#ocean-friendly products

[techdriveplay]

The Shocking Truth About Sunscreen: Why Reef-Safe Sunscreen Is a Traveler’s Must-Have

Ecotourism may be a new trend, but it mustn’t be a passing one. When planning an ocean destination vacation, few people consider it their responsibility to maintain that beauty for future generations. With one tiny change to the packing list, beach-goers can help protect our oceans and reduce the loss of coral reefs. The secret isn’t taking a reusable water bottle instead of a disposable one. It…

[investoropia]

FISKER DELIVERS FIRST 22 FISKER OCEAN SUVS, Establishing Presence in Competitive EV Market

Fisker Inc. achieves a major milestone by delivering the highly anticipated Fisker Ocean SUV to customers in the United States. Explore the groundbreaking features, sustainability, and investment potential of Fisker in the rapidly growing electric vehicle sector

Fisker Ocean SUV:

Innovation and Unmatched Features: The Fisker Ocean SUV represents a groundbreaking leap in automotive innovation. Designed to offer a sustainable and luxurious driving experience, it is equipped with cutting-edge features and impressive performance capabilities. Boasting a class-leading range of up to 360 miles, it surpasses other electric SUVs in its category. The SUV's all-wheel drive system and dual-motor setup deliver exceptional power and acceleration, providing a thrilling driving experience that surpasses traditional internal combustion

Read More

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Mastering the 5 EMA: A Powerful Indicator for Analyzing Price Trends

#Fisker #ElectricVehicles #Sustainability #Innovation #CustomerSatisfaction #InvestmentOpportunity #FuturePlans #Expansion #EVMarket

[weareoceanr]

A Lasting Impression with Luxury Hospitality Uniforms for Your Staff

Elevate your business with bespoke Luxury Hospitality Uniforms that reflect sophistication and professionalism. Whether for hotels, resorts, or high-end service environments, our custom uniforms offer both style and comfort. Crafted with attention to detail, these uniforms are designed to enhance your brand image while providing functionality and durability for your team.

[noisycowboyglitter]

"10 Playful 'Tis The Sea Sun Summer' Designs for Your Next Vacation"

"Tis The Sea Sun Summer" is a playful phrase that cleverly combines the holiday-inspired "Tis the Season" with beachy summer elements. This catchy slogan encapsulates the essence of carefree summer

days spent by the ocean, under the warm sun.

Buy now:19.95$

The phrase evokes images of golden sand beaches, crystal-clear waters, and cloudless blue skies. It speaks to the joy of seaside activities like swimming, surfing, building sandcastles, and lounging under colorful umbrellas. The "Sea Sun" wordplay emphasizes the two key elements of a perfect beach day: the refreshing sea and the radiant sun.

This slogan could be used for various summer-related products or services, such as beach apparel, sunscreen, tropical vacations, or seaside restaurants. It's perfect for marketing campaigns, t-shirt designs, or social media hashtags aimed at beach lovers and summer enthusiasts.

"Tis The Sea Sun Summer" captures the laid-back, cheerful attitude associated with summer breaks. It reminds people to embrace the season, soak up the sun, enjoy the ocean, and make the most of the warm weather. The phrase serves as a celebration of summer's simple pleasures and the joyful, relaxed lifestyle that comes with seaside living.

Buy now

"Melon Christmas In July" is a quirky concept that blends the festive spirit of Christmas with the refreshing essence of summer melons. This unique celebration flips traditional holiday notions on their head, creating a fun, tropical twist on yuletide cheer.

Instead of snowflakes and hot cocoa, picture watermelon slices and chilled melon balls. Christmas trees might be adorned with miniature melon ornaments or strings of cantaloupe-shaped lights. Santa could trade his heavy red suit for a Hawaiian shirt, delivering gifts in a surfboard-sleigh pulled by flamingos.

This theme is perfect for summer parties, especially in the Southern Hemisphere where December is actually hot. It could inspire creative cocktails, like watermelon mojitos garnished with mint "holly", or melon-based desserts shaped like Christmas puddings.

Buy now

"Melon Christmas In July" embodies a playful spirit, encouraging people to embrace joy and celebration regardless of the season, while savoring the sweet, juicy flavors of summer.

Small Christmas gift ideas focus on thoughtful presents that pack a big impact in a compact package. These gifts are perfect for stockings, office exchanges, or as add-ons to larger presents.

Popular options include scented candles, gourmet chocolates, artisanal soaps, or miniature succulents. Tech enthusiasts might appreciate portable chargers or wireless earbuds. For book lovers, consider pocket-sized editions of classics or gift cards to bookstores.

Buy now

Personalized items like engraved keychains or custom ornaments add a special touch. Practical gifts such as stylish socks, compact tools, or travel-sized skincare sets are always appreciated.

Small gifts can also be experiential, like movie tickets or gift certificates for local cafes. The key is choosing items that reflect the recipient's interests while fitting in a small package.

[market-insider]

Sailing towards Sustainability: Recycled Ocean Plastics Market Dynamics

The global recycled ocean plastics market size is expected to reach USD 2.91 billion by 2030. Growing marine plastic waste is anticipated to drive the growth of the industry over the forecast period. According to a report by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), plastic accounts for 85% of all marine litter. By 2040, 23 to 37 million metric tons of waste will be added into the ocean per year which will triple the amount of plastic waste in oceans.

Gain deeper insights on the market and receive your free copy with TOC now @: Recycled Ocean Plastics Market Report

In oceans, plastic waste injures and kills seabirds, fish, and marine mammals because of ingestion, suffocation, starvation, infection, drowning, and entanglement. The sea turtles are the most affected because of plastic pollution because of entanglement in ghost gear and suffocation. The human population is also at risk as plastics enter the human body through the food chain. Microplastics can also be inhaled when suspended in the air. In water sources, plastic pollution can cause hormonal changes, reproductive abnormalities, developmental disorders, and even cancer. It also has significant consequences for the global economy. It can also lead to a rise in illegal international and domestic waste disposal. It is estimated that by 2050 there will be more plastic waste in the oceans than fish.

The Asia Pacific region accounts for over 80% of all the plastic waste entering the ocean. This is because of waste mismanagement, and the lack of waste collection and processing in several countries in the region. Recycling comprises only a small percentage of waste disposal methods, while open dumping is the most-used method to dispose of waste in Southeast Asia. Rivers are a major source of marine waste, and rivers in South and Southeast Asia constitute the largest sources of ocean plastic waste worldwide. For example, the river Pasig in the Philippines is the most polluted and is the major source of plastic pollution in Asia.

[jessjad]

Rightfully deceived

Prologue

Summary: When a marriage promise forces Y/N to step up for her younger sister, she gets something she always wanted. But when the truth comes out, her new husband Dean is not so happy about the mix-up. Will she loose it all? Or will she be surprised in the end?

Pairing: AU!Dean Winchester x Reader

Word Count: 782

Warnings: arranged marriage, lying and some tense nerves.

A/N: Welcome to the start of this au!series. It's still fanfiction, so I'm using the freedom of it here, too. 🤭 All mistakes are mine! Enjoy!

Series Masterlist My Masterlist

Oh god. She was really doing it.

The long red and green veil was laying heavily over her head, hiding her face and entire body. Only the little lace details infront of her eyes allowed her to see somewhat of her surroundings, but still kept her facial features away from anyone around her. A tradition her family had kept going since she can remember. It was meant to imply the furture husband to see his future wife after the reveal late at night with new eyes before consummating the marriage. He should not see just a woman from then on, he should see his future.

The chairs on her left side in the small chapel were already full with her family and basically the entire clan living here in her home with them. Her father was the Lord, but over the years the clan became smaller and smaller. Not only to certain diseases, but also because a lot of them wanted to start a new life in America. The british empire started to gain power and for some it seemed as a threath. Still, she felt her heart swell a little with warmth upon seeing them all.

On the right side of the chapel were a lot of empty chairs. Only a few men were sitting there, waiting for the wedding to start. But their heads turned in Y/N's direction as soon as the music started to play. Everyone became quiet and looked over to her, but she tried to only focus her attention on her feet. With a deep breath in she turned her gaze to the man at the end of the aisle. Now, he was looking directly at her and a small smile graced his face. But that did not help.

The man she was about to marry was Dean Winchester, Earl of the Winchester Clan. Rich, a lot of money to his name. Famous for his stubborn and unyielding business acumen. And devilishly good looking. Tall, broad shoulders, a voice as deep as the ocean and eyes as green as a sea of jades.

Yeah, Y/N has been in love with him since the first time she had seen him. But unfortunatly to her, he only seemed to have eyes for her younger sister, Helena.

The first time Dean visited her fathers castle, Y/N had welcomed him in and offered food and drinks. With a warm smile that made her heart flutter he accepted it. Her father appeared only minutes later and the men started a friendly conversation, resulting in Dean offering her father that he could always ask for help if needed. Since Dean had bought the land next to theirs it was the right thing to do. Not knowing then that five years later, her father would take him up on that offer.

Just when Dean was about to leave again, Helena had come in from the outside. Some hay in her hair and on her dress, indicating that she came fresh from the staples. And that was the moment Y/N saw it. The change in Dean's face. His eyes had widened a little, his mouth a little slack. Helena had smiled at him and all of a sudden he was lost for words.

That's when Y/N's heart sank to the ground. From then on it seemed as if she became invisible. After that, everytime Dean came over, he tried to spent as much time with Helena as he could. Never alone of course, but to everyone around them it was obvious that he liked her a lot. And eventhough Helena was always friendly, Y/N knew that she did not like him the same way. Her heart was already taken. But her father did not care.

Now, five years later, her father struggled to keep making money. The harvests of his few tenants had not been productive. Also he was not the best businessman out there. So he had no choice but to ask Dean for help. However, he saw his chance and asked for Helena's hand in return for his help, to which her father happily agreed.

So now, Dean was thinking he was going to marry Helena when in truth it was Y/N. She stopped in her tracks. What was she doing here? How disappointed would he be upon realizing that he married the wrong woman? And how angry would he be? Not forgetting the consequences this would entail.

But she had loved this man for years, still did to this day and she was only mere steps away from become his wife. Something her heart was yearing for for so long. But could she be that selfish?

What was she supposed to do now?

A/N: Setting the scene for you guys. Hope you like the start. 😊

@chriszgirl92 @elenasalvatore1 @laurensfangirlingsideblog @moonxlightsworld @lyarr24

@k-slla @muhahaha303 @stoneyggirl2 @ladysparkles78   @allthosepeopleilovetofangirlover

@ninii-winchester @itsdesiree86 @foxyjwls007 @jtink27

[justpoliteconversations]

Apple Merchant [BOTW!Link x Isekai!Reader] (Part 5)

You spend more money. And Link becomes a local legend.

I was intending on working on a different piece tonight, but the continuous notifications for Apple Merchant keeps reminding me of how much I want to write on it. And then the self-indulgent whispers start seeping into my brain and here we are. Enjoy your ill-gotten gains, Lurkers.

Part 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6

Alternate Extras: Embrace

Masterlist

TW: Choosing not to display warnings. Read at your own discretion.

Disclaimer: Don't own The Legend of Zelda franchise.

---

Lurelin village. A beautiful little coastal town southwest of Hateno with just the right amount of sun and water to make any would-be visitor green with envy. Except no one ever mentioned the humidity (enough to drown someone in their sleep, you swear by it), the lizalfos infestation (something the game got right in concept, but wrong in scale) and the sand. The Goddess forsaken sand. The damned (neverending, grit in your teeth, tears in your eyes, gravel in your lungs) sand that got into everything.

So, no, Lurelin was beautiful and you'd thought once that maybe you'd get a house there (or maybe just plan a vacation). But you'd quickly been rid of the notion the moment you'd stepped foot onto the warm, picturesque beachfront property. Taken a deep, appreciative breath of the fresh, salty air. And then was promptly tackled out of the way of an oncoming spear by Skims (bless that man) as Adino put a pair of arrows into a lizalfos' hissing, gaping maul.

The face full of sand you'd gotten after being pile-driven into the ground just added to the experience. In the worst way possible. It had taken days for your mouth to feel clean of the unpleasant grit of sand grains and your eyes to stop tearing and burning in irritation. If not for Skim's constant care and Adino forcibly holding your hands away from your face when the pain became too much, you could have walked away with far worse than bad memories and a new distaste for sand.

That was the day you decided Lurelin would not be a place you'd be spending any significant amount of time in. No matter how friendly the locals or tasty the food or beautiful the ocean views. It just wasn't worth it. Not to you, at least. Maybe in another lifetime, it would have been a dream to strive towards. But not here. Not now.

You still had moments of unease when you think of what could have happened had Skim's not been so close (as he's always been, and as you'll hopefully always have him). And those moments were more potent when you were in the small village. Keeping you ever on edge and always within sight of your trusted guards.

So, one might ask why you'd chosen to go to that very village when you could go anywhere in southern Hyrule. In fact, (in those whispering moments of weakness) you'd ask yourself that very same question. Especially as you trudged miserably through the thick, muggy afternoon heat with Adino at your back and Skims on point (who knows where Red went. but it wasn't your business and so you dismissed the thought entirely).

The answer? Shock arrows. An unholy amount of shock arrows. Enough to break the purse of the average merchant three times over. And possibly put their children in debt too. And possibly their horse.

It's a good thing you weren't a common merchant.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Mubs." You called in friendly greeting as you set foot onto the dock, casting away your (unease) irritation and slipping into your business persona effortlessly. "Fair weather on the seas I hope?"

Pleasantries were exchanged, the latest information traded (Adino was feigning irritation as he eavesdropped, but you could see the way his eyes and ears flickered with amusement and surprise at the appropriate times. Skims was window shopping, eyeing some of the more exotic fish with open curiosity) and you ended up selling several thousand rupees worth of product to the woman. Fresh produce mostly, but also quite a few ores. Such things were always in high demand in Lurelin. Ores especially, as most coastal deposits were notoriously difficult to mine with the lizalfos infestation so prominent.

More workers died mining along the beach than to storms out at sea. And that's a very unsettling thought, given the ratio of miners to sailors in a seafaring village (of all places). Crunch the numbers, and becoming a miner in Lurelin was equivalent to a death sentence. And the general population knew that.

(It explained why crime rates were so low in Lurelin, when mining was the manual labor criminals were made to do.)

Passing off the last of Mubs' purchase to her, you waited patiently for the woman to finish storing away her newly acquired goods before speaking. "I have a large order request." You said, letting a small, costumer service smile slip onto your lips. And maybe that kind of smile was something that transcended worlds, or maybe Mubs just knew you, but she immediately looked wary (by the way she narrowed her eyes, it was probably the former. maybe).

She gestured for you to continue, and you did with cool (pained) confidence. "I need as many shock arrows as you can afford to part with." She started to gesture towards her arrow display, but you shook your head and she paused. "I need below deck inventory. Everything you've got."

Her brows shot to her hairline, incredulous as she cautioned. "Quite the order. Surely not even The Apple Merchant would part with so much rupee." You kept your smile (even and blank and you were quietly screaming inside), and she sighed. "'Course you would." She sighed again, harder, wiping the sweat from her brow before gesturing for you to follow. "Come on then. Lets see if we can't break yer infamous smile a bit, ya?"

You kept that smile. All through the walk across the rickety old docks, the bustling harbor and straight down into the musty bowels of a weathered looking ship. One guarded by no less than five full grown men. All through the talks with the big boss you kept your lips steadily pleasant and upturned. Right on through the exchange of rupees (even Mubs looked ill at the quoted amount, casting you a questioning, pitying glance as she clicked her teeth), and all the way back to shore.

Right up until the moment you collapsed into your (extra, super soft, not for you Adino you prickly jerk) inn bed, rolled over so your back was to Adino and Skims (who looked expectant and amused and far too smug for your liking) and stared at the wall with that same smiling, blank expression.

And then, slowly. You put your face into the sinfully soft pillow. And screamed.

"Damnit Link! Why do you cost me so much money when you're not even here?"

Skims laughed with his entire belly at your outburst, and Adino smirked, hiding his face to the side as a few rouge chuckles escaped him.

A wordless, muffled bellow was all they got back in exchange.

---

Link stared at the truly mind-boggling number of shock arrows that'd appeared in his inventory. 6800, to be exact. Which to some may not seem like an especially outrageous number, but to Link (who usually found items in the single digits) it was a truly unfathomable number to comprehend, let alone contend with. But that didn't mean he wasn't going to take full advantage of his (thoughtful, kind, wond-) generous AM's meticulous foresight to destroy the local monster population. With feeling (so much intense, pent up feeling).

He'd take every ounce of his frustration (his blood boiling, fist clenching, teeth grinding anger) and pour it all into destroying his enemies. His worry at AM's absence from his side. His displeasure at Ms. Blue's condescending and secretive (and kind too, for all she was withholding information from him. information he'd bleed for) smiles.

And especially his rage at those Goddess forsaken, Ganon worshipping, traitorous Yiga who ruined his chance to thank AM properly for their presence in his life (because he doesn't know where he'd be if not for them. and honestly, he never wants to find out).

He'd take all those emotions and channel it into something productive. Something beneficially destructive.

So, destroy the monster population he did. And how generous of the Goddesses, to have brought him to a land of eternal rain to begin his crash course in violence-fueled stress relief. With shock arrows.

It is said amongst the general Zora population (the more outspoken poetic ones at least) that when the Returned Hero of Hyrule made his ascendance through the Domain, night became day and the land was cleansed of all things foul that would stand before him. A miracle in the flesh. He who brings the light and sun to the land of rain.

And really, they weren't wrong. For the most part.

But for those who saw this supposed miracle for themselves. They all had but one thought.

'Thank the Goddesses it's not me he's pissed at.'

---

Back to the shadows to rest.

[waitingonher]

percy dating a daughter of zeus?? jasons little sister maybe

percy jackson dating a daughter of zeus

pairing: percy jackson x daughter of zeus!reader

content warning: nothing

word count: 721

author's note: guys...there's so many mosquitos rn i can't. anyways, sorry this one's a little short!! enjoyyy

okay a son of poseidon and a daughter of zeus dating??? such a power couple!! 

all of the new campers are terrified of you guys. they hear about all the quests you guys have been on and all the monsters you’ve defeated and they’re just so intimidated. the stoll brothers, being who they are, they like to make you and percy seem really scary. 

they’ll spew nonsense to the newcomers, telling them that if they look at you two the wrong way, you’ll zap them with lightning or percy will make their toilets explode. 

honestly, it’s super funny seeing how they become visibly nervous talking to you guys. but you and percy always make sure to act a little more friendly around them. 

you never fail to continually impress percy. your boyfriend absolutely loves seeing you use your powers and he lowkey thinks you look hot when you use them. (he will never outright admit it though) 

training dates are a must for you guys. it’s a great way to spend time together while also being productive. at this point, you and percy are so in sync with each other, you and him may as well be reading each other's minds. 

after a while, you and him have developed multiple fighting techniques that involve both of your powers. everyone knows not to mess with you guys. even the monsters know that you two are a dangerous pair. honestly, you and percy are basically celebrities down in tartarus. 

thalia and jason are so, so protective of you. they’re aware of how much percy loves you, but as your siblings, they just can’t help it. 

before dates, they always jokingly (for the most part) threaten percy to bring you back in one piece or else they’ll get zeus involved. he’s watching you like a hawk on that date. your boyfriend has had enough of zeus for one lifetime.  

for basically your entire relationship, you and percy have been in a prank war with each other. it initially started with just tiny things like a water balloon over the door or shaving cream in shoes. but now, it’s progressed into a big competition that almost everyone at camp is aware of. when they hear shouting by the zeus and poseidon cabins, they know not to worry because it’s one of you playing a prank on the other. 

you and percy keep track of who plays the best pranks on a white board. so far, you’re winning by two points! 

one of your best pranks to date was when you and nico actually convinced percy that his cabin was haunted. initially, he actually thought it was a prank. but as the prank progressed, your boyfriend thought it was way too real to just be fake. so then, he slowly became convinced that his place was haunted. the best part was when he came running out of his cabin into yours, screaming that there was an angry ghost coming to get him. 

you and nico had a good laugh that night. 

you guys always have some sort of bet or competition going on. one week you two would be competing for the fastest time on the climbing wall. next thing you know, percy’s betting that you can’t beat him in a pegasus race. 

at this point, everyone uses you two as a form of entertainment around camp. you guys are always up to something, so when it’s quiet around, your friends immediately become suspicious. it’s either a) the quiet before the storm, meaning that you guys are planning something or b) you guys are just simply in danger. 

it’s never a boring day when you and percy are around!

MATCHING JEWELRY!! 

one christmas, you two oddly had the same gift idea?? 

you bought him a lightning bolt charm to add onto his camp necklace. coincidentally, he just happened to get you an ocean wave charm for your necklace! 

it was such a cute moment when you two realized that you guys had the same idea. ever since then, you and percy have always been on the lookout for matching charms and jewelry. 

you guys are the it couple of camp. everyone can’t decide if they want to be you or if they want to be percy. ugh the struggles of being the best couple at chb…

[rjzimmerman]

My view, for what it's worth. President Biden was consequential. He caused legislation that vigorously applied (and will continue to apply) billions of dollars of federal funds toward the development of systems, hardware, infrastructure and education to address climate change and environmental issues. He promoted and created more protections for public lands and oceans than any president before him. Yet, he succumbed to politics when he felt like he had to, primarily to the benefit of the fossil fuel industry. I want to believe that he was listening to his staff, and not his conscience when he did so, but his job, among many, was to do what he thought was right, not what his staff was pushing him to do. He had failures in other areas, unfortunately too many, but on balance, he was good for us and to us. I voted for him in 2020 on the assumption he would be a one-term president dragging us out of the trump mud. I got my wish, but not the 2024 outcome I wanted.

Excerpt from this story from Grist:

When Joe Biden first became president, some found it hard to believe that he cared very much about climate change.

With a global pandemic raging, the former vice president and longtime senator pitched his 2020 campaign as a return to normalcy and a referendum on the erratic leadership of Donald Trump. His campaign pledges to ban drilling on federal lands and spend trillions of dollars to decarbonize the economy — though they amounted to among the most ambitious climate agenda ever put forward by a major-party candidate — were widely seen as consolation prizes to skeptical progressives and climate hawks, like those who had backed Senator Bernie Sanders or former Washington Governor Jay Inslee in the 2020 Democratic primaries.

It’s clear now that these skeptics underestimated the outgoing president. Biden’s climate agenda, broader and more ambitious than that of any U.S. president before him, is poised to stand as the most consequential feat of his presidency, especially given his self-evident failure to “heal the soul of the nation” by ushering it into a post-Trump era. He succeeded in getting Congress to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, or IRA, a misleadingly titled law that amounts to an unprecedented subsidy for renewable energy and climate-friendly technologies like electric vehicles. The measure triggered a wave of investment that has begun to reshape the nation’s economy and finally put the U.S. within reach of its commitments under the 2015 Paris Agreement.

“I think Biden will go down in history as passing the biggest climate bill that was ever passed in the world’s history,” said Sean Casten, a Democratic member of Congress from Illinois (and former contributor to Grist).

If Biden’s presidency represents a major step forward in the climate fight, though, it is also a cautionary tale about the limits of climate policy in the United States. The success of the IRA shows that a massive clean energy push is politically viable, under the right circumstances. (Whether or not it’s politically advantageous, or even prudent, is a story that the 2024 election called into question.) But Biden’s attempts to restrict fossil fuel production throughout his presidency were far less successful — not only did his push to curb oil and natural gas production get mired in litigation before it could bear any real fruit, but it also generated political backlash that never really dissipated. 

[mariacallous]

A new report by environmental groups lays out a case for banning deep sea mining—and explains why the real solution to humanity’s energy crisis might just be sitting in the trash.

Deep sea mining is the pursuit of rare, valuable minerals that lie undisturbed upon the ocean floor—metals like nickel, cobalt, lithium, and rare earth elements. These so-called critical minerals are instrumental in the manufacture of everything from electric vehicle batteries and MRI machines to laptops and disposable vape cartridges—including, crucially, much of what’s needed to transition away from fossil fuels. Political leaders and the companies eager to dredge up critical minerals from the seafloor tend to focus on the feel-good, climate-friendly uses of the minerals, like EV batteries and solar panels. They’ll proclaim that the metals on the deep seafloor are an abundant resource that could help usher in a new golden age of renewable energy technology.

But deep sea mining has also been roundly criticized by environmentalists and scientists, who caution that the practice (which has not yet kicked off in earnest) could create a uniquely terrible environmental travesty and annihilate one of the most remote and least understood ecosystems on the planet.

There has been a wave of backlash from environmentalists, scientists, and even comedians like John Oliver, who devoted a recent segment of Last Week Tonight to lambasting deep sea mining. Some companies that use these materials in their products—Volvo, Volkswagen, BMW, and Rivian among them—have come out against deep sea mining and pledged not to use any metals that come from those abyssal operations. (Some prominent companies have done the exact opposite; last week, Tesla shareholders voted against a moratorium on using minerals sourced from deep sea mining.)

Even if you can wave away that ecological threat, mining the sea might simply be wholly unnecessary if the goal is to bring about a new era of global renewable energy. A new report, aptly titled “We Don’t Need Deep-Sea Mining,” aims to lay out why.

The report is a collaboration between the advocacy group US PIRG, Environment America Policy Center, and the nonprofit think tank Frontier Group. Nathan Proctor, senior director of the Campaign for the Right to Repair at PIRG and one of the authors of the new report, says the solution to sourcing these materials should be blindingly obvious. There are critical minerals all around us that don’t require diving deep into the sea. You’re probably holding some right now—they’re in nearly all our devices, including the billions of pounds of them sitting in the dump.

The secret to saving the deep sea, Proctor says, is to prioritize systems that focus on the materials we already have—establishing right to repair laws, improving recycling capabilities, and rethinking how we use tech after the end of its useful life cycle. These are all systems we have in place now that don’t require tearing up new lands thousands of feet below the ocean.

“We don't need to mine the deep sea,” Proctor reiterates. “It's about the dumbest way to get these materials. There's way better ways to address the needs for those metals like cobalt, nickel, copper, and the rest.”

Into the Abyss

Schemes for delving into the deep ocean have been on the boards for years. While the practice is not currently underway, mining companies are getting ready to dive in as soon as they can.

In January 2024, the Norwegian Parliament opened up its waters to companies looking to mine resources. The Metals Company is a Canadian mining operation that has been at the forefront of attempts to mine in the Pacific Ocean’s Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ)—an area of seabed that spans 3,100 miles between Mexico and Hawaii.

The proposed mining in the CCZ has gotten the most attention lately because the Metals Company secured rights to access key areas of the CCZ for mining in 2022, and its efforts are ramping up. The process involves gathering critical minerals from small rock-like formations called polymetallic nodules. Billions of these nodules rest along the seabed, seemingly sitting there ripe for the taking (if you can get down to them). The plan—one put forth by several mining companies, anyway—is to scrape the ocean floor with deep sea trawling systems and bring these nodules to the surface, where they can be broken down to extract the shiny special metals inside. Environmentalists say this poses a host of ecological problems for everything that lives in the vicinity.

Gerard Barron, the CEO of the Metals Company, contends that his efforts are misunderstood by activists and the media (especially, say, John Oliver).

“We're committed to circularity,” Barron says. “We have to drive towards circularity. We have to stop extracting from our planet. But the question is, how can you recycle what you don’t have?”

Both Barron and the authors of the activist report acknowledge that there aren’t perfect means of resource extraction anywhere—and there’s always going to be some environmental toll. Barron argues that it is better for this toll to play out in one of the most remote parts of the ocean.

“No matter what, you will be disrupting an ecosystem,” says Kelsey Lamp, ocean campaign director with the Environment America Research and Policy Center and an author of the report. “This is an ecosystem that evolved over millions of years without light, without human noise, and with incredibly clear water. If you disrupt it, the likelihood of it coming back is pretty low.”

For many of the life-forms down in the great deep, the nodules are the ecosystem. Removing the nodules from the seabed would remove all the life attached to them.

“This is a very disruptive process with ecosystems that may never recover,” says Tony Dutzik, associate director and senior policy analyst at the nonprofit think tank Frontier Group and another author of the report. “This is a great wilderness that is linked to the health of the ocean at large and that has wonders that we’re barely even beginning to recognize what they are.”

Barron counters that the life in the abyssal zone is less abundant than in an ecosystem like rainforests in Indonesia, where a great deal of nickel mines operate—although scientists discovered 5,000 new species in the CCZ in 2023 alone. He considers that the lesser of two evils.

“At the end of the day, it's not that easy,” You can't just say no to something. If you say no to this, you're saying yes to something else.”

The Circular Economy

Barron and others make the case that this ecosystem disruption is the only way to access the minerals needed to fuel the clean-tech revolution, and is therefore worth the cost in the long run. But Proctor and the others behind the report aren't convinced. They say that without fully investing in a circular economy that thinks more carefully about the resources we use, we will continue to burn through the minerals needed for renewable tech the same way we've burned through fossil fuels.

“I just had this initial reaction when I heard about deep sea mining,” Proctor says. “Like, ‘Oh, really? You want to strip mine the ocean floor to build electronic devices that manufacturers say we should all throw away?’”

While mining companies may wax poetic about using critical minerals for building clean tech, there's no guarantee that's where the minerals will actually wind up. They are also commonly used in much more consumer-facing devices, like phones, laptops, headphones, and those aforementioned disposable vape cartridges. Many of these devices are not designed to be long lasting, or repairable. In many cases, big companies like Apple and Microsoft have actively lobbied to make repairing their devices more difficult, all but guaranteeing more of them will end up in the landfill.

“I spend every day throwing my hands up in frustration by just how much disposable, unfixable, ridiculous electronics are being shoveled on people with active measures to prevent them from being able to reuse them,” Proctor says. “If these are really critical materials, why are they ending up in stuff that we're told is instantly trash?”

The report aims to position critical minerals in products and e-waste as an “abundant domestic resource.” The way to tap into that is to recommit to the old mantra of reduce, reuse, recycle—with a couple of additions. The report adds the concept of repairing and reimagining products to the list, calling them the five Rs. It calls for making active efforts to extend product lifetimes and invest in “second life” opportunities for tech like solar panels and battery recycling that have reached the end of their useful lifespan. (EV batteries used to be difficult to recycle, but more cutting-edge battery materials can often work just as well as new ones, if you recycle them right.)

Treasures in the Trash

The problem is thinking of these deep sea rocks in the same framework of fossil fuels. What may seem like an abundant resource now is going to feel much more finite later.

“There is a little bit of the irony, right, that we think it's easier to go out and mine and potentially destroy one of the most mysterious remote wildernesses left on this planet just to get more of the metals we're throwing in the trash every day,” Lamp says.

And in the trash is where the resources remain. Electronics manufacturing is growing five times faster than e-waste recycling, so without investment to disassemble those products for their critical bits, all the metals will go to waste. Like deep sea mining, the infrastructure needed to make this a worthwhile path forward will be tremendous, but committing to it means sourcing critical minerals from places nearby, and reducing some waste in the process.

Barron says he isn't convinced these efforts will be enough. “We need to do all of that,” Barron says, “You know, it's not one or the other. We have to do all of that, but what we have to do is slow down destroying those tropical rainforests.” He adds, “If you take a vote against ocean metals, it is a vote for something else. And that something else is what we’ve got right now.”

Proctor argues that commonsense measures, implemented broadly and forcefully across society to further the goal of creating a circular economy, including energy transition minerals, will ultimately reduce the need for all forms of extraction, including land and deep-sea mining.

“We built this system that knows how to do one thing, which is take stuff out of the earth, put it into products and sell them, and then plug our ears and forget that they exist,” Proctor says. “That’s not the reality we live in. The sooner that we can disentangle that kind of paradigm from the way we think about consumption and industrial policy the better, because we're going to kill everybody with that kind of thinking.”

Just like mining the deep sea, investing in a circular economy is not going to be an easy task. There is an allure of deep sea mining when it is presented as a one-stop shop for all the materials needed for the great energy transition. But as the authors of the report contend, the idea of exploiting a vast deposit of resources is the same relationship society has had with fossil fuels—they’re seemingly abundant resources ripe for the picking, but also they are ultimately finite.

“If we treat these things as disposable, as we have, we’re going to need to continually refill that bucket,” Dutzik says. “If we can build an economy in which we’re getting the most out of every bit of what we mine, reusing things when we can, and then recycling the material at the end of their lives, we can get off of that infinite extraction treadmill that we’ve been on for a really long time.”

[motocorsas]

here's my rundown of all the new 2027 tech regulations:

the most important news is the reduction in engine capacity. the pistons are going to be reduced from 1000cc to 800cc, meaning they generate less power with each stroke. the bore of the pistons is also going to be reduced, which is the width of the piston head. the wide bores that have been in use for some time deliver more power, so reducing bore size means less fuel and air will be used with each stroke. this makes the bike slower, but more fuel efficient.

fuel efficiency has also been taken into account with the new gas tank and fuel regulations. gas tanks are being reduced from 22 to 20 liters for full races and from 11 to 10 for the sprint. essentially, since dorna has reduced bike power, they've reduced fuel capacity as well, since less fuel is needed.

this is where the new sustainable fuel comes in: the new fuel will be a mix of biofuel and synthetic, both of which have a lower power storage by volume compared to gas fuel. this will also reduce power. are you seeing a pattern?

the last time 800cc bikes were used in MotoGP, they were absolutely hated by riders. from 2007 to 2012, engine capacity was reduced from 990cc to 800cc for similar reasons as today; concerns about safety and overtaking. but the bikes were considered some of the worst to ride, due to low torque and inconsistent power delivery, meaning the bike performed best a very narrow rpm and throttle range -- step on the gas for just a milisecond longer, and you'd get shot off the bike. that made highsides much more frequent. mat oxley explains here:

the title of the article is MotoGP 800s - Rot In Peace, which feels like a grim portent of the years to come.

attempts to mitigate the engine's problems with electronics also sacrificed power and overtaking.

sound familiar? right now, riders, stewards and engineers are all complaining about overdone electronics. this brings us to the next point revealed in the presentation, that holeshot and ride height devices will be banned.

these devices program the bike body to shift up and down under certain conditions, carrying momentum and reducing drag. holeshot devices specifically program the bike to start, resulting in the classic rocket-powered starts we see today. riders plant their feet, tuck their heads down, and let the bike do the rest. holeshot devices have their negatives, especially combined with heavy aero -- plenty of crashes occur in the first few corners of a race because the overpowered start combined with heavily engineered aero shoots a rider directly into another's rear tire. this is the sacrifice made for overtuning bikes so that they're perfectly optimized.

but notably, these changes don't mitigate crashes! despite claiming to prioritize safety, reducing power on its own does not reduce crashes. less torque = slower corner exit = riders prioritizing quicker roll speed and engineers seeking higher rpms. and less power = less braking = less overtakes.

none of this is to say that the original 800cc era was inexcusably terrible or that the new era will be as well. but i don't think liberty media or dorna understand what draws viewers to the sport. in the presentation, they justify most of these changes as making bikes more "road relevant", increasing mileage and sustainability. but world superbike already exists to fill that niche, making motogp obsolete in that sense. i'm all for safe and environmentally conscious racing, but as stated above, these new regulations don't make motogp more safe. they also don't make it more eco-friendly either; ethanol fuel is nice, but it's a drop in the ocean compared to the absurd emissions generated by transporting the entire traveling circus from racetrack to racetrack. if there's anything motogp can learn from wsbk, it's a reduced calendar. less travel means less emissions, and longer breaks gives riders time to recuperate from injuries.

in their attempts to make motogp a better entertainment product, liberty media are challenging the integrity of the sport. their unnecessary limitations ignore the true root of most problems -- overworked riders and teams and a bloated schedule -- and waste money in the process. constantly changing concessions and regulations forces manufacturers to spend more and more money developing new bikes; no wonder teams have been dropping out. these concessions don't help anyone but liberty, since they can claim they've "revolutionized" the sport and made it into a safe, sustainable overtake-fest. all they've really done is sanitize it.

[weareoceanr]

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[localcultivator]

Forgive my northern attitude (i was raised in the cold) pt.1

tags: talk of emotional neglect, seasonal depression, depression related self harm actions, mild Buddie content, buddie friendly, bobby and athena act like Buck's parents.

Winter had never been Buck’s favorite season. It reminded him of short days, long nights desperately trying to stay quiet enough not to be called down by his parents and reminded how little they cared for him. Cold nights huddled under covers for warmth that was never truly there. It reminded him of the worst times in his life every time he was around snow, and frost, and ice. Buck was smart enough to realize that a good portion of his mood changing the moment it was below 50 degrees fahrenheit was also due to his clinically diagnosed seasonal depression. Truly, a bunch of fancy words to say that Buck thrived on light and warmth like any houseplant or herb.

Eddie knew this, planned for it year after year. Small little boosts that Buck needed to thrive and flourish in the chill (although some would say what chill as they had both lived in LA for many years, which would lead into a long tangent/rant from Buck regarding ocean currents, and wound patterns.). He would slide hand warmers into Buck’s hoodies, would make sure that the truck had time to warm up in the mornings before shuffling Buck in, and of course, when Buck stayed over, he would pile on the blankets. Eddie wasn’t sure how much of his seasonal caring for Buck was second nature, and something he had to put conscious effort into.  It was like anything else regarding Evan’s space in his life. Effortless.

Bobby loved the frost, even if the sight of snow brought on feelings of loss and sorrow as well. Too much outweighed the grief though, and joyous memories with Marcy and his family filled his daydreams whenever there was a particularly strong chill. Bobby loved the chill, and he knew with every fiber of his being, Buck did not. His oldest, by choice and love, was a different person in the winter air, and Bobby knew that it was a product of his childhood and how he was raised. Bobby always wondered if the frigid air reminded Buck a little too much of the house he grew up in, if the silence that came when the world was blanketed in snow reminded him of his parents. Bobby had so many questions, but he never dared to ask them with fear he would be prying into something even Evan himself had not yet handled. So year after year, Bobby helped take care of his son, even from afar. He made him his special chili, and always made sure to make two batches of his cornbread. He filled Bucks freezer with stock cubes, and frozen containers for soup for the days when everything was too much and Buck couldn’t cook. His heart warmed every year for being able to provide for one of his children. 

Maddie hadn’t known initially when she came to L.A the real reason Buck had decided to settle here. Sure, there was story after story, and reason after reason, but in the end, it was simple. Buck hated the cold, and loved the ocean. He also wasn’t much of a fan of hurricanes, although it felt silly to complain about that now that they had dealt with tsunami’s and such. Maddie wasn’t surprised about her brother’s lack of love for the winter months, and she felt they were truly united and related in this topic, even if it was for wildly different reasons. Cold always reminded Maddie of Doug, of fear and running and how warm blood can feel when you’re on the edge of hypothermia. Neither Buckley sibling could handle the temperature changes, and yet. Buck’s reactions had always been more severe than her own. His tended to lead to spirals and tendencies to rush in before thinking. Her support for him was bandaging wounds and fulfilling pinkie promises she had made over a decade ago. Her’s led to nightmares and late nights with insomnia. His support for her was cuddling on the couch and checking for monsters as though her trauma would physically manifest itself in the dark corners of her bedroom. Chimney was happy to entertain the strange rituals of chilled Buckley’s and had a few of his own for the siblings. 

-----------

the rest will be posted when i finish it <3

missing chim's, hen's and Athena's POV

[honeyhive65]

LIST OF MONSTERS/CREATURES FOR PUNCH OUT

Someone said I should post the list. I know it was one person but I wanna do it. I’ll also make concepts for their contender and TD matches (I only have joes which I’ll probably put here)

MINOR CIRCUIT

Glass Joe- originally was the only other human. Got turned into a vampire after trying to help someone near an alleyway. Woke up in the dumpster and still trying to adapt. Unfortunately never told his doctor about his predicament (he has woken up in the morgue multiple times).

Von Kaiser- a monster similar to Frankenstein monster. Some scientists wanted to create a boxer using the body parts of some of the best boxers they knew. Unfortunately the product did not meet their expectations and is sitting comfortably down in the minor circuit.

Disco Kid- a friendly zombie who recently rose from its grave. No memory of his life but recently rediscovered boxing, disco, and Micheal Jackson. Managed to be so inspired by thriller he likes to break it down right there in the ring. He’s a bit stiff but he’s still got that spirit in him.

King Hippo- nobody really knows why he came from the sea to land JUST to box. Maybe someone threw an old poster into the ocean and made its way to him. This sea beast may not speak any human language but he sure knows how to throw a punch. Stole clothes from a drowned sailor however the pants are a bit loose even on him.

MAJOR CIRCUIT

Piston Hondo- some people mistake this spirit for a yokai, however he’s just a regular looking ghost. In his life he was an excellent boxer. Most knew his training methods were extreme but nobody ever thought that he’d take “train til you drop dead” a little too seriously. Still he manages to haunt the WVBA determined to keep boxing.

Bear Hugger- he may seem like a human at first but there’s always that one day most people avoid taking a match with him. From evening to morning on a full moon is when his schedule is almost always free. Most people don’t want to get clawed by a werewolf but there have been a few who tried…let’s just say the results in the hospital weren’t pretty. (NOTE: despite the species rivalry, he’s actually pretty good friends with Joe. Being someone who was a human himself he tries his best to give as many tips as he can to adapt)

Great Tiger- a genie who tricked its master into freeing him, tiger now spends his freedom here in the WVBA. He never gives a straight answer for why he wanted to spend his free time here of all places but hey he’s happy at least. Enjoys human opponents the most since they’re the most easy to mess with.

Don Flamenco- did he come from outer space? Was he given a little too much fertilizer? Or perhaps he is just a nymph who lied about his origin. Don was a rose who somehow gained sentience and has taken a more humanoid form. The best way to find out how to be more human to him? Well boxing of course! He may be carnivorous though so watch your back.

WORLD CIRCUIT

Aran Ryan- with Joe now being a vampire, Aran has taken the place as the only human contender in the WVBA…at least before Mac joined. Despite this he seems just as freaky as the others. His superstition keeps him from bonding with the other boxers and maybe even some humans that occasionally join. He gets a little…paranoid.

Soda Popinski- Seeing an advertisement on the WVBA, this abominable snowman quickly left home to check it out. Coming out from his home, he quickly discovered his love for boxing and sugary sodas. It’s however too hot for him to look presentable so all he wears most times is a speedo.

Bald Bull- A Minotaur who’s been at the WVBA for what seems to be forever…at least to most people here. Some don’t even know when he joined and others never bothered to ask. Only exception is doc but he never seems to want to talk about it. He tends to enjoy time alone so best not to bother him or else you might find a horn in your chest.

Super Macho Man- Most people have to avoid being in the front of him and sometimes the sides due to one of his so called signature moves. Macho is a trans gorgon who thought that going into a sport involving punching one’s face was a good idea. You really couldn’t afford his sunglasses although best not to break them. You could end up cold as stone if you do. Where do you think all those decorative statues came from?

Sandman- not much is known about his species but he claims to be something called a dreamcatcher. A creature who can manifest dreams into reality. Nobody knew about it before he came along but what does matter is he seems friendly enough and has even taken a liking to that Gorgon just below his rank (SURPRISE SUPERSAND RAAAAAAH sorry. Also credits to @wvbaandtheboys for making the species/creature I used)

Okay that’s all also I’ll probably also make tempered glass for this. Why? Cause I can and I like the ship so I have to feed myself somehow. Also here’s the concept for joes contender and TD.

Contender- Mac got lucky and doc managed to talk Joe into a day match. A good beginning for someone’s career for Joe is a bit sluggish and looking like he’s on the verge of passing out. He may not burn up in the sun but it sure does exhaust him. Constantly drinking a mysteriously red substance during intermission.

Title defense- His poor unassuming doctor can’t understand how Joe keeps coming back from the dead. His vitals are all off but Joe insists it’s just a cold. His doctor decided to put him on a different diet to help him be healthier and maybe put some weight on those bones of his…unfortunately the doctor gave Joe a not so vampire friendly diet and Joe as slowly gone in a more crazed state from it. For the safety of the other boxers, the WVBA graciously gave Joe a makeshift muzzle from a helmet and something attached. He’s faster and more unpredictable in this state and will try and lunge at opponents to get something in his starving state. Not even the sun can stop him from getting a meal but hey the helmet protects his head at least! Just…try not too hit it too hard or that piece covering his mouth might detach.

[sl-vega]

✧Other Friendly Faces✧

✧Kazuha✧-member of the literature club and in the same English class as Xingqiu. He specializes in poetry, mainly haikus and free verses.

✧Furina✧-President of the drama club and usually directs school plays. When she was younger, she was a successful child actress, though due to losing passion for the art, she stepped back and decided to focus on her director career.

✧Chiori✧-a member of the textile and drama club. Chiori is usually in charge of costume design for school productions. She runs a fairly successful mini-business where she sells her own designs, and she has many fashion companies begging for her to work for them, though she expresses no interest in working for someone else's brand.

✧Freminet✧-part of the swim team and Lyney and Lynette's younger brother. Like his sister, he's quiet and reserved, but a good listener. The two of you haven't talked much, but you do know about his love for the ocean and his soft spot for penguins.

✧Yun Jin✧-member of the music club and choir. She is also part of the Yun Han opera troupe, and has quickly risen to fame due to her starring role in the critically acclaimed musical: "The Divine Damsel of Devastation".

✧Eula✧-Captain of the dance team and student council vice-president. She's cold, harsh, and brutally honest (and holds a grudge for just about anything) and she doesn't have the best reputation due to that, but her talent and work ethic (almost) makes up for all that.

additional notes:

-in case you're wondering why some of these r so short, it's cuz these guys r just side characters, but i wanted to make some profiles for them

-i keep on forgetting to mention everyone's ages so here's a quick list:

-freminet and yun jin are sophmores (tenth grade, 15-16)

-furina, eula, and chiori are seniors (twelfth grade, 17-18)

-kazuha is a junior (eleventh grade, 16-17)

-furina supremacy fr fr

-everyone else in the main cast (y/n's group + xingqiu's friend group) are all juniours

-eula's twitter header found here

-i promise the plot will actually start after this :>

masterlist

<prev ll next>

Pairing: Xingqiu x FEM! Reader

Genre: fake dating, strangers to lovers, slow burn, fluff, angst (?), high school smau, modern smau

⋆｡°✩-Synopsis: Xingqiu just got entered into a special writing contest, the type that's invite only, the theme this year is love, the only problem is that he has zero romantic experience. but he really wants to prove himself as a writer. meanwhile, you just found out that your boyfriend cheated on you, and you need to show him that you're 100% over him, the only problem is that there's no way you can get an actual boyfriend that quickly. clearly, the solution to both of your issues is to fake date each other. it shouldn't be hard for an actor such as yourself, all you need to do is stick to the script.

(OPEN) Taglist: @freyao7, @thatoneswordgirl, @sn1perz, @latay7, @esmetrees, @nmriki0, @help-whatdoimakemyusername, @httpsrenren, @cupid-spams, @aixaingela, @kaitfae, @luvkvni, @danhenglovebot

[icepoptroll]

Somewhat late for ur requests for asks: favorite productions of rtc and why? Doesnt have to be THE one; just ones that stuck with u for whatever reason

Omg, I have so many faves

Stageworks is probably the most special to me, I drove two hours to see it on three separate occasions between two runs. Their interpretation of Ricky was one of my favorites ever, they really did his character justice which is important to me given how much has been taken away from his character over the years. They also had one of my favorite Mischas, his facial expressions and body language just really sold him as an angry bad boy, sometimes the way he'd look out into the audience I felt for a second like he and I were about to get into a scrap lol. But then at certain moments all of a sudden all that anger and hardness would melt away and he was just a big softy. I got to stagedoor afterwards at all three shows I went to and the whole cast was so wonderful and friendly. Here's a couple photos:

I once saw a lesser known production also in northern NJ at the Villagers Theater. I only saw this one once so I don't remember as much, however I do remember that:

-In WTWN Ocean busted through a banner like at a football game

-In Noel's Lament Noel was giving lap dances to people in the front row, as well he literally pulled out a poem written on a small piece of paper and burned it with an actual lighter. Bruh he put his whole Noel-ussy into it

-Their Karnak was freaking awesome!! Here's him reading my fortune:

Some other faves I haven't seen live but enjoyed slime tutorials for were: Fed's Backyard Theater, ESU, and Majestic Rep!! Mostly I just enjoyed them for the various ways the characters were portrayed and the effects were achieved (like Ricky riding onto the stage on a giant space laser in the ESU version absolutely sent me, and everyone getting to say an individual goodbye to Jane at the end of Fed's and then Virgil taking her hand and walking her to the other side had me tearing up)