#conservationism

[detective-watson]

Take action with me to ban neonicotinoids (neonics). Neonics are a pesticide that is highly toxic to insect and bird populations. Numbers of bees and birds have declined by the millions because they eat plants that have been treated by this chemical. Birds who eat the seeds of these plants or insects who have consumed this can suffer from convulsions, extreme weight loss, and death. Join me and the PIRG in urging the EPA to ban these pesticides.

[melyzard]

*article is dated Jan 2024

*article is dated Dec 26, 2023

*article is dated Jan 2024

*article is dated Dec 2023 (and also, the design is neat and a huge gamechanger for all reforestation efforts everywhere!)

[drakkonyan]

Maybe it's just late night determination, but I'm feeling REALLY strongly about making PSAs about how the way animals like Slider turtles and goldfish are being treated is the equivalent of putting a puppy in a 20x20cms box and neglecting it until it dies at 5 months, and then saying that's because they "aren't supposed to live that long", and why parents should be worried these are the values their children are learning. Or how you wouldn't give a Rolex to a 5 year old just because it was spelled cheap to you, and so then why are we giving them pets that cost 2000$ to take care of and are practically family hairlooms

Shitttt maybe I'll doooo. I need to contact my local conservation group.

[hoodiegal]

it’s messed up. it’s similar in sweden. our most dangerous animals are probably wolves and bears, and there’s so few of them and they are so timid that you have to go looking for them to find them. and the hunting lobbyists are still trying to push the narrative that there are too many and they are posing a threat to humans, despite the only incidents of humans being attacked by these animals i can find in the last 10 years are in conjunction with hunting, where hunting dogs have agitated the animals and a hunter got in their escape path. 

Actually your society is the freaks for shooting everything that moves and burning half your "nature reserves" every year so that upperclass dandies can eat leaded pheasant. North Americans are the well adjusted ones here, your country has become a desolate suburban lawn in island form

[thecreator-atraitor]

Trees

I'm gonna talk more about this because it just bothers me sometimes.

Under the cut, I talk about pine trees, mangroves, and oak trees. I also talk a bit about beach grasses. I do provide sources because reliable info is important to me.

Planting trees to combat climate change it great, don't get me wrong.

But it's not enough. So many people act like all they need to do is recycle and donate to plant trees, and that's it. They've done their part.

Again, it does help. But it doesn't help very much.

According to TreeJourney, pine trees take 25 - 30 years to grow. I'm 24 years old. My sister turned 30 years old this year. Pine trees planted in 1994 may have just reached maturity.

Part of the CO2-absorbing ability of trees is based on surface area. After all, the tree has to have surfaces exposed to air in order to get the resources in the air.

Pine tree saplings (at least the ones that I've seen) are really, really skinny. Like you could wrap your hand around the trunk of one. A four-year-old could probably do the same with younger ones. You could fit like 30 pine tree saplings in the trunk of a fully grown oak tree.

Mangroves can take 10 - 20 years to mature, according to SkootEco. Mangroves can, however, grow really fast. Mangroves are also super important! They've got crazy-ass root systems. You know what crazy-ass root systems submerged in water are great for? Protection against floods and storm surges (same article on SkootEco, scroll down to "#2 The Importance of Mangrove Trees")!

Oak trees seem to be another popular option for tree-planting programs. Oak trees are great because they are really big. According to TreePursuits (note, this site seems old and is a bit hard to read), oak trees can grow to between 40 and 100 feet tall (12.2 m to 30.5 m). Unlike pine trees, oaks start branching at a lower height. This means more branches, which means more surface area.

Pine trees look kind of like a toilet bowl brush. Long handle (or trunk) with all the bristles at the end (or branches). Oaks are like feather dusters but with short handles (or trunks) and lots of feathers (or branches).

Beach grasses are also super important. Why? Because they have roots. Roots that are specialized in holding themselves in place despite being in very loose material (sand). In order to hold themselves in place, they have to hold the sand in place. This is good, we want the sand to stay where it is. Why? Water. Water needs to get up the beach before it reaches (most) people. On smaller beaches, with less sand, the water doesn't have far to go. During floods and storm surges, these places are hit hardest.

Coasts, like everything else, are constantly eroded. The oceanic tides pull sand away as they flow back into the ocean. Tides also back onto the beach, and put some sand. If the sand is loose enough, the tides will take more than they give, and your beach will shrink.

Plant your trees. But also do more. They need time to grow. Go to your local beaches (if you can and if you have them)! Pick up trash (but please watch out for glass and be conscious of what you're allowed to take; laws are weird)! Plant beach grasses (if you're allowed; some laws are also stupid)!

If anyone complains about beach grasses or mangroves "ruining the view", just tell them, "Y'know what else ruins the view? Mass flooding."

[talesfromtrigadora]

Book Review & Poetry Potential

I finally finished Fathoms by Rebecca Giggs a couple days ago. I had picked it up from the library because it was about conservationism and whales. I've been trying to consistently enter writing contests, and there's a poetry contest due June 5th where the prompt is Kayapo Elder, or Humpback. Since I know nothing about Kayapo elders and little about Humpback Whales, I figured I should do some reading about both before I attempted this poem. In the end, Fathoms was an interesting and educational read, but I had a lot of trouble getting through it due to the author's inexplicable insistence on using big words when laymen's terms wouldn't have diminished the writing at all. I nearly put the book down just during the introduction because of the word choices, and found myself questioning the choices of her editor to leave these word choices in as they were likely to alienate the common reader, who ultimately would get the most out of a book that's message is why whales (and environmentalism in general) mattered, to everyone. After that first chapter, the editor maybe had some notes on these big words, but instead of removing them, Giggs merely added more words to her book by defining them in parentheses. Ultimately, it just seemed unnecessary.

I'm not sure I have a poem in me about whales and Kayapo Elders, though my readings have made it clear as to why these two seemingly unrelated topics are paired for this contest. They both are studies in conservationism. The Kayapo people of Brazil have been loud and active in their mission to protect their rainforest from the effects of logging, mining, and the building of dams. They have raised their voices in how these changes to their environment will negatively affect their habitat, and in doing so, they are fighting hard to protect the habitat of those who cannot speak up.

In contrast, whales were nearly hunted to extinction before people began to speak up for them. People had to essentially create a Super Whale, a conglomeration of many types of whales, in order to get enough human voices raised to speak for these creatures, because no one whale stands out as the most "savable." It was the Humpback who gave this Super Whale its voice, as it is the Humpbacks who sing.

But is there enough here for a poem? Probably. But at my core, I am not a poet (despite that the only thing I have been published for so far is my poetry). Poetry, for me, comes out of emotion. It rises within me as one whole when the emotions become too strong that I have no choice but to put them on paper. While I am intrigued about the environment and understand the importance of these two topics, there is not emotion here for me. I could write a story about it, because a creative writer (and maybe an attempting journalist) is my bread and butter, but this contest does not call for a story. It calls for a poem, so I think I will leave this contests to the poets.

[detective-watson]

A butterfly’s delicate orange wings flit through the gentle breeze toward its northern habitat. This gorgeous specimen, the monarch butterfly, is searching for a milkweed plant upon which to lay its eggs. The milkweed is the only plant a monarch larva will eat. What this butterfly does not know, however, is that it’s very likely its search will be fruitless at best and fatal at worst.

Pesticides, especially systemic insecticides, sprayed upon milkweeds have caused devastation to the monarch community. Residues of chemicals, such as neonicotinoids, have been shown to stay on these plants for up to a month after the initial spraying. Insecticides poison monarchs - monarch butterfly populations in the eastern migratory region have decreased by 59% since last year. But there is a way to stop this senseless loss.

In December, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is deciding if monarchs deserve protection under the Endangered Species Act. This act allows for special conservation efforts for this species, such as designating lands as critical habitats and implementing species recovery programs. We must act fast to save these butterflies before we lose them for good. Join me in signing this Environmental Action petition and urging the FWS to protect the monarch butterflies.

[hoodiegal]

What ecological niche do ticks fill?

Speaking up and educating people on why the most hated life forms on the planet are important and meaningful is a thankless task.

How do we reach out and get people to care about insects and spiders when the average reaction is either "EEWW KILL IT WITH FIRE" or blind panic?

Arthropods are crucial to the survival of life as we know it. Yes, even commonly vilified bugs like wasps and mosquitoes have ecological niches that the world CANNOT do without.

I cannot overstate their importance.

[kinialohaguy]

Two Americas

Aloha kākou. America is in the midst of a Civil War. It is happening, despite those that want to either ignore it or refuse to acknowledge it. This Civil War is between Marxism and Sovereignty. Democrats call themselves progressives. It’s just another word for communism and socialism. Tyranny doesn’t need a definition that branches across finite points of tyranny, it simply means the loss of…

[white-throated-packrat]

Yeah, that needs to be thinned like you wouldn’t believe. Open it up, let light get to the bottom for the understory plants and so that the remain trees can grow outwards instead of just upwards.

Video Source | Yurok Tribe | Save California Salmon | Redwoods Rising

[pikslasrce]

@ god stop making me have dreams where im friends w my fav band guys

[teaboot]

Sooo many intrinsic differences between People Who'd Prefer To Be Vampires and People Who'd Prefer To Be Werewolves but let's take a second to appreciate the similarities.

Noctornal

Appreciation for sturdy, well-made clothes

Would prefer not to be stabbed

Like to show off a lil chest when possible

Cant have garlic (poisonous to dogs)

Uhhhhhhhhh teeth? Big on biting things

Both probably have some pretty strong opinions on modern ecology and conservationism

Both probably ate something/one important by mistake at some point and had the same "ah shit fuck" feeling, very relatable

Hnnnnnnngfhghhh.gh. Queer

[qveenpoppy]

only 2 acts go through... i hate this show

[janederscore]

now that everyone's bored of talking about the world's mootest non-problem here's my 1.3 cents: conservationism still matters even when there isn't immediately apparent life in an area, and classifying all space objects as potential resources to be harvested makes you sound like an 1800s north german forester

[stuffforthestash]

Modern Academic AU I Guess?

Got the idea of professor Raphael stuck in my damned brain all morning, so here's hoping writing thoughts down will banish him back to the hells yeah? Edit: There is now a Part 2 and Part 3 __________________________ Raphael - School of Law, obvs. Teaches courses on contract law and legal ethics. He has a reputation for being the kind of asshole professor that can make or break your academic career, and the fact he's tenured is likely the only reason he hasn't been fired over the countless reports of student blackmail and harassment. Gale - Dep't of Literature. His classes are all niche topics like "Magic, Myth, & The Power Of Metaphor", "From Merlin To Dumbledore: A Historical Look At The Wizard's Role In Storytelling", and "The Ancient Art of Flyting", and they're extremely popular. He loves his job, the students love him, but he's rubbed a lot of his colleagues the wrong way. Astarion - School of Theater & Music. Teaches the 101 level acting course and has a rep for being absolutely brutal, but his methods are undeniably effective. Also teaches stage combat workshops, and is constantly on thin ice with the admin for the way he encourages the gaggle of students that started a fan club for him. Wyll - Health Sciences. He's a practicing physical therapist who was invited to also teach part time, due to having gained a reputation as a leading specialist in working with underserved minorities and victims of trauma. His classes are niche and can be hard to get into due to limited availability. Knows Astarion because they're both in HEMA, and sometimes helps with the combat workshops Karlach - Women's rugby coach and former pro-athlete who had to retire after a chest injury. Is also in HEMA, and was inspired by her buddy Wyll to also pursue Phys. Therapy as a career shift. Shadowheart - Grad student doing her thesis on some obscure theological topic, teaches a generic 101 level religious studies class and is obviously only there because the school requires her to put in the hours. Lae'zel - Also a grad student, transferred from overseas. Studying Sports Management and was assigned as an assistant coach to Karlach, except she's in ASC and is constantly making digs about how their practices are vastly superior to HEMA's foolishness. Halsin - Environmental Science. He's the department chair, and teaches courses on conservationism and land management. All his courses are out in the field though, which means he's never on campus and is nearly impossible to get hold of. He hates being the dep't chair, and he only reason he even accepted the position is because nobody else would. Jaheira - Facilities director, not a teacher. Always somehow knows everything that's happening on campus, has contacts everywhere for anything you could want done, and is the person you least want to piss off. Minsc is her shadow, nobody's even entirely sure if he actually works here but is too afraid of Jaheira to ask. And if you actually made it this far, well.. thanks for reading? I'm so sorry? But also share your thoughts! And lemme know if there's any other characters worth doing a 2nd post for.

[artbyblastweave]

Hate when your participation in a movement sort of signals an all-or-nothing alignment with every element of that movement's entire platform. Take conservationism. I think it's alright broadly except they want me to care about the polar bears. Can't stand those fuckers, they eat us on purpose. Sharks are doing it on accident, Polar bears, they know exactly what they're doing, they watch you for days with their beady little eyes, waiting for an opening. We gotta get rid of anything that eats us on purpose while we're alive, doesn't matter that it doesn't happen that often, doesn't matter that polar bears are usually very far away, the possibility space must be completely expunged. So every time I see one of those oh-so-sad little pictures of a lone polar bear floating away on a piece of melted pack ice it sort of has the opposite of the intended effect, I do a little fist pump and everyone looks at me all weird. But, you know. I like trees. Some of the bugs. Both joined at the hip to that polar bear thing. So let's roll those logs I guess