#sustainable agriculture meaning

[agrocomp0sites]

Sustainable Practices for a Healthier Planet

Outline Main Topic Subtopics Introduction – Definition of Sustainability Sustainable Practices – Importance of Sustainable Practices – Examples of Sustainable Practices – Benefits of Sustainable Practices Environmental Sustainability – Key Concepts in Environmental Sustainability – Ecosystem Services and Sustainability – The Role of Biodiversity in Sustainability Sustainable Development…

[teenagefeeling]

people are so unfair to vegans i've said it before and i'll say it again

[cookie-nom-nom]

The Impacts of Agricultural Practices on Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi

By popular demand (one single person) I present a semster's worth of research into the scientific uncertainty surrounding Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi as pertaining to agriculture because oh boy. is there some uncertainty. Which is a boring way of saying the world is ripe with potential and the mycology is a blossoming field of research! Yippee!

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) have potential to increase the efficiency of modern agricultural practices due to its beneficial impacts on crops. AMF are a broad category of fungi species that live in the soil and connect to the roots of plants, forming symbiotic relationships between them and other plants connected through the mycelium network. Due to their fine mycelium and ability to extract nutrients from inorganic compounds, AMF can access nitrogen and phosphorus from the soil and exchange it with for carbon compounds generated in photosynthesis by their plant hosts (Hodge and Storer 2014). This can provide crucial, often limiting nutrients to crops which otherwise deplete the nutrients in the soil with each harvest. AMF have also been found to increase plant resistance to pathogens, drought, or salinity (Cheng et al. 2023; Buysens, de Boulois, and Declerck 2014). However, the benefits of AMF to crops vary wildly, and in the wrong conditions AMF can become parasitic to their hosts (Hodge and Storer 2014). The complexity of AMF networks makes it difficult to ascertain their impacts, with variables such as available nutrients, soil conditions, or species involved in the symbiosis changing the results of studies. One component of addressing its potential use comes from examining how current farming practices impact the effectiveness of AMF for agriculture and the uncertainty obfuscating it.

Nutrients

Modern agriculture depends on ample fertilizer use to maintain yield output, which has heavy environmental costs, from excess nutrients causing eutrophication, to being carcinogenic and potentially radioactive, to the damage from mining and processing phosphate (Lubkowski 2016). One of the main advantages of AMF symbiosis is increased access to nutrients for the crop hosts, thus positioning it as a potential alternate source of nutrients. Understanding both the impact of fertilizers on AMF networks and how they compare in enriching crops is crucial when considering the potential of AMF in agriculture.

Over time, conventional fertilizers' usage greatly decreased the diversity of AMF species and their impact on crops (Oehl et al. 2004; Wang et al. 2018; Peng et al. 2023). Organic fertilizers resulted in nearly double the amount of AMF species compared to the plots using artificial fertilizers (Oehl et al. 2004). The composition of the fungal species was also different, with the species prevalent under organic farming more closely resembling those of a natural ecosystem. Furthermore, the dominant AMF species under long term, high intensity artificial fertilizer were less beneficial to crops (Peng et al. 2023). Potentially less efficient AMF species were selected for by high input farming as the crop would trade for phosphorous less readily due to the abundance from the fertilizer (Oehl et al. 2004). Less diversity in AMF resulted in decreased benefits to crops, suggesting that farming techniques that increase the diversity of AMF will be more beneficial to farmers (Oehl et al. 2004; Wang et al. 2018). However, Peng et al. found that the lower AMF diversity in fertilized fields did not cause lower crop yield, but did find increased soil stability and nutrient cycling (2023). As it was the diversity of the AMF being measured, the diverse and partially conflicting results are logical because of the different AMF species and dynamics present in each study. AMF diversity appeared to relate to multiple but inconsistent positive effects for agriculture and was clearly harmed by the use of conventional fertilizers.

Fertilizer negatively impacted the root colonization of AMF (Oehl et al. 2004; Sheng et al. 2012; Peng et al. 2023). Cultures taken from organic farming plots had a higher chance of inoculation and faster root colonization compared to traditional fertilizer use (Oehl et al. 2004). AMF species that quickly and more fully colonize roots would be highly valuable in modern agriculture, which prioritizes annual plants and thus would need to quickly renew relationships with AMF networks in order to benefit from the symbiosis. Potentially the particular species predominate under organic farming was well suited to swift colonization of the crops used. Alternatively, the diversity of the AMF species may have been the cause due to an increased chance of having a fungal species suited to the crop species. More testing is necessary to ascertain which variable has the greatest impact on root colonization.

Other indicators of fertilizer impact on AMF growth were not so clear-cut, as hyphal and spore density had conflicting responses to long-term fertilizer use. Sheng et al. posited that the limited benefits of AMF in fertilized fields could be attributed to added phosphorus causing limited hyphal growth in the top layers of soil, reducing the amount of root connections with crops (2012). However, Peng et al. found that hyphal length density increased with the addition of nitrogen and phosphorus in tandem but having neutral impact separately (2023). Potentially the negative impact Sheng et al. noted was influenced by a lack of nitrogen, but that would not fully explain the anathema results. Additionally, in two experiments fertilizer increased the spore density, potentially due to the fungi being in unfavorable conditions and consequently switching from an emphasis on hyphal growth to spores to increase their long-term survival (Sheng et al. 2012; Peng et al. 2023). In contrast, Oehl et al. found a decreased abundance of spores in fertilized fields (2004). The reason for the stark contrast in results is unclear, and could be contributed to different crop species, duration of studies, soil characteristics, or any other plethora of variables that without further study will not be elucidated.

Soil Organic Matter (OM) also influenced the relationship between AMF, fertilizer, and harvest due to influencing the amount of nutrients available to plants. The benefit of fertilizer on inoculated raspberries was significantly less pronounced in high OM environments, where the weight of berries had a negative relation to the amount of fertilizer (Chen et al. 2022). In low nutrient conditions with low OM and fertilizer usage, inoculated raspberries had small berries, potentially due to the host and fungi competing for limited nutrients. A similar trend was found with the fruit set, or percentage of flowers that produced berries. In an inoculated field with low OM, fertilizer increased the fruit set but in high OM it decreased (Chen et al. 2022). Furthermore, the highest fruit set belonged to an inoculated field with high OM and no fertilizer. Therefore, there is likely a limited range of available nutrients (whether from OM or fertilizers) wherein AMF are beneficial to crops, suggesting that future experiments concerning AMF and fertilizer must take pre-existing soil nutrients into consideration. Further testing is required to determine the optimal combination of OM and fertilizers to achieve the benefits of AMF, because as of yet the impact of nutrients on AMF networks is still not fully understood.

Crops

The AMF represent only one half of the symbiotic relationship, and so the hosts available to them greatly determine the impact of AMF. The harmful effects of annual monocultures are well established, resulting in decreased biodiversity and nutrient loss that could negatively impact AMF networks (Crews, Carton, and Olsson 2018). The prevalence of monocultures in modern agriculture raises the question of how the limited selection of hosts impacts AMF networks.

Crop diversity is clearly linked to AMF diversity. Oehl et al. suggested that the seven- year crop rotation method used in their experiment contributed to the high diversity of species, as they had more similar numbers of species in wild grasslands than is found in cropland that utilizes the same monoculture every year (2004). Intercropping systems were likewise found to sustain richer and more diverse AMF communities than monocultures (Lu 2018; Cheng et al. 2023). It is likely that the variety of the hosts provides a variety of symbiosis opportunities for differently adapted AMF species to bond with, thus increasing the AMF diversity and richness.

But as previously discussed, AMF diversity is not a clear indicator of benefit. Crop diversity may benefit AMF networks, but farmers are more interested in how that impacts crops. Intercropping results in a significant increase in yield compared to monocultures, known as over yielding. Cheng et al. found a positive correlation between intercrop yield and AMF diversity, though Wang et al. clarified that not all inoculated crop species in an intercrop system experienced an increased yield, further cementing how varied AMF-crop interactions are (2023; 2018). Lu hypothesized that the AMF nutrient transfers explained over yielding in intercropping system but due to confounding variables it was difficult to ascertain (2018). Notably, the yield benefits of intercropping were diminished in fields with high amounts of phosphorus from added fertilizer (Wang et al. 2018). Combined with the theory that less beneficial AMF were selected for in fertilized fields, the success of intercropping beneath conditions favorable to AMF suggests AMF could be a contributing factor to the over yielding phenomena found in intercropping and thus practice that support AMF are vital to intercrop systems (Oehl et al. 2004; Peng et al. 2023).

Annual crops dominate modern agriculture and thus their relationships with AMF are valuable to examine. The disruption of the soil from the tillage necessary for annual crops results in severe soil and nutrient erosion in a way that is unsustainable (Crews, Carton, and Olsson 2018). Tillage has a harmful impact on AMF due to severing the mycelium networks, so the practices associated with annual crops are already known to harm AMF communities due to severing mycelial networks and causing changes in nutrients (Peng et al. 2023; Sheng et al. 2012). Periods of bare soil between yearly annuals and destruction of weeds result in stretches of time when AMF have reduced host possibilities. Overall, the associated farming techniques used for annuals are not beneficial to AMF.

Annual crops also face the added complication of new plants having to re-establish their symbiosis with AMF. Due to the lag in benefit from AMF, short-lived plants may be less likely to invest in a symbiotic relationship with them. Perennial legumes with AMF networks had more growth than annual species, with increased nitrogen and phosphorous given to the crops (Primieri et al. 2021). It was possible the AMF reinvested in perennials over and over because they have proven to be good symbionts, whereas there was a time lag in reinvesting in a new year of annuals. Therefor agriculturalists using perennials may have even more investment in using practices that compliment AMF as they have an increased impact. However, the study’s results should be treated with caution as the perennial crop was an undomesticated crop species due to farming crops being mostly annuals and comparisons show that domesticated species can be less able to support AMF (Primieri et al. 2021). Because species react differently to AMF symbiosis, studies between annual and perennials were difficult to construct. However, combined with the associated practices of tilling and periods with decreased access to hosts, it is likely that AMF is more helpful to farmers in perennial systems. Though there is some uncertainty, the consensus of research is that perennial and diverse crops have more beneficial symbiotic relationships with AMF.

Pesticides, Herbicides, and Fungicides oh my!

Conventional farming heavily relies on utilization of hazardous chemicals to kill organisms that pose threats to crops, be they rivalrous weeds, hungry herbivores, or fungi plagues. While pesticides seek to target specific species or groups, the introduction of toxins in the environment often has unintended side effects that could be influencing mycorrhizal networks. Studies conflict greatly whether pesticides help or hinder AMF, in part thanks to the plethora of confounding variables involved.

The species involved in the system are a large factor in the effect pesticides have on AMF. Different AMF species have various methods of dealing with toxins in their environment, such as compartmentalization, producing protective molecules, and transporting pollutants (Hage-Ahmed, Rosner, and Steinkellner 2018). Therefore, the response an AMF network has to pesticides will depend on the predominant fungal strains. As AMF are in symbiosis with plants, their species are also relevant. The application of herbicides to weeds limits the number of hosts the AMF are able to rely on. However, in some studies the AMF were able to recover after a few weeks, though their ability to do so was dependent on the crop species they were partnered with (Hage-Ahmed, Rosner, and Steinkellner 2018). Other studies even found herbicides had a neutral or positive impact on AMF. Soil bacteria that associate with AMF can also vary in quantity and quality within the same field, especially species that biodegrade pesticides and influence their persistence (Hage-Ahmed, Rosner, and Steinkellner 2018). Due to AMF being symbiotic networks, the species at play, be they fungal, plant, or bacteria, can all highly influence how the system responds to pesticide disturbances.

Fungicides potentially pose a threat to AMF due to being designed to target fungi. At IC50 threshold to control a fungal pest, three fungicides had no impact on AMF except for flutolanil decreasing root colonization (Buysens, de Boulois, and Declerck 2014). Pencycuron had no effect on AMF at threshold concentrations and was contact based compared to the other tested fungicides, which were systemic and infiltrated the body of the plant (Buysens, de Boulois, and Declerck 2014; McGrath 2004). Potentially the integration of flurolanil in the host plant made it more hazardous for AMF. Alternatively, contact fungicides applied through foliar spray could be less likely to contaminate the soil (Hage-Ahmed, Rosner, and Steinkellner 2018). Azoxystrobin, like flurolanil, was a systemic fungicide but had lower systemic activity, which could be why it did not have adverse effects on AMF at the threshold level. Pencycuron and flutolanil were species specific fungicides, so the difference in impact could be attributed to increased effectiveness against a fungus similar to AMF species (Buysens, de Boulois, and Declerck 2014). At levels exceeding the threshold all three fungicides had significant negative impact on spore production, mycelium and root growth, and germination. Therefore, carefully choosing the type and quantity of fungicide is crucial to not harm beneficial fungal species.

When the pesticide is applied also greatly impacts the AMF as certain stages of its life cycle are more vulnerable to interference than others. Certain pesticides impeded germination, but multiple studies found that germination was not completely terminated, and that once the pesticide was removed germination was no longer impeded and AMF were able to establish (Buysens, de Boulois, and Declerck 2014; Hage-Ahmed, Rosner, and Steinkellner 2018). In early stages of its lifecycle, AMF had a limited time to find a host and will die if one is not found. Pesticide interference should be avoided in this stage so the AMF and crops can form symbiosis (Hage-Ahmed, Rosner, and Steinkellner 2018). Once established, AMF will be harmed if most of its plant hosts die, so non-selective herbicides can threaten them. They could depend on spores and colonized root fragments should they lack a host, however.

Pesticides vary in effectiveness based on environmental and agricultural conditions, confounding their impact on AMF. The history of the field being tested could greatly affect AMF networks. Practices like tilling and other soil disturbance made AMF colonies more vulnerable to being negatively impacted by pesticides, possibly due to not being as well established as an undisturbed network and thus less resilient. The sheer number of variables involved in studying pesticide’s impact on fungi deeply confound the results of studies.

The amount of exposure to the pesticide impacts to what degree AMF are affected, but it is highly influenced by confounding factors that make it difficult to assess its impact. Practices like tilling and other soil disturbance made AMF colonies more vulnerable to being negatively impacted by pesticides, possibly due to not being as well established as an undisturbed network and thus less resilient (Hage-Ahmed, Rosner, and Steinkellner 2018). The persistence of the pesticide depended greatly on soil condition, including type, pH, moisture, organic matter, and the ability for microflora to degrade substances, all influencing how much exposure the AMF had long-term (Hage-Ahmed, Rosner, and Steinkellner 2018). Furthermore, the type, dose, and application method of pesticide was dependent on the crop being grown, creating even more variation in AMF reaction, and thus confounding studies. In one experiment, going over the recommended dose of a pesticide could either impact the AMF negatively, positively, or not at all, but in another it reduced the effectiveness of symbiosis and the amount of phosphorus transported to the plant (Hage-Ahmed, Rosner, and Steinkellner 2018). Due to the variety of conditions impacting AMF exposure to pesticides, it was difficult to gauge their impact on AMF, and uncertainty in this aspect of studying agricultural AMF held great uncertainty.

Conclusions

The intense networks of factors involved in agriculture systems mean measuring the impact of farming techniques on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi is difficult. Given the variety of the fungal species involved in AMF networks, it may not be fully possible to have fully accurate generalizations about the impact of farming. With each system of unique combinations of hosts, fungi, and other soil microbiota comes new dynamics to be studied. This is further compounded by soil conditions, nutrient availability, tilling, and potentially many other variables not discussed in this paper. Uncertainty is rampant in this area, particularly as the usefulness of AMF have been discovered only relatively recently. The most evident example is in the realm of pesticides, where the intensity of the variability of results obfuscates broader patterns. However, there is growing evidence that many conventional farming practices such as fertilizers, monocultures, and annuals are damaging to AMF colonies and potentially diminish the benefits they can offer crops. If farming is to become sustainable while still providing enough food for the growing human population, healthier farming practices must be utilized. Though there is uncertainty, there is also great potential once we understand the factors influencing successful AMF symbiosis.

Bibliography

Buysens, Catherine, Hervé Dupré De Boulois, and Stéphane Declerck. 2014. “Do Fungicides Used to Control Rhizoctonia Solani Impact the Non-Target Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungus Rhizophagus Irregularis?” https://doi.org/10.1007/s00572-014-0610-7.

Chen, Ke ID, Jeroen Scheper, Thijs P M Fijen, and David Kleijn. 2022. “Potential Tradeoffs between Effects of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Inoculation, Soil Organic Matter Content and Fertilizer Application in Raspberry Production.” https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0269751.

Cheng, Yunlong, Xing Xu, Yang Zhang, Xudong Gu, Haohie Nie, and Lin Zhu. 2023. “Intercropping of Echinochloa frumentacea with Leguminous Forages Improves Hay Yields, Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Diversity, and Soil Enzyme Activities in Saline–Alkali Soil.” Agronomy 2356: 1-13. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13092356.

Crews, Timothy E., Wim Carton, and Lennart Olsson. “Is the Future of Agriculture Perennial? Imperatives and Opportunities to Reinvent Agriculture by Shifting from Annual Monocultures to Perennial Polycultures.” Global Sustainability 1 (2018): e11. https://doi.org/10.1017/sus.2018.11.

Hage-Ahmed, Karin, Kathrin Rosner, and Siegrid Steinkellner. 2018. “Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Their Response to Pesticides.” Pest Management Science 75 (3): 583–90. https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.5220.

Hodge, Angela, and Kate Storer. 2014. “Arbuscular Mycorrhiza and Nitrogen: Implications for Individual Plants through to Ecosystems.” Plant and Soil 386 (1-2): 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-014-2162-1.

Lu, Xingli. 2022. “Effect of Intercropping Soybean on the Diversity of the Rhizosphere Soil Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Communities in Wheat Fields.” Clean – Soil, Air, Water 2100014: 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1002/clen.202100014.

Lubkowski, Krzysztof. 2016. “Environmental Impact of Fertilizer Use and Slow Release of Mineral Nutrients as a Response to This Challenge.” Polish Journal of Chemical Technology 18 (1): 72– 79. https://doi.org/10.1515/pjct-2016-0012.

McGrath. 2004. “What Are Fungicides.” What Are Fungicides. https://www.apsnet.org/edcenter/disimpactmngmnt/topc/Pages/Fungicides.aspx.

Oehl, Fritz, Ewald Sieverding, Paul Mäder, David Dubois, Kurt Ineichen, Thomas Boller, and Andres Wiemken. 2004. “Impact of Long-Term Conventional and Organic Farming on the Diversity of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi.” Oecologia 138 (4): 574–83. https://www.jstor.org/stable/40005539.

Peng, Zhenling, Nancy Collins Johnson, Jan Jansa, Jiayao Han, Zhou Fang, Yali Zhang, Shengjing Jiang, et al. 2023. “Mycorrhizal Effects on Crop Yield and Soil Ecosystem Functions in a Long- Term Tillage and Fertilization Experiment.” New Phytologist 2023: 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.19493.

Primieri, Silmar, Susan M Magnoli, Thomas Koffel, Sidney L Stürmer, St ̈ Stürmer, James D Bever, and W K Kellogg. 2022. “Perennial, but Not Annual Legumes Synergistically Benefit from Infection with Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Rhizobia: A Meta-Analysis.” New Phytologist 233: 505–14. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.17787.

Sheng, Min, Roger Lalande, Chantal Hamel and Noura Ziadi. 2013. “Effect of long-term tillage and mineral phosphorus fertilization on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in a humid continental zone of Eastern Canada.” Plant and Soil 369 (1-2): 599-614. http://dx.doi.org.webster.austincollege.edu/10.1007/s11104-013-1585-4.

Wang, Guangzhou, Chengcheng Ye, Junling Zhang, Liz Koziol, James D Bever, and Xiaolin Li. 2018. “Asymmetric Facilitation Induced by Inoculation with Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Leads to Overyielding in Maize/Faba Bean Intercropping.” Journal of Plant Interactions 14 (1): 10-20. https://doi.org/10.1080/17429145.2018.1550218.

[abhi4994]

ORGANIC SPICES

[acti-veg]

Leather vs. Pleather: 8 Myths Debunked

Since we are all beyond tired of seeing the same regurgitated leather posts every day, I've compiled and briefly debunked some of the most common myths peddled about leather and pleather… So hopefully we can all move on to talk about literally anything else.

1) Leather is not sustainable.

Approximately 85% of all leather (almost all leather you'll find in stores) is tanned using chromium. During the chrome tanning process, 40% of unused chromium salts are discharged in the final effluents, which makes it's way into waterways and poses a serious threat to wildlife and humans. There are also significant GHG emissions from the sheer amount of energy required to produce and tan leather.

Before we even get the cow's hide, you first need to get them to slaughter weight, which is a hugely resource-intensive process. Livestock accounts for 80% of all agricultural land use, and grazing land for cattle likely represents the majority of that figure. To produce 1 pound of beef (and the subsequent hide), 6-8 pounds of feed are required. An estimated 86% of the grain used to feed cattle is unfit for human consumption, but 14% alone represents enough food to feed millions of people. On top of that, one-third of the global water footprint of animal production is related to cattle alone. The leather industry uses greenwashing to promote leather as an eco-friendly material. Leather is often marketed as an eco-friendly product, for example, fashion brands often use the Leather Working Group (LWG) certificate to present their leather as sustainable. However, this certification (rather conveniently) does not include farm-level impacts, which constitute the majority of the negative environmental harm caused by leather.

2) Leather is not just a byproduct.

Some cows are raised speciifically for leather, but this a minority and usually represents the most expensive forms of leather. This does not mean that leather is just a waste product of beef and dairy, or that it is a completely incidental byproduct; it is more accurate to call leather a tertiary product of the beef and dairy industries. Hides used to fetch up to 50% of the total value of the carcass, this has dropped significantly since COVID-19 to only about 5-10%, but this is recovering, and still represents a significant profit margin. Globally, leather accounts for up to 26% of major slaughterhouses’ earnings. Leather is inextricably linked to the production of beef and dairy, and buying leather helps make the breeding, exploitation and slaughter of cows and steers a profitable enterprise.

3) Leather is not as biodegradable as you think.

Natural animal hides are biodegradable, and this is often the misleading way leather that sellers word it. "Cow hide is fully biodegradable" is absolutely true, it just purposely leaves out the fact that the tanning process means that the hide means that leather takes between 25 and 40 years to break down. Even the much-touted (despite it being a tiny portion of the market) vegetable-tanned leather is not readily biodegradable. Since leather is not recyclable either, most ends up incinerated, or at landfill. The end-of-life cycle and how it relates to sustainability is often massively overstated by leather sellers, when in fact, it is in the production process that most of the damage is done.

4) Leather is not humane.

The idea that leather represents some sort of morally neutral alternative to the evils of plastic is frankly laughable, at least to anyone who has done even a little bit of research into this exploitative and incredibly harmful industry. Cows, when properly cared for, can live more than fifteen years. However, most cows are usually slaughtered somewhere around 2-3 years old, and the softest leather, most luxurious leather comes from the hide of cows who are less than a year old. Some cows are not even born before they become victim to the industry. Estimates vary, but according to an EFSA report, on average 3% of dairy cows and 1.5 % of beef cattle, are in their third-trimester of pregnancy when they are slaughtered.

Slaughter procedures vary slightly by country, but a captive bolt pistol shot to the head followed by having their throats slit, while still alive, is standard industry practice. This represents the “best” a slaughtered cow can hope for, but many reports and videos exist that suggest that cows still being alive and conscious while being skinned or dismembered on the production line is not uncommon, some of these reports come from slaughterhouse workers themselves.

5) Leather often involves human exploitation.

The chemicals used to tan leather, and the toxic water that is a byproduct of tanning, affect workers as well as the environment; illness and death due to toxic tanning chemicals is extremely common. Workers across the sector have significantly higher morbidity, largely due to respiratory diseases linked to the chemicals used in the tanning process. Exposure to chromium (for workers and local communities), pentachlorophenol and other toxic pollutants increase the risk of dermatitis, ulcer nasal septum perforation and lung cancer.

Open Democracies report for the Child Labour Action Research Programme shows that there is a startlingly high prevalence of the worst forms of child labour across the entire leather supply chain. Children as young as seven have been found in thousands of small businesses processing leather. This problem is endemic throughout multiple countries supplying the global leather market.

6) Pleather is not a ‘vegan thing’.

Plastic clothing is ubiquitous in fast fashion, and it certainly wasn’t invented for vegans. Plastic leather jackets have been around since before anyone even knew what the word vegan meant, marketing department have begun describing it as ‘vegan leather’ but it’s really no more a vegan thing than polyester is. Most people who wear pleather are not vegan, they just can’t afford to buy cow’s leather, which remains extremely expensive compared to comparable fabrics.

It is striking how anti-vegans consistently talk about how ‘not everyone can afford to eat plant-based’ and criticise vegans for advocating for veganism on that basis, yet none of them seem to mind criticisms directed at people for wearing a far cheaper alternative than leather. You can obviously both be vegan and reduce plastic (as we all should), but vegans wear plastic clothing for the same reason everyone else does: It is cheaper.

7) Plastic is not the only alternative.

When engaging in criticism of pleather, the favourite tactic seems to be drawing a false dilemma where we pretend the only options are plastic and leather. Of course, this is a transparent attempt to draw the debate on lines favourable to advocates of leather, by omitting the fact that you can quite easily just buy neither one.

Alternatives include denim, hemp, cork, fiber, mushroom fiber, cotton, linen, bamboo, recycled plastic, and pinatex, to name a few. Alternatives exist for everything from materials designed to ensure sub-zero temperatures and specialist motorcycle equipment. There are exceptions in professions like welding, where an alternative can be difficult to source, but nobody needs a jacket, shoes or a bag that looks like leather. For most of us, leather is a luxury item that doesn’t even need to be replaced at all.

8) Leather is not uniquely long-lasting.

The longevity of leather is really the only thing it has going for it, environmentally speaking. Replacing an item less often means fewer purchases, and will likely have a lower environmental impact than one you have to replace regularly. Leather is not unique in this respect, however, and the idea that it is, is mostly just effective marketing.

As your parents will tell you, a well-made denim jacket can last a lifetime. Hemp and bamboo can both last for decades, as can cork and pinatex. Even cotton and linen can last for many years when items are looked after well. While some materials are more hard wearing than others, how long an item will last is mostly the result of how well made the product is and how well it is maintained, not whether or not the item is leather.

[aeth-eris]

★  majors/higher  education  |  signs  in  the  9th  house  ★ 

★   book   a   reading   ★   ★   masterlist   1   ★   ★   masterlist   2   ★

★  aries  in  the  9th  house  ★ 

majors  tied  to  action,  leadership,  and  bold  thinking—aries  energy  thrives  in  fields  that  require  initiative  and  innovation.  think  degrees  in  law  (debate,  litigation),  sports  science  (coaching,  performance  training),  or  military  science  (strategy,  defense).  you  might  also  pursue  something  competitive  like  entrepreneurship  or  pre-med,  where  you’re  constantly  challenged  to  stay  ahead.  aries’  restless  energy  makes  hands-on,  fast-paced  majors  appealing,  so  engineering  or  mechanics  could  also  fit.  their  love  of  adventure  means  international  relations  or  global  studies  might  appeal,  especially  if  you  want  to  explore  different  cultures  or  engage  in  diplomatic  work.  creative  fields  like  film  production  or  performing  arts  (theater,  dance)  might  call  to  you,  as  aries  loves  self-expression  and  commanding  attention.  expect  a  major  that  keeps  you  moving  and  doesn’t  confine  you  to  routine;  aries  doesn’t  do  well  in  stagnant  or  overly  theoretical  environments.  you  might  also  gravitate  toward  activism-based  studies,  like  political  science  or  criminal  justice,  where  you  can  champion  causes  and  fight  for  change.  your  education  could  take  unexpected  turns,  as  aries  energy  often  thrives  in  challenges  and  chaos—possibly  leading  you  to  switch  majors  mid-way  when  something  more  exciting  catches  your  attention.

★  taurus  in  the  9th  house  ★ 

majors  rooted  in  stability,  beauty,  and  value-driven  work.  taurus  energy  is  practical  yet  artistic,  so  degrees  in  interior  design,  architecture,  or  fine  arts  (sculpture,  painting)  align  well  with  their  aesthetic  sensibilities.  you  might  also  find  satisfaction  in  agricultural  sciences  or  environmental  studies,  connecting  with  the  earth  and  sustainable  practices.  taurus’  practical  mindset  leans  toward  finance,  economics,  or  business—majors  that  ensure  long-term  security  and  tangible  rewards.  culinary  arts  or  nutrition  could  appeal,  especially  if  you  enjoy  creating  or  nurturing  through  food.  degrees  in  real  estate  or  hospitality  management  might  align  with  taurus’  love  of  comfort  and  luxury,  allowing  you  to  curate  beautiful  spaces  or  experiences  for  others.  taurus  in  the  9th  craves  knowledge  they  can  use  practically,  so  hands-on  fields  with  clear  career  paths  are  key.  psychology  or  social  work  might  also  resonate,  especially  if  you’re  drawn  to  steady,  nurturing  roles  that  help  others  build  better  lives.  you  could  lean  toward  something  like  cultural  studies  or  anthropology  if  there’s  a  focus  on  the  sensory  aspects  of  different  traditions  (food,  art,  craftsmanship).  whatever  you  choose,  it’ll  likely  be  a  slow,  deliberate  decision,  as  taurus  takes  their  time  to  find  what  truly  aligns  with  their  values.

 ★  gemini  in  the  9th  house  ★ 

majors  focused  on  communication,  ideas,  and  variety—gemini  thrives  in  fields  that  stimulate  the  mind  and  offer  flexibility.  journalism,  creative  writing,  or  media  studies  are  strong  fits,  as  gemini  excels  in  storytelling  and  connecting  with  others.  degrees  in  education  (teaching,  curriculum  development)  might  appeal,  especially  if  you’re  drawn  to  sharing  knowledge  in  dynamic  environments.  gemini’s  curiosity  could  also  pull  you  toward  marketing,  public  relations,  or  advertising—majors  that  let  you  craft  messages  and  explore  trends.  linguistics,  foreign  languages,  or  international  studies  might  resonate,  allowing  you  to  learn  and  communicate  across  cultures.  gemini’s  love  of  tech  and  information  could  lead  to  fields  like  computer  science,  digital  media,  or  data  analysis.  their  versatility  means  you  might  combine  seemingly  unrelated  interests,  like  a  double  major  in  psychology  and  graphic  design  or  sociology  and  creative  writing.  gemini  doesn’t  thrive  in  rigid  or  overly  specialized  fields;  they  need  variety,  collaboration,  and  intellectual  stimulation.  philosophy  or  political  science  could  also  align,  especially  if  you  enjoy  debating  and  exploring  complex  ideas.  gemini  in  the  9th  house  often  means  your  education  will  involve  constant  learning  and  adapting—expect  internships,  networking,  and  possibly  changing  majors  to  keep  things  fresh.

 ★  cancer  in  the  9th  house  ★ 

majors  that  center  around  nurturing,  emotional  connection,  and  building  safe  spaces  for  others.  cancer  energy  thrives  in  fields  like  psychology,  counseling,  or  social  work—anything  where  you  can  provide  care  and  emotional  support.  education  might  also  appeal,  particularly  in  early  childhood  development  or  special  education,  as  cancer  loves  nurturing  young  minds.  degrees  in  nursing,  midwifery,  or  healthcare  align  with  cancer’s  caregiving  nature,  especially  if  you’re  drawn  to  maternal  health  or  pediatrics.  cancer’s  connection  to  home  and  history  could  lead  to  majors  like  interior  design  (creating  comforting  spaces)  or  history  and  anthropology,  focusing  on  family  lineage  or  cultural  traditions.  culinary  arts  or  hospitality  management  could  also  resonate,  especially  if  you  love  bringing  people  together  through  food  or  creating  warm,  inviting  environments.  cancer  in  the  9th  might  draw  you  toward  majors  that  focus  on  healing  or  personal  growth,  like  alternative  medicine,  holistic  therapy,  or  even  spiritual  studies.  film  and  media  studies  could  appeal  if  you’re  interested  in  storytelling  with  emotional  depth.  whatever  you  choose,  it’s  likely  tied  to  themes  of  care,  protection,  and  emotional  resonance.  you  might  also  feel  pulled  toward  studying  abroad  in  places  that  feel  familiar  or  tied  to  ancestral  roots,  seeking  deeper  connections  with  your  personal  history.

 ★  leo  in  the  9th  house  ★ 

majors  centered  around  creativity,  leadership,  and  self-expression.  leo  thrives  in  fields  where  they  can  shine,  so  performing  arts  (theater,  dance,  or  music)  might  be  at  the  top  of  your  list.  film  studies  or  directing  could  appeal  if  you  want  to  create  bold,  visual  stories  that  captivate  an  audience.  degrees  in  business,  entrepreneurship,  or  leadership  studies  might  also  resonate,  as  leo  loves  being  in  charge  and  inspiring  others.  if  you’re  drawn  to  communication,  public  relations  or  marketing  with  a  focus  on  branding  and  storytelling  could  fit.  leo’s  dramatic  flair  might  pull  you  toward  law—especially  areas  like  courtroom  litigation  where  your  charisma  and  presence  can  shine.  education,  particularly  as  a  professor  or  in  roles  that  allow  for  mentorship,  could  also  appeal,  as  leo  loves  to  teach  and  lead.  graphic  design  or  fashion  might  be  your  calling  if  you’re  drawn  to  creating  visually  impactful  work.  majors  involving  performance,  creativity,  or  roles  where  you  can  stand  out  will  feel  most  fulfilling.  study  abroad  programs  in  culturally  vibrant  or  artistic  cities  might  inspire  your  studies.  whatever  you  choose,  it’ll  likely  be  something  where  your  natural  talent  for  commanding  attention  and  creating  joy  takes  center  stage.

 ★  virgo  in  the  9th  house  ★ 

majors  grounded  in  precision,  practicality,  and  service.  virgo  excels  in  detail-oriented  fields,  so  degrees  in  healthcare  (nursing,  medical  technology,  public  health)  or  environmental  science  could  be  strong  fits.  you  might  also  thrive  in  majors  like  biology,  chemistry,  or  nutrition,  especially  if  you’re  drawn  to  solving  real-world  problems.  virgo’s  analytical  nature  makes  them  well-suited  to  data-heavy  fields  like  statistics,  economics,  or  information  systems.  education  is  another  natural  fit,  particularly  in  curriculum  design  or  teaching  science  and  math  subjects.  virgo’s  focus  on  improvement  could  lead  to  degrees  in  psychology,  especially  counseling  or  behavioral  analysis,  where  you  help  others  refine  and  improve  their  lives.  technical  writing,  editing,  or  publishing  might  appeal  if  you’re  drawn  to  language  and  its  meticulous  application.  environmental  studies,  agricultural  science,  or  urban  planning  align  with  virgo’s  interest  in  sustainable  systems.  virgo  in  the  9th  house  often  seeks  practical  applications  for  higher  learning,  so  your  education  might  focus  on  how  to  create  order  and  efficiency  in  the  world.  internships  or  research  opportunities  are  likely  to  play  a  key  role,  as  virgo  thrives  on  hands-on  experience.  you’re  also  likely  to  be  drawn  to  majors  where  you  can  serve  others  and  create  meaningful,  measurable  change.

 ★  libra  in  the  9th  house  ★ 

majors  tied  to  beauty,  harmony,  and  interpersonal  connection.  libra  thrives  in  fields  like  art  history,  design,  or  fashion,  where  aesthetics  and  balance  play  a  central  role.  degrees  in  law,  especially  focused  on  mediation  or  human  rights,  align  with  libra’s  natural  sense  of  fairness  and  justice.  if  you’re  drawn  to  communication,  public  relations  or  marketing  might  appeal,  particularly  in  industries  like  luxury  goods  or  entertainment.  libra’s  love  of  people  and  relationships  could  also  pull  you  toward  psychology  or  sociology,  exploring  how  humans  connect  and  interact.  education,  especially  in  arts  or  humanities,  is  another  natural  fit—teaching  subjects  like  literature,  philosophy,  or  visual  arts  could  fulfill  your  love  for  beauty  and  intellectual  stimulation.  majors  like  international  relations  or  cultural  studies  align  with  libra’s  global  perspective  and  interest  in  diplomacy.  libra  in  the  9th  house  also  points  to  a  strong  desire  for  study  abroad  experiences,  especially  in  culturally  refined  cities  like  paris,  florence,  or  tokyo.  you  might  also  be  drawn  to  interior  design,  event  planning,  or  hospitality  management—fields  where  you  create  harmonious  and  beautiful  spaces.  whatever  you  choose,  it  will  likely  involve  collaboration,  creativity,  and  a  focus  on  creating  balance  in  the  world  around  you.

 ★  scorpio  in  the  9th  house  ★ 

majors  steeped  in  intensity,  mystery,  and  transformation.  scorpio’s  fascination  with  the  unseen  might  lead  you  toward  psychology,  especially  fields  like  forensic  psychology,  trauma  therapy,  or  psychoanalysis.  criminology,  law  enforcement,  or  investigative  journalism  are  also  natural  fits,  as  scorpio  thrives  in  uncovering  hidden  truths.  degrees  in  medicine  or  research,  particularly  in  areas  like  oncology,  genetics,  or  pathology,  align  with  scorpio’s  need  to  transform  and  heal.  scorpio’s  deep,  transformative  energy  might  also  pull  you  toward  majors  like  philosophy,  theology,  or  occult  studies,  where  you  explore  life’s  profound  questions.  anthropology,  archaeology,  or  history  with  a  focus  on  ancient  civilizations  could  appeal  if  you’re  drawn  to  uncovering  buried  secrets.  scorpio’s  intensity  lends  itself  to  creative  fields  as  well—screenwriting,  film  directing,  or  novel  writing  in  genres  like  horror,  thriller,  or  fantasy  might  resonate.  scorpio  in  the  9th  house  might  also  gravitate  toward  environmental  studies  or  activism,  especially  if  there’s  a  focus  on  regeneration  or  fighting  for  underrepresented  causes.  your  educational  journey  may  feel  transformative  and  even  karmic,  with  pivotal  experiences  that  challenge  your  worldview  and  deepen  your  understanding  of  life’s  complexities.  you’re  drawn  to  majors  that  let  you  explore  the  depths  and  create  profound  change.

 ★  sagittarius  in  the  9th  house  ★ 

majors  focused  on  exploration,  freedom,  and  the  pursuit  of  knowledge.  sagittarius  in  the  9th  house  practically  screams  for  degrees  in  international  relations,  global  studies,  or  cultural  anthropology—anything  that  allows  you  to  explore  different  cultures  and  philosophies.  you  might  also  be  drawn  to  majors  in  philosophy,  religious  studies,  or  political  science,  as  sagittarius  loves  diving  into  big-picture  questions  about  morality  and  society.  education  is  another  natural  fit,  particularly  higher  education,  where  you  could  thrive  as  a  professor  or  academic  researcher.  travel  and  adventure  are  key  themes,  so  tourism  management,  hospitality,  or  even  adventure  filmmaking  could  appeal  if  you  want  to  combine  movement  and  creativity.  sagittarius’  connection  to  optimism  and  growth  might  also  lead  you  to  fields  like  motivational  speaking,  public  relations,  or  even  sports  management.  if  you’re  drawn  to  physicality,  degrees  in  physical  education,  sports  science,  or  outdoor  recreation  could  align  with  your  adventurous  spirit.  study  abroad  programs  or  internships  in  foreign  countries  might  feel  essential  to  your  academic  journey.  whatever  you  choose,  it’ll  likely  involve  expanding  your  horizons,  chasing  new  experiences,  and  finding  ways  to  bring  a  sense  of  inspiration  and  adventure  to  your  studies  and  career.

 ★  capricorn  in  the  9th  house  ★ 

majors  rooted  in  structure,  ambition,  and  long-term  success.  capricorn  in  the  9th  house  suggests  a  preference  for  fields  that  offer  tangible  career  paths  and  clear  rewards,  such  as  law,  business  administration,  or  economics.  you  might  also  excel  in  architecture,  engineering,  or  urban  planning,  as  capricorn  thrives  on  building  systems  and  structures  that  last.  degrees  in  political  science,  public  policy,  or  governance  could  appeal  if  you’re  drawn  to  leadership  roles  and  creating  societal  impact.  capricorn’s  disciplined  energy  might  also  lead  you  toward  accounting,  finance,  or  real  estate—fields  that  align  with  your  pragmatic  mindset  and  interest  in  material  security.  academia  or  teaching  might  also  appeal,  especially  if  you’re  focused  on  rising  to  leadership  positions,  like  becoming  a  dean  or  head  of  a  department.  capricorn  in  the  9th  values  practicality,  so  you  may  prioritize  internships,  certifications,  or  degrees  with  clear  professional  applications.  environmental  science  or  sustainability  studies  could  resonate,  especially  if  you’re  drawn  to  creating  lasting  change  in  ecological  systems.  your  educational  journey  will  likely  be  marked  by  hard  work,  steady  progress,  and  a  focus  on  achieving  long-term  goals,  with  a  major  that  reflects  your  ambition  and  desire  for  mastery.

 ★  aquarius  in  the  9th  house  ★ 

majors  centered  around  innovation,  social  change,  and  intellectual  freedom.  aquarius  thrives  in  unconventional  fields,  so  degrees  in  computer  science,  information  technology,  or  artificial  intelligence  are  natural  fits.  if  you’re  drawn  to  the  social  sciences,  majors  like  sociology,  political  science,  or  human  rights  might  appeal,  especially  if  there’s  a  focus  on  progressive  or  revolutionary  ideas.  aquarius’  love  of  innovation  might  also  lead  to  engineering,  especially  aerospace  or  renewable  energy,  where  you  can  create  futuristic  solutions.  degrees  in  environmental  studies  or  urban  planning  could  resonate  if  you’re  interested  in  designing  sustainable  communities.  aquarius  in  the  9th  house  suggests  a  fascination  with  global  movements  and  humanitarian  efforts,  so  international  relations  or  global  health  might  align  with  your  vision  for  creating  change.  you  might  also  be  drawn  to  fields  like  psychology  or  neuroscience,  exploring  how  the  mind  works  and  how  it  shapes  behavior.  aquarius  values  intellectual  freedom,  so  you  could  pursue  interdisciplinary  studies  that  allow  you  to  combine  multiple  interests,  like  technology  and  ethics  or  science  and  art.  your  educational  journey  might  involve  unconventional  paths,  like  online  programs,  self-directed  learning,  or  studying  abroad  in  innovative  or  forward-thinking  countries.

 ★  pisces  in  the  9th  house  ★ 

majors  infused  with  imagination,  spirituality,  and  emotional  depth.  pisces  in  the  9th  house  suggests  a  pull  toward  fields  like  creative  writing,  fine  arts,  or  film  studies,  where  you  can  channel  your  dreams  into  storytelling  or  visual  expression.  degrees  in  psychology  or  counseling  might  appeal,  especially  if  you’re  drawn  to  helping  others  navigate  their  emotions  or  uncover  deeper  truths.  pisces’  spiritual  energy  might  also  lead  you  toward  religious  studies,  theology,  or  even  alternative  medicine,  focusing  on  healing  and  connection  to  the  divine.  majors  in  marine  biology  or  environmental  sciences  might  resonate,  especially  if  you  feel  called  to  protect  and  explore  the  natural  world.  pisces  also  thrives  in  fields  like  music,  dance,  or  acting,  where  emotional  expression  takes  center  stage.  humanitarian  studies  or  social  work  could  be  a  fit,  particularly  if  you  want  to  help  underserved  populations  or  work  for  global  peace.  pisces  in  the  9th  house  also  points  to  a  love  for  escapism  and  exploration,  so  degrees  in  tourism,  hospitality,  or  cultural  studies  might  align  with  your  wanderlust.  your  educational  journey  may  feel  fluid  and  intuitive,  with  shifts  in  direction  driven  by  inner  callings  rather  than  external  expectations.

 ★   book   a   reading   ★   ★   masterlist   1   ★   ★   masterlist   2   ★

[anarchywoofwoof]

What's New Experts are warning of a looming increase in grocery prices as agricultural soil becomes increasingly unproductive. In a concerning trend that could impact households across the globe, the combination of overfarming, climate change and insufficient sustainable practices has left vast swaths of farmland degraded and unproductive, threatening food supply chains and driving up costs. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that 33 percent of the Earth's soils are already degraded and more than 90 percent could become degraded by 2050. Why It Matters According to the FAO, soil erosion "occurs naturally under all climatic conditions and on all continents, but it is significantly increased and accelerated by unsustainable human activities (up to 1,000 times) through intensive agriculture, deforestation, overgrazing and improper land use changes. "Soil erosion rates are much higher than soil formation rates," the FAO said. "Soil is a finite resource, meaning its loss and degradation is not recoverable within a human lifespan." A map previously published by Newsweek predicts that 95 percent of America's soil will be degraded in less than 30 years. Only a 5 percent area is marked not degraded.

i absolutely love (/s) how this story is being framed as further price inflation and economic woes being the primary thing to worry about. the worst part of barren food stores isn't related to high prices.

the soil of our earth, our home planet, is dying/being killed by industrial agriculture, and as such we are now struggling to produce food. what this describes is imminent global famine within most of our lifetimes (~30yrs). sticker shock is not the biggest threat. that award goes to malnutrition and starvation.

it's possible to recover from this. but the solutions involved cost money and also winds up reducing overall crop yield, so many farmers aren’t going to pursue these solutions as frequently because they just aren’t feasible. the biggest concern for the average farmer is economic viability. point blank.

thus, any efforts at taking even baby steps to solve this problem will require centralized governments, particularly in the west, to enact direct, formative changes. unfortunately, all of them happen to be collapsing at this very moment. so... hang on tight, i suppose.

[bumblebeeappletree]

Every once in a while I’ll see some posts about everyone should become vegan in order to help the environment. And that… sounds kinda rude. I’m sure they don’t mean to come off that way but like, humans are omnivores. Yes there are people who won’t have any animal products be it meat or otherwise either due to personal beliefs or because their body physically cannot handle it, and that’s okay! You don’t have to change your diet to include those products if you don’t want to or you physically can’t.

But there’s indigenous communities that hunt and farm animals sustainably and have been doing so for generations. And these animals are a primary source of food for them. Look to the bison of North America. The settlers nearly caused an extinction as a part of a genocide. Because once the Bison were gone it caused an even sharper decline of the indigenous population. Now thankfully Bison did not go extinct and are actively being shared with other groups across America.

Now if we look outside of indigenous communities we have people who are doing sustainable farming as well as hunting. We have hunting seasons for a reason, mostly because we killed a lot of the predators. As any hunter and they will tell you how bad the deer population can get. (Also America has this whole thing about bird feathers and bird hunting, like it was bad until they laid down some laws. People went absolutely nuts on having feathers be a part of fashion like holy cow.)

We’re slowly getting better with having gardens and vertical farms within cities, and there’s some laws on being able to have a chicken or two at your house or what-have-you in the city for some eggs. (Or maybe some quails since they’re smaller than chickens it’s something that you’d might have to check in your area.) Maybe you would be able to raise some honey bees or rent them out because each honey tastes different from different plants. But ultimately when it comes to meat or cheese? Go to your local farmers. Go to farmers markets, meet with the people there, become friends, go actively check out their farm. See how the animal lives are and if the farmer is willing, talk to them about sustainable agriculture. See what they can change if they’re willing. Support indigenous communities and buy their food and products, especially if you’re close enough that the food won’t spoil on its way to you. (Like imagine living in Texas and you want whale meat from Alaska and you buy it from an indigenous community. I would imagine that would be pretty hard to get.)

Either way everything dies in the end. Do we shame scavengers for eating corpses they found before it could rot and spread disease? Do we shame the animals that hunt other animals to survive? Yes factory farming should no longer exist. So let’s give the animals the best life we can give them. If there’s babies born that the farmer doesn’t want, give them away to someone who wants them as a pet. Or someone who wants to raise them for something else. Not everyone can raise animals for their meat. I know I can’t I would get to emotionally attached. I’d only be able to raise them for their eggs and milk.

Yeah this was pretty much thrown together, and I just wanted to say my thoughts and throw them into the void. If you have some examples of sustainable farming/agriculture, please share them because while I got some stuff I posted from YouTube, I’m still interested to see what stuff I might’ve missed!

[greggslife]

Here Are My Top 10 Favourite Ants

(Updated due to public outcry and political pressure.)

No. 10 - Yellow Crazy Ants

These guys are on a list of "one hundred of the world's worst invasive species" formulated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), having invaded ecosystems from Hawaii to the Seychelles.

But don't hate just because they are awesome at establishing themselves in a new habitat due to their aggression toward other ant species, lack of aggression toward members of their own species, efficient recruitment, and large colony size. Respect the hustle!

No. 9 - Paraponera Clavata

Also known as the "bullet ant," "the one wounding deeply," or "24-hour ant", referring to the full day of pain that follows being stung.

This ant's sting currently ranks the highest of all insect stings on Justin O. Schmidt's informal sting pain index, at 4.0+. Some victims compared the pain to that of being shot, (hence the nickname,) with "waves of burning, throbbing, all-consuming pain that continues unabated for up to 24 hours."

Lymphadenopathy, edema, tachycardia, and fresh blood appearing in human victim feces are common symptoms from even a single sting.

Un-fuck-with-able.

No. 8 - Honeypot Ants

The name honeypot ant comes from the peculiar development of replete workers, whose abdomens become so swollen with food that they are used by the rest of the colony as living food storage. They are "drained" during famine, usually the wintertime, to sustain the colony, leaving them as "flaccid depletes."

Disgusting. 10/10

When a replete worker fills with food, a portion of her digestive tract swells and displaces other abdominal organs. It can expand about four to five times its normal linear dimension when they are fully engorged with food.

I can relate. I have eaten pasta in such quantities to displace my own organs many times.

No. 7 - Red Imported Fire Ants

Though South American in origin, the red imported fire ant has been accidentally introduced to many other parts of the world.

More than 14 million people are stung by them in the United States annually. Most victims experience intense burning and swelling, followed by the formation of sterile pustules, which may remain for several days. Up to 6% of people may suffer from anaphylaxis. More than 80 deaths have been recorded from red imported fire ant attacks.

These ants thrive in urban areas. Nests can be built under pavements and foundations. This means not only can they damage or destroy individual structures, but red imported fire ants can have an affect on broader infrastructure, damaging land, business and property values. In agriculture, they can damage crops and machinery, and threaten pastures. They also pose a threat to animals and livestock, capable of inflicting serious injury or death, especially on young, weak, or sick animals.

With annual damages estimated in the billions of dollars, these ants are considered the second worst thing to arrive on North American soil since 1492.

No. 6 - Black Garden Ants

When building their colony, these ants will structure it so as to inhibit the transmission of different contagions. Different communities within the colony are segregated by a limited number of connective nodes, allowing for greater protection of vulnerable hive members, such as larvae and pupae.

A trait I could only wish other species performed so well.

No. 5 - Pharaoh Ants

These ants utilize three types of pheromones. One is a long-lasting attractive chemical that is used to build a trail network. It remains detectable even if the ants do not use the trail for several days.

The second pheromone is also attractive, but will decay to imperceptible amounts in a matter of minutes without reapplication. This pheromone is useful in marking food sources as these are unpredictable and liable to change quickly, so not worth the longer-lasting pheremone.

The third pheromone is a repellant. If an individual finds an unprofitable area with little food or significant danger, it will release this repellant pheromone, which will warn others and cause them to look elsewhere. While positive pheromones indicating lucrative foraging sites are very common in social insects, the pharaoh ant's negative pheromone is highly unusual and pharaoh ants were the first species found to employ such a thing.

No. 4 - Argentine Ant

This species is like the Mr. Worldwide of ants. It has established itself in every continent except Antarctica (including many oceanic islands.)

It even has "supercolonies" that extend across hundreds or thousands of kilometers, first reported in California in 2000, then in Europe in 2002, Japan in 2009, and Australia in 2010.

Several subsequent studies used genetic, behavioral, and chemical analyses to show that supercolonies on separate continents actually represent a single global supercolony.

The researchers stated that the "enormous extent of this population is paralleled only by human society."

How can you not admire (and fear) the ambition and the achievement?

No. 3 - Leafcutter Ants

"Leafcutter ants" is a bit of an umbrella term, as it consists of over 45 ant species, but this gang is just so remarkable. Next to humans, leafcutter ants form some of the largest and most complex animal societies on Earth. They are known for their advanced agricultural practices. These ants are not merely foragers but skilled farmers, cultivating their own food by collecting specific kinds of leaf matter in order to produce specialized fungi in their nests.

No. 2 - Formica Fusca

These ants, (sometimes called silky ants or dusky ants,) are fast to learn, and only a single presentation of stimulus is enough for them to form a genuine long-term memory. This formed memory is also resistant to extinction.

Ants of this species can also detect volatile organic compounds emitted by cancer cells. After a 3-trial conditioning, they can differentiate cancer cell lines from healthy ones. They can also differentiate between at least two different cancerous cell lines.

A similar ability to detect human tumours has been shown in more recent studies.

No. 1 - Weaver Ants

An arboreal species, (i.e. they live in trees,) weaver ants are known for their unique nest building behaviour where workers construct nests by weaving together leaves using larval silk. Colonies can be extremely large consisting of more than a hundred nests spanning numerous trees.

How they sew the leaves together is a remarkable feat of cooperation. Typically, dozens of ants will need to form a chain to first bridge a gap between two leaves, then pull them together so another team can hold them in position whilst yet more ants sew the gap together with silk. But adult ants can't make silk, so they have to use larvae to do it, picking the larvae up and using them like little pots of glue to spin a mat of silk between the two leaves. Altogether, a hundred ants might be involved in the same task. This is a pretty remarkable piece of evolution and a testament to the power of cooperation!

[fatehbaz]

---

For the Maya, the honey bee is more than an insect. For millennia, the tiny, stingless species Melipona beecheii -- much smaller than Apis mellifera, the European honey bee -- has been revered in the Maya homeland in what is now Central America. Honey made by the animal the Maya call Xunan kab has long been used in a sacred drink, and as medicine to treat a whole host of ailments, from fevers to animal bites. The god of bees appears in relief on the walls of the imposing seacliff fortress of Tulum, the sprawling inland complex of Cobá, and at other ancient sites.

Today, in small, open-sided, thatched-roof structures deep in the tropical forests of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, traditional beekeepers still tend to Xunan kab colonies. The bees emerge from narrow openings in their hollow log homes each morning to forage for pollen and nectar among the lush forest flowers and, increasingly, the cultivated crops beyond the forests’ shrinking borders. And that is where the sacred bee of the Maya gets into trouble.

---

In 2012, the Mexican government granted permission to Monsanto to plant genetically modified soybeans in Campeche and other states on the peninsula without first consulting local communities. The soybeans are engineered to withstand high doses of the controversial weedkiller Roundup; multiple studies have shown exposure to its main ingredient, glyphosate, negatively impacts bees, including by impairing behavior and changing the composition of the animals’ gut microbiome. Though soy is self-pollinating and doesn’t rely on insects, bees do visit the plants while foraging, collecting nectar and pollen as they go. Soon, Maya beekeepers found their bees disoriented and dying in high numbers. And Leydy Pech found her voice.

A traditional Maya beekeeper from the small Campeche city of Hopelchén, Pech had long advocated for sustainable agriculture and the integration of Indigenous knowledge into modern practice. But the new threat to her Xunan kab stirred her to action as never before. She led an assault on the Monsanto program on multiple fronts: legal, academic, and public outrage, including staging protests at ancient Maya sites. The crux of the legal argument by Pech and her allies was that the government had violated its own law by failing to consult with Indigenous communities before granting the permit to Monsanto. In 2015, Mexico’s Supreme Court unanimously agreed. Two years later, the government revoked the permit to plant the crops.

---

As Pech saw it, the fight was not simply about protecting the sacred bee. The campaign was to protect entire ecosystems, the communities that rely on them, and a way of life increasingly threatened by the rise of industrial agriculture, climate change, and deforestation.

“Bees depend on the plants in the forest to produce honey,” she told the public radio program Living on Earth in 2021. “So, less forest means less honey [...]. Struggles like these are long and generational. [...] ”

---

Headline, images, captions, and all text by: Gemma Tarlach. “The Keeper of Sacred Bees Who Took on a Giant.” Atlas Obscura. 23 March 2022. [The first image in this post was not included with Atlas Obscura’s article, but was added by me. Photo by The Goldman Environmental Prize, from “The Ladies of Honey: Protecting Bees and Preserving Tradition,” published online in May 2021. With caption added by me.]

[daisychainfiction]

Since our founding in 1967, Deerbourne United has been a safe haven for study, self-improvement, and healing.

Did You Know? The Deerbourne campus is home to one of the oldest standing structures in Hallowe County!

The administration building  - originally built as a private home in 1887, and then used as a wartime-orphanage – is a major hub of activity. Whether you need something from Crownie's Store, the mail center, or just to chat with our administrators – we're here seven days a week!

Fun Fact! 1965’s cult classic horror movie, Drake Gardens, was filmed right here at Thurman Hall! But don't worry, faint-of-heart! The original psychiatric hospital was remodelled in 1967!

All General Education courses are located in Thurman Hall. Whether you're just starting on your intellectual journey or you're expanding an existing foundation, this is the place for you. Thurman Hall features a state-of-the-art library open for use 24/7.

P-U, D-U! What’s That Smell? Deerbourne United's agricultural buildings might be smelly, but they’re worth it!  Our focus on growing our own food means zero emissions and zero carbon footprint! We’re breaking ground on all kinds of new fertilization practices and farming techniques that are not only sustainable, but tasty, too!

Sterling Hall is our beautiful dormitory and Deerbourne’s renowned cafeteria. Our in-house cooks work tirelessly to keep their seasonally-rotating menu fresh and healthy. Let us care for your nutrition so you can focus on everything else!

Ready to begin your new life here at Deerbourne? Confirm your spot today!

[reasonsforhope]

"When Francois Beyers first pitched the concept of 3D ocean farming to the Welsh regulators, he had to sketch it on napkins. 

Today the seafood farm is much more than a drawing, but if you walked along the Welsh coastal path near St David’s, all you’d see is a line of buoys. As Beyers puts it: “It’s what’s below that’s important.”

Thick tussles of lustrous seaweed suspend from the buoys, mussels cling to its furry connective ropes and dangling Chinese lantern-esque nets are filled with oysters and scallops. 

“It’s like an underwater garden,” says Beyers, co-founder of the community-owned regenerative ocean farm, Câr-y-Môr. The 3-hectare site is part of a fledgling sector, one of 12 farms in the UK, which key players believe could boost ocean biodiversity, produce sustainable agricultural fertiliser and provide year-round employment in areas that have traditionally been dependent on tourism. 

Created in 2020 by Beyers and six family members, including his father-in-law – an ex-shellfish farmer – the motivation is apparent in the name, which is Welsh for “for the love of the sea”. ...

Pictured: Drone shot of Câr-y-Môr, which is on the site of abandoned mussel farms. Image: Scott Chalmers

Ocean farming comes from the technical term ‘integrated multi-trophic aquaculture’, which means a mixture of different seaweed and shellfish species growing together to mutually benefit each other. But it’s not just a way of growing food with little human input, it also creates ocean habitat. 

“You’re creating a breeding ground for marine animals,” explains Beyers who adds that the site has seen more gannets diving, porpoises and seals – to name a few – since before the farm was established.

Ocean farms like Câr-y-Môr, notes Ross Brown – environmental research fellow at the University of Exeter – have substantial conservation benefits.

“Setting up a seaweed farm creates an exclusion zone so fishermen can’t trawl it,” explains Brown, who has been conducting experiments on the impacts of seaweed and shellfish farms across the UK. 

Brown believes a thriving ocean farming industry could provide solutions to the UK’s fish stock, which is in “a deeply troubling state” according to a report that found half of the key populations to be overfished. “It would create stepping stones where we have safe havens for fish and other organisms,” he adds. 

But UK regulators have adopted a cautious approach, note Brown and Beyers, making it difficult for businesses like Câr-y-Môr to obtain licenses. “It’s been a tough old slog,” says Beyers, whose aim is to change the legislation to make it easier for others to start ocean farms. 

Despite navigating uncharted territories, the business now has 14 full-time employees, and 300 community members, of which nearly 100 have invested in the community-benefit society. For member and funding manager Tracey Gilbert-Falconer, the model brings expertise but most importantly, buy-in from the tight-knit local community. 

“You need to work with the community than forcing yourself in,” she observes. 

And Câr-y-Môr is poised to double its workforce in 2024 thanks to a Defra grant of £1.1 million to promote and develop the Welsh seafood industry as part of the UK Seafood Fund Infrastructure Scheme. This will go towards building a processing hub, set to be operational in April, to produce agricultural fertiliser from seaweed. 

Full of mineral nutrients and phosphorous from the ocean, seaweed use in farming is nothing new, as Gilbert-Falconer notes: “Farmers in Pembrokeshire talk about their grandad going down to the sea and throwing [seaweed] on their farms.” 

But as the war in Ukraine has caused the price of chemical fertiliser to soar, and the sector tries to reduce its environmental impact – of which synthetic fertiliser contributes 5% of total UK emissions – farmers and government are increasingly looking to seaweed. 

The new hub will have capacity to make 65,000 litres of sustainable fertiliser annually with the potential to cover 13,000 acres of farmland. 

But to feed the processing hub, generate profit and reduce their dependency on grants, the co-op needs to increase the ocean farm size from three to 13 hectares. If they obtain licences, Beyers says they should break even in 18 months. 

For now, Beyers reflects on a “humbling” three years but revels in the potential uses of seaweed, from construction material to clothing.  

“I haven’t seen the limit yet,” he smiles."

-via Positive.News, February 19, 2024

[serpentface]

SEVEN FACES OF GOD: AN OVERVIEW

In the dogma of the Wardi faith, God is regarded as one being whose spirit occupies and flows through the world in seven aspects, referred to as its Faces. This is reckoned to be much in the same capacity that blood carries the living spirit throughout parts of the body, sustaining it and allowing for its continued function.

These Faces are not always wholly distinct, nor are their spheres entirely separated, nor wholly representative of God's totality. From a theological perspective, they are means of translating aspects of the totality of God in ways most vital to right practice, imperfectly categorizing how God's spirit interacts with the world. In common practice, the Faces are often effectively treated as seven gods (or more, given that each has dozens of additional epithets describing more specific roles).

Orthopraxy is FAR more important than orthodoxy to this religion, so it matters little if the everyday person sees God as one, or one-as-seven, or seven, or a hundred, or among many gods. What matters most (and VERY critically), is that people perform right practices and necessary rites to sustain the connection of Its spirit throughout the world and the spiritual health of the individual.

Each Face is almost always represented in animal form (in large part an echo of indigenous Wardi religious practices prior to the first Burri colonization, many of which involved animal worship within a broader animistic worldview). These animals all have representation in major constellations along the ecliptic and form the most auspicious signs in the Wardi zodiac.

The Seven Faces of God, as commonly depicted in iconography:

Mitlamache, the Lunar Face of God

Almost always depicted as a bull aurochs (occasionally as a buffalo or other wild bovid), with three pairs of crescent shaped horns cupping a moon motif, usually having a prominent erection (not shown here due to tumblr not letting me post it). It is sometimes depicted with dual-sexed traits and the addition of an udder (or sometimes humanoid breasts upon the chest).

Though several faces have integral fertility connections, Mitlamache is chief in this respect, a holistic representation of fertility of the land, plants, animals, and people. This is the face that looks upon fertility, the moons, cosmic cycles, blood, the act of sacrifice, and divine cycle of death/sacrifice and rebirth. The temples of Mitlamache are the only ones in which people can enter while menstruating (seen as a spiritually impure state), as It encourages the cycle to continue onward and Its blessings can remove the associated impurities.

This is most akin to the form God took in the act of creation, where it lifted the foundations of the world from the sea and inseminated the waters to create the first humans. After Its sacrifice at the hands of Its children, this is the body that was divided to give shape to the world. Its horns were thrown up into the sky to become the three moons.

Inyamache, the Solar Face of God

Usually depicted as a bull khait in mid-stride. Varies between hornless or horned, but almost always has the motif of the solar halo around its head.

This is the Face that looks upon the sun, lightning and wildfires, the dry seasons, the desert and other wild places, khait, mounted warriors, sporting and war games, male fertility, sexuality and libido. It has connections to agriculture as the solar Face and as the balancing opposite of Anaemache (the Face of the rains).

Ganmache, the Ox Face of God

Depicted as a native domestic cattle (with a fatty hump and dewlap, lyrate horns), usually as a castrated oxen bearing a yoke, though sometimes as a cow with udders. Sometimes depicted as a plow khait instead.

This is the face that looks upon year-round agriculture, laborers, herdsmen and their livestock, grain, the home, the hearth, the family and the domestic sphere.

Kusomache, the Serpent Face of God.

Depicted as a two headed serpent, usually a cobra (regarded as sacred) or a viper (when representing Kusomache as the royal emblem).

This is the Face that looks upon the outer cosmos, stars, magic, the deep mysteries, protection from evil spirits, death, and the passage into the afterlife. It has additional associations as the emblem of royalty, evoked for the protection of the Usoma (a king, or emperor in the contemporary) and the royal family.

Anaemache, the River Face of God.

Usually depicted as the reed duck in flight, returning in its seasonal migration alongside the rains. It often is depicted carrying a water lily in its beak, or a tail resembling the lily motif.

This is the Face that looks upon rain, the wet seaon, freshwater, rivers, seasonal flooding, seasonal agriculture, fertility of plants and earth, and female fertility.

Pelennaumache, the Ocean Face of God.

It is usually depicted as a composite animal, combining traits of a skimmer gull and an albatross, as seen passing overhead in flight. It is a rare example of a Face that is given human attributes on a more than occasional basis, sometimes depicted with the head of a woman (or represented with the skimmer-woman motif).

This is the face that looks upon the ocean, the sea trade, mercantilism, storms, winds, luck and fortune, the infliction and deflection of curses, natural disasters. It is often associated with foreigners.

Odomache, the lion face of God.

Always depicted as a lion, most often a maned lioness. The inclusion of teats has a dual function of practically identifying the lion as female, and evoking an impression of maternal nurturing (both as a divine mother to the people, and in its more niche role as a protective spirit of children).

This is the face that looks upon war and military might, rightful bloodshed and destruction of enemies, humankind, and in the contemporary is identified as uniquely representative of and sustaining to the Wardi Empire. It is the only Face known to incarnate into a human, a vital part of the greater flow of God's spirit that ensures the wellbeing of Its lands and people. Odomache is also regarded as a protector of children.

[thedansemacabres]

Introduction To Supporting Sustainable Agriculture For Witches and Pagans

[ID: An image of yellow grain stocks, soon to be harvested. The several stocks reach towards a blurred open sky, focusing the camera on he grains themselves. The leaves of the grains are green and the cereals are exposed].

PAGANISM AND WITCHCRAFT ARE MOVEMENTS WITHIN A SELF-DESTRUCTIVE CAPITALIST SOCIETY. As the world becomes more aware of the importance of sustainability, so does the duty of humanity to uphold the idea of the steward, stemming from various indigenous worldviews, in the modern era. I make this small introduction as a viticulturist working towards organic and environmentally friendly grape production. I also do work on a food farm, as a second job—a regenerative farm, so I suppose that is my qualifications. Sustainable—or rather regenerative agriculture—grows in recognition. And as paganism and witchcraft continue to blossom, learning and supporting sustainability is naturally a path for us to take. I will say that this is influenced by I living in the USA, however, there are thousands of groups across the world for sustainable agriculture, of which tend to be easy to research.

So let us unite in caring for the world together, and here is an introduction to supporting sustainable/regenerative agriculture. 

A QUICK BRIEF ON SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE 

Sustainable agriculture, in truth, is a movement to practise agriculture as it has been done for thousands of years—this time, with more innovation from science and microbiology especially. The legal definition in the USA of sustainable agriculture is: 

The term ”sustainable agriculture” (U.S. Code Title 7, Section 3103) means an integrated system of plant and animal production practices having a site-specific application that will over the long-term:

A more common man’s definition would be farming in a way that provides society’s food and textile needs without overuse of natural resources, artificial supplements and pest controls, without compromising the future generation’s needs and ability to produce resources. The agriculture industry has one of the largest and most detrimental impacts on the environment, and sustainable agriculture is the alternative movement to it. 

Sustainable agriculture also has the perk of being physically better for you—the nutrient quality of crops in the USA has dropped by 47%, and the majority of our food goes to waste. Imagine if it was composted and reused? Or even better—we buy only what we need. We as pagans and witches can help change this. 

BUYING ORGANIC (IT REALLY WORKS)

The first step is buying organic. While cliche, it does work: organic operations have certain rules to abide by, which excludes environmentally dangerous chemicals—many of which, such as DDT, which causes ecological genocide and death to people. Organic operations have to use natural ways of fertilising, such as compost, which to many of us—such as myself—revere the cycle of life, rot, and death. Organic standards do vary depending on the country, but the key idea is farming without artificial fertilisers, using organic seeds, supplementing with animal manure, fertility managed through management practices, etc. 

However, organic does have its flaws. Certified organic costs many, of which many small farmers cannot afford. The nutrient quality of organic food, while tending to be better, is still poor compared to regeneratively grown crops. Furthermore, the process to become certified organic is often gruelling—you can practise completely organically, but if you are not certified, it is not organic. Which, while a quality control insurance, is both a bonus and a hurdle. 

JOINING A CSA

Moving from organic is joining a CSA (“Community supported agriculture”). The USDA defines far better than I could: 

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), one type of direct marketing, consists of a community of individuals who pledge support to a farm operation so that the farmland becomes, either legally or spiritually, the community’s farm, with the growers and consumers providing mutual support and sharing the risks and benefits of food production.

By purchasing a farm share, you receive food from the farm for the agreed upon production year. I personally enjoy CSAs for the relational aspect—choosing a CSA is about having a relationship, not only with the farmer(s), but also the land you receive food from. I volunteer for my CSA and sometimes I get extra cash from it—partaking in the act of caring for the land. Joining a CSA also means taking your precious capital away from the larger food industry and directly supporting growers—and CSAs typically practise sustainable and/or regenerative agriculture. 

CSAs are also found all over the world and many can deliver their products to food deserts and other areas with limited agricultural access. I volunteer from time to time for a food bank that does exactly that with the produce I helped grow on the vegetable farm I work for. 

FARM MARKETS AND STALLS 

Another way of personally connecting to sustainable agriculture is entering the realm of the farm stall. The farmer’s market is one of my personal favourite experiences—people buzzing about searching for ingredients, smiles as farmers sell crops and products such as honey or baked goods, etc. The personal connection stretches into the earth, and into the past it buries—as I purchase my apples from the stall, I cannot help but see a thousand lives unfold. People have been doing this for thousands of years and here I stand, doing it all over again. 

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Farmers’ markets are dependent on your local area, yet in most you can still develop personal community connections. Paganism often stresses community as an ideal and a state of life. And witchcraft often stresses a connection to the soil. What better place, then, is purchasing the products from the locals who commune with the land? 

VOLUNTEERING 

If you are able to, I absolutely recommend volunteering. I have worked with aquaponic systems, food banks, farms, cider-making companies, soil conservation groups, etc. There is so much opportunity—and perhaps employment—in these fields. The knowledge I have gained has been wonderful. As one example, I learned that fertilisers reduce carbon sequestration as plants absorb carbon to help with nutrient intake. If they have all their nutrients ready, they do not need to work to obtain carbon to help absorb it. This does not even get into the symbiotic relationship fungi have with roots, or the world of hyphae. Volunteering provides community and connection. Actions and words change the world, and the world grows ever better with help—including how much or how little you may provide. It also makes a wonderful devotional activity. 

RESOURCING FOOD AND COOKING 

Buying from farmers is not always easy, however. Produce often has to be processed, requiring labour and work with some crops such as carrots. Other times, it is a hard effort to cook and many of us—such as myself—often have very limited energy. There are solutions to this, thankfully:

Many farmers can and will process foods. Some even do canning, which can be good to stock up on food and lessen the energy inputs. 

Value-added products: farms also try to avoid waste, and these products often become dried snacks if fruit, frozen, etc. 

Asking farmers if they would be open to accommodating this. Chances are, they would! The farmer I purchase my CSA share from certainly does. 

Going to farmers markets instead of buying a CSA, aligning with your energy levels. 

And if any of your purchased goods are going unused, you can always freeze them. 

DEMETER, CERES, VEIA, ETC: THE FORGOTTEN AGRICULTURE GODS

Agricultural gods are often neglected. Even gods presiding over agriculture often do not have those aspects venerated—Dionysos is a god of viticulture and Apollon a god of cattle. While I myself love Dionysos as a party and wine god, the core of him remains firmly in the vineyards and fields, branching into the expanses of the wild. I find him far more in the curling vines as I prune them than in the simple delights of the wine I ferment. Even more obscure gods, such as Veia, the Etruscan goddess of agriculture, are seldom known.

Persephone receives the worst of this: I enjoy her too as a dread queen, and people do acknowledge her as Kore, but she is far more popular as the queen of the underworld instead of the dear daughter of Demeter. I do understand this, though—I did not feel the might of Demeter and Persephone until I began to move soil with my own hands. A complete difference to the ancient world, where the Eleusinian mysteries appealed to thousands. Times change, and while some things should be left to the past, our link to these gods have been severed. After all, how many of us reading know where our food comes from? I did not until I began to purchase from the land I grew to know personally. The grocery store has become a land of tearing us from the land, instead of the food hub it should be.

Yet, while paganism forgets agriculture gods, they have not forgotten us. The new world of farming is more conductive and welcoming than ever. I find that while older, bigoted people exist, the majority of new farmers tend to be LGBT+. My own boss is trans and aro, and I myself am transgender and gay. The other young farmers I know are some flavour of LGBT+, or mixed/poc. There’s a growing movement for Black farmers, elaborated in a lovely text called We Are Each Other’s Harvest. 

Indigenous farming is also growing and I absolutely recommend buying from indigenous farmers. At this point, I consider Demeter to be a patron of LGBT+ people in this regard—she gives an escape to farmers such as myself. Bigotry is far from my mind under her tender care, as divine Helios shines above and Okeanos’ daughters bring fresh water to the crops. Paganism is also more commonly accepted—I find that farmers find out that I am pagan and tell me to do rituals for their crops instead of reacting poorly. Or they’re pagan themselves; a farmer I know turned out to be Wiccan and uses the wheel of the year to keep track of production. 

Incorporating these divinities—or concepts surrounding them—into our crafts and altars is the spiritual step towards better agriculture. Holy Demeter continues to guide me, even before I knew it. 

WANT CHANGE? DO IT YOURSELF! 

If you want change in the world, you have to act. And if you wish for better agriculture, there is always the chance to do it yourself. Sustainable agriculture is often far more accessible than people think: like witchcraft and divination, it is a practice. Homesteading is often appealing to many of us, including myself, and there are plenty of resources to begin. There are even grants to help one improve their home to be more sustainable, i.e. solar panels. Gardening is another, smaller option. Many of us find that plants we grow and nourish are far more potentant in craft, and more receptive to magical workings. 

Caring for plants is fundamental to our natures and there are a thousand ways to delve into it. I personally have joined conservation groups, my local soil conservation group, work with the NRCs in the USA, and more. The path to fully reconnecting to nature and agriculture is personal—united in a common cause to fight for this beautiful world. To immerse yourself in sustainable agriculture, I honestly recommend researching and finding your own path. Mine lies in soil and rot, grapevines and fruit trees. Others do vegetables and cereal grains, or perhaps join unions and legislators. Everyone has a share in the beauty of life, our lives stemming from the land’s gentle sprouts. 

Questions and or help may be given through my ask box on tumblr—if there is a way I can help, let me know. My knowledge is invaluable I believe, as I continue to learn and grow in the grey-clothed arms of Demeter, Dionysos, and Kore. 

FURTHER READING:

Baszile, N. (2021). We are each other’s harvest. HarperCollins.

Hatley, J. (2016). Robin Wall Kimmerer. Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous wisdom, scientific knowledge and the teachings of plants. Environmental Philosophy, 13(1), 143–145. https://doi.org/10.5840/envirophil201613137

Regenerative Agriculture 101. (2021, November 29). https://www.nrdc.org/stories/regenerative-agriculture-101#what-is

And in truth, far more than I could count. 

References

Community Supported Agriculture | National Agricultural Library. (n.d.). https://www.nal.usda.gov/farms-and-agricultural-production-systems/community-supported-agriculture

Navazio, J. (2012). The Organic seed Grower: A Farmer’s Guide to Vegetable Seed Production. Chelsea Green Publishing.

Plaster, E. (2008). Soil Science and Management. Cengage Learning.

Sheaffer, C. C., & Moncada, K. M. (2012). Introduction to agronomy: food, crops, and environment. Cengage Learning.

Sheldrake, M. (2020). Entangled life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds & Shape Our Futures. Random House.

Sustainable Agriculture | National Agricultural Library. (n.d.). https://www.nal.usda.gov/farms-and-agricultural-production-systems/sustainable-agriculture

[less-freshly-vegan]

You can say "veganism is better for the environment" as nicely as possible and people will still accuse you of hating disabled people, poor people, native people etc...

(To be fair, I won't comment on sustainance hunting from natives because I don't know enough about it.)

But veganism is better for the environment than the majority of (at least western!) meat eating practices.

Sometimes being poor or disabled means making choices that aren't great for the environment. I'm sorry, nobody likes admitting it, and I don't say it to judge or hate. I have to do things that aren't sustainable too, I get it. You do what you can and accept that some things you can't. That's ok, it happens.

Acknowledging the environmental impact of a non-vegan diet isn't inherantly an attack on those who can't. Sometimes you have to let things go. Similiar to how "donating to charity is good" doesn't automatically mean you're a terrible person if you can't afford to do so.

So in the nicest way...breathe, relax, move on. Get angry at the people who think we should just die if we can't be useful or whatever, not the people advocating for less animal agriculture.

[acti-veg]

hello, if you have time please could you respond to the Guardian article "If you want to save the world, veganism isn’t the answer"? thank you

Ahhh, her again. She does the same thing here as she always does, comparing realistic arable farming solutions to idealised animal agriculture which exists almost nowhere, and is how a vanishingly small minority of anyone’s meat, dairy and eggs are being produced.

She raises points that we are largely all already aware of, that crop farming can be harmful too, which of course also includes the crops that farmed animals are fed on. She touts the old fantasies of 'regenerative grazing' which is a contradiction in terms that has debunked many times over, perhaps most thoroughly in this report.

I think the best response though, is one from George Monbiot in his excellent book Regenesis: Feeding the World Without Devouring the Planet. Monbiot knows Isabella Tree personally, and has done the maths on her own farm:

"Only when livestock numbers fall so far that their husbandry scarcely qualifies as food production is animal farming compatible with a rich, functional ecosystem. For example, the Knepp Wildland project, run by my friends Isabella Tree and Charlie Burrell, where small herds of cattle and pigs roam freely across a large estate, is often cited as an example of how meat and wildlife and can be reconciled (..)"

"If their system were to be rolled out across 10 per cent of the UK’s farmland, and if, as it’s champions propose, we obtained our meat this way, it would furnish each of the people of the United Kingdom with 420 grams per head, enough for around three meals. This means a 99.5 per cent cut in our consumption (…) If all the farmland in the U.K. were managed this way, it would provide us with 75kcal per day (one thirteenth of our requirement) in the form of meat, and nothing else."

As you can see, this is pure fantasy. People point to examples like these despite them being almost unworkable at any kind of scale, and even in these idyllic, thoroughly unrealistic examples, animals are still being bred, exploited and killed unnecessarily.

Yes, plant agriculture has an impact too, but it is far more sustainable and less resource intensive, producing more food using less land. Even if you ignore animal rights entirely (as Tree always does), plant agriculture and alternative proteins are just objectively a better way to feed our population, which ever way you spin it.