#regenerative economies

[theadaptableeducator]

Towards Sustainable Societies: Gandhi's Insights on Challenging Dominant Systems and Embracing Alternative Paths

Drawing on Gandhi’s philosophies, we can explore the interconnectedness and unsustainability of colonialism, nationalism, imperialism, and capitalism, and propose sustainable alternatives. Colonialism: Gandhi vehemently opposed colonialism, seeing it as the exploitation and domination of one group over another. Colonialism disrupts local economies, cultures, and governance systems, often for the…

[knithacker]

Wow … Carolina De Lara’s 'Bacterial Brickbats' project "explores bacterial intelligence and identifies designable textile qualities achieved through human-bacterial collaboration."

This is a must-read … so much potential. I love that I'm discovering this fascinating project at the same time that I'm reading Octavia Butler's Xenogenesis series, Lilith's Brood. There are parallels with living material and how it might be part of our future …

Follow Carolina's work at Citation Needed. via @designboom

[carlobattisti]

La società biofilica

La natura salverà la nostra società. La società biofilica.

Imparare dagli altri, imparare dalla natura. Il primo Biophilia Camp. La biofilia è stata al centro della prima edizione del Biophilia Camp organizzato da Living Future Europe, un’immersione nella natura dell’Alto Adige in Alta Val di Non, lo scorso autunno, per apprendere e applicare i principi della progettazione biofilica, in un’esperienza che ha unito biologia e agile management,…

[timceliumxe417]

Zusammenbau untere U-Schale

Die Rippen werden durchgehend mit der Alustange und dem Aussensperrholz verbunden. Um das Sperrholz um die Rundungen der Rippen biegen zu können, wurden Rillen eingesägt. Es wären zusätzliche Rillen nötig gewesen, um Knicke zu verhindern und die Belastung des Sperrholzes weiter zu reduzieren. Deshalb wurde mit einer Festool-Tauchfräse nachgearbeitet. Das Aussensperrholz wird mit Kupfer-Spenglerschrauben and die Rippen geschraubt.

[learningnewstuff]

EXPLORING FASHION AT THE EDGE OF RURAL COMMUNITIES

[offcampusstillnerdy]

I don't want BPA free plastic. I don't want recycled plastic. I want no plastic.

And so does the dog I live with.

[earaercircular]

Denmark spearheads the green transformation of EU food systems

The University of Copenhagen is leading a comprehensive EU project, CLEVERFOOD, facilitating a society-wide mobilisation of European citizens to transform the European food system and thereby benefit climate, sustainability and biodiversity.

Europe’s food system is responsible for one third of the continent’s greenhouse gas emissions and is critical for biodiversity and public health. With EUR 8.1M in funding, the comprehensive EU project, CLEVERFOOD[1], seeks to transform the European food system into one that is more climate-friendly, protects nature and biodiversity, and promotes public health across the European continent.

“Current and future crises, including climate crisis, food crisis, biodiversity crisis and health crisis are inextricably linked to the way we produce food. Thus, the time has come to make a radical change, where all EU countries make a concerted effort to transform our food system by making it more fair, sustainable, circular and plant-based,” emphasises Christian Bugge Henriksen, Associate Professor of the University of Copenhagen’s Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences.

For the next four years, Christian Bugge Henriksen will lead CLEVERFOOD together with his team from the Climate and Food Security Group at the Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences

Uniting the efforts of EU food system projects

Currently, there is insufficient coordination, collaboration and mutual learning between ongoing EU projects and initiatives relating to the necessary transformation of our food system. This, despite the huge potential for establishing synergies and maximize impact. In dovetail with government agencies, universities, industries, and interest groups across Europe, the comprehensive project aims to foster cooperation, coordination and synergy among existing, emerging and future EU projects focusing on food system transformation and linking with the EU Food 2030 Policy Framework[2]:“The purpose of CLEVERFOOD is to bring all of these existing projects together. Many good initiatives are already underway in the EU, such as ones that work to reduce agricultural emissions and promote biodiversity and health. However, they are fragmented and don’t cooperate across the board. Collaboration is at the heart of it all if we truly seek to effectuate change,”, explains Marin Lysák, PhD of the University of Copenhagen’s Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences.

Politics and public engagement

In addition to cooperation, one of the project’s major focus areas is legislation and advocacy, paving the way for common EU policies that support sustainable food systems. For example, high debt-to-income ratios across all European food system actors hinder farmers and food innovators adopting new technology and practices needed to transition to a circular, low carbon and a more plant-based future. At the same time, information and educational outreach for EU citizens seek to expand public awareness about healthy and sustainable foods choices to increase consumer demand for plant-based foods. Marin Lysák, PhD., is clear: “To succeed in transforming the food system, we also need to get citizens on board. Empowering, educating and mobilizing citizens to change their diets and contribute to changing our food system is imperative. In order to do this, CLEVERFOOD will support the cross-cutting efforts to include more regenerative, resilient and plant based food production and consumption.”

Facts about CLEVERFOOD

CLEVERFOOD is funded with €8.1 million from the Horizon Europe programme.

The project is being led by the University of Copenhagen and began as of 1 January 2023. It will run for four years.

Twenty-three actors, along with the University of Copenhagen’s Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, will form a consortium to move the project forward.

Policy Labs will develop models for transformative multi-level food system governance and strategies for advancing food policies and legislation by launching a peer-learning program, organising inclusive multi-stakeholder dialogues, and bringing together policymakers from all governance levels.

Living Labs will accelerate social and technological innovations by co-creating strategies for removing lock-ins and building sustainable food value chains, mobilizing impact investors, promoting uptake of new technologies and measuring food system transition progress.

Source

University of Copenhagen: Denmark spearheads the green transformation of EU food systems, in: State of Green Weekly, 2-03-2023, https://stateofgreen.com/en/news/denmark-spearheads-the-transformation-of-eu-food-systems/

[1] Connected Labs for Empowering Versatile Engagement in Radical Food system transformation. CLEVERFOOD will facilitate a society-wide mobilisation of European citizens, including children and youth, farmers, entrepreneurs, investors, researchers, educators, knowledge brokers and policy makers to transform the European food system in alignment with the EU Food 2030 Policy Framework, Farm to Fork Strategy and Fit for 55 Package. By providing targeted support for ongoing and emerging projects, partnerships and networks, implementing a pan-European Food 2030 multi-actor and public engagement mechanism and operationalizing an interlinked multi-level structure of connected Policy Labs and Living Labs, CLEVERFOOD will pave the way for a more regenerative, resilient and plant-based food system.https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101086320

[2] Food 2030 is the EU's research and innovation policy to transform food systems and ensure everyone has enough affordable, nutritious food to lead a healthy life. The ambition is to achieve a resilient food system that is fit for the future. Food systems need to also deliver co-benefits for people’s health, our climate, planet and communities. Food 2030 provides the policy framework to accelerate this transition within safe planetary boundaries. It is in line with, and supports, the goals of the European Green Deal, Farm to Fork strategy and bioeconomy strategy. https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/research-area/environment/bioeconomy/food-systems/food-2030_en

[probablyasocialecologist]

“People need to understand that ‘growth’ is not the same as social progress.” Hickel is one of the leading lights in a growing post-growth or degrowth movement. Its proponents argue that economic success cannot be measured through the crude metric of gross domestic product (GDP) and that there needs to be a managed reduction in growth in carbon-intensive countries and industries. “Growth simply means an increase in aggregate production, as measured in market prices,” says Hickel. “So, according to GDP growth, producing £1m worth of teargas is considered exactly the same as producing £1m worth of affordable housing or healthcare.” Hickel says that what matters in terms of social progress is not aggregate production but the production of specific goods and services that are necessary for improving people’s lives and achieving ecological goals – and a reduction in overall growth in high-emitting sectors and countries. “Every time a politician says they want more economic growth, we need to ask: growth of what and for whose benefit?” Opponents of the post-growth movement counter that a shrinking economy would be socially destructive, leading to a rise in unemployment, a reduction in tax revenue and therefore less money available for public services. This, they argue, would lead to increasing levels of hardship and destitution, which is already hitting marginalised communities the hardest. However, economists in the post-growth movement say a planned and purposeful reorganisation of the economy would benefit the vast majority of people. According to their vision, this could entail an organised downsizing in production of things such as mansions, SUVs, industrially produced beef, cruise ships, fast fashion and weapons – all of which are profitable to capital but ecologically destructive. At the same time, there should be a massive increase in investment in what would benefit people the most, from healthcare, public transport and renewable energy to affordable housing, nutritious food and regenerative agriculture, which offer less profit but are also less ecologically destructive. Hickel says: “In high-income countries like the UK, we have absolutely massive aggregate output. But this output is mostly organised around what is profitable to capital – and beneficial to elite consumers – rather than what is necessary for the wellbeing of everyday citizens. So despite high production we still have widespread deprivation … More than 4 million children live in poverty, and you can see the misery on our streets when you walk around. It’s madness.”

27 August 2024

[dustysalmon]

Eye of the Storm - Chapter 3

Pairing: Silco x Reader Rating: Explicit Warnings/Tags: graphic depiction of violence; slow burn; enemies to lovers, enforcer!reader Word count: 4.2k

Summary: After a chain of unexpected events, Jinx is arrested, and you find yourself in possession of the gemstone. On top of it all, you are forced into a reluctant alliance with Silco. What else could possibly go wrong?

Takes up at the end of episode 7.

Read on ao3 ⎜ Previous chapter ⎜Next chapter

The air is wrong, heavy and oppressive, pressing against your chest like a weight. It reeks of iron, sharp and metallic, clinging to the back of your throat until you can taste it. The ground shifts beneath you, unstable. There is chatter everywhere all at once, voices raging you on, they echo like a vicious prayer, going on and on. You don’t catch the words, not all of them, but one cuts through the noise.

"Do it."

The sound of a broken bottle shattering in the street jolts you awake from your regenerative slumber. You run a hand through your hair and glance at the old pendulum clock. Shit, you’ve been asleep for nearly three hours. You sigh. When does a nap become not a nap anymore? The coffee you’d made before slipping into unconsciousness still sits on your desk. As expected, it’s cold as rain, but you drink a sip regardless. It tastes just as bad as it sounds, and by the time you’re halfway through the third gulp, you regret it. You’ve never really liked coffee. Too bitter and burnt. Too ashy. You know that taste, breathed it in and consumed it for years working in the mines. Of all the memories you have from that time, this is one you’d rather do without. But the drink certainly provides you a with a much needed kick, though, so occasionally, you give in.  

You put the cup down next to your folded uniform with a sound of disgust. You fidget with the golden epaulettes, wondering if showing up in full gear at what is likely the heart of the undercity is a judicious idea. Enforcers have never been particularly welcome in these parts. Save for the industrial district, they don’t really venture these streets anymore unless some unexpected event arises, or the Council explicitly demands it. Walking the streets is not inherently dangerous, but showing up like this at the Eye of Zaun’s doorstep could easily be taken as provocation. 

No vest, you decide, and definitely not that ridiculous helmet. You put on your uniform pants, secure your thigh holster tightly, and slide your weapon into place. For good measure, you tuck a sizeable dagger into your boot. Your badge is a little worn out, scratched and not as shiny as it once was. Good thing they’ll be giving you a brand new one soon. You snap it onto your belt and take a breath.

Before falling asleep, you had the time to think about how you would approach this. But as it’s time to go now, you’re not so sure of your decision anymore. The Gemstone still lays intact in its nest of straw and cotton. Bringing it with you had seemed like a reasonable idea a few hours ago, but now that you’re well-rested, it just sounds dangerous. Even so, you take it out and carefully place it in one of your utility pouches.

It’s an insanely risky move, you realise that, but it’s not like you have much else to show for. If there is one chance to get Silco to hear you out, then the Gemstone has to be it. The man dealt with Marcus after all—there must have been some kind of exchange or agreement between them. That means he’s not entirely opposed to working with enforcers. If anything it’s simply a calculated move on his part. 

Piltover and the undercity are not mutually exclusive, despite all the disagreements and conflicts that oppose them. And while it is common knowledge that many Zaunites want its independence, from a purely economical standpoint, it seems unrealistic to pull out completely from topside’s economy. Virtually all exports go there—chemtech, Shimmer, food. And needless to say that underground food is already not too popular. Shimmer, though frowned upon in Piltover, plays vastly different roles depending on where you are. For most Pilties, it’s just a recreational drug. But for Zaunites, it’s often a desperate means of survival, a lifeline—one as brutal as it is short-lived. Most in the undercity can’t even afford it, and those who can tend to die quickly, whether from overdoses or the craving that comes afterward. 

The undercity cannot sustain itself completely with the way things are at the moment, shutting down the export would be the final nail in the coffin. Merchants are visibly suffering from the recent blockade, and it’s only been a couple of days. If tensions don’t subside soon, the damage would be irreparable. Maybe you could get a word in with Warren now that he is in charge—the thought makes you uncomfortable— but you doubt he would lift the blockade. He’s always looked at the undergrounds with nothing but disdain and contempt. Lots to think about, you sigh, and lock the door behind you. 

You take one of the city elevators to get to the upper levels. If there is a thing that works in the undercity, it’s those massive moving platforms. They’re essential to everyone who lives or works in the undergrounds. Whenever one of them breaks down, maintenance workers know better than to delay repairs—unless they want to risk being "encouraged" to act faster in a dark back alley. Before heading to your final destination, you stop by a scrap workshop to send a memo through the pneumatic tube systems. The riskiness of the situation isn’t lost on you, so…contingencies. 

The Lanes are a much more pleasant district than where you come from—by undercity standards. If your mom weren't so stubborn about clinging to her old house, you would have moved there with her. The area is buzzing with bars, fighting pits, brothels and enough entertainment for a lifetime. This part of town never truly sleeps. And situated right in the heart of it is the Last Drop. It is some kind of an institution—the place where Zaunites come to meet, drink, and brawl. It’s definitely not as family-friendly as it once was, but you would argue it kept its charm.  

The building certainly stands out, a large neon green eye on its front, overlooking the streets, watching and monitoring like an invisible hand. Loud muffled music fills your ears even though the entrance is still a couple feet away. Two drunkards are being unceremoniously tossed out by a bouncer that is twice the size of any human you’ve ever seen. The pair keep swinging at each other outside, bottles in hand, emptying a little more at each movement. Frankly, the wind has more to fear than anyone else. While the bouncer is still busy keeping them away from the establishment, you sleep in through the unmistakable asymmetric door. 

The bass thrums through the floorboards, making the place vibrate, you can feel each beat  in your core. The air is filled with sweat and burnt ozone. Smoke from cheap cigars curls lazily beneath the neon lights buzzing overhead, plunging the room in vibrant greens, blues, and  reds.

People chatter and shout at the bar, desperately trying to compete with the music. Good thing most of the occupations you see don’t require much talking. In the back, a pool game unfolds with a small crowd pressing close, exploding with cheers and groans whenever the cue ball cracks against its target. Coins fly from all parts, clattering onto the felt as bets are settled. Closer to you, a drinking game is in full swing, the two participants slamming their fists in time with the chanting onlookers. Other tables host quieter contests like cards games, dice rolls, the opponents faces locked in concentration despite the noise.

Your enforcer instincts can’t help but zero in on the plethora of illicit activities taking place in the not-so-discreet booths lining the edges of the venue. In one of them, an older man with a clockwork monocle sits alone, a small stack of coins and a ledger in front of him. He adjusts the monocle with a twitch of his hand as he counts. People come and go from his table in quick exchanges, sliding small bags of coins or slips of paper across to him, always leaving with a vial or two of chem-fluids—you can’t exactly tell which one. And then of course, there’s Shimmer—everywhere. You’re in the belly of the beast after all. 

In another booth, a trio is enjoying the product in all its forms. One of them, a woman with a mechanical hand, uncaps a vial with a twist, the purple liquid inside glows faintly, very distinctive. She pours a drop onto her tongue, her eyes dilate instantly as she leans back with an exhale. One of her companions breathes in the product directly from a mask, and the man sitting across from them seems to be injecting himself directly via a makeshift IV device. All is well in the heart of the undercity: ugly, loud, and oddly energetic. Maybe you should go out more often. 

You make your way through the raucous crowd, some rare customers are sober enough to recognise the badge hanging from your belt. If they feel offended or even slightly threatened by your presence, they make no show of it. Having worked quite a bit around the industrial district, you recognise a few of Smeech’s goons. They’re hard to miss with the outrageous body augments—unsurprising, given that it’s their boss’s area of expertise. They make sure to flaunt it every chance they get.

It is no secret that they take a lot of pride working for the chem-barons, whichever one it may be. It’s a sign of status that is rather difficult to achieve in these streets. Chem-barons quite simply represent the ruling class among Zaunites. They reign supreme over their respective districts with an iron hand, always dancing on the questionable edge of order and terror. Most topsiders are incapable of admitting that the undercity is anything more than a giant disorganised cesspool, a realm of anarchy. But those who call it home know that this couldn’t be further from the truth. Within the city lies a cleverly constructed hierarchy with distinct branches, loosely implemented laws, and, ironically, even a council. It’s perfectly imperfect, but it’s been holding the undercity together for as long as you can remember—no mere fit. you suspect that the man you’re here to meet tonight, should he be so inclined, is at least partially responsible for that. 

A set of stairs and balcony hover above the bar, which you guess lead directly to the lair of the Eye of Zaun, but as you expected, two bouncers are blocking the way, arms crossed and menacing faces on display. You nod politely to both of them, not that you believe manners will get you anywhere here. They look you up and down, eyes stopping briefly on the gun resting at your hips.

"I’m here to see your boss." You shout over the music, unsure if they can hear you at all. By their shared expression, you can tell that they do—they’ve adapted to this cacophony long ago.

"He’s not expecting," says the man on the left, though you have to read it on his lips as he doesn’t bother to speak up. 

You press your luck. "It’s very important that I speak with him," you insist.

You try to plead your case, but they don’t seem very inclined to let you pass. Fuck, you didn’t think this through at all. And who’s idea was it to come at this hour, with this racket all around you. The last thing you want to do is make a scene in front of an audience. You go for the usual techniques, asking them to imagine what would happen if their boss found out they prevented crucial information from reaching him. But they remain unmoved.

"Is there a problem here?" a voice asks from the side. You turn around and crane your neck up about sixty degrees to look at the imposing woman towering over you. Silco’s right hand, Sevika, if you’re not mistaken. A no-nonsense type for certain. People know better than to fuck about when she’s around. You decide to be straightforward this time. 

"It’s about the girl." Her eyes widen, if only briefly. Clearly you should have started with that. No wonder you weren’t appointed to the crisis negotiation unit. Like the bouncers before her, she glances at your weapon, and holds out her hand. Without a fuss, you hand it over, which seems to surprise her in a good way. With a tilt from her head, she motions for you to move ahead. You do as instructed climbing the stairs and following a long corridor until you reach a weathered wooden door. Sevika opens it without a word, or knock, and gestures for you to step inside, moving behind you like a shadow.

And there he is, sitting in a large armchair, one arm draped lazily over the armrest, and a cigar smouldering between his long fingers. He doesn’t greet you or offer any pretence of civility—you expected nothing less. He does look at you intently however, his good eye fixed on you, sharp and calculating, while the other glows faintly in the dim light of the room. It’s not shocking, not when you are from the undercity, but it is striking. Unavoidable. For a fleeting second, something flickers in his expression. Recognition. He doesn’t bother to hide it, but his face remains composed. Your pulse quickens, heart drumming in your ears, feeling even louder than the music downstairs. There’s no hostility in his gaze, just that unsettling calm that feels more dangerous than any overt threat.

His outfit catches your attention. A crimson shirt, freshly pressed, with intricate golden embroidery on the cuffs; a sophisticated waistcoat adorned with elaborate patterns, straps and polished gold buttons; and a white silk tie, knotted in a cafe style. The spitting image of a Piltovian gentleman if you ignore the venue. Curious.

For what feels like an eternity, he doesn’t speak, and neither do you. The room is filled only with the muffled music coming from the bar. Impressive walls, you think to yourself. Must be nice. You hold his gaze, refusing to flinch or look away, even as his lips curl into the faintest suggestion of a smirk. You get the exact same feeling you got when you saw him first on the bridge. This inexplicable gravitas, this pull. It’s in the way he carries himself, as if the room, the city, the world itself bends around him without him even needing to try.

He takes a slow drag from his cigar, the ember flaring, before blowing the smoke aside in a cloud. You square your shoulders and lift your chin, matching his stare with one of your own. Unfortunately, you’ve never been good at this game, and start clearing your throat.

Subtly, Silco eyes’s drift to Sevika, and before you can figure out the meaning of that minuscule gesture, the woman’s mechanical arm comes swinging at you with great speed. The only reason you successfully dodge it is because you heard the metal clinking a little too close to your face. She sneers at you, her grey eyes glinting. She is incredibly fast, inhumanly so. She grips one of your wrists in her large hand and twists your arm around and behind your back. It hurts like hell but you’re not about to fold so quickly. You throw your head back and hit her square in the nose. This actually seems to hurt her a little, given the way she groans, and lets go of you. 

From the comfort of his armchair, Silco is looking very irritated, mostly with himself. Perhaps he should have heard you out right away, and spared himself this spectacle. Well, it’s too late for that now. With great efforts, you land a couple of blows to Sevika’s stomach and thigh, but she seems utterly unphased. Meanwhile, you feel the energy quickly draining from you. One moment of inattention, and you are flipped around and forcefully dropped to the ground. She has you this time. One harsh movement and you may end up with a dislocated shoulder, perhaps worse, considering the woman’s strength. 

Finally, Silco puts out his cigar and rises from his chair. He goes to stand by the window, looking away from you and Sevika. 

"Whatever you have for me, it better be worth my time." His voice is smooth but low and menacing, like the gentle press of a knife against your throat. You turn your head as much as you can to address Sevika.

"Utility pouch on the right side." You groan, your arm is starting to seriously hurt. With one hand, Sevika pokes around, making sure to keep the mechanical one firmly on you. You can’t really see what’s going on but by the way she suddenly stops moving and releases her grip completely, you can guess that she has found what you wanted her to find.

Silco’s mask finally wavers, his eyes fixed on the blue glowing orb, as if hypnotised. He shifts his gaze between you and the shiny object. He looks perplexed. On a good day, he reads his associates and foes like an open book, that’s always been his strength. It’s much easier to control people if you know what they want, and what they are ready to lose in order to get it. But you, he completely misread you. And that angers him on many levels.

"It was bold, coming here alone. I could simply order Sevika to take the gemstone from you, and dump your body in a dark alley." An empty threat, probably. You’ve always imagined the Eye of Zaun to be unapologetically ruthless, but not unreasonable. No one makes it to the very top and keeps their seat for so long without compromising. But now that he is overtly threatening your life, with intent, you are tempted to reconsider.

"We both know you have no use for it. Not until you’ve figured out how to exploit it."

"What makes you think I haven’t?" He asks, shifting his head towards you as you rise to your feet.

"I figured if you wanted to use the stone you would have done it already." Silco easily hears the doubt in your voice. 

"But you don’t know that for certain. You came here on a hunch."

"Listen, if this wasn’t obvious, I don’t know where I’m going with this," you say, a mix of panic and irritation overtaking you. "But there are people in topside who are hellbent on using Hextech technology to ends you don’t wanna find out. I came here in good faith. I came to you first."

"What is it that you want from me?" He asks, walking around the desk towards Sevika. 

"For the meantime, I am asking you—" that gets you a raised eyebrow from both Silco and Sevika. "—to not attempt any retaliation. It’ll only convince them to strike back even harder." Silco’s brain stops on that particular word, "retaliation". Does that lady enforcer have it all figured out already? What Jinx is to him? He could have sworn he’d been more careful than that. His eyes meet Sevika’s, and her message is clear. She’s warned him multiple times about his carelessness lately, and now it’s coming back to bite him in the ass. 

Sevika drops the gemstone in the palm of his hand. He rolls it around slowly, reminiscing about the day Jinx brought it back to him, then turns to you. In truth, he had hoped you would have been the one to bring her up first. Him being the one doing it, that might as well be a confession. That makes him vulnerable, he’s aware, but when it comes to Jinx, he simply can’t help it. He grabs the whisky glass that’s been sitting on the desk, and downs it in a single gulp. A hopeless attempt at displaying disinterest that is not as convincing as he thinks.

"How is she?" About time, you think to yourself. He looked about ready to burn the bridge down to get to that blue-haired girl the other day. You have yet to discover what that was all about, but you have your theories. Although it’s difficult to picture the big bad kingpin of the undercity as a father figure, it’s not as far-fetched as it seems. Or maybe Jinx is simply that good, not expandable. Something you wouldn't argue against, given the trouble she’s given you and your colleagues lately. 

"Still in recovery. You’re probably already planning some kind of extraction." You pause in the hopes of getting a hint of a confirmation, but he’s giving you nothing. "Don’t bother. For now, her best chances are with Piltover’s doctors. It’s probably more than she deserves."

Silco slams his now empty glass on the desk. You continue before he gets a chance to spit his venom towards you. "A lot of men died yesterday."

"Forgive me if I don’t collapse in a heap of grief on their behalf." You lower your head, a bitter smile adorning your face. 

"She will be transferred to Stillwater once they’re done with her. I need your word." He stays silent, weighing his options. "The Council doesn’t know I’m in possession of the Gemstone. Or anybody else, for that matter. Only the people in this room. I intend to keep it that way."

"I’m sure you understand that I cannot just take your word for it." He is right, as much as you loathe it. It only takes him a couple of seconds to come up with his terms. "I want regular updates on her condition, and a physician’s report, just to make sure you’re playing fair. It’s always…difficult to tell with enforcers."

"You want me to steal documents from the medical facility?"

"I need a guarantee." He says matter-of-factly, and deep inside, you know it is a perfectly justified request, but still.

"What’s my guarantee?" You shoot back.

"You get to walk out of here alive. It’s probably more than you deserve." He says nonchalantly, purely to spite you, and you don’t know whether you’re supposed to laugh, or strangle him. You realise that you can’t haggle your way out of this. The Gemstone was your only bargaining chip, and you used it from the get go. You don’t have any other offers to make, or any additional information to share regarding Jinx. Either you take the deal, or find out what happens when you rile up the Eye of Zaun.

"I’ll see what I can do." You say with a sigh, feeling beaten. Silco didn’t expect an enthusiastic response, but he is used to it. Something you learn when you’re accustomed to getting the better end of every deal—a skill he is not hitching to let go of. 

Satisfied, he leans against the edge of the desk after handing you back the stone, scrutinising you with narrowed eyes.

"You're not from topside, are you?"

You raise an eyebrow, a bit wary. "What gave me away?" Silco shrugs, tilting his head to the side.

"You came to me." He says like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. Yes, because that is what all Zaunites usually do at the end of the day, they turn to him. No matter his reputation or the gruesome tales surrounding him. He has always been considered the voice of the people of the undercity, and that counts for a lot. "And also," he adds, a sly smirk pulling at the corners of his lips. "You lack that air of superiority they all have. Not quite high and mighty enough." He crosses his arms. "But the way you talk—the way you hold yourself. Almost as if you think you belong up there." You frown slightly, a hint defensive, but decide not to respond. 

Sevika hands you your weapon, and you recognise it as your sign to take your leave. Neither you or Silco set a time or place for an eventual new meeting. That’s alright. He knows you know where to find him, you think to yourself before leaving.

Sevika waits for the door to shut completely before turning to her boss.

"That’s unlike you. Swinging before talking." She says, picking up a rag somewhere to properly clean her bloody nose.

"I was right to do so, apparently. You almost made a fool of yourself there." He taunts, and Sevika scoffs, only mildly offended. Although she recognises that the little brawl shouldn’t have lasted as long as it did. She would never admit it, though.

"I wasn’t trying." 

They proceed to talk about the day, as they always do, and Silco purposely avoids the topic of the most recent meeting. It’s still too fresh in his head, and he knows that whenever Jinx is in the picture, he and Sevika can only disagree. So he asks her about the Firelights, Shimmer sales, anything to get his mind off that new deal he just made, if he can call it that. 

Suddenly, there’s an insistent knock at the door, and as soon as Sevika opens it, one of the bouncers barges in breathless, sweat covering his forehead. 

"There was an attack, sir," he says, a hand resting on his pounding chest. "It’s one of the Shimmer factories."

Thank you for reading!

Let me know if you would like a taglist :)

Chapter 1 ⎜ Chapter 2 ⎜ Chapter 3 ⎜ Chapter 4 ⎜ Chapter 5

[dandelionsresilience]

Dandelion News - October 1-7

Like these weekly compilations? Tip me at $kaybarr1735 or check out my Dandelion Doodles on Patreon!

1. Arctic ozone reaches record high in positive step for climate

“Above-average ozone levels continued to persist through September 2024. This is significant as, previously, spring has been associated with ozone depletion[….] The March 2024 ozone average peaked at 477 Dobson units (DU), which is 6 DU higher than the previous record in March 1979 and 60 DU higher than the average for the study period (1979 to 2023).”

2. Why Massachusetts loves Nibi the beaver and [won the fight] to keep her out of the wild

“Nibi, now 2 years old, is roughly the age when wild beavers embark on their journey to find a mate and build a home. [… But] if Nibi is released in October, she would be ill-prepared for the winter[…. The governor has] issued a permit for Nibi to remain at a wildlife rescue as an educational beaver and inspire folks to protect our natural world."”

3. In Madagascar, Taniala Regenerative Camp aims to heal deforestation scars

“Residents of the villages around Lambokely manage the nursery and market garden crops. “Local communities receive training in agroecology and agroforestry, benefit from improved soil fertility, and earn additional income from intercropping in the agroforestry plots. In addition, community members are incentivized to participate in tree-planting activities.””

4. Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana Breaks Ground on $6.4 Million Affordable Housing Project

“The project’s first phase will create three-bedroom homes designed for multiple purposes, including elderly housing, emergency shelter, and support for displaced and low-income Tribal citizens. These homes will be built to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards, ensuring accessibility for all.”

5. Scientists say painting roofs this colour could save lives: How does it keep cities cool?

“[Researchers] found that cool, light-coloured roofs installed across all of London’s roofs could have cooled the city by around 0.8C [in 2018]. [… Solar panels] could have cooled the city by around 0.3C, preventing the deaths of 96 people [… while generating] more than half the energy [used by] London during the entire year of 2018.”

6. Travis County [TX] opens center to help keep people experiencing a mental health crisis out of jail

“The walk-in urgent care facility is open 24/7 and provides immediate support for people experiencing mental health crises. From there, some patients may be referred to a residential facility[… where] patients will be able to stay for up to 90 days[….] Jailed individuals may also work with their legal teams to coordinate admission to the facility.”

7. Spain’s first transgender soccer team makes debut in regional men’s league

“A soccer team consisting entirely of transgender men has[…] become the first all-trans squad to achieve federated status in Europe. […] Spain passed a pioneering trans rights bill last year designed to make it easier to change a person’s legal gender identity. […] Players may also choose to use a name that’s different from their legal one[….]”

8. Green Status of Species: Pushing Conservation Ambitions Beyond Preventing Extinction

“[… T]he Green Status of Species [is] a new part of Red List assessments that helps tell “a species’ full conservation story.” […] In addition to quantifying species recovery, the Green Status of Species […] will help to better inform future conservation actions by shedding light on which past actions have contributed most to species recovery.”

9. Hell froze over in Texas – the state will connect to the US grid for the first time via a fed grant

“[The projects will] boost grid reliability, lower energy costs, and support the clean energy transition. […] They’ll also generate nearly 9,000 jobs, supporting local economies[…. In particular, the Texas portion is] designed to prevent outages like the ones during Winter Storm Uri that hit Texas hard in 2021.”

10. Pine martens released to be reintroduced to Devon

“Work to release 15 pine martens into woods across Dartmoor has been completed[….] The eight females and seven males have all been fitted with a radio collars to allow their movements to be tracked. […] They were kept in soft-release pens for three days to get them used to their surroundings before being allowed to run wild, staff said.”

September 22-28 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.)

[formulatrash]

what do you think about formula e seemingly wanting to replace all of their street circuits in the calendar with permanent tracks? it feels like it’s starting to lose its street circuit racing identity already (and, that’s more of a personal opinion, but the permanent track racing feels like it has been much worse, it just doesn’t suit formula e cars at all)

it's very odd, at a point when F1 can't stop adding street tracks specifically to get hype venues and big-ticket promotional races, Formula E is hiding itself further and further away in permanent circuits.

they're sort of doing it for the same reasons, is the funny thing. little circuits will host FE much cheaper than the immense cost and logistics of building a street track and the lower the bill, the bigger likelihood a local business or tourist board will foot it. for F1, the cost of building a new, permanent facility is so staggering even oil states would likely baulk at it now. Yas Marina has cost over $1.3 billion so far, which Abu Dhabi can foot but isn't small change even for them and has led to other programmes being focussed around re-using and extracting value from the facility. (like the autonomous racing thing I was at earlier this year)

not that street tracks come much cheaper but you can build them faster, for an instant gratification on that investment.

F1 can boast massive figures for what a city stands to gain for hosting a grand prix. $449 million additional spending for Miami, for instance. Formula E... cannot throw around those numbers. it's not really a tourism draw and personnel are limited. so to go to a facility that desperately needs events, with an audience reliant primarily on local interest, means it can show an impact. FE claims that it brought an $84 million boost to the Hyderabad economy, for instance but a lot of that will have been in circuit construction.

so the financials add up. but also FE is supposed to be its own, distinct, world championship with a high profile not "F1 but it's electric and goes to lower grade circuits."

if a series does not have a profile of sufficient size, it has no hope of selling out venues. this happened to F1 - Silverstone didn't use to sell out at all, you could walk up to the gate and buy a ticket and I'm talking, like, 2016 not 1994. it took a long pathway of turning its visibility around to reverse that and yes they hit lightning in a bottle with DTS during lockdown but even things like social media had been a huge start in undoing a long, regressive slide into an ageing, shrinking fanbase.

FE cannot be small. manufacturers like Porsche are not in it for it to be small - yes, it is a useful test laboratory for regen but with long periods of homologation for powertrains, the marketing has to be a significant part of the draw. and you also need, reasonably, to be able to succeed: a manufacturer's board will not keep signing off on a racing budget, however small, if there are no or frustrating results on track. and no marketing function.

I know I've been saying this for years but it's still true: FE needs to keep developing itself, keep acting like a startup (since it is one) and continue to grow. ever since COVID it feels as though the championship just said "ah well, this is what we are now" and decided it wouldn't try to progress anything any further. it's a very odd lack of ambition for what could be such a hugely important series both to OEMs and fans.

[cognitivejustice]

Revitalizing the ocean economy with transformative sustainability innovation in urban planning and architectural design

Image: © Haptic Architects, Oslo Works, and BOGL

A waterside scheme spanning 45,000 sqm with features including Fjordarium—an aquarium with underwater galleries capturing the fjord’s marine life and anticipating its future. The facility is part of a wider knowledge hub of workspaces for marine industry and ocean tech businesses. Haptic Architects and Oslo Works reimagine a disused parking lot as a global centre for sustainable oceanic practices.

Fjordarium featuring underwater galleries that peek into the marine life of the fjord

The Fjord area is designed as the educational centre of the scheme and will house the Fjordarium. This building will provide an immersive visitor experience by offering a window directly into the fjord. The Fjordarium will encompass various facilities such as a restaurant, bar, gallery, event space, research laboratories, workspaces, and teaching rooms above and below the water level.

In collaboration with the Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), the design of the Fjordarium building has been created to safeguard marine biodiversity. The building, as per the design statement, will be engineered to withstand the fjord's waves and currents while maximising natural light penetration into the underwater areas. It will address the challenges and provide solutions for cleaning the heavily polluted fjord caused by agricultural waste. In partnership with We Are Human, the architects have conceived the Fjordarium as a destination that will seamlessly blend physical and virtual experiences. It will serve as a global learning platform, exploring the drivers of the new blue economy while promoting a shift towards environmental sustainability and a regenerative approach to oceans.

[solarpunkbusiness]

Sustainable bamboo collaboration with Indigenous Orang Asli in Malaysia for design and innovation

“We have ambitious goals this year, but we want to consolidate over 4,000 hectares of forestry assets and create two Bamboo Villages,” explains Loo. Each bamboo forestry asset, or a bamboo village unit, will span 2,000 hectares and create a regenerative economy for the 210 Orang Asli families in the area. This includes sustainable economic activities such as planting, harvesting and selling bamboo.

One village’s monthly yield alone provides enough raw bamboo to pull 100,000 metric tonnes of CO2 from the air annually. This year, Sead plans to establish bamboo villages in Kampung Kepayang and Sungai Siput where bamboo grows around the villages. The bamboo is harvested by trained Orang Asli villagers, and Sead purchases it to be applied in building projects, and for other uses.

Sead will soon launch processing plants where Malaysian communities can participate in converting bamboo into versatile mass timber. Countries leading the world’s decarbonisation targets urgently need sustainable alternatives to scarce timber to achieve their net zero goals.

For Loo, Sead’s broader vision is straightforward: demonstrate that strong communities and sustainable materials can develop harmoniously. He believes that this vision has the potential to soar—just like bamboo.

[carlobattisti]

The roadmap is you

The roadmap is you

We are at the end of a year extremely complicated, we know it. Energy crisis, economic crisis, an ongoing pandemic, an environmental emergency that we are unable to deal with seriously, and of course the infamous Russian invasion of Ukraine. All our cornerstones are now shaky: peace, welfare, health, democracy, progress. We have done nothing this year but accumulate uncertainties and we are…

[timceliumxe417]

Zusammenbau untere U-Schale

Zunächst wurden die Kerto-Bodenplatten auf den Stahlrahmen des Unimogs gelegt und in die richtige Position gebracht. Die runden Rippen passten genau in die dafür vorgesehenen Aussparungen in den Platten und konnten dort sicher befestigt werden. Die Nut entlang der Längsseite der Kerto-Platte dient zur Aufnahme der Alustange, um die Platte mit den Rippen zu verbinden. Die zusätzliche Stabilität wird durch das Aussen- und Innensperrholz gewährleistet, das im nächsten Schritt hinzugefügt wird.

[learningnewstuff]

THE NEW RURAL

BUILDING FASHION COMMUNITIES AT THE EDGE

JOIN US // DATE: FRIDAY 19TH APRIL 2024

LOCATION: NEWLYN EXCHANGE

Princes Street Penzance, TR18 2NL

TIME: 12:00 - 15:00

In light of shifting perspectives relating to sustainable and inclusive fashion practices, disrupted supply chains, regenerative farming initiatives and an evolving employment market, it is time to reframe Fashion’s urban-centric perspective to better understand the growing dialogue around creative practice outside of the city.

Arts University Plymouth BA Fashion Design brings together a group of established and independent fashion design creatives to discuss making work - just where you are and building a networked creative community at the furthest edges of the Southwest in Cornwall, England.

AGENDA

12:00 Arrive - Newlyn Exchange, Penzance  // The Engine Room

12:15 Welcome & Introduction - Heather Martin, Arts University Plymouth BA Fashion Design Course Leader

12:30 Speaker - Ella McGregor - Raine Studio

13:00 Speaker - Teagan Pharoah Green - Fierce Flora Clothing

13:30 Break

13:45 Speaker - Alice Sainsbury - Tao Studio

14:15 Q & A - with speakers

14:30 Networking

15:00 Close