#low-carbon projects

[opens-up-4-nobody]

...

[batboyblog]

Things Biden and the Democrats did, this week #24

June 21-28 2024

The US Surgeon General declared for the first time ever, firearm violence a public health crisis. The nation's top doctor recommended the banning of assault weapons and large-capacity magazines, the introduce universal background checks for purchasing guns, regulate the industry, pass laws that would restrict their use in public spaces and penalize people who fail to safely store their weapons. President Trump dismissed Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy in 2017 in part for his criticism of guns before his time in government, he was renominated for his post by President Biden in 2021. While the Surgeon General's reconstructions aren't binding a similar report on the risks of smoking in 1964 was the start of a national shift toward regulation of tobacco.

Vice-President Harris announced the first grants to be awarded through a ground breaking program to remove barriers to building more housing. Under President Biden more housing units are under construction than at any time in the last 50 years. Vice President Harris was announcing 85 million dollars in grants giving to communities in 21 states through the  Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing (PRO) program. The administration plans another 100 million in PRO grants at the end of the summer and has requested 100 million more for next year. The Treasury also announced it'll moved 100 million of left over Covid funds toward housing. All of this is part of plans to build 2 million affordable housing units and invest $258 billion in housing overall.

President Biden pardoned all former US service members convicted under the US Military's ban on gay sex. The pardon is believed to cover 2,000 veterans convicted of "consensual sodomy". Consensual sodomy was banned and a felony offense under the Uniform Code of Justice from 1951 till 2013. The Pardon will wipe clean those felony records and allow veterans to apply to change their discharge status.

The Department of Transportation announced $1.8 Billion in new infrastructure building across all 50 states, 4 territories and Washington DC. The program focuses on smaller, often community-oriented projects that span jurisdictions. This award saw a number of projects focused on climate and energy, like $25 million to help repair damage caused by permafrost melting amid higher temperatures in Alaska, or $23 million to help electrify the Downeast bus fleet in Maine.

The Department of Energy announced $2.7 billion to support domestic sources of nuclear fuel. The Biden administration hopes to build up America's domestic nuclear fuel to allow for greater stability and lower costs. Currently Russia is the world's top exporter of enriched uranium, supplying 24% of US nuclear fuel.

The Department of Interior awarded $127 million to 6 states to help clean up legacy pollution from orphaned oil and gas wells. The funding will help cap 600 wells in Alaska, Arizona, Indiana, New York and Ohio. So far thanks to administration efforts over 7,000 orphaned wells across the country have been capped, reduced approximately 11,530 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions

HUD announced $469 million to help remove dangerous lead from older homes. This program will focus on helping homeowners particularly low income ones remove lead paint and replace lead pipes in homes built before 1978. This represents one of the largest investments by the federal government to help private homeowners deal with a health and safety hazard.

Bonus: President Biden's efforts to forgive more student debt through his administration's SAVE plan hit a snag this week when federal courts in Kansas and Missouri blocked elements the Administration also suffered a set back at the Supreme Court as its efforts to regular smog causing pollution was rejected by the conservative majority in a 5-4 ruling that saw Amy Coney Barrett join the 3 liberals against the conservatives. This week's legal setbacks underline the importance of courts and the ability to nominate judges and Justices over the next 4 years.

[reasonsforhope]

"A 1-megawatt sand battery that can store up to 100 megawatt hours of thermal energy will be 10 times larger than a prototype already in use.

The new sand battery will eliminate the need for oil-based energy consumption for the entire town of town of Pornainen, Finland.

Sand gets charged with clean electricity and stored for use within a local grid.

Finland is doing sand batteries big. Polar Night Energy already showed off an early commercialized version of a sand battery in Kankaanpää in 2022, but a new sand battery 10 times that size is about to fully rid the town of Pornainen, Finland of its need for oil-based energy.

In cooperation with the local Finnish district heating company Loviisan Lämpö, Polar Night Energy will develop a 1-megawatt sand battery capable of storing up to 100 megawatt hours of thermal energy.

“With the sand battery,” Mikko Paajanen, CEO of Loviisan Lämpö, said in a statement, “we can significantly reduce energy produced by combustion and completely eliminate the use of oil.”

Polar Night Energy introduced the first commercial sand battery in 2022, with local energy utility Vatajankoski. “Its main purpose is to work as a high-power and high-capacity reservoir for excess wind and solar energy,” Markku Ylönen, Polar Nigh Energy’s co-founder and CTO, said in a statement at the time. “The energy is stored as heat, which can be used to heat homes, or to provide hot steam and high temperature process heat to industries that are often fossil-fuel dependent.” ...

Sand—a high-density, low-cost material that the construction industry discards [Note: 6/13/24: Turns out that's not true! See note at the bottom for more info.] —is a solid material that can heat to well above the boiling point of water and can store several times the amount of energy of a water tank. While sand doesn’t store electricity, it stores energy in the form of heat. To mine the heat, cool air blows through pipes, heating up as it passes through the unit. It can then be used to convert water into steam or heat water in an air-to-water heat exchanger. The heat can also be converted back to electricity, albeit with electricity losses, through the use of a turbine.

In Pornainen, Paajanen believes that—just by switching to a sand battery—the town can achieve a nearly 70 percent reduction in emissions from the district heating network and keep about 160 tons of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere annually. In addition to eliminating the usage of oil, they expect to decrease woodchip combustion by about 60 percent.

The sand battery will arrive ready for use, about 42 feet tall and 49 feet wide. The new project’s thermal storage medium is largely comprised of soapstone, a byproduct of Tulikivi’s production of heat-retaining fireplaces. It should take about 13 months to get the new project online, but once it’s up and running, the Pornainen battery will provide thermal energy storage capacity capable of meeting almost one month of summer heat demand and one week of winter heat demand without recharging.

“We want to enable the growth of renewable energy,” Paajanen said. “The sand battery is designed to participate in all Fingrid’s reserve and balancing power markets. It helps to keep the electricity grid balanced as the share of wind and solar energy in the grid increases.”"

-via Popular Mechanics, March 13, 2024

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Note: I've been keeping an eye on sand batteries for a while, and this is really exciting to see. We need alternatives to lithium batteries ASAP, due to the grave human rights abuses and environmental damage caused by lithium mining, and sand batteries look like a really good solution for grid-scale energy storage.

--

Note 6/13/24: Unfortunately, turns out there are substantial issues with sand batteries as well, due to sand scarcity. More details from a lovely asker here, sources on sand scarcity being a thing at the links: x, x, x, x, x

[dandelionsresilience]

Good News - July 22-28

Like these weekly compilations? Tip me at $kaybarr1735 or check out my new(ly repurposed) Patreon!

1. Four new cheetah cubs born in Saudi Arabia after 40 years of extinction

“[T]he discovery of mummified cheetahs in caves […] which ranged in age from 4,000 to as recent as 120 years, proved that the animals […] once called [Saudi Arabia] home. The realisation kick-started the country’s Cheetah Conservation Program to bring back the cats to their historic Arabian range. […] Dr Mohammed Qurban, CEO of the NCW, said: […] “This motivates us to continue our efforts to restore and reintroduce cheetahs, guided by an integrated strategy designed in accordance with best international practices.””

2. In sub-Saharan Africa, ‘forgotten’ foods could boost climate resilience, nutrition

“[A study published in PNAS] examined “forgotten” crops that may help make sub-Saharan food systems more resilient, and more nutritious, as climate change makes it harder to grow [current staple crops.] [… The study identified 138 indigenous] food crops that were “relatively underresearched, underutilized, or underpromoted in an African context,” but which have the nutrient content and growing stability to support healthy diets and local economies in the region. […] In Eswatini, van Zonneveld and the World Vegetable Center are working with schools to introduce hardy, underutilized vegetables to their gardens, which have typically only grown beans and maize.”

3. Here's how $4 billion in government money is being spent to reduce climate pollution

“[New Orleans was awarded] nearly $50 million to help pay for installing solar on low to middle income homes [… and] plans to green up underserved areas with trees and build out its lackluster bike lane system to provide an alternative to cars. […] In Utah, $75 million will fund several measures from expanding electric vehicles to reducing methane emissions from oil and gas production. [… A] coalition of states led by North Carolina will look to store carbon in lands used for agriculture as well as natural places like wetlands, with more than $400 million. [… This funding is] “providing investments in communities, new jobs, cost savings for everyday Americans, improved air quality, … better health outcomes.””

4. From doom scrolling to hope scrolling: this week’s big Democratic vibe shift

“[Democrats] have been on an emotional rollercoaster for the past few weeks: from grim determination as Biden fought to hang on to his push for a second term, to outright exuberance after he stepped aside and Harris launched her campaign. […] In less than a week, the Harris campaign raised record-breaking sums and signed up more than 100,000 new volunteers[….] This honeymoon phase will end, said Democratic strategist Guy Cecil, warning the election will be a close race, despite this newfound exuberance in his party. [… But v]oters are saying they are excited to vote for Harris and not just against Trump. That’s new.”

5. Biodegradable luminescent polymers show promise for reducing electronic waste

“[A team of scientists discovered that a certain] chemical enables the recycling of [luminescent polymers] while maintaining high light-emitting functions. […] At the end of life, this new polymer can be degraded under either mild acidic conditions (near the pH of stomach acid) or relatively low heat treatment (> 410 F). The resulting materials can be isolated and remade into new materials for future applications. […] The researchers predict this new polymer can be applied to existing technologies, such as displays and medical imaging, and enable new applications […] such as cell phones and computer screens with continued testing.”

6. World’s Biggest Dam Removal Project to Open 420 Miles of Salmon Habitat this Fall

“Reconnecting the river will help salmon and steelhead populations survive a warming climate and [natural disasters….] In the long term, dam removal will significantly improve water quality in the Klamath. “Algae problems in the reservoirs behind the dams were so bad that the water was dangerous for contact […] and not drinkable,” says Fluvial Geomorphologist Brian Cluer. [… The project] will begin to reverse decades of habitat degradation, allow threatened salmon species to be resilient in the face of climate change, and restore tribal connections to their traditional food source.”

7. Biden-Harris Administration Awards $45.1 Million to Expand Mental Health and Substance Use Services Across the Lifespan

““Be it fostering wellness in young people, caring for the unhoused, facilitating treatment and more, this funding directly supports the needs of our neighbors,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. [The funding also supports] recovery and reentry services to adults in the criminal justice system who have a substance use disorder[… and clinics which] serve anyone who asks for help for mental health or substance use, regardless of their ability to pay.”

8. The World’s Rarest Crow Will Soon Fly Free on Maui

“[… In] the latest attempt to establish a wild crow population, biologists will investigate if this species can thrive on Maui, an island where it may have never lived before. Translocations outside of a species’ known historical range are rare in conservation work, but for a bird on the brink of extinction, it’s a necessary experiment: Scientists believe the crows will be safer from predators in a new locale—a main reason that past reintroduction attempts failed. […] As the release date approaches, the crows have already undergone extensive preparation for life in the wild. […] “We try to give them the respect that you would give if you were caring for someone’s elder.””

9. An optimist’s guide to the EV battery mining challenge

““Battery minerals have a tremendous benefit over oil, and that’s that you can reuse them.” [… T]he report’s authors found there’s evidence to suggest that [improvements in technology] and recycling have already helped limit demand for battery minerals in spite of this rapid growth — and that further improvements can reduce it even more. [… They] envision a scenario in which new mining for battery materials can basically stop by 2050, as battery recycling meets demand. In this fully realized circular battery economy, the world must extract a total of 125 million tons of battery minerals — a sum that, while hefty, is actually 17 times smaller than the oil currently harvested every year to fuel road transport.”

10. Peekaboo! A baby tree kangaroo debuts at the Bronx Zoo

“The tiny Matschie’s tree kangaroo […] was the third of its kind born at the Bronx Zoo since 2008. [… A] Bronx Zoo spokesperson said that the kangaroo's birth was significant for the network of zoos that aims to preserve genetic diversity among endangered animals. "It's a small population and because of that births are not very common," said Jessica Moody, curator of primates and small mammals at the Bronx Zoo[, …] adding that baby tree kangaroos are “possibly one of the cutest animals to have ever lived. They look like stuffed animals, it's amazing.””

July 15-21 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.)

[zvaigzdelasas]

China’s massive rollout of renewable energy is accelerating, its investments in the sector growing so large that international climate watchdogs now expect the country’s greenhouse-gas emissions to peak years earlier than anticipated—possibly as soon as this year[!!!].

China installed 217 gigawatts worth of solar power last year alone, a 55% increase, according to new government data. That is more than 500 million solar panels and well above the total installed solar capacity of the U.S. [...]

Wind-energy installation additions were 76 gigawatts last year, more than the rest of the world combined. That amounted to more than 20,000 new turbines across the country, including the world’s largest, [...]

The low-carbon capacity additions, which also included hydropower and nuclear, were for the first time large enough that their power output could cover the entire annual increase in Chinese electricity demand [!!!!], analysts say. The dynamic suggests that coal-fired generation—which accounts for 70% of overall emissions for the world’s biggest polluter—is set to decline in the years to come, according to the Paris-based International Energy Agency and Lauri Myllyvirta, the Helsinki-based lead analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.[...]

Its rapid emissions growth long provided fodder for critics who said Beijing wasn’t committed to fighting climate change or supporting the Paris accord, the landmark climate agreement that calls for governments to attempt to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius over preindustrial temperatures. Now, analysts and officials say Beijing’s efforts are lending momentum to the Paris process, which requires governments to draft new emissions plans every five years.

“An early peak would have a lot of symbolic value and send a signal to the world that we’ve turned a corner," said Jan Ivar Korsbakken, a senior researcher at the Oslo-based Center for International Climate and Environmental Research.

In 2020, Chinese leader Xi Jinping pledged that the country’s emissions would begin falling before 2030 and hit net zero before 2060, part of its plan prepared under the Paris accord. He also said China would have 1,200 gigawatts of total solar- and wind-power capacity by the end of this decade. The country is six years ahead of schedule: China reached 1,050 gigawatts of wind and solar capacity at the end of 2023, and the China Electricity Council forecast last month that capacity would top 1,300 gigawatts by the end of this year.[...]

Transition Zero, a U.K.-based nonprofit that uses satellite images to monitor industrial activity and emissions in China, says the official data are “broadly aligned and consistent" with theirs.[...]

[M]oving China’s timeline for an overall emissions peak forward could shave off around 0.3 to 0.4 degrees Celsius of projected global warming if emissions started to decline next decade, analysts say.[...]

The most certain variable in the equation is the breakneck pace of China’s renewable-energy rollout, which analysts expect will continue to add 200 to 300 gigawatts of new wind and solar capacity a year. The investments in renewable energy have become a major driver of the Chinese economy. The country’s clean-energy spending totaled $890 billion last year, up 40%. [...]

The adoption of electric vehicles is happening so rapidly that analysts say peak gasoline demand in China was already reached last year[!!!].

10 Feb 24

[fatehbaz]

Why should low-carbon projects be permitted to destroy legendary Native American sacred sites? Yakama elders witnessed the construction of The Dalles Dam that flooded and silenced Celilo Falls on the Columbia River. Since time immemorial, Celilo Falls was one of history’s great marketplaces. Multiple tribes had permanent villages near the falls. Thousands of people gathered annually to trade, feast, and participate in games and religious ceremonies over millennia. During spring, this natural monument surged up to 10 times the amount of water that passes over Niagara Falls today.

What must Indigenous people continue to sacrifice for energy development? The Seattle Times editorial board recently announced support for the Goldendale pumped-storage hydroelectric project to benefit the state’s clean-energy portfolio [“Goldendale energy project can help meet state’s clean-energy needs,” Sept. 2, Opinion]. The board constructed an alternate reality where tribal nations could find common ground with the developer and resolve objections to project construction. The board wrote, “A compromise that would allow the project to go forward while respecting tribal concerns would be a benefit for all.” The board ignores the realities of Native American history and the history of this project, which the Confederated Tribes and Bands of Yakama Nation (Yakama Nation) have objected to from the initial development proposal at this site.

The project site is situated on Pushpum — a sacred site to the Yakama Nation, a place where there is an abundance of traditional foods and medicines. The developer’s footprint proposes excavation and trenching over identified Indigenous Traditional Cultural Properties, historic and archaeological resources and access to exercise ceremonial practices and treaty-gathering rights.

Notably, the project site covers the ancestral village site of the Willa-witz-pum Band and the Yakama fishing site called As’num, where Yakama tribal fishermen continue to practice their treaty-fishing rights.

Yakama Nation opposes the development. The developer proposes two, approximately 60-acre reservoirs and associated energy infrastructure within the Columbia Hills near the John Day Dam and an existing wind turbine complex. The majority of the nearly 700 acre site is undeveloped; the lower reservoir would be located on a portion of the former Columbia Gorge Aluminum smelter site. The tribe’s treaty-reserved right to exercise gathering, fishing, ceremony and passing of traditions in the area of the proposed project has existed since time immemorial. The tribe studied mitigation; it is impossible at this site.

Columbia Riverkeeper, and more than a dozen other nonprofits, stand in solidarity with Yakama Nation and oppose the development: The climate crisis does not absolve our moral and ethical responsibilities. Both tribal nations and environmental organizations have worked tirelessly to stop fossil fuel developments and secure monumental climate legislation in the Pacific Northwest. But we refuse to support a sacrifice zone to destroy Native American cultural and sacred sites in the name of combating climate change.

Environmental justice is on the line with the pumped-storage development. Seventeen tribal leaders sent a letter to Gov. Jay Inslee, urging him to reject development permits. The leaders explained, “Our ancestors signed Treaties with the United States, often under threat of violence and death, in exchange for our ancestral lands and sacred places. Through these treaties, we retain the rights to practice and live in our traditional ways in these places. Yet, the promises made by the government have been broken time and time again.”

Earlier this year, the Washington State Office of Equity, located within the governor’s office, released the state’s inaugural five-year Washington State Pro-Equity Anti-Racism Plan & Playbook. Gov. Inslee stated, “We will no longer replicate and reinforce systems, processes and behaviors that lead to inequities and disparities among various communities.” Now is the time to apply the playbook to climate change and energy siting.

There is no room for compromise. The choice is stark: Continue to advance our nation’s and state’s history of sacrificing Indigenous resources through broken promises, or work with tribes committed to tackling the climate crisis while, at the same time, protecting the last remaining sacred sites.

---

Text by: Jeremy Takala and Lauren Goldberg. “Stop sacrificing Indigenous sacred sites in the name of climate change.” The Seattle Times. 25 September 2022.

[seren1tyhaze]

scent

PAIRING: jaehyun x afab reader

WORD COUNT: 1.5k

SUMMARY: you are ready to catch your inconsiderate neighbor who keeps smoking below your open window and what you find surprises you

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I know I owe you all Dive Part 2, I know. Things have gotten in the way of me writing but I am ready to get out of my own head about it. I'm here now and I'm happy to be writing. I'll have Dive Part 2 very soon because most of it's written and a lot of it is in my head, but for now, please take this peace offering of one of my favorite Jaehyun visuals to exist <3 Thank you for all the new followers and the continued love for Dive.

WARNINGS: cigarette smoking, weed smoking reference, explicit smut, carbon copy of Jaehyun from his I Like Me Better cover but hot neighbor version

PLAYLIST: I Like Me Better by Lauv (Jaehyun cover), Cigarette Daydreams by Cage the Elephant, Cigarette by offonoff, Tablo, Miso

~~

A familiar scent tickles your nose, causing you to sneeze violently, three in a rapid fire succession. You slam your knitting project down on your coffee table and peel yourself off the couch and over to your glass sliding door that leads out onto your small apartment balcony. Ripping open the screen door, you lean over the shaky railing to see a strong trail of smoke floating up towards you, knowing the inconsiderate cigarette smoker must be standing below your window at this moment.

For months you have been unable to leave your windows open consistently because despite your building’s policy against smoking, someone has still taken it upon themselves to smoke directly next to the building. You used to enjoy sunny afternoons on your balcony with a glass of lemonade or being able to leave all your windows open for weeks at a time during the pleasant fall months.

You aren’t one to hate on someone else’s relaxation methods - you yourself loved a bong filled with the favorite indica blend your friend grows or a couple gummies on a lazy Saturday in the park. It’s just the scent of cigarettes filling your apartment, clinging onto your clothes and hand knit sweaters air drying in your living room that got on your nerves. Your cat seemed equally annoyed, scrunching up his delicate features whenever the scent would waft in.

You quickly slide into shoes near your door and run down the back stairs of the building, hoping to finally catch the person in the act and give them a piece of your mind. You push open the emergency exit door abruptly and almost run head on into a tall figure, causing you to stumble back and almost fall. A hand is suddenly gripping your forearm, steadying you.

“Whoaaaa, you ok?” comes a low and gravelly voice as you lift your eyes up to meet his.

What you see is startling and not what you imagined. A handsome face with a sharp jaw and lightly styled lavender hair hanging over sparkling eyes looks back at you. His shoulders are broad, covered by a black t-shirt with a small silver cross dangling on top. Black denim is tight on his thighs with slits at the knees, held up by a belt with silver accents. He has a dark sweatshirt draped over his shoulder and he adjusts it slightly as he releases your arm.

“Um…” you start, unable to find your words before the anger flares up in your chest again, seeing an almost finished cigarette held gently in his fingertips.

“No, I’m not!” you continue, pulling your arms tightly across your chest. “Do you have to smoke right below my window almost every day?” you find your voice raising more than you had intended, cheeks flushing deep red as you speak.

He chuckles lightly, taking a final drag from the stick before dropping it to the ground and stamping it out with the toe of his sneaker. He brings the same hand back up to run through his silvery locks, taking a step back to pull the hoodie over his head, tugging the hood up to cover his hair.

“It’s about time you said something,” he mutters, taking a step closer and closing the gap further between you two.

It’s only now that you recognize him. With the black hood covering his hair and silver rings adorning his fingers you realize it’s the same man who always holds the door for you when you arrive home from work at the same time each evening. You often see him heading out to his car early on the weekends and swear you’ve even seen him at your local gym on occasion. You had never caught a whiff of the smoky scent from him before, and now as he invades your personal space, you breathe in deeply.

Despite you having barely spoken with the man, he had become a comforting figure in your life, noticing when he didn’t walk from the parking lot with you and especially when you struggled to balance all your grocery bags and iced coffee at once. Occasionally he would compliment your sweater, scarf, or beanie and you would joke back that you could make him one. The times when you really appreciated his presence were the winter nights when the sun set earlier and you had to make the dark walk from your car. He would always walk in front of you, giving you a warm smile and wave before doing so to reassure you. He would then linger while you checked your mail but not too long to let you go to your door in peace.

You didn’t even know his name or what unit he lived in, but that didn’t stop you from thinking of him late at night when you were bundled up under the covers or during steaming showers in the morning. Your delusional mind had sent you through countless daydreams of him draped across your lap as you made him a dark green beanie to match the hoodie he always wore or gloves to cover his large hands.

Something about the way that his cologne laced hoodie mixes with the cigarette smoke is intoxicating and inviting. The way his eyes are sparkling in the afternoon sun is making your heart race and every trace of anger leaving your previously perturbed mind.

“You…you always hold the door for me,” you mumble back, feeling your legs shuffle you forward even closer.

“I’m your neighbor, Jaehyun,” he replies, flashing a toothy grin that forces adorable dimples to appear on his cheeks.

“Now that I’ve finally gotten your attention, why don’t you let me make it up to you so I don’t have to keep standing out here smoking,” he replies quietly, placing a hand on the side of your neck, thumb brushing up against your jaw gently.

Your lips are on his and kissing with a sense of urgency you didn’t realize you held. His mouth greedily opens for you to slide your tongue in, tasting the bitter tobacco mixed with mint, unable to get enough of the menthol flavor. You slide your hands into the pocket of his hoodie, pulling him closer before slipping them down to grip his ass through his tight jeans.

He smiles against your mouth, applying pressure at your neck with his fingers and finding the hem of your shirt to slide under and stroke your waist gently. As your bodies meld together you feel his hardening length through his pants and groan as he presses into you. Your thighs press together, desperate for friction as he keeps kissing you deeper and deeper, leaving you gasping for air when you finally break apart.

“I thought you were going to make me a beanie,” he laughs against your lips, looping a strong arm around your waist before pulling open the nearby door, peppering your neck with kisses as you both stumbled up the stairs to your apartment.

Once inside, his hands are all over you, ripping at your t-shirt and pulling your sweats down to the floor before pulling you up into his arms. You wrap your legs around his middle tight, sinking your teeth hungrily at his lower lip, eliciting a deep moan from him. You laugh against his mouth, dropping your legs down and letting your feet dig into your hallway carpet again.

“Let’s see how this goes and then we can talk about the beanie,” you reply between kisses, ripping his hoodie and shirt off his body in one motion. Your brain short circuits briefly at his tight abs and broad chest before you turn on your heel and head back towards your bedroom, unclasping your bra as you walk, letting it fall to the ground.

A few hours later your cheek is resting against his bare chest as your cat jumps up on the bed and howls in surprise at the man under your covers. He paws over and starts swatting at his hair, scrunching his nose at the scent held there. He moves to you, sniffing at your skin and finding the same smell, eliciting an annoyed sound he usually made when you were taking too long opening his can of food. You laugh at the cat and push him gently to the edge of the bed where he begrudgingly curls up into a ball with a flick of his tail as a warning.

“Guess he doesn’t like me,” Jaehyun laughs, pulling you closer to him to place a tender kiss on your forehead. 

His lips on your skin brings flashes of how it felt to ride him just moments before, your lips pressed against his as you pulled your body slowly up and down his cock. His large hands had found a home at your lower back, making circles there with your thumbs. He would occasionally drop his mouth to your neck, biting there before moving lower to suck one of your nipples between his soft lips, teeth grazing lightly. You could feel him moan against your skin and pull you closer to him, spurring you on to move faster in his lap.

Pulled back to the present, you shake your head in reply, breathing in deeply as the faint scent of cigarettes fills your nose, mixed with the lingering notes of his peach body wash. Somehow, the way he smells isn’t offensive to you, it’s quite the opposite. 

Maybe you didn’t hate the smell of tobacco after all.

[probablyasocialecologist]

Half the land earmarked for regeneration by the 34-country African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative (AFR100) is in savannah or other non-woodland areas, says a paper published in Science on Thursday.

[...]

“There is a vast area of non-forest across Africa that is earmarked for restoration, principally through tree planting,” said Catherine Parr, a co-author of the paper and an ecologist at Liverpool, Pretoria and Witwatersrand universities. “The focus solely on forests and trees is highly problematic for these non-forest systems.” The AFR100 project seeks to restore at least 100mn hectares of degraded land — an area the size of Egypt — in Africa by 2030, with big plans in countries including Cameroon, Ethiopia, Mali and Sudan. The initiative’s backers include the German government, the World Bank and the non-profit World Resources Institute. But about half of the approximately 130mn hectares that African countries have committed to restore through AFR100 is earmarked for non-forest ecosystems, principally savannahs and grasslands, according to the paper.

[...]

The dispute over the research highlights growing friction over pledges by philanthropists and corporate leaders to plant a trillion trees worldwide. These ambitious plans face obstacles including potential shortages of available land suitable for planting. Other questions concern how effective newly planted trees are at locking in significant amounts of carbon dioxide — and how vulnerable they are to risks such as forest fires. “There’s such a big focus at international level on deforestation, but the level of sophistication and understanding about ecosystems writ large is really low,” said Alex Reid, a policy adviser on nature and finance at Global Witness, a non-profit group.  Some scientists and conservationists argue that it is better to focus on preventing deforestation, by creating incentives to retain woodland areas. Greenhouse gases released by deforestation make up about 11 per cent of global emissions, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. 

[timberwind]

Yarragardee Basin, Mangala, 7995 A.D.

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Accompanying music: You’re On Fire by They Might Be Giants. Summer road trip music of all time, in my opinion.

Here’s a little expository write-up on the history and geography of the worlds shown here. Someday I’ll have more to show of the personal story of these two critters and their travels; until then, a more macro-level description.

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(most of this info has become outdated as modeling invalidated some original assumptions and I changed my mind on what I wanted here; future art of Mangala will reflect this)

Mangala and its sister world Kahira (visible in the background) are binary planets, orbiting one another in a manner not entirely unlike that of Pluto and Charon in the Solar System. Mangala is a relatively small world - just about twenty percent the mass of the Earth, something like if you took two copies of Mars and smushed them together; without the internal heat to drive a carbonate cycle long term, it had long been a frozen, dusty, and arid place when transhumanity first established a permanent presence in the Tahoka system almost a thousand years ago. Since those early days, terraforming using a Birchian soletta system (a huge but foil-thin Fresnel lens of mirrors, with a secondary focal lens for burning atmospheric gasses out of the regolith) has rendered it shirtsleeve habitable to baseline humans across much of the surface, although the global water inventory remains low* and the air in the “continental” uplands is stratospheric, with only the hardiest lichens establishing a foothold. Most of Mangala’s major metropolitan areas are located in the deep rift valleys and basins, where air pressure is highest.

Kahira on the other hand, a rock almost a fifth the mass of its sister world (a little under the mass of old Mercury), remains only slightly terraformed - surface conditions are persistently cold, with a thin barely-Martian atmosphere. Some of its larger rift valleys and craters have been tented over, aerated, and planted with tall low-gravity forest and grassland, a style of habitat construction dating back to the first Mars colonists almost six thousand years ago. Industrial complexes and buried cities sprawl out across the bare surface of the moon, with huge low-gravity lava tubes seeing extensive urban development.

The Yarragardee Basin, pictured above, is a graben basin in Mangala’s northern hemisphere, notable for the historic industrial city of Tirupati - here we see two road-trippers between cities on the basin’s great plain, taking a break in the long late afternoon of a sunset-day***. Having stopped for a night at a motel near Tirupati’s aerospace complex, they’re now continuing their journey to the city of Redmond-Tonasket, located in the Woronora Valles trench system about two thousand kilometers to the southwest.

* While plenty of water could have been imported from Tahoka’s cometary halo, it was decided not to do so in order to avoid inundating pre-existing cities in the valleys and deep basins. The extremely humid hothouse conditions that come after slamming dismantled ice moons through the stratosphere at over six kilometers a second were also broadly considered unacceptable.

** Smaller worlds have been terraformed in transhuman space, both by worldhouse and more open-air methods, but it’s largely the kind of thing that much more energy-rich systems do as a vanity project. Kahira may someday see blue skies, but likely not for a thousand years at least. (edit, one year later: I actually changed up some of this while simulating this system for stability. I’ll be posting more about this soon.)

*** Mangala and Kahira, being tidally locked to each other such that they always show one another the same face as they orbit their common center of mass, both have days exactly as long as their orbital periods - 403 kiloseconds, or roughly 112 hours. This is for convenience divided into month-weeks comprising four “circadian days” of 100 kiloseconds (~26 hours), with the remaining three kiloseconds added on to the last day of a month-week to keep synchronization.

[batboyblog]

Things the Biden-Harris Administration Did This Week #28

July 19-26 2024

The EPA announced the award of $4.3 billion in Climate Pollution Reduction Grants. The grants support community-driven solutions to fight climate change, and accelerate America’s clean energy transition. The grants will go to 25 projects across 30 states, and one tribal community. When combined the projects will reduce greenhouse gas pollution by as much as 971 million metric tons of CO2, roughly the output of 5 million American homes over 25 years. Major projects include $396 million for Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection as it tries to curb greenhouse gas emissions from industrial production, and $500 million for transportation and freight decarbonization at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

The Biden-Harris Administration announced a plan to phase out the federal government's use of single use plastics. The plan calls for the federal government to stop using single use plastics in food service operations, events, and packaging by 2027, and from all federal operations by 2035. The US government is the single largest employer in the country and the world’s largest purchaser of goods and services. Its move away from plastics will redefine the global market.

The White House hosted a summit on super pollutants with the goals of better measuring them and dramatically reducing them. Roughly half of today's climate change is caused by so called super pollutants, methane, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), and nitrous oxide (N2O). Public-private partnerships between NOAA and United Airlines, The State Department and NASA, and the non-profit Carbon Mapper Coalition will all help collect important data on these pollutants. While private firms announced with the White House plans that by early next year will reduce overall U.S. industrial emissions of nitrous oxide by over 50% from 2020 numbers. The summit also highlighted the EPA's new rule to reduce methane from oil and gas by 80%.

The EPA announced $325 million in grants for climate justice. The Community Change Grants Program, powered by President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act will ultimately bring $2 billion dollars to disadvantaged communities and help them combat climate change. Some of the projects funded in this first round of grant were: $20 million for Midwest Tribal Energy Resources Association, which will help weatherize and energy efficiency upgrade homes for 35 tribes in Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, $14 million to install onsite wastewater treatment systems throughout 17 Black Belt counties in Alabama, and $14 million to urban forestry, expanding tree canopy in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

The Department of Interior approved 3 new solar projects on public land. The 3 projects, two in Nevada and one in Arizona, once finished could generate enough to power 2 million homes. This comes on top of DoI already having beaten its goal of 25 gigawatts of clean energy projects by the end of 2025, in April 2024. This is all part of President Biden’s goal of creating a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035. 

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen pledged $667 million to global Pandemic Fund. The fund set up in 2022 seeks to support Pandemic prevention, and readiness in low income nations who can't do it on their own. At the G20 meeting Yellen pushed other nations of the 20 largest economies to double their pledges to the $2 billion dollar fund. Yellen highlighted the importance of the fund by saying "President Biden and I believe that a fully-resourced Pandemic Fund will enable us to better prevent, prepare for, and respond to pandemics – protecting Americans and people around the world from the devastating human and economic costs of infectious disease threats,"

The Departments of the Interior and Commerce today announced a $240 million investment in tribal fisheries in the Pacific Northwest. This is in line with an Executive Order President Biden signed in 2023 during the White House Tribal Nations Summit to mpower Tribal sovereignty and self-determination. An initial $54 million for hatchery maintenance and modernization will be made available for 27 tribes in Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. The rest will be invested in longer term fishery projects in the coming years.

The IRS announced that thanks to funding from President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act, it'll be able to digitize much of its operations. This means tax payers will be able to retrieve all their tax related information from one source, including Wage & Income, Account, Record of Account, and Return transcripts, using on-line Individual Online Account.

The IRS also announced that New Jersey will be joining the direct file program in 2025. The direct file program ran as a pilot in 12 states in 2024, allowing tax-payers in those states to file simple tax returns using a free online filing tool directly with the IRS. In 2024 140,000 Americans were able to file this way, they collectively saved $5.6 million in tax preparation fees, claiming $90 million in returns. The average American spends $270 and 13 hours filing their taxes. More than a million people in New Jersey alone will qualify for direct file next year. Oregon opted to join last month. Republicans in Congress lead by Congressmen Adrian Smith of Nebraska and Chuck Edwards of North Carolina have put forward legislation to do away with direct file.

Bonus: American law enforcement arrested co-founder of the Sinaloa Cartel, Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada. El Mayo co-founded the cartel in the 1980s along side Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán. Since El Chapo's incarceration in the United States in 2019, El Mayo has been sole head of the Sinaloa Cartel. Authorities also arrested El Chapo's son, Joaquin Guzman Lopez. The Sinaloa Cartel has been a major player in the cross border drug trade, and has often used extreme violence to further their aims.

[livvidaloca]

what!? liv made human designs for the watterson family again!? yes, she did, and here’s her train of thought for these under the cut:

so, these are actually for my fic that i’m writing on ao3 in which gumball finds himself transported to another universe in which everyone is a human after the events of the inquisition. this is why there’s very few animal traits on any of them, or magically colored anime hair. i wanted them to look like people who could exist and walk around.

in this, nicole is blasian and richard is a white latino (with frankie being white non-latino and jojo being latina). (also these headcanons were based on a lot of convos with some of my friends back in the day, i don’t remember anyone’s reasonings for these but they’ve been true for so long in my brain) gumball and anais are mixed, and i tried to nod to gumball taking more after nicole and anais taking more after richard without making them carbon copies. and then darwin of course is black thats just canon

as for their designs themselves, i’ll start with nicole. i tried to make her look decently muscular (although the simplistic style i used doesn’t exactly show it off). her blue bandana and shoes are obviously a nod to her canon design, so she doesn’t look like an entirely different character. as for her hairstyle i looked into relatively low-maintenance styles, since she’s a busy woman! and her hair is starting to gray from all that STRESS!

richard’s design is the most straightforward, yet it took me the longest because i was never satisfied with how it was turning out. i’m still not sure if i’m crazy about it. all i know is that i was dead set on making him bald, since there’s literally a whole episode about that. I didn’t commit all the way because the design without any hair was making me lose my mind. i gave him some freckles as a nod to his whiskers because they’re a lot more prominent than nicole’s (which is why she doesn’t have any). this also translated to gumball’s design. also, how could i ignore the obvious choice and not give him pink bunny slippers!? it fits him so well!

gumball was fairly easy for me, because i kinda always have human designs for him in mind. i always give him those blue sneakers because duh, and i always give him dyed-blue hair that he visibly doesn’t maintain. i always had this human-version-only headcanon that gumball BEGGED to dye his hair for the longest time, and nicole finally allowed it on the condition that he’d keep up with it on his own. he didn’t. classic gumball

darwin’s design is also usually an easy one for me. big orange hoodie, green shorts and sneakers. this time i also made the decision to have his hair tied up to resemble his little fin. it’s not really visible with their clothes and stuff blocking the original sketch, but i also tried to make his legs a little bit lankier than gumball’s, just to make them appear longer like they are in the show.

as for anais, i always have trouble nailing the design without it looking like a completely different character. i cant dye her hair pink, because she’s supposed to be four, but i also can’t give her pink shoes, because she’s of course the only one who actually has shoes! then i remembered ribbons and my day was saved. still not sure if i’m completely sold on her design yet, though. i think she looks a little older than four.

anyways, i’m planning on doing other designs like these with other characters! let me know if you’re interested. as for that fic, here’s the link:

[reasonsforhope]

"The amount of electricity generated by the UK’s gas and coal power plants fell by 20% last year, with consumption of fossil fuels at its lowest level since 1957.

Not since Harold Macmillan was the UK prime minister and the Beatles’ John Lennon and Paul McCartney met for the first time has the UK used less coal and gas.

The UK’s gas power plants last year generated 31% of the UK’s electricity, or 98 terawatt hours (TWh), according to a report by the industry journal Carbon Brief, while the UK’s last remaining coal plant produced enough electricity to meet just 1% of the UK’s power demand or 4TWh.

Fossil fuels were squeezed out of the electricity system by a surge in renewable energy generation combined with higher electricity imports from France and Norway and a long-term trend of falling demand.

Higher power imports last year were driven by an increase in nuclear power from France and hydropower from Norway in 2023. This marked a reversal from 2022 when a string of nuclear outages in France helped make the UK a net exporter of electricity for the first time.

Carbon Brief found that gas and coal power plants made up just over a third of the UK’s electricity supplies in 2023, while renewable energy provided the single largest source of power to the grid at a record 42%.

It was the third year this decade that renewable energy sources, including wind, solar, hydro and biomass power, outperformed fossil fuels [in the UK], according to the analysis. Renewables and Britain’s nuclear reactors, which generated 13% of electricity supplies last year, helped low-carbon electricity make up 55% of the UK’s electricity in 2023.

[Note: "Third year this decade" refers to the UK specifically, not global; there are several countries that already run on 100% renewable energy, and more above 90% renewable. Also, though, there have only been four years this decade so far! So three out of four is pretty good!]

Dan McGrail, the chief executive of RenewableUK, said the data shows “the central role that wind, solar and other clean power sources are consistently playing in Britain’s energy transition”.

“We’re working closely with the government to accelerate the pace at which we build new projects and new supply chains in the face of intense global competition, as everyone is trying to replicate our success,” McGrail said.

Electricity from fossil fuels was two-thirds lower in 2023 compared with its peak in 2008, according to Carbon Brief. It found that coal has dropped by 97% and gas by 43% in the last 15 years.

Coal power is expected to fall further in 2024 after the planned shutdown of Britain’s last remaining coal plant in September. The Ratcliffe on Soar coal plant, owned by the German utility Uniper, is scheduled to shut before next winter after generating power for over 55 years.

Renewable energy has increased sixfold since 2008 as the UK has constructed more wind and solar farms, and the large Drax coal plant has converted some of its generating units to burn biomass pellets.

Electricity demand has tumbled by 22% since its peak in 2005, according to the data, as part of a long-term trend driven by more energy efficient homes and appliances as well as a decline in the UK’s manufacturing sector.

Demand for electricity is expected to double as the UK aims to cut emissions to net zero by 2050 because the plan relies heavily on replacing fossil fuel transport and heating with electric alternatives.

In recent weeks [aka at the end of 2023], offshore wind developers have given the green light to another four large windfarms in UK waters, including the world’s largest offshore windfarm at Hornsea 3, which will be built off the North Yorkshire coast by Denmark’s Ørsted."

-via The Guardian, January 2, 2024

[world-of-wales]

BREAKING NEWS -

THE PRINCE OF WALES'S SOCIAL HOUSING PROJECT!

The Prince of Wales will build a £3m social housing development on his own land to tackle homelessness, delivering on his pledge in my interview with him last year that he would "absolutely" put social housing on the Duchy of Cornwall estate.

The development in Nansledan, a suburb of Newquay, the Cornish seaside town famous for its surfing, will include a mix of four-bedroom houses and one-bedroom flats.

The duchy, will supply the land for the project free of charge and cover all construction costs. It will also invest in local infrastructure, including a bus link and connections to electricity, water and superfast broadband.

The new low-carbon homes will feature slate roofs, granite lintels, solar panels, heat pumps and colourful timber windows. It will be built in a “traditional Cornish seaside” style, designed by Adam Architecture and local firm ALA Architects.

Prince William, who launched Homewards UK last year, is looking at more projects on his land. He wants other landowners to follow suit and build more social housing. William is also working with St Petrocs to offer residents “wraparound” support services in addition to housing.

Kensington Palace said: “The prince is delighted that the duchy is using the Homewards approach as inspiration for building this innovative housing project, partnering with St Petrocs to find ways of ultimately getting people into permanent housing.

“It is exactly what he wants to do and for him it’s another example that if we can show people here and in other countries what is possible, maybe others will follow our lead. The prince hopes that every town and city in the country will take inspiration from this project.”

https://archive.ph/2024.02.17-182818/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/prince-william-land-social-homes-project-royal-family-vtv7x6vjc

[yourqueenb]

No one:

PB writing their Inside Choices blogs:

It’s getting hot in the writer’s room… And it’s all because of our upcoming VIP release — Smut By Another Name! So book team, what can you tell us about this steamy new story?

Berry: You have just moved into a new town to start your new job. Hard-working and eager to please, you hope things go smoothly so that you can prove yourself. But what will happen when your brooding boss makes you a sexy offer you can’t refuse?

Ooooh, how interesting! I wonder what that offer could be. 🤔 Speaking of, who is this brooding boss of ours?

Jane Doe: A billionaire with an attitude, Dixon Balzac always gets what they want and has no issues with breaking a rule or two. As the CEO, they know their way around the boardroom. But as God’s gift to women, they also know their way around the bedroom. *wink wink*

Joe Schmoe: Dixon loves to throw their weight and their wallet around, which becomes very clear after they set their sights on you. But I think players will be surprised to find that there’s more to them than meets the eye. What secrets do they have? And will you be brave enough to get down and dirty in order to find out?

Wow, we’re swooning already! Are there any other characters we should be excited about or on the lookout for?

Tom: Honestly, you should absolutely get excited about your character! Don’t let her innocence and inexperience fool you! MC might need a moment to find her footing. But once she does, she’s a headstrong woman who isn’t afraid of responding with a little sass when the situation calls for it.

Dick: Be on the lookout for your new project manager! As a perfectionist and Dixon’s wife, there’s no telling when she’ll pop up with 10 pages worth of notes on your latest assignment or nosy questions about the nature of you and Dixon’s budding relationship.

Berry: I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m super excited for players to meet our crazy quirky cast of supporting characters, especially one uber prepared best friend! Dressia is always there for you whether you need relationship advice or a hot new outfit to impress a special someone.

Hot new outfits you say? What can we expect from the closet in this book? Give us the scoop!

Jane Doe: Since this book puts the “sin” in “business”, you can expect some very risqué office wear. Low-cut blouses, rising hemlines, lacy thigh highs, oh my! If Dixon Balzac were my boss, I’d definitely stock my real life closet with these outfits.

We can barely contain our excitement! Okay, last question: What did the writing team use as inspiration for this titillating title?

Berry: The team had so much fun perusing classics, modern bestsellers, and popular Wattpad stories alike! We found a little bit of inspiration in every single one, which has allowed us to create a totally original, not at all carbon copied new book for our catalogue. So we hope you enjoy it!

And there you have it, folks! Keep your eyes peeled for Smut By Another Name, releasing next Friday! 🍓

[macbethsymphony]

The Swordsman and the Blacksmith | Chapter 5

Roronoa Zoro x Reader

Chapter wc: 3.1k

Chapter rating: SFW

Content/Warnings: NSFW, 18+, Fem!Reader, Enemies to lovers, SLOW slow burn, Eventual smut

Summary: Your skills as a blacksmith have made you desirable to both the government and pirates. You know you have to leave this island if you want to escape your fate, but that doesn't make the choice of leaving any easier. Roronoa Zoro is intrigued by your skills as a blacksmith. Your work is like nothing he's ever seen before. Unfortunately, you're hot-headed and he's rude and you both definitely hate each other.

Chapters [1] [2] [3] [4]

Masterlist

Slowly crossposting from AO3 Feel like binging the rest of it? it's all there!

Chapter 5: The knife

The gentle caress of the sea breeze tousled your hair as you savored the rich aroma of your morning coffee. You’d woken up unusually early today, the prospect of getting your hands on steel again, to start creating, firing your spirit. Something had shifted in you after that argument, you felt free. No one had admonished either of you for the outburst, laughing and teasing you about it instead. It felt as though they were happy you’d finally let go of your reservations and let your true self peek through. You leaned on the railing of the quarter deck as you observed the activity below you.

Your eyes couldn’t help but follow the shirtless swordsman as he practiced his forms. You may hate the man, but you could see why Sandai Kitetsu had chosen him. It pissed you off to admit it, but you were sure he also had every right to Wado Ichimonji and Shusui. There was a rugged elegance to his movements, raw power that demanded attention. The fluidity and control of his haki coursing through the blades was incredible. You were more than certain he was deadly in a fight.  

“Hey! Asshole! Show me your swords.” You called out to him.

He glanced up at you, a scowl forming on his features at the interruption. “No,” he shouted back.

Rolling your eyes, you leaned further against the railing, your irritation mounting. “Aw, come on. Don’t be such a fucking prick about it.” You retorted, your words laced with frustration.

The swordsman’s only response was his middle finger before he turned back to the movement he was trying to master.

You scoffed. Didn’t matter, you’d decided today was going to be a good day. You pushed yourself away from the railing, heading towards your forge with a spring in your step. The fires had to be hot enough now to get started. You hummed to yourself, smile bright on your face.

The heat of the forge enveloped you like a warm embrace as you stepped into the small workshop aboard the Thousand Sunny. Beads of sweat formed on your brow, a testament to the intense heat radiating from the roaring flames. With a determined expression, you approached your sturdy workbench, where a stack of raw steel awaited your skilled hands.

Your eyes wandered across the multitude of options presented before you. They stopped on a smaller slab, it seemed to call to you. Taking a deep breath, you picked it up. The familiar coolness of the metal felt nice in your palm.

“What will you be?” You asked the bar, eyeing it gently.

You closed your eyes, feeling the weight in your grasp, finding its core, its essence. You turned it a few times in your hands, feeling for its quirks, its personality. You smiled as a picture formed in your mind.

“A knife, huh?” you said to the steel. “You want to be useful, don’t you?” You could honor that. “Don’t worry, I’ll find you a most passionate owner,” you told it, Sanji passing your mind.

You examined the steel more thoroughly. It was mild steel, its low-carbon content would make it perfect for the outer shell of a kitchen knife. You’d still have to reinforce it with a high carbon core to ensure durability over the years. Good. It wouldn’t be too hard, the perfect project to test this new forge.

You donned on your leather apron and gloves, taking a long linen cloth to cover your hair so it didn’t burn at the contact of the imminent sparks that would scatter in the workshop. The steps were now clear in your mind, you wasted no time in getting started, eager to craft a blade worthy of the chef’s culinary skills.

With a steady hand and focused mind, you retrieved a length of high-carbon steel, feeling its weight and potential beneath your fingertips. You immersed it into the searing heat of the fire, precision and purpose in your quick movements. The rhythmic cadence of the flames cast a familiar warm hue on your face as you impatiently waited for the steel to turn from a dull gray to a glowing fiery orange.

When the steel attained the desired temperature, you carefully took it out of the fire, setting it on the anvil with care. Your hand went to the hilt of your hammer, its familiar weight feeling like an extension of your very being. You closed your eyes, letting go of the turmoil of your mind. You took a deep breath in as you drew from the strength of your soul, allowing haki to flow through you, infusing your tool with power. As you exhaled, a sense of calm washed over you, your focus honing to a razor-sharp point.

With a resounding clang, the first strike of your hammer against the hot steel sent a shockwave of power rippling through the air. Sparks erupting in a dazzling display, mingling with the crackling dark spirals of your haki as they danced around you. Each strike was a symphony of strength and skill, the metal yielding beneath the relentless force of your blows.

 Once you were satisfied with the core’s shape, you turned your attention to the mild steel. As you worked, the heat of the forge faded into the background, replaced by a singular focus on the task at hand. Time seemed to blur as you lost yourself in the rhythm of the forge, outside world melting away until only you and the metal remained into existence.

With a final strike on the combined metals, the shape of the knife was complete. It was time to start the grinding process. You allowed your eyes to look out the door momentarily, eyes squinting against the brightness of the midday sun. A tray with a pitcher and some food had been left on a small bench, you realized with a start that you’d missed lunch.

As you devoured the offering hastily, you couldn't help but feel slight anxiety at the hope the cook would like this gift. The scorching heat of the forge brought you back to reality. You were ready to lose yourself in your work again, eager to see how the patterns of the steel would show up as you would grind away the scales that had formed on the surface of the cooled steel. With renewed vigor, you turned your attention back to the knife in progress.

With a flip of a switch, the grinding belt hummed to life, its rhythmic whir echoing in the confined space of the workshop. You took a moment to admire the patterns emerging on the surface of the steel as the scales were meticulously ground away. Each pass revealed the intricate layers, a testament to the fusion of high carbon and mild steel. The blade began to take on a life of its own, its unique design coming to fruition under your skilled hands.

Hours passed, the repetitive sound of grinding becoming a soothing background melody as you lost yourself in the meditative process. The knife, once a mere slab of metal, now started to embody the essence of your craftsmanship. The curves and edges spoke of precision, a harmony born from the dance of the forge.

With the grinding phase completed, you moved on to the critical step of heat-treating the blade. You carefully heated it until it glowed a vibrant red, then plunged it into a quenching oil bath, the sizzle and hiss filling the air. The transformation was underway, the blade evolving from raw potential to sleek excellence.

As the knife cooled, you couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. The next steps involved the delicate processes of polishing and etching, adding the final touches to your creation. The blade was brought to a fine shine, and you meticulously etched a decorative mermaid pattern onto its surface, a subtle yet captivating addition that shined when the light hit it at the perfect angle.

Now, the knife was ready for its handle. You sifted through your collection of materials until you found a rich, dark wood that complemented the elegance of the black blade. With practiced hands, you shaped and polished the handle, ensuring a comfortable grip for its future owner.

The final assembly brought together the blade and handle in a seamless union. You marveled at the completed knife, a fusion of craftsmanship and passion. It held a story within its layers, a narrative of hours spent in the forge, shaping not just steel but a piece of your soul.

As you cleaned and arranged your tools, you noticed the sun beginning to dip below the horizon. The workshop was now bathed in the warm hues of the sunset. You couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment as you wrapped the finished knife in a clean linen cloth. You wondered for a moment if it was too late in the day to present your gift to the cook but the echo of laughter coming from the galley told you otherwise.

Your feet carried you to the door of the kitchen eagerly, anticipation making your hands tremble in the slightest way. You stopped in front of the door gathering your courage as you listened in on the loud conversation.

“Did you see the way (Y/n) was handling that hammer? It was like magic!” Luffy exclaimed, his voice full of excitement.

You shifted awkwardly at the praise.

Usopp chimed in, his tone filled in awe. “Yeah! And did you see the sparks flying everywhere? It was like she was conjuring magic right before our eyes!”

Sanji’s smooth voice drifted through the air. “Ahhh, (Y/n) may have been covered in soot and sweat, but the elegance she was exerting was as captivating as a siren’s song.” He mused.

“I have to admit, I knew you weren’t lying Luffy” Nami said taking a pause to find the right words. “When you said she was impressive, I didn’t doubt it, but I never could have guessed it would be so extraordinary.” She finished, tone stunned in awe.

Your hand stilled on the doorknob, blush heating your cheeks at the words of admiration.

Robin’s gentle laughter followed. “Indeed, she possesses quite the unique ability. Watching her work is delightful.”

Franky’s booming voice resonated next. “I’ve seen my fair share of blacksmiths in action, but none compare to (Y/n)! Our little firecracker’s skills are really SUPER!"

Chopper’s enthusiastic squeal added to the chorus of praise. “I can’t believe how talented (Y/n) is! She’s like a superhero! I wonder what she’s been making.”

You took that as your sign to come in, opening the door.

“Oh! (Y/n)! You’re finally out!” Brook said delighted by your presence.

“You’re just in time for dessert,” Sanji said with a smile.

You cleared your throat. “Uhm actually Sanji, I have something for you.” You said. He turned back to you, curiosity in his eyes. “I really want to thank all of you for taking me on, I just… guess you’re the first person to receive my appreciation.” You continued shyly as you handed him the wrapped blade, apprehension keeping your body taut.

Sanji’s eyes widened as he unwrapped the finely crafted knife. The black blade gleamed in the warm light of the galley, mermaid pattern glowing in a purplish hue. Sanji gave it an expert twirl in his hand, feeling the balance of the blade. The handle, polished to perfection, felt smooth and comfortable in his grasp.

“For me?” Sanji asked, his usual playful demeanor momentarily replaced by genuine surprise. The crew fell silent, their eyes fixed on the knife, its aura demanding all the attention.

“I know you already have amazing knives, but I thought maybe you’d have some space for one more?” You said nervously.

“(Y/n)! This is incredible! I’ve never seen anything like this. Thank you so much!” Sanji exclaimed with a childish smile.

You couldn’t help but smile at his reaction, all tension leaving your shoulders.

“Let me see!” Usopp said excitedly.

“Me too!” Chopper chimed in. Everyone fighting playfully to see your hard work for themselves.

As you settled into your chair, weariness seeped into your bones, a heavy weight after a long day of forging. The lively banter of your crewmates provided a comforting backdrop, but you couldn't shake the sense of exhaustion that washed over you like a tidal wave.

Out of the corner of your eye, you caught the swordsman's gaze lingering on you, an unknown intensity that sent a shiver down your spine. Yet, in your current state of fatigue, you lacked the energy to address the unfamiliar tension. With a resigned sigh, you loosened the bindings of your hair, allowing it to cascade in soft waves over your shoulders, a small act of surrender to the fatigue that engulfed you.

Just as you began to sink into the solace of relaxation, Nami's voice pierced through the tranquility of your mind, jolting you back to the present. "By the way, (Y/n)," She said. "We've spotted the next island today. We'll probably make a stop tomorrow, but it looks like a Navy base," she informed you, her tone laced with a hint of concern. "We're getting pretty low on food, so we'll have to steal some from them. The whole routine is pretty standard to us, but we were wondering... Do you know how to fight?" She asked.

Her question hung in the air, casting a sobering shadow over the jovial atmosphere. It was a stark reminder of the choices you’d taken. And yet, amidst the uncertainty, there was a glimmer of trust in her inquiry, a silent acknowledgment of your role within the crew.

You paused, considering her words carefully. “I’m not a fighter, if that’s what you’re asking.” You said. “But I know how to defend myself.”

“Good! We’ll add you in the roster then!” She responded. “We usually let chance pick the different teams for those missions, so don’t worry too much about it! You might even get to stay on the ship!” She smiled at you.

You smiled back. A navy base, huh? That would prove interesting.

Roronoa Zoro couldn’t help the irritation stirring within him as the shitty cook unveiled the knife. His brows furrowed as he watched the genuine expression of delight on the chef’s face as the man twirled the blade skillfully in his hand.

He scoffed inwardly at the display. The blade was black, haki infused. His fingers twitched. He hated to admit it but how he longed to hold the blade. He shifted uncomfortably, his scowl deepening at the excitement around him. His gaze wandered to the door, contemplating slipping away unnoticed.

But then, his eyes landed on you.

There you stood, a faint smile playing on your lips as you watched Sanji’s reaction with a mixture of relief and nervousness. Your hair was wrapped in a white linen cloth, soft strands had escaped the confines of the binding, opting to cling to your sweat covered skin. A soft blush of happiness adorned your rosy cheeks mixed with streaks of ashes. You hadn’t really bothered cleaning up before coming in, your eagerness to give the knife surpassing all else. Your eyes met his briefly as you let the bindings of your hair go. Zoro couldn’t help the strange flutter in his chest, a strange sensation he couldn’t quite place. His irritation redoubled, ready to fight. You were lost in a conversation with Nami.

With a scowl Zoro stood up, grabbed a random bottle of booze, and escaped the cheerful ambiance of the galley for his usual peaceful nook in the crow’s nest.

That morning, they had all been surprised as the first clank of your hammer against steel had resonated in the air. A wave of energy had coursed through their bodies, Zoro’s concentration shattered instantly. The air had felt thick, the wind had halted, it was as though time had stopped. Then your hammer had hit steel once again and existence had resumed.

He had been caught so off guard by the display of power that he hadn’t been able to get his concentration back for the rest of the day. He’d sheathed his swords and headed to the crow’s nest with every intention of sleeping the day away. But like everyone else he hadn’t been able to resist the temptation to observe you in your mastery. His eyes had remained glued to your form, observing you from high up.

With a frustrated groan, Zoro took a swig from the bottle of booze he’d taken with him. The familiar sharp bite of the alcohol burning his throat in a comforting manner. He leaned back against the railing, his gaze fixed on the twilight sky as he attempted to push aside the turmoil of his thoughts.

The wind ruffled his short hair as he attempted to draw out his haki, trying to mirror the way you inexplicably had done earlier in the day.

“Damn it,” He muttered under his breath as he let go in failure, taking another swig out of the bottle as if to drown out his thoughts.

But try as he might, he couldn’t shake the image of you standing there amidst the chaos of the forge, soft strands of hair plastered against your neck, face streaked with sweat and ashes. The raw power dancing around you had been mesmerizing.

Zoro watched as one by one, the crew went to bed. He itched to see the knife for himself.

Giving in to the temptation, he entered the kitchen. His gaze immediately caught the knife. The black blade glinted in the soft light of the moon. As he approached, he could feel the subtle hum of haki emanating from the metal. His hand hesitated momentarily before picking it up.

His rough fingers traced the edge of the blade, the smoothness of the black steel beneath his touch sending a shiver down his spine. For a moment he was lost in the intricate patterns etched on its surface, the mermaid design captivating his attention. He gave it a hesitant twirl. Once. Twice. The balance was stunning, the sharpness of the edge deadly. It was a blade born not just from skill but from passion, a fact that irked him more than he cared to admit. He let his hand clench around the handle of the knife. The shape was perfect, it felt like an extension of his arm.

“It’s a stunning blade, isn’t it?” Robin’s voice shattered the silence.

He let go of the knife in surprise. The clank as it fell back down on the counter, loud in the stillness of the night.

“It is,” he admitted turning to face her.

“Sanji’s a lucky man,” she said with a soft smile, taunting him.

He didn’t answer.

Robin rolled her eyes at his stubbornness.

“Why don’t you let her look at your swords?” She asked as he was about to pass her. Zoro stopped in his tracks. “None, of your business,” he snapped, irritation lacing his words as he left the galley.

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