigious location.

Unraveling the Beauty of Ivan Infra Projects:

Prime Location:

Situated in the heart of Vijayawada, Ivan Infra Projects' gated community plots are strategically located to provide easy access to major transport hubs, educational institutions, healthcare centers, and entertainment zones. The convenience of nearby essentials ensures a hassle-free lifestyle for residents.

State-of-the-Art Infrastructure:

Ivan Infra Projects takes pride in providing top-notch infrastructure that meets the highest standards. The gated community features well-planned internal roads, street lighting, and underground electrical lines, enhancing the overall aesthetics and functionality of the development. Additionally, the plots are meticulously designed, providing ample space for landscaping and personalization.

Unparalleled Security:

Safety is a paramount concern for any homeowner, and Ivan Infra Projects understands this well. Their gated community in Vijayawada is equipped with advanced security systems, including CCTV surveillance, manned entrances, and secure boundaries. Residents can enjoy a peaceful living environment with round-the-clock security monitoring.

Luxury Amenities:

Ivan Infra Projects believes in elevating the living experience for its residents. The gated community offers an array of luxury amenities that cater to every aspect of a modern lifestyle. From well-maintained parks and landscaped gardens to jogging tracks, children's play areas, and fitness centers, every amenity is thoughtfully designed to promote health, recreation, and community engagement.

Eco-Friendly Living:

In today's world, sustainable living is of paramount importance. Ivan Infra Projects is committed to environmental conservation and incorporates eco-friendly practices in its gated community. The project includes rainwater harvesting systems, sewage treatment plants, and green spaces that promote a clean and green environment.

If you aspire to live in a secure and luxurious environment while staying connected to all the conveniences of urban living, look no further than Ivan Infra Projects' gated community plots for sale in Vijayawada. With their prime location, state-of-the-art infrastructure, unmatched security measures, and a host of luxury amenities, these plots offer an unparalleled living experience. Embrace the opportunity to build your dream home in one of Vijayawada's most prestigious developments and immerse yourself in the perfect blend of nature, comfort, and convenience. 

For More Info:

Call: +91 9502267654

Visit: https://www.ivaninfra.com/about

[lovefortayley]

"It gives me peace of mind to know that there are things that grow from the ground that can be helpful remedies and support our physical, mental, and spiritual health."

-Hayley Williams

Recreated a vintage tea ad which you can see here, based on Hayley's tea Bloom from her collaboration with Tea Huntress. I was also inspired by Kay O' Neill's series The Tea Dragon Society. A very lovely story where tea leaves can be harvested from dragons. Thank you to @nozoe for reminding me, I always love bringing two (well three) of my favorites together.

(The flowers you see there are listed as the ingredients for Bloom on Tea Huntress's website. Unfortunately the tea is sold out. How I cry.)

[blissfulanguish]

@pacifistwithagun [Holy Knifecat Boi]

Liar. Coward. Weak. Lustful. Sinner.

He mentally poured over each word, each descriptor of his flawed character, swinging the end of the heavy leather whip down harder against his shoulder blades and back. There was pain, yes- Even screams he held back by sheer force of willpower alone.

This was deserved. This was punishment. He was but a child spoilt by the miracles His Holiness bestowed upon the world.

The jacket and shirt of his usual vestments were neatly folded, laid out before him on a long carpet- A red so deep it almost resembled the blood he split as he continued to beg for divine forgiveness. Falling to his knees, he finally placed the sjambok down on the surface of the grand altar to pray.

"O' Lord, free me from my sins. May your peace take root in my soul and bring forth a harvest of holiness, humility, and truth. Purify my heart and help me to walk on as a child of the everbearing light. Let it imitate you in your infinite bounty of love and wisdom, always. Restore strength to my body so that in my renewed health, I may bless and serve you- now and forevermore. You, who has created me from nothing, recreate me. Fill me with the healing power of your spirit. Cast out anything that should not be in me. Mend what is broken. Do not dull the pain, but help me to appreciate that after times of sorrow that the joy is all the sweeter. I look forward to better times. I can endure anything with You by my side..."

He could feel the familiar sting of tears collecting in the corners of his eyes, this time from gratitude. Freely did he allow himself to express happiness and silently basked in the gentle warmth of what was surely His forgiveness.

[dlf-gurgaon]

A Complete Guide to Living in DLF: The Upcoming Project

DLF Limited, one of India's leading real estate developers, continues to set the gold standard in luxury living with its upcoming projects in Gurgaon. Known for their commitment to quality, innovation, and customer satisfaction, DLF's latest venture promises to deliver an unparalleled living experience. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of what future residents can expect from this exciting new development.

Prime Location

The new DLF project is strategically situated in one of Gurgaon’s most sought-after areas, ensuring convenience and connectivity. Key location advantages include:

Proximity to Business Hubs: Close to Cyber City, Golf Course Road, and other major commercial centers, making it ideal for professionals.

Accessibility: Excellent connectivity via major roads, highways, and the Delhi Metro, ensuring easy commutes.

Educational Institutions: Nearby top-rated schools and universities, providing quality education options for families.

Healthcare Facilities: Access to leading hospitals and clinics, ensuring residents' health needs are well taken care of.

Luxurious Residences

DLF's upcoming project offers a variety of residential options designed to cater to different lifestyles and preferences. Key features include:

Spacious Apartments: Generously sized living spaces with open floor plans, high ceilings, and large windows for ample natural light.

Premium Finishes: High-quality materials, including marble flooring, designer fittings, and state-of-the-art appliances.

Smart Home Technology: Advanced home automation systems for lighting, climate control, security, and entertainment.

Private Outdoor Spaces: Balconies and terraces offering stunning views of the city skyline and landscaped gardens.

World-Class Amenities

Residents of the new DLF project will enjoy access to an array of luxurious amenities designed to enhance their lifestyle. Highlights include:

Clubhouse: A grand clubhouse featuring a lounge, party rooms, and fine dining options.

Fitness and Wellness: State-of-the-art gym, yoga and meditation centers, spa, and indoor swimming pool.

Sports Facilities: Tennis courts, squash courts, and jogging tracks for fitness enthusiasts.

Recreational Spaces: Beautifully landscaped gardens, children’s play areas, and a community center for social gatherings.

Green Living

DLF is committed to sustainable development, and the upcoming project is no exception. Eco-friendly features include:

Energy Efficiency: Use of energy-efficient materials and systems to reduce carbon footprint.

Water Conservation: Rainwater harvesting systems and water-efficient fixtures.

Waste Management: Integrated waste management solutions to ensure proper disposal and recycling.

Green Spaces: Ample green areas, parks, and gardens to promote a healthy and serene environment.

Safety and Security

The safety and security of residents are paramount in DLF's new project. The development incorporates:

24/7 Security: Comprehensive CCTV coverage, security personnel, and advanced access control systems.

Smart Home Security: Integration of smart security features that allow residents to monitor and control their home security remotely.

Emergency Services: On-site emergency response teams and medical facilities.

Community and Lifestyle

Living in DLF luxury apartment on golf course road means being part of an exclusive and vibrant community. The development encourages a strong sense of community through:

Community Events: Regular social events, cultural activities, and festivals to foster community spirit.

Networking Opportunities: Platforms for residents to connect and interact, enhancing social bonds.

Lifestyle Services: Concierge services, housekeeping, and maintenance to ensure a hassle-free living experience.

Investment Potential

DLF’s upcoming project is not just about luxury living; it also presents a lucrative investment opportunity. Factors that enhance its investment appeal include:

Reputation: DLF’s established reputation for delivering high-quality projects.

Location: Prime location with excellent connectivity and amenities.

Appreciation: Potential for significant appreciation in property value due to the project’s features and location.

Conclusion

DLF Gurgaon promises to redefine luxury living with its exceptional location, innovative design, and world-class amenities. Whether you are looking for a dream home or a valuable investment, this project offers everything you need to live a comfortable, convenient, and luxurious lifestyle. As you consider your next move, keep an eye on DLF’s new venture—it is set to become one of the most coveted addresses in Gurgaon.

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Premium 5 BHK Apartment in Ravet at Urban Skyline Phase 2: Community-Centric Lifestyle

The modern world is fast-moving, and in the midst of this chaos, community living gains huge popularity in urban hubs. One doesn’t seek just a home, but a place or home in a gated community from where one feels safe, secure, and connected to enjoy life in a balanced manner. The advantages of community living are several.

What Makes Urban Skyline Phase 2 Special?

5 BHK apartments in Ravet at Urban Skyline Phase 2 present a lifestyle that is community-oriented. The luxury amenities set this project apart. The lifestyle amenities make it the perfect place at Urban Skyline Phase 2 for people who give importance to communal living.

Family Interaction and Support

The community-based ambiance of Urban Skyline Phase 2 is basic for its residents to stay in close contact with each other. It does come with clubhouses, parks, and social areas that instigate people into being more communicative and helpful toward each other, leading to a friendly neighborhood.

Safety and Security

Safety is key at Urban Skyline Phase 2, with 4-tier security comprising security 24/7, CCTV, and advanced security using access card entry in the common areas for extra safety and comfort, particularly for families.

Cost Sharing and Resource Utilization

In a community-oriented setting, residents share costs associated with such facilities as swimming pools, gyms, and entertainment areas. In this way, it becomes more viable and affordable for all to enjoy luxury amenities.

Cultural Diversity and Integration

A residence in a gated community such as Urban Skyline Phase 2 assures cultural diversity because people of different backgrounds come together to form a community. This kind of cultural diversity promotes social integration, enabling the interaction of residents in learning from one another and helping to cultivate a dynamic living environment.

Sustainable Living Practices

Eco-friendly features and amenities integrated into Urban Skyline Phase 2 will facilitate sustainable living. Starting from rainwater harvesting and waste management to energy-efficient systems, Urban Skyline Phase 2 cuts down living costs through economizing on energy bills.

Recreation and Leisure

Facilities also include sports, playgrounds, and entertainment zones in the 70+ amenities in Urban Skyline Phase 2. These open spaces will provide an immense opportunity for leisure, luxury, and fun in the outdoors. Thus, the residents can enjoy, relax, and be with their neighbors to live life.

Education and Skill Development

The people of Urban Skyline Phase 2 believe in education and skill-building initiatives. Learning and workshop areas present the same opportunity to residents to work on their skills inside their comfort zones.

Health and Wellness

Health and wellness facilities at Urban Skyline Phase 2 promote staying fit, healthy, and healthy lifestyles at one’s threshold through gyms, yoga centers, and walking tracks.

Social Responsibility and Civic Engagement

In the community-centric model, residents get enough opportunities to participate in social responsibility initiatives and civic engagement events. It will create a great feeling of belonging and at the same time, will make life really pleasant.

Age-Friendly Housing

Urban Skyline Phase 2 is an age-friendly project with some basic facilities provided for elderly people, including senior citizen sit-out areas, walking trails, and much more, helping them to spend their golden years in great comfort.

EXPERIENCE COMMUNITY-CENTRIC LIVING AT URBAN SKYLINE PHASE 2

Urban Skyline Phase 2 in Ravet is a new way of living life, shifting you toward community-oriented living that enriches your lifestyles. With 5 BHK apartments and more than 70 amenities, the development is ideal for those who would love to have a tight-knit community while gaining benefits from the same when residing in high-end luxury.

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M3M New Projects in Gurgaon: Redefining Modern Luxury

Gurgaon’s real estate market has evolved dramatically, with numerous luxury projects reshaping the city’s skyline. Among the prominent developers, M3M has established itself as a leader in creating premium living spaces that merge innovation with luxury. M3M new projects in Gurgaon are designed to cater to the urban lifestyle, offering a combination of strategic locations, top-notch amenities, and sophisticated designs. For those in search of high-end homes or profitable investments, M3M’s latest offerings are certainly worth exploring.

Prime Location with Exceptional Connectivity

A key highlight of M3M new projects in Gurgaon is their strategic positioning in prime areas of the city. These projects are located near major business hubs such as Cyber City, Golf Course Road, and Sohna Road, making them ideal for professionals. Moreover, these locations offer seamless connectivity via major highways like NH-8 and the Dwarka Expressway, allowing residents easy access to Delhi, Noida, and other parts of the National Capital Region (NCR).

In addition to this excellent connectivity, M3M’s new developments are surrounded by top-notch infrastructure, including shopping malls, schools, hospitals, and recreational areas. This ensures residents enjoy a blend of convenience and tranquility, making these projects even more appealing.

Luxurious Living Spaces with Thoughtful Designs

When it comes to luxury living, M3M new projects in Gurgaon are at the forefront of architectural brilliance. Each development offers a range of residential options, from elegant apartments to grand penthouses, all meticulously designed to cater to modern urban needs. The spacious layouts, high ceilings, and large windows ensure plenty of natural light, providing a perfect blend of style and comfort.

In addition to contemporary interiors, M3M projects also emphasize outdoor living. Large balconies, beautifully landscaped gardens, and recreational areas contribute to a serene and balanced lifestyle. Every aspect of these homes is designed to offer a luxurious, yet functional living environment.

World-Class Amenities for a Superior Lifestyle

M3M new projects in Gurgaon come equipped with a wide array of world-class amenities that enhance the overall living experience. Residents can enjoy modern fitness centers, swimming pools, and exclusive clubhouses, ensuring a lifestyle that balances work and leisure. Additionally, these projects offer dedicated sports areas for activities like tennis, basketball, and yoga, catering to health-conscious individuals.

For families, M3M provides thoughtfully designed children’s play areas, along with green spaces for relaxation and community gatherings. The integration of wellness-focused amenities, like spas and wellness centers, further contributes to the luxurious lifestyle offered by M3M’s developments.

A Strong Investment Opportunity

Gurgaon has proven to be a goldmine for real estate investment and new projects in Gurgaon by M3M present immense opportunities before home seekers as well as investors alike. So, with the city growing increasingly as an industrial and financial hub, high-net-worth individuals who come there are only bound to increase demand for luxury properties in key locations. The M3M projects are perfectly positioned to capitalize on this demand, thereby holding huge potential for capital appreciation.

In addition, the fact that the developer has a reputation of building quality construction and delivery on time adds to this attractiveness to invest in M3M. Infrastructural development works around the city are going to offer strong rental yields and good long-term value appreciation through these projects.

Sustainability and Future-Ready Living

M3M is not only focused on luxury but also on creating sustainable and environmentally-friendly projects. M3M new projects in Gurgaon incorporate eco-friendly features such as rainwater harvesting, energy-efficient systems, and waste management practices. These green initiatives not only reduce the environmental impact but also result in cost savings for residents over time.

Incorporating these sustainable practices ensures that M3M’s developments are future-ready, meeting the evolving needs of modern urban living. For environmentally-conscious buyers, the inclusion of these features enhances the appeal of M3M’s projects, allowing residents to enjoy luxury living without compromising on sustainability.

M3M’s Legacy of Trust and Innovation

Cemented as it is within Gurgaon's competitive real estate market through innovative and luxurious projects, M3M has indeed earned the trust of homebuyers and investors alike through its track record of delivering high quality developments. M3M new projects in Gurgaon continues to engage this legacy through traits of modernity and practical amenities to provide a few of the most functional and beautiful spaces possible.

M3M has solidified its commitment to excellence by positioning in high-end areas, from buildings to customer services, which sets it ahead in terms of luxury, future-forward homes because it stands at the forefront in Gurgaon's real estate market.

Conclusion

In conclusion, M3M new projects in Gurgaon are setting new benchmarks for luxury living in the city. With prime locations, superior connectivity, and a wealth of modern amenities, these developments cater to the needs of urban dwellers seeking both comfort and convenience. Whether you’re looking for a sophisticated home or a promising investment opportunity, M3M’s latest projects in Gurgaon offer the perfect blend of luxury and practicality.

With their innovative designs, sustainable features, and strong potential for appreciation, M3M new projects in Gurgaon continue to redefine luxury real estate, ensuring a lifestyle that is truly unmatched.