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jadeharleyinc · 3 hours ago

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the scale of AI's ecological footprint

standalone version of my response to the following:

"you need soulless art? [...] why should you get to use all that computing power and electricity to produce some shitty AI art? i don’t actually think you’re entitled to consume those resources." "i think we all deserve nice things. [...] AI art is not a nice thing. it doesn’t meaningfully contribute to us thriving and the cost in terms of energy use [...] is too fucking much. none of us can afford to foot the bill." "go watch some tv show or consume some art that already exists. […] you know what’s more environmentally and economically sustainable […]? museums. galleries. being in nature."

you can run free and open source AI art programs on your personal computer, with no internet connection. this doesn't require much more electricity than running a resource-intensive video game on that same computer. i think it's important to consume less. but if you make these arguments about AI, do you apply them to video games too? do you tell Fortnite players to play board games and go to museums instead?

speaking of museums: if you drive 3 miles total to a museum and back home, you have consumed more energy and created more pollution than generating AI images for 24 hours straight (this comes out to roughly 1400 AI images). "being in nature" also involves at least this much driving, usually. i don't think these are more environmentally-conscious alternatives.

obviously, an AI image model costs energy to train in the first place, but take Stable Diffusion v2 as an example: it took 40,000 to 60,000 kWh to train. let's go with the upper bound. if you assume ~125g of CO2 per kWh, that's ~7.5 tons of CO2. to put this into perspective, a single person driving a single car for 12 months emits 4.6 tons of CO2. meanwhile, for example, the creation of a high-budget movie emits 2840 tons of CO2.

is the carbon cost of a single car being driven for 20 months, or 1/378th of a Marvel movie, worth letting anyone with a mid-end computer, anywhere, run free offline software that consumes a gaming session's worth of electricity to produce hundreds of images? i would say yes. in a heartbeat.

even if you see creating AI images as "less soulful" than consuming Marvel/Fortnite content, it's undeniably "more useful" to humanity as a tool. not to mention this usefulness includes reducing the footprint of creating media. AI is more environment-friendly than human labor on digital creative tasks, since it can get a task done with much less computer usage, doesn't commute to work, and doesn't eat.

and speaking of eating, another comparison: if you made an AI image program generate images non-stop for every second of every day for an entire year, you could offset your carbon footprint by… eating 30% less beef and lamb. not pork. not even meat in general. just beef and lamb.

the tech industry is guilty of plenty of horrendous stuff. but when it comes to the individual impact of AI, saying "i don’t actually think you’re entitled to consume those resources. do you need this? is this making you thrive?" to an individual running an AI program for 45 minutes a day per month is equivalent to questioning whether that person is entitled to a single 3 mile car drive once per month or a single meatball's worth of beef once per month. because all of these have the same CO2 footprint.

so yeah. i agree, i think we should drive less, eat less beef, stream less video, consume less. but i don't think we should tell people "stop using AI programs, just watch a TV show, go to a museum, go hiking, etc", for the same reason i wouldn't tell someone "stop playing video games and play board games instead". i don't think this is a productive angle.

(sources and number-crunching under the cut.)

good general resource: GiovanH's article "Is AI eating all the energy?", which highlights the negligible costs of running an AI program, the moderate costs of creating an AI model, and the actual indefensible energy waste coming from specific companies deploying AI irresponsibly.

CO2 emissions from running AI art programs: a) one AI image takes 3 Wh of electricity. b) one AI image takes 1mn in, for example, Midjourney. c) so if you create 1 AI image per minute for 24 hours straight, or for 45 minutes per day for a month, you've consumed 4.3 kWh. d) using the UK electric grid through 2024 as an example, the production of 1 kWh releases 124g of CO2. therefore the production of 4.3 kWh releases 533g (~0.5 kg) of CO2.

CO2 emissions from driving your car: cars in the EU emit 106.4g of CO2 per km. that's 171.19g for 1 mile, or 513g (~0.5 kg) for 3 miles.

costs of training the Stable Diffusion v2 model: quoting GiovanH's article linked in 1. "Generative models go through the same process of training. The Stable Diffusion v2 model was trained on A100 PCIe 40 GB cards running for a combined 200,000 hours, which is a specialized AI GPU that can pull a maximum of 300 W. 300 W for 200,000 hours gives a total energy consumption of 60,000 kWh. This is a high bound that assumes full usage of every chip for the entire period; SD2’s own carbon emission report indicates it likely used significantly less power than this, and other research has shown it can be done for less." at 124g of CO2 per kWh, this comes out to 7440 kg.

CO2 emissions from red meat: a) carbon footprint of eating plenty of red meat, some red meat, only white meat, no meat, and no animal products the difference between a beef/lamb diet and a no-beef-or-lamb diet comes down to 600 kg of CO2 per year. b) Americans consume 42g of beef per day. this doesn't really account for lamb (egads! my math is ruined!) but that's about 1.2 kg per month or 15 kg per year. that single piece of 42g has a 1.65kg CO2 footprint. so our 3 mile drive/4.3 kWh of AI usage have the same carbon footprint as a 12g piece of beef. roughly the size of a meatball [citation needed].

#ai #ecology #co2 #tech #carbon emissions #pollution #red meat #cars #long post #meatball discourse

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reasonsforhope · 1 year ago

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"It may sound surprising, but when times are tough and there is no other food available, some soil bacteria can consume traces of hydrogen in the air as an energy source.

In fact, bacteria remove a staggering 70 million tonnes of hydrogen yearly from the atmosphere, a process that literally shapes the composition of the air we breathe.

We have isolated an enzyme that enables some bacteria to consume hydrogen and extract energy from it, and found it can produce an electric current directly when exposed to even minute amounts of hydrogen.

As we report in a new paper in Nature, the enzyme may have considerable potential to power small, sustainable air-powered devices in future.

Bacterial genes contain the secret for turning air into electricity

Prompted by this discovery, we analysed the genetic code of a soil bacterium called Mycobacterium smegmatis, which consumes hydrogen from air.

Written into these genes is the blueprint for producing the molecular machine responsible for consuming hydrogen and converting it into energy for the bacterium. This machine is an enzyme called a “hydrogenase”, and we named it Huc for short.

Hydrogen is the simplest molecule, made of two positively charged protons held together by a bond formed by two negatively charged electrons. Huc breaks this bond, the protons part ways, and the electrons are released...

The molecular blueprint for extracting hydrogen from air

With Huc isolated, we set about studying it in earnest, to discover what exactly the enzyme is capable of. How can it turn the hydrogen in the air into a sustainable source of electricity?

Remarkably, we found that even when isolated from the bacteria, Huc can consume hydrogen at concentrations far lower even than the tiny traces in the air. In fact, Huc still consumed whiffs of hydrogen too faint to be detected by our gas chromatograph, a highly sensitive instrument we use to measure gas concentrations...

Enzymes could use air to power the devices of tomorrow

It’s early days for this research, and several technical challenges need to be overcome to realise the potential of Huc.

For one thing, we will need to significantly increase the scale of Huc production. In the lab we produce Huc in milligram quantities, but we want to scale this up to grams and ultimately kilograms.

However, our work demonstrates that Huc functions like a “natural battery” producing a sustained electrical current from air or added hydrogen.

As a result, Huc has considerable potential in developing small, sustainable air-powered devices as an alternative to solar power.

The amount of energy provided by hydrogen in the air would be small, but likely sufficient to power a biometric monitor, clock, LED globe or simple computer. With more hydrogen, Huc produces more electricity and could potentially power larger devices.

Another application would be the development of Huc-based bioelectric sensors for detecting hydrogen, which could be incredibly sensitive. Huc could be invaluable for detecting leaks in the infrastructure of our burgeoning hydrogen economy or in a medical setting.

In short, this research shows how a fundamental discovery about how bacteria in soils feed themselves can lead to a reimagining of the chemistry of life. Ultimately it may also lead to the development of technologies for the future."

-via The Conversation, March 8, 2023. Article written by the authors of the study.

#hydrogen #huc #renewable energy #clean energy #electricity #science and technology #physics #chemistry #good news #hope

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genshin-impact-updates · 1 year ago

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"Your credible source of the unbelievable truth!"

"...Euphrasie, three days ago, one of your journalists secretly followed a suspect all the way from the Court of Fontaine to Romaritime Harbor, and almost ended up being tied up and thrown into the sea by a gang of criminals. Whether or not there's any truth in the notion that 'nearer to the action is closer to the truth,' surely Miss Charlotte doesn't value her reports more than she does her own life?"

— Yet another exasperated exchange between Captain Chevreuse of the Special Security and Surveillance Patrol and Euphrasie, Editor-in-Chief of The Steambird

◆ Name: Charlotte

◆ Title: Lens of Verity

◆ Reporter of The Steambird

◆ Vision: Cryo

◆ Constellation: Hualina Veritas

Fontaine's famous newspaper The Steambird has a veritable legion of reporters it can call upon, each with their own area of expertise. Some specialize in celebrity gossip, others follow the word on the street, while others still focus on political affairs...

But among them all, there is one that stands head and shoulders above the rest thanks to her seemingly boundless reserve of energy and perseverance — the inimitable Charlotte.

Unswervingly committed to the principle that "nearer to the action is closer to the truth," Charlotte has a habit of popping up literally anywhere and everywhere in Fontaine — from its widest avenues to its narrowest back alleys, its highest vantage points to its lowest subterranean vaults, even its tallest mountains to its deepest undersea caverns. She captures the "truth" with her Kamera, records it in her articles, and finally unveils it for all to see.

And when the "truth" comes out, she's met with a variety of different reactions ranging from applause, to embarrassment, to outright fury. There are even some who would resort to any means necessary to make a particular article connected to themselves disappear. Or alternatively, just make Charlotte disappear.

For this reason, the newspaper's Editor-in-Chief Euphrasie has on numerous occasions felt the need to distance Charlotte from the Court of Fontaine by sending her off on faraway "field reporting" jobs, only recalling her once the Maison Gardiennage or Special Security and Surveillance Patrol had finally managed to clear things up.

But despite all this, neither the toil of the job itself nor the pressure of external denunciations and threats has ever phased Charlotte in the slightest.

With her trusty companion Monsieur Verite by her side, she invariably carries out her journalistic duties with unfaltering fervor, rushing about in pursuit of all the "truths" out there just waiting to be discovered.

#genshin impact #genshin impact updates #genshin impact news #official #charlotte genshin impact

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the-witchy-housewife · 3 months ago

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｡+*✧ The Basics of Spiritual Safety & Wellbeing✧*+｡

This is an article from my website, The Witchy Housewife. You can read it at the source here or look under the cut to read it here on Tumblr. If you enjoy my work, please consider subscribing (at the bottom of this page) to receive articles as they're posted via e-mail, exploring the shop, leaving a tip, or reblogging this post. I run this all myself, so all support is greatly appreciated. 💜🔮✨

When asked the most important place to begin as a newcomer to the craft, to energy work, or even to simply walking a more spiritual path, more experienced practitioners will often share the basics of their magickal tool cabinet, suggest a bouquet of book titles and YouTube channels, or state plainly that the only correct answer is to let your heart and soul guide you. Only occasionally do I see or hear these types of questions answered with the recommendation to familiarize oneself with spiritual safety and wellbeing prior to diving head-first. But matters of protection, I feel, are one of the most important things to study up on when starting out, and today, I’d like to share my own thoughts and advice on the topic.

Cleansing, Purification, & Banishing

As I define them in my practice: To cleanse is to rid a person, place, or thing of stagnant, unwanted, draining, counterproductive, or otherwise negative energies or entities (though positive energies will often accompany them), to purify is to return a person, place, or thing to its original energetic state, and to banish is to cleanse by authoritative expulsion or removal using an outward-pushing energy. You may find others who define these terms differently or use these words interchangeably, but this is how I have come to define them, each offering their own unique function in my workings. If you are looking at correspondences in my digital grimoire, these energetic properties can be found in items marked as cleansing, restoration, and banishment respectively.

A cleansing may be performed when you find that energies are stagnant, stuffy, or negative. Unpleasant energies like these can be responsible for inviting in equally unpleasant entities, hindering the results of energetic workings, creating a state of mental or emotional discomfort, brewing a heavy tension in the air, or even causing feelings of sickness in those who are particularly sensitive. As such, it is usually recommended that cleansings be performed on a regular basis – especially if you live in a space that is regularly exposed to more negative energies. Some common methods of cleansing utilize the smoke of cleansing herbs (alternatively, a spray), water infused with cleansing herbs, or simply a visualization of brilliant white light – and this is just barely scratching the surface. As with many rituals, there are hundreds of methods of cleansing out there for you to explore, and it is paramount to choose one – or even create one – that works for you. Let your intention �� your goal – be your guiding force. As a general rule, if you are putting your intention into it and you are going about it in a way that feels intuitively compatible, you will more than likely see the results you are looking for.

Often, cleansing – similarly to banishing – will result in a feeling of emptiness. You are essentially scrubbing the present energies “clean”, including energies that may be more positive. On the other hand, you may wish to perform a purification, or restoration, of a person, place, or thing if the goal is to reverse any energetic damage that may have been done while still retaining those unique individual energies. For this, you would utilize restorative herbs instead of cleansing ones and focus your intention accordingly. It seems it is common for practitioners to opt for cleansing over purification – and even more common for the terms to be defined as one and the same – but I enjoy having this as a separate option when it is needed. In my practice, this process typically comes into play when I want to remove any absorbed energies from a crystal, charm, or tool but would like to preserve its core energies as much as possible.

Finally, banishment is used when you want to push an energy or entity out of a particular space, and in this case, the original energies seem to remain wholly unchanged. For this reason, some practitioners choose to also perform a cleansing beforehand. Like cleansing, there are many methods of banishment out there that you can give a try, though the most commonly passed-around is the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram (or LBRP) of ceremonial magick, sometimes given different flavors for different systems.

Enchanting & Blessing

The emptiness of a cleansing or banishing can feel pleasant enough, but I find that this sometimes allows unwanted energies to creep back in more easily. A blank slate becomes anyone’s game, so to speak. To mitigate this, you may choose to preemptively imbue the space with more intentionally – and typically positive – energies. For this, we use enchantment or blessings. To enchant is to fill a person, place, or thing with intentional (but not necessarily positive) energies, and to bless is to enchant with fresh, positive, and often divine energies.

Enchantment is one of those foundational things that is pretty crucial to get the hang of when first starting out in a magickal practice, and all it entails is focusing on an intention and willing the energy of that intention to fill the person, place, or thing being enchanted. To a beginner, this can be more difficult, which is why it is also important to learn what these subtle energies can feel like to you. Skipping this step can sometimes deter people away from magick altogether. Lady Gravedancer, one of my favorite witches on YouTube, has an excellent video on learning to work with and sense these subtle energies. If this is all new to you, I highly recommend it.

Typically, though, a blessing is more what we’re looking for post-cleansing – positive, even divine, energies that inspire a sense of wellbeing. If you work with deities, you may also like to ask them to bestow their own blessings in your stead or beside you. Otherwise, it’s just enchantment with a wholly positive intention, but if the idea of a blessing feels too religious for your comfort, stick with “enchantment” and don’t let semantics bog you down.

Warding, Shielding, & Cloaking

In all cases, I tend to feel that the energies we’re working through are not being totally destroyed, but are rather either transmuted, deterred, or even just fragmented. In my opinion, it is usually a good idea to follow up your cleansings or banishments with the re-energizing of your wards. To ward is to create an energetic protective barrier around a person, place, or thing as a semi-passive and long-term protective measure, to shield is to create a more short-term ward that surrounds a personal, place, or thing entirely and is envisioned as a bubble, and to cloak is to make a person, place, or thing energetically “invisible” or “irrelevant” to wandering energies or entities so that interests are directed elsewhere. You can find relevant correspondences in my digital grimoire marked as protection, security, and invisibility.

Warding can be thought of as the closing and locking of your spiritual entryway, though it is often done with the intention to protect from more than just matters of the spiritual. I’ve known people to create physical barriers around properties using salt and/or eggshells with protective herbs as a base and visualizing their wards rising from that barrier. You might also like to bury protective crystals at the four corners of the property for that additional kick. But once again, there are so many methods out there that it really comes down to personal preference.

I tend to think of shielding – or bubbling, as some call it – as a more short-term and active form of warding. Shielding is especially useful as an emergency layer of protection when out and about or as an additional layer over your personal wards in outings that you suspect will be energetically taxing. Where wards are thought of as great and powerful walls, shields are typically thought of as entire bubbles surrounding a person, place, or thing on all sides. If you’re an empath like me – which is a sometimes-misrepresented term I’ll get into in a future article – shielding is a good practice to have in your pocket for going out into crowded environments, whether that crowd is physical, as in a theme park, or spiritual, as in a hospital. Whatever visualization you choose to use for warding, your shielding process can tend to be similar, and much of it, again, comes down to the intention. It is often the case, though, that this process takes more energy to conduct, and thus, if you choose to keep up a more permanent shield, it may require more care and more frequent energetic charging than your wards do.

Cloaking is something I don’t see discussed very often, but it can be very useful to consider when you are trying to be energetically off the radar. And obviously, I am not suggesting you go about doing sneaky, unsavory things. Instead, cloaking may be more beneficial for avoiding unnecessary conflict with nosy neighbors, finding peace to work in a coffee shop, or subduing the attention that can come from large-scale energetic workings. And as always, you may choose to hand-pick some herbs, crystals, or other mystical tools for this purpose, but the recommended visualization varies a bit from that typical bright light you may be used to working with. In the case of invisibility, you may choose to envision the person, place, or thing fading out of view or to mentally play the situation at hand out exactly as you wish it to transpire.

Safety Tips for Spirit Work

Certainly, if you plan to do spirit work – a line of spiritual work in which will regularly involve energies and entities completely independent of you – these concepts may be more important to familiarize yourself with than with someone whose only spiritual endeavor is manifesting a little extra spending money every once in a while. Aspiring spirit worker, the following tips are for you:

• As per the point of this article, it’s a good idea to have your preferred protective methods at the ready prior to actively working with spirits. This, of course, does not mean that your methods cannot change over time – but when starting out, you should find a method that is compatible with you and gets you the results you need. Once chosen, try to become familiar enough with it that you can cast it off-book in the event of some sort of spiritual emergency.

• As a spirit worker, you’ll want to cleanse your tools, your space, and yourself very regularly. My preference in my practice is at least once a month and more frequently if I feel it is necessary. Even if you aren’t involved with spirit work, regular cleansings are a good habit to get into, but it is especially important for those inviting a large number of outside influences into their home.

• Get to know your spirit guide(s), and keep them close during any sort of spirit work. I’ve heard from many people who feel that the connection you have with your guide(s) has a sort of solidity to it that can override other communications the moment you ask for it, and I myself have not yet seen evidence to the contrary. If you ever feel uneasy about a communication and are in need of a second opinion on who or what you may be speaking to, ask your guide(s) to come through and communicate with you. Still, as we communicate between realms, discernment is a necessary skill to develop, and having protections in place is always a good idea, regardless of whether you choose to involve your guide(s) or work on your own. If you are completely new to the idea of spirit guides, I do plan to write an article on the topic in the future – but in the meantime, if you’re interested in meeting yours, Lady Gravedancer also has a wonderful video featuring a ritual for communicating with your guides for the first time.

• You may also want to look into the idea of casting a circle (another topic I’ll likely be discussing here in the future). While an entire ritual may not be in the cards for your practice, it may help you to develop some alternative ideas for shielding the space around you during active spirit work. In doing so, you maintain greater control over what is permitted to enter. Afterwards, be sure to say your goodbyes and to close up your circle and any portals you may have opened to avoid uninvited visitors outside of working hours. If you are someone who chooses to always leave your space open to visitation – and some people do – be aware that anything can enter and be prepared for the circumstances that could stem from this.

• If you are someone who allows certain spirits to reside in your home – what I refer to as my “spirit family” – I think it is a hospitable gesture to let those spirits know when you are going to be performing a cleansing or banishing. I can’t imagine that having your energy forcefully transmuted or shoved out the door would be a terribly comfortable thing to experience, so I think of it as a sort of courtesy that exhibits the respect I have for them. This will give them a chance to temporarily leave the space of their own volition while you go through your routine. Alternatively, if you have a special space set up for your spirit family like I do, you may choose to shield that space with the intention for their energies to remain unaffected by the cleansing. I’m not sure that it’s the most perfect method, but it’s one that I’ve found to work well for my spirit family thus far. In both cases, there are those who would argue that this gives unwanted entities a chance to temporarily leave or take shelter within the shield, as well, but I tend to feel that my spirit family would act accordingly to keep our home safe. It is their home, too, after all.

Despite popular Hollywood tropes, working with spirits doesn’t necessarily equate to “terrifying and dangerous” – but this does not mean it is without its risks. And just as you wouldn’t find your way into a dark alley in the middle of the night without some pepper spray, it’s likely not a good idea to invite spirits into your home without compatible defense measures in place.

Safety Tips for Energy Work

Energy work, in general, tends to have the odd side effect of making you a sort of beacon in the realm of the spiritual – and the more you do, the more your energy builds, the more your awareness expands, and the brighter your whole being shines. No matter the level you find yourself at spiritually, the following tips are for you (though feel absolutely free to read through the previous section, as well; the additional knowledge can only benefit you):

• Whether it be through tarot, runes, pendulums, spirit boards, prayer, or some other form of divination you find useful, it is wonderfully wise to seek guidance regarding any workings you do. This practice can help you to avoid unwanted outcomes, to avoid manifesting something you may not truly want, and to uncover exactly what it is you need to add or take away from your workings to bring you the results that you are looking for.

• Keep a journal of what works and what doesn’t in your practice and of any intuitive insights you receive that you feel may be important. Your spiritual path is a deeply personal one, and one person’s experience will likely never be perfectly identical to another’s. There is an abundance of wonderful advice out there. There are many methods out there that work very well for many as-is. But at the end of the day, you must discover what works best for you, even if that is different from the teachings of the majority. Be sure to keep track of it.

• Be mindful of loopholes, especially in manifestation workings. Being too specific can sometimes be ineffective, but not being specific enough has the potential to cause even bigger issues. Manifestation, I find, tends to take the path of least resistance, so when putting your energies out there, you want to be sure your intentions don’t put anyone in harm’s way. Again, divination can be a wonderful source of guidance prior to your workings.

• If you are going to be working with negative intentions of any kind – which is something I don’t advise for a number of reasons, and especially not for beginners – be sure to deep-cleanse yourself and the space the spell or ritual took place in. In addition, it’s generally a good idea to not keep any items used in the working on or near your property. Also know that there are other options, like justice workings, that can be done in place of this. Sometimes when we feel very upset or very angry, we speak or act irrationally and come to regret it later. This can also be true for spellwork, but the results can sometimes be a lot more devastating. Ultimately, I cannot stop you from doing what you feel you must, but at the very least, I hope you’ll think things through.

• Finally, this may seem like common-sense, but don’t let your spiritual practice throw off balance in your life. The realm of the physical has its own value and importance, and that certainly includes your health and wellbeing. If you find yourself neglecting your health, your hygiene, your friends and family, your responsibilities, or your other hobbies, it may be necessary to take a break or dial it back until you’re able to find a good balance.

A Regular Cleansing Practice

You may have already seen this in my article on making the home more magickal, but I thought it would be good to include, here as well. The following are my two most often-used cleansing rituals – one which I perform monthly, and the other as-needed:

My Monthly Cleansing Ritual: I perform this ritual on the first of each month. Any cleansing tools to be charged on the altar should be set at least a day before performing the cleansing. The morning of, weather permitting, open windows and play uplifting music or cleansing affirmations, frequencies, or subliminals of choice. Take a cleansing shower. Clean the home as you normally would. When physical cleaning is complete, use a smoke or spray cleansing blend of choice, walking with intention from room-to-room. Pay special mind to corners and doorways. I like to use sound cleansing – bells, drums, or even snapping your fingers will do – in these spaces to really ensure the breaking up of any “stuck” energies. If you are someone who performs banishing rituals, you may choose to do so now. At this point, I also take a moment to cleanse myself, particularly as an empath. I then tend to my wards by first taking a blessed salt blend around the perimeter of the property, followed by sitting at the center of the property and funneling my own energy into the ward. If you would prefer to instead bless first and ward after, feel free to do so. It is your ritual, after all. Regardless of which order you perform the ritual in, the blessing process may be a deeply personal one, so this is a step I suggest thinking on a bit rather than following to the letter. In my ritual, I use a spray with positive energy-promoting herbs (as well as herbs that may promote the intention I wish to set for the month) and follow up with prayer to my deities. If you’re interested in a more in-depth look at my Monthly Cleansing Ritual, I do have detailed instructions available on my Monthly Blessings Patreon.

My As-Needed Cleansing Ritual: This is essentially a truncated version of my monthly ritual. If the energies are something I’ve tracked in or absorbed too much of, I will take a cleansing shower first. Following this, perform your usual smoke or spray cleansing, focusing especially on any room(s) that may be the most abundant in the energy that brought about this need for an emergency cleanse. You may also like to perform a shorter version of your regular blessing ritual. Unless the situation is really dire, I will generally stick to my spray in this case.

Just to reiterate, all of the information, including these rituals, are from my own practice and my own experience. You must do what works for you if you want to get the absolute best results and the most fulfilling experience. Take what serves you, and leave the rest. Much love and many blessings to you on your journey. Take care of yourself.

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essential-randomness · 1 year ago

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Enter the FujoVerse™

Starting 2024's content creation journey with a bang, it's time to outline the principles behind the FujoVerse™: an ambitious (but realistic) plan to turn the web back into a place of fun, joy, and connection, where people build and nurture their own communities and software. (You can also read the article on my blog)

The Journey

As those who follow my journey with @bobaboard or read my quarterly newsletter (linked in the article) know, the used-to-be-called BobaVerse™ is a collection of projects I've been working on since 2020 while pondering an important question: how do we "fix" the modern social web?

Obviously the joyless landscape that is the web of today is not something a single person can fix. Still, I loved and owed the internet too much to see it wither.

After countless hours of work, I found 3 pillars to work on: community, software ownership and technical education.

Jump in after the cut to learn more about how it all comes together!

Community

Community is where I started from, with good reason! While social networks might trick us into thinking of them as communities, they lack the characteristics that researchers identify as the necessary base for "true community": group identity, shared norms, and mutual concern.

Today, I'm even more convinced community is a fundamental piece of reclaiming the web as a place of joy. It's alienating, disempowering, and incredibly lonely to be surrounded by countless people without feeling true connection with most of them (or worse, feeling real danger).

Software Ownership and Collaboration

As I worked with niche communities "software ownership" also became increasingly important to me: if we cannot expect mainstream tech companies to cater to communities at the margins, it follows that these communities must be able to build and shape their own software themselves.

Plenty of people have already discussed how this challenge goes beyond the tech. Among many, "collaboration" is another sticking point for me: effective collaboration requires trust and psychological safety, both of which are in short supply these days (community helps here too, but it's still hard).

Education (Technical and Beyond)

As I worked more and more with volunteers and other collaborators, however, another important piece of the puzzle showed itself: the dire state of educational material for non-professional web developers. How can people change the web if they cannot learn how to *build* the web?

(And yes, learning HTML and CSS is absolutely important and REAL web development. But to collaborate on modern software you need so much more. Even further, people *yearn* for more, and struggle to find it. They want that power, and we should give it to them.)

Once again, technical aspects aren't the only ones that matter. Any large-scale effort needs many skills that society doesn't equip us with. If we want to change how the web looks, we must teach, teach, TEACH! If you've seen me put so much effort into streaming, this is why :)

And obviously, while I don't go into them in this article, open source software and decentralized protocols are core to "this whole thing".

The Future

All of this said, while I've been working on this for a few years, I've struggled to find the support I need to continue this work. To this end, this year I'm doing something I'm not used to: producing content, gaining visibility, and putting my work in front of the eyes of people that want to fight for the future of the web.

This has been a hard choice: producing content is hard and takes energy and focus away from all I've been doing. Still, I'm committed to doing what it takes, and (luckily) content and teaching go hand in hand. But the more each single person helps, the less I need to push for wide reach.

If you want to help (and read the behind the scenes of all I've been working on before everyone else), you can subscribe to my Patreon or to my self-hosted attempt at an alternative.

I deeply believe that in the long term all that we're building will result in self-sustaining projects that will carry this mission forward. After all, I'm building them together with people who understand the needs of the web in a way that no mainstream company can replicate.

Until we get there, every little bit of help (be it monetary support, boosting posts, pitching us to your friends, or kind words of encouragement and support) truly matters.

In exchange, I look forward to sharing more of the knowledge and insights I've accrued with you all :)

And once again, to read or share this post from the original blog, you can find it here.

#bobaboard #fujoguide #freedom of the web #decentralized protocols #community #social networks #the great content creationing of 2024

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clessiennethms · 2 months ago

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Articles linked with my final project + relevant themes from Keith Negus's Popular Music in Theory:

Hi everyone :)

Today I’d like to explore various themes of Keith Negus’ Popular Music in Theory that align with my project which is: ‘How does Playboi Carti uses gothic and vampire themes in his ‘Whole Lotta Red’ album cover and lyrics to construct a unique persona within hip-hop culture?’ I will also present you 2 articles that I consider to be very useful for my analysis of the album.

Negus’s work gives insight into how artists construct their identities through media, which aligns with Carti’s dark, vampiric persona. Carti’s gothic aesthetics create a mediated identity, standing out within hip-hop by challenging traditional norms. This echoes Negus’s idea of using media to shape alternative personas. Playboi Carti’s vampire imagery also mirrors the rebellious energy of punk cultures, positioning him as an ‘outsider’, a sort of ‘countercultural’ symbol.

Another theme Negus discusses is aesthetic pluralism in subcultures, where distinctive styles are crafted by blending elements (clothing, symbols, language…) to challenge mainstream norms. Similarly, Carti’s gothic visuals are based on dark, dramatic imagery, fused with hip-hop to form a unique style. This aesthetic pluralism reshapes hip-hop’s boundaries. It actually puts Carti in the position of an artist who embodies subcultural values of defiance.

Concerning the articles, I’ve chosen: ‘The 'King Vamp': Vampiric Aesthetics of Playboi Carti’s ‘Whole Lotta Red’" by D. Green. This article is particularly useful as it explores the vampiric themes in Carti’s album. It analyzes aspects like the stage design, the album cover, the lyrics, and overall sound. It provides an in-depth look at how these elements work together to create Carti's unique persona within hip-hop culture.

I’ve also picked the article ‘Playboi Carti 'Whole Lotta Red' Album Review’ by Vivian Medithi posted on HipHopDX. This one praises the album's innovative approach, describing it as "the sound of a new legend dying to be born" and predicting it will be the album of the year in 2022. He also makes an important contrast between the people who absolutely love Carti's innovative style, and the others who clearly hate it.

The last article I chose is 'Playboi Carti, Rap Iconoclast" by The Nation. This one emphasizes how his style sets him appart in the Hip-Hop genre.

Finally, as my 'main' secondary source, I considered using the book 'Goth: Identity, Style, and Subculture' by Paul Hodkinson. This one focuses on the gothic subculture and explores how aesthetic choices create an identity within a cultural context. It shows how gothic themes are adopted and reinterpreted by different genres. This is why is think that this is a great book to examine Carti's use of gothic and vampire motifs in his album.

Thanks for reading my post,

Thomas

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materialsscienceandengineering · 5 months ago

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Poly(methyl methacrylate) Recycling

Poly(methyl methacrylate), PMMA, also known as acrylic, is a non-crystalline plastic often used as an alternative to glass. It is often mixed with other polymers or other monomers to improve flexibility and other properties. As such, recycling rates for PMMA are relatively low as the pure product is difficult to produce from such methods, in addition to the high energy costs required. It is estimated that only around 10% of this plastic is recycled. When it is recycled, PMMA is often mechanically or chemically recycled, with chemical recycling the more common technique.

Sources/Further Reading: (Image source - Book chapter) (2018 article) (Sustainable Plastics) (Wikipedia)

#Materials Science #Science #Polymers #Plastics #Polymethyl methacrylate #Waste #Recycling #WasteWednesday #2024Daily

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trexovablog · 6 months ago

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The Essential Guide to a Balanced Vegetarian Diet

Eating healthy is something we all strive for, but it can often feel like navigating a maze. One moment, we’re told to eat more vegetables, and the next, we’re bombarded with the latest superfood trend. For vegetarians, ensuring you get all the nutrients you need, especially protein, can be a bit of a challenge. But worry not! In this article, we’ll explore the secrets to maintaining a balanced diet, highlight some protein rich foods for vegetarians, and help you craft an effective diet plan.

Understanding a Balanced Diet

A balanced diet is like a well-orchestrated symphony. Each food group plays its part to create a harmonious melody that fuels your body. But what exactly does a balanced diet entail?

The Basics

A diet that is balanced comprises different foods in appropriate amounts. This means consuming the right amounts of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals. Imagine your body as a car; it requires a variety of nutrients to operate at its best, just as a car needs the correct fuel to run well.

Importance of Balance

Without a balanced diet, you might feel sluggish, experience mood swings, or even become more susceptible to illnesses. It’s essential to get a good mix of nutrients to maintain energy levels, support bodily functions, and promote overall well-being.

Protein-Rich Foods for Vegetarians

When people think of protein, they often picture a big, juicy steak. However, protein-rich foods for vegetarians are plentiful and just as effective in providing the necessary nutrients.

Legumes and Pulses

Chickpeas, lentils, and beans are excellent sources of protein. Not only are they versatile, but they also pack a punch with fibre, which aids in digestion.

Nuts and Seeds

Almonds, chia seeds, and flaxseeds are excellent for a protein boost. They’re great for snacking and can easily be added to salads, smoothies, or yoghurts.

Dairy and Alternatives

Greek yoghurt, cottage cheese, and even plant-based options like soy milk or tofu are rich in protein. They’re perfect for breakfast or as part of a light meal.

Whole Grains

Quinoa and brown rice not only provide protein but also supply essential amino acids that your body needs.

Crafting a Perfect Diet Plan

Creating a diet plan that works for you is crucial. It’s not about strict limitations but about feeling great, having more energy, and improving your health.

Setting Realistic Goals

Start with small, manageable changes. Instead of overhauling your entire diet, try incorporating more vegetables into your meals or swapping out white rice for quinoa.

Meal Planning

Plan your meals ahead of time. This helps you avoid last-minute unhealthy choices and ensures you have the necessary ingredients for nutritious meals.

Balanced Meals

Make sure you get a good balance of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins in each meal. A balanced meal keeps you full longer and provides sustained energy throughout the day.

Tips for Maintaining Your Diet

Maintaining a balanced diet can sometimes feel like walking a tightrope, but with a few tips, you can stay on track without feeling deprived.

Stay Hydrated

Drinking plenty of water is essential. Our bodies can occasionally mistake thirst for hunger, which causes us to overindulge in snacks.

Mindful Eating

Observe your diet and the effects it has on your body. This practice can help you make better food choices and enjoy your meals more.

Allow Flexibility

It’s okay to indulge occasionally. The key is moderation. Enjoy your favourite treats without guilt, but balance them with healthier options.

Conclusion

Adopting a balanced diet and including protein-rich foods for vegetarians doesn’t have to be a daunting task. By understanding the essentials, crafting a thoughtful diet plan, and following practical tips, you can embark on a journey to better health and wellness. Remember, it’s about progress, not perfection. So, start small, stay committed, and enjoy the positive changes in your life.

#diet plan #balanced diet #protein rich food for vegetarians #diet #vegetarian

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togglesbloggle · 1 year ago

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Still riding high from watching Royal Space Force, which is an extraordinary film in ways that films are rarely extraordinary.

There's a line in that Wikipedia article I linked that's quoting Ted Chiang- he says that it's "the single most impressive example of worldbuilding in books or film." That's high praise for sure, and I'm not at all sure how much I can argue with it. Every inch and instant of this thing is a gradual unfolding of an internally consistent and fully realized alternate technological civilization, with lavish animation and deep reflection on its machines, architecture, industrial processes, and infrastructure, as the narrative follows a sort of Yuri Gagarin analogue as they advance towards their first manned spaceflight. Their devices are often whimsical, but mechanically grounded, and throughout the film you're constantly seeing shades of early- and mid-century technologies in jumbled and decontextualized ways that just sing with love for engineering as a human art.

It's fun, in particular, to watch advances in propulsion technology as they're reflected in such a complexly realized might-have-been. As with them, so with us- the early 20th century was a time of rapid technological change on any number of axes, but our sudden exhilarating speed was at the center of it all. A single generation saw both the advent of flying machines and the first human in space; they saw wars become world wars, they saw rockets become intercontinental ballistic nuclear warheads. That's what this movie is about, really; changing the ground truth just enough to let you feel that exhilarating speed again for the first time.

It's a particularly good movie to watch this week, if you're the sort of person who's been avidly following the news on room temperature superconductors. Because we aren't, quite, the target audience for this movie. It came out in 1987, late enough to be nostalgic for that revolution, late enough to have seen the explosive growth of our capacity for motion become one more S-curve, crushed back down to the horizontal under the weight of the rocketry equations, but still as a thing remembered and experienced firsthand. Like the first Star Wars movie, it's not just a celebration of rocketry, but also trades in the visual language of urbanization, factionalism, and aerial warfare that erupted across the world as it abruptly shrank. It can be helpful to think very deeply about that moment.

You and I have never seen something like that happen before. We've had our technological revolutions, sure. For us, computers have been the axis around which it all turned. And for good reason! The universal machine, the tool that can do anything, as long as that 'anything' is made of light. We also shrank the world, in a way. But the information revolution is a subtle thing, dreamlike and insubstantial and interpersonal. The propulsion revolution was a revolution in power, direct and loud and furious. A room temperature superconductor, also, would be a revolution in power. I don't think you and I are quite ready for what that might mean.

(Particularly with fusion winking at us from just the other side of this thing.)

We can list out some of the first-order consequences of a room temperature superconductor, if it turns out to be real. There's the incredibly cool levitating rail systems that everybody likes to talk about; the sudden dominance of renewable energy and zero-emission power sources; there's quantum computers, terahertz antennae, lossless power transmission, a near-apotheosis of battery technology. But that's nothing, not really. As the old phrase goes, anyone could have predicted the car, it's predicting the traffic jam that takes a genius.

I know (I think) that power is what states are made of; the revolution in speed saw the end of feudalism, itself already teetering from blows it took from other revolutions in industrialization, and the rise of modern democratic governments- and also the rise of fascist and communist autocracies, the titanic conflicts between them, the industrialization of murder. At the upper end of possibility, that's what these last couple weeks might mean too. To move an electron through a wire, without any loss of energy to heat, is to create new ideologies we can't anticipate, new theaters of war, new kinds of government, new global superpowers, new things for the word 'progress' to mean. An information revolution can help show you who you are; a revolution in power can give that image the force to change the world from the ground up.

Here's hoping we're ready for it.

#grab your butt and hold on

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darkmaga-returns · 2 months ago

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Welcome to New World Next Week – the video series from Corbett Report and Media Monarchy that covers some of the most important developments in open source intelligence news. This week:

Video player not working? Use these links to watch it somewhere else!

WATCH ON: / / / / / or DOWNLOAD THE MP4

Story #1: Amazon Goes Nuclear, To Invest More Than $500 Million To Develop Small Modular Reactors https://www.cnbc.com/2024/10/16/amazon-goes-nuclear-investing-more-than-500-million-to-develop-small-module-reactors.html

Google Turns To Nuclear To Power AI Data Centres; The Tech Giant Says It Will Use Energy From Small Reactors To Power Its Use Of Artificial Intelligence https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c748gn94k95o

Video: Google Turns To Nuclear Energy For AI Electricity Demand https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnpBr7RXX3A

“Green” Energy Is a Scam. It Isn’t MEANT to Work. https://corbettreport.com/green-energy-is-a-scam-it-isnt-meant-to-work/

Lack of Task Checking Halted Debris Removal at Fukushima Unit: TEPCO https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20240904/p2g/00m/0sc/031000c

TEPCO May Resume Debris Extraction From Fukushima Reactor Next Week https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2024/09/eb83b885b460-tepco-may-resume-debris-extraction-from-fukushima-reactor-next-week.html

Japan’s Voters Put Nuclear Energy On Back Burner Despite Safety Worries https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20241022/p2g/00m/0na/017000c

Japan Shifting Back to Nuclear to Ditch Coal, Power AI https://japantoday.com/category/national/japan-shifting-back-to-nuclear-to-ditch-coal-power-ai

Scientists Create Organic Slave Computers! (What Could Go Wrong?) https://corbettreport.com/scientists-create-organic-slave-computers-what-could-go-wrong/

Story #2: 23andMe Reportedly Faces Bankruptcy — What Will Happen To Everyone’s DNA Samples? https://activistpost.com/2024/10/23andme-reportedly-faces-bankruptcy-what-will-happen-to-everyones-dna-samples.html

Announcing the DNA Control Grid https://www.corbettreport.com/articles/20090227_dna_control.htm

Episode 118 – Who Owns Your DNA? https://corbettreport.com/episode-118-who-owns-your-dna/

DNA Shaming: Welcome to Orwell’s Nightmare https://corbettreport.com/dna-shaming-welcome-to-orwells-nightmare/

First They Came For Your Fingerprints . . . #PropagandaWatch https://corbettreport.com/first-they-came-for-your-fingerprints-propagandawatch/

The Next Threat: DNA Exploitation https://corbettreport.com/the-next-threat-dna-exploitation/

Video: Baroness Von Sketch On DNA Testing https://mediamonarchy.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/dna_dumbass.mp4

Man Sends Lizard Saliva To 23andMe For DNA Testing, Exposing Total Fraud Of Company’s Claims Of Human Ancestry (Jun. 28, 2021) https://naturalnews.com/2021-06-28-lizard-saliva-23andme-dna-testing-fraud-ancestry.html

Story #3: Americans’ Trust In Media Remains At Trend Low https://news.gallup.com/poll/651977/americans-trust-media-remains-trend-low.aspx

Notice on the Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Persons Who Commit, Threaten to Commit, or Support Terrorism https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2024/09/18/notice-on-the-continuation-of-the-national-emergency-with-respect-to-persons-who-commit-threaten-to-commit-or-support-terrorism-3/

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gladstones-corner · 5 months ago

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On the Ritual Dagger and Other Tools

Originally this was a very targeted, well-researched post. However, as I started writing, I realized the real point of this article: my difficulty using iron in magic, and what that means for my selection of tools as a general rule. And in all honesty, that's probably more interesting than a scholarly history of the athame.

The magical community at large tends to accept the position that iron is disruptive to entities of the Otherworld, though the reasons why have been debated for centuries. Theories range from "ferrous metal disrupts subtle bodies" to "iron is symbolic of human industrialization".

I'm less interested in a mystical reason than a practical one—in other words, I accept that iron disrupts Otherworld denizens, but am more concerned with why it disrupts me. I find it very difficult to channel energy through iron tools of any kind.

The good news is that I'm not alone. Some practitioners work closely with the Otherworld, and iron tools hinder their work. Others prefer to use more natural material to reflect their connection with the web of life. Still others are just like me—they just find iron hard to use.

Are these alternatives standard to the Western Esoteric Tradition? No, absolutely not. There are reasons why iron is used for the athame—not the least of which is because of the disruption towards unwanted spirits. Of course, wanted spirits also experience the disruption, so there is that to consider.

Of these alternatives, bone and stone are the most common materials. Wood is much less common, as the material tends to be associated with Fire more than with Air (the standard elemental correspondence for the ritual dagger). But, if your tradition swaps the elemental correspondence so that the Wand is for Air and the Dagger is for Fire, there's nothing stopping you from obtaining a wooden ritual dagger.

Other materials that are nonmetallic, like resin, should be avoided on environmental and practical principles. Not only are many synthetics bad for the environment—which can hinder your connection with the living universe—they are usually very poor conductors of energy. That isn't to say you can't use them—I've seen plenty of people use resin wands—but I really don't recommend it.

So, what did I choose? I'll be honest, I didn't go out of my way to purchase new tools; I examined what I had on hand. And thankfully, what I found were two obsidian knives from a family trip to Cancun years ago.

Before I could use them, I had to cleanse and bless them. To do so, I decided to use the Druid method of Land, Sea, Sky. So I started by letting them sit in the sunlight for a few hours to cleanse and bless them by the Sky. After that, I waited for a storm and set them outside to be cleansed and blessed by the "Sea" (water). Finally, I wiped them clean and drove them into the soil to cleanse and bless them by the Land. Finally, they were ready for use.

First thing I did was cast alchemical glyphs in the air before me: invoking pentacle, banishing pentacle, fire, water, air, earth, spirit, etc.

My initial thought: the knives are very well balanced. One is about 7", the other about 4". I prefer the larger, if only because the smaller one is more fragile. However, they both have solid heft without being unwieldy. They're great for flourishing with.

My second thought was that the knives hold and channel energy with ease. That was a pleasant surprise—now I know it's the iron in the dagger, not the dagger itself, that gives me trouble (though to really confirm, I'd need to try other iron athames).

But here's the thing: these obsidian ritual daggers are not athames. Athames are specifically the black-handled, usually double-edged blade. So that raises a new question: where do we draw the line on swapping out tools?

Let's examine that in some detail. If we are to believe the four tools of the Western Esoteric Tradition are based in ancient sources, then what are those sources and how did they evolve into their current forms?

In the broadest strokes, the elemental tools of the Western Esoteric Tradition are the Wand, Dagger, Cup, and Disk.

Some sources speculate they originate from the Four Treasures of the Tuatha de Danaan: the Spear of Lugh, Sword of Nuada, Cauldron of The Dagda, and Stone of Fal. But if that were wholly the case, we would still be left with questions around how the Spear and Stone became Wand and Disk.

Let's keep digging and examine each tool individually, rather than as a set:

Wand: traced back to prehistory, but came into the forefront with Egyptian, Zoroastrian, and Greek priests.

Dagger: traced back to the Key of Solomon as one of several goetic tools.

Cup: traced back to prehistory as a tool for holding sacred and mundane liquids.

Pentacle: traced back to the Key of Solomon as a method of summoning entities.

Okay, so we can now see that these tools came from a few different places and have slowly grown together. Let me fill in some gaps: the wand is relatively the same as it was in ancient times; the dagger used to be several daggers but has since been standardized; the cup is still widely variable and can be a chalice, cauldron, or any other vessel; the pentacle is still widely variable based on tradition.

So that brings us back to our question: when do we substitute tools out? The "real" answer is whatever your tradition requires. But for those of us without a set tradition, the question becomes more complicated.

I've implied throughout this article that the tools are directly correlated to the four lower elements. So, it stands to reason that you would have a representation of each element on the altar.

Let's take the case of the Four Treasures of the Tuatha de Danaan:

Sword: Fire

Spear: Air

Cauldron: Water

Stone: Earth

For a more eclectic take, we can try:

Sage Bundle: Fire

Large Feather: Air

Bowl: Water

Plate: Earth

You're also not limited to "tools", either. In my Druidic practice, I place four vessels on the altar that contain:

Fire: Candle

Air: Incense

Water: Water

Earth: Soil

So really, the answer to the question "when do we substitute" is really "whenever feels most appropriate to you". The important things are that the items on the altar represent the four lower elements, and can be used for energy channeling. That's what makes it a tool, that you can use it to channel energy, not the fact that it's inherently a tool of some kind.

Thank you for reading. As always, stay safe and stay tuned.

Blessed be~

#glad's thoughts #ritual and magic #tools

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learnwithmearticles · 6 months ago

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Technology's Use of Water

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

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

Water Scarcity

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

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

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

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

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

Irresponsible Use

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Additional Resources

1. Water Renewability

2. Corrosion on Plumbing

3. Treating PFAS

4. Household Water Waste

5. Nuclear Water Waste

6. AI Helping Water Management

7. AI Water Consumption

8. Crypto Mining Water Consumption

9. Seawater cooling technology

#renewable power #renewable energy #water #water pollution #technology #artificial intelligence #ai training #cryptocurrency #digital currency #bitcoin #article #research #resources #environment #climate change #science

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driving-tips · 22 days ago

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Eco-Friendly Driving: Tips for Reducing Your Carbon Footprint on the Road | DOS Driving School

In this article, we’ll explore practical tips for eco-friendly driving that will help you reduce your carbon footprint and drive more sustainably.

1. Drive Smoothly: Avoid Sudden Acceleration and Hard Braking

One of the simplest ways to drive more eco-friendly is to avoid aggressive driving. Sudden acceleration and hard braking consume more fuel and increase your carbon emissions. By driving smoothly and gradually, you can improve your fuel efficiency and reduce your environmental impact.

Eco-Friendly Driving Tip:

Try to anticipate traffic flow and adjust your speed to avoid rapid acceleration or stopping suddenly. This reduces fuel consumption and helps your car run more efficiently.

2. Maintain a Steady Speed

Maintaining a steady speed on highways or city streets helps improve fuel efficiency. Constantly speeding up and slowing down wastes gas and increases emissions. Many modern cars are equipped with cruise control, which is a great tool to maintain a constant speed on long trips and highways.

Eco-Friendly Driving Tip:

Use cruise control on highways to maintain a steady speed and avoid unnecessary acceleration or braking.

3. Reduce Your Idling Time

Idling your vehicle for extended periods of time wastes fuel and contributes to unnecessary emissions. If you’re stopped for more than 30 seconds, it’s often more efficient to turn off your engine and restart it when you’re ready to move.

Eco-Friendly Driving Tip:

Turn off your engine if you expect to be stopped for a while (such as waiting at a long red light or in a parking lot).

4. Keep Your Tires Properly Inflated

Under-inflated tires can reduce fuel efficiency and increase your carbon emissions. When your tires aren’t properly inflated, your vehicle has to work harder to move, consuming more fuel and emitting more CO2.

Eco-Friendly Driving Tip:

Check your tire pressure regularly (at least once a month) and keep them inflated to the manufacturer’s recommended levels. This can improve fuel efficiency by up to 3%.

5. Lighten the Load: Reduce Extra Weight in Your Vehicle

The heavier your car is, the harder it has to work to move, leading to increased fuel consumption. Avoid carrying unnecessary items in your car and remove roof racks when not in use to reduce wind resistance.

Eco-Friendly Driving Tip:

Clean out your car regularly to avoid carrying unnecessary weight. If you don’t need a roof rack, take it off to reduce wind drag and improve fuel efficiency.

6. Plan Your Trips Efficiently

Planning your routes ahead of time can help you avoid traffic jams, long waits at red lights, and unnecessary detours. By combining errands and driving when traffic is lighter, you can reduce the time you spend idling and improve your fuel efficiency.

Eco-Friendly Driving Tip:

Use navigation apps that help you avoid traffic and take the most direct route to your destination. This reduces the time spent on the road and helps you use less fuel.

7. Opt for an Eco-Friendly Vehicle

If you’re in the market for a new car, consider purchasing a vehicle with better fuel efficiency or one that uses alternative energy sources, such as electric or hybrid cars. These vehicles produce fewer emissions and consume less fuel, reducing your carbon footprint significantly.

Eco-Friendly Driving Tip:

Consider investing in a hybrid or electric vehicle for maximum fuel efficiency and a reduction in carbon emissions. At DOS Driving School, we also offer eco-driving tips for students learning to drive green vehicles.

8. Keep Your Car Well-Maintained

Regular vehicle maintenance ensures that your car is running efficiently, which can reduce emissions and improve fuel economy. Regular oil changes, air filter replacements, and keeping the engine in good condition can go a long way in maintaining your car’s efficiency.

Eco-Friendly Driving Tip:

Follow your car’s maintenance schedule for oil changes, air filter replacements, and general servicing to ensure your car is running at peak efficiency.

9. Drive at Moderate Speeds

Driving at high speeds leads to higher fuel consumption and more emissions. When you drive at speeds over 50 mph, fuel efficiency decreases significantly. By keeping your speed moderate and obeying speed limits, you’ll use less fuel and reduce your carbon footprint.

Eco-Friendly Driving Tip:

Stick to speed limits and avoid driving aggressively. Not only will you save fuel, but you’ll also be driving more safely.

10. Use Air Conditioning Wisely

While using air conditioning (AC) can provide comfort, it can also increase fuel consumption. If you’re driving at lower speeds, it’s more efficient to open the windows for ventilation. However, at higher speeds, using the AC may be more fuel-efficient than having the windows open due to the drag caused by open windows.

Eco-Friendly Driving Tip:

Use air conditioning wisely—use it when necessary, but try to open the windows at low speeds for ventilation. At high speeds, using the AC may be a more efficient choice than driving with the windows open.

Conclusion: Drive Green with DOS Driving School

Eco-friendly driving doesn’t just help the environment—it can also save you money on fuel and reduce wear and tear on your car. By following these simple tips for reducing your carbon footprint on the road, you can contribute to a greener, cleaner planet while becoming a more efficient and responsible driver.

At DOS Driving School, we believe that responsible driving includes making eco-conscious choices. Whether you’re learning to drive for the first time or looking to improve your driving habits, our instructors can help you become a safer, more environmentally-friendly driver.

Ready to drive green? Contact DOS Driving School today to learn how we can help you develop eco-friendly driving skills and take the first step towards reducing your carbon footprint.

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