#I’m here to say let’s get that biodiversity back baby

[dudethatsmyundeaduncle]

Danny’s parents want to kill him and he’s like “f in the chat y’all dinner boutta be so awkward tonight smh”

Ok so I know everyone loves the angsty headcannons where Danny is terrified of his parents cuz they wanna kill him but we’ve had that hot take since 2005 I’m here for a source material revival, the much more entertaining “Danny’s parents want to kill him and he actively doesn’t give a fuck”

CUZ UH, IM REWATCHING THE FIRST SEASON AND I FORGOT HOW GENUINELY BLASÉ HE IS ABOUT MADDIE AND JACK TRYING TO GET HIS ASS ITS SO FUNNY.

Like mom holding a literal ghost gun to his head: eh kinda unphased he even has time to quip, his parents say they wanna tear em to pieces: meh see u guys at dinner, LIKE OUR GUY IS SO UNPHASED HE THINKS THIS SHIT IS FUNNY! (s1 ep. 14 public enemy)

And he’s unphased despite knowing his parents tech works and knowing that his mother is actually a good shot. So like I love angst Danny and y’all should keep up the good work but where is my s1 Danny ‘COULDN’T give less of a fuck about his parents’ Fenton representation?

Cuz think of this, for your DPXDC AU consideration, Danny would fit in so well with the bat gang if only because they could try to stab, shoot, capture, brainwash, and stalk him and he’d be like “oh cool villain of the week shit? Nice, what’re we having for lunch.” He. Wouldn’t. Flinch.

#I’m not saying y’all are writing Danny as pusillanimous #except that I am #give my son his groove back this kid is litterally more afraid of a box ghost then his parents #he’s not a scaredy cat and I feel like rn everyone writes him as one #save the wet cat treatment for Tim y’all let Danny be a funny lil guy again #like he grew up in doofenshmirtz lab he isn’t crying over death threats babes #THIS ISN’T A HOT TAKE SO DON’T TRY TO COME FOR ME #THIS IS ME READING FROM THE DP BIBLE VERBATIM #S1 PRIVELAGES REINSTATED #GET GHOSTED #anyway #like I said I’m rewatching s1 #and I forgot how freaking fun it was #not all modern DP is angsty mind you and I’m also not here to say it’s wrong or bad #I’m here to say let’s get that biodiversity back baby #Danny Phantom #dp x dc #a cold take just the coldest

[secretswiftymarvelfan]

I would like a GQ couples quiz with Chris x reader (female or no gender specific)

Ask and you shall receive! I have tried to keep this gender neutral too!

Summary: You and Chris take the GQ Couples Quiz

Pairing: Chris Evans x GN!Reader

Word Count: 827

Warnings: Language! Dialogue Heavy (but its an interview what do you expect!)

“I’m gonna fucking smash this” Chris smiles proudly as he sits down.

“Language Chris” you laugh shaking your head at him.

“Sorry, sorry that was the last one” Chris chuckles holding his hands up, zipping his lips shut.

“Okay lets do this” you announce as the assistant passes you the question cards.

As the crew count you in Chris mouths ‘you’re on’ making you laugh and shake your head at him.

“Hi I’m Y/N Y/L/N” you smile looking at the camera.

“And I’m Chris Evans, and we’re about the take GQ’s Couple’s Quiz” Chris explains glancing over at you.

“I’m gonna win” you smirk.

“We’ll see, now go on ask away” Chris says gesturing for you go start.

“Okay starting easy, where did we meet?” You ask him.

“It was at RDJs house, which is strange because we actually grew up only what? 40 or so minutes away from each other and never crossed paths” Chris answers chuckling slightly.

“Yep and you’ve kind of answered the next one too which is where did I grow up” you laugh reading the next question.

“Charlestown native” Chris announces proudly.

“Okay when I was a kid what job did I want?” You ask him.

“Are we talkin’ little little kid or preteen kinda age?” Chris questions rubbing his chin in thought.

“Little little kid” you smile.

“Easy, you wanted to be a potato farmer” Chris smiles holding back a laugh.

“Yep, but in my defence I was like 5!” You explain as the crew chuckle.

“Its cute” Chris says smiling warmly over at you.

“Okay, what is something on my bucket list” you ask getting everything back on track.

“Swimming with Sharks like a freaking maniac” Chris exclaims shaking his head.

“They’re deeply misunderstood animals” you argue laughing.

“You said you would do it outside of the cage! That’s insane isn’t it!” Chris exclaims looking at the crew for support a couple of them nodding in agreement.

“You’re all wimps” you mutter shaking your head making Chris laugh loudly, throwing his head back.

You answered a few more questions, Chris only getting a couple wrong before you got to the last question.

“Okay what was my first job?” You ask him.

“Oh wait i- i know this, oh god what was it!” Chris sighs as he tries to think “it was one of those stall things in the mall, like the phone thing?” Chris asks.

“Nope” you smirk shaking your head.

“Food court?” Chris asks raising a brow.

“Nope, do you give up?” You smirk as he drops his arm against the arm of his chair nodding his head in defeat.

“I did a photoshoot when I was a baby” you answer making his jaw drop.

“What no! That doesn’t count! Fff- this is nonsense” Chris grumbles stopping himself from swearing.

“Its true! It was for diapers and I was only about a year old” you smile proudly.

“Whatever, how many did I get?” Chris asks looking over at the crew.

“16” one of the assistants tells him.

“16! Only 16! Right these questions better be hard” Chris mutters as he gets passed his set of questions.

“Get ready to lose Evans” you smirk.

“Okay what is my star-“ Chris starts but you interrupt.

“Gemini” you answer.

“That was easy, are there harder ones here?” Chris asks flicking through all the questions.

“Just ask them in the right order Chris” you laugh shaking your head at him.

“Urgh fine, what street did I grow up on?” Chris asks with a deep sigh.

“Flanagan Street” you answer easily.

“You are so going down Evans” you laugh when he pouts slightly.

“What was my first acting job?” Chris sighs knowing you knew the answer.

“Biodiversity wild about life” you answer Chris nodding in agreement.

Chris continues to ask you questions and you keep getting them right much to his annoyance.

“Alright last question, you better get this wrong” Chris says giving you a look.

“It doesn’t matter I’ve already won” you smirk making him roll his eyes.

“Who is my celebrity crush?” Chris asks.

“Easy once again, Sandra Bullock” you answer spotting Chris’ victorious smirk.

“Nope” he grins.

“Stop lying its always been her!” You exclaim shaking your head at him.

“Nope, my celebrity crush is you” he smiles sweetly.

“Aw Chris” you chuckle feeling slightly flustered.

“I can’t believe you got that wrong” Chris sighed shaking his head.

“It hasn’t always been me though, it was Sandra” you point out.

“True, i’ll give you half a point then” Chris smiles.

“Thank you sweetie” you grin blowing him a kiss.

“You’ve won anyway so” Chris shrugs making you laugh.

“Yeah, you should have studied” you sigh shaking your head at him.

“You studied for this!” Chris exclaims laughing.

“Yeah you gotta up your game Evans” you laugh.

“Right I demand a retest, next week and I will beat you this time” Chris states.

“So competitive” you laugh shaking your head at him.

LIKE FOLLOW AND REBLOG!

Let me know what interviews you want to see!

Masterlist / Series Masterlist

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#niamh writes #theinterviewseries #chris evans #chris evans fanfiction #chris evans drabble #chris evans x reader

[beauty-and-passion]

Time to talk about the flower shirt

You read the title. Time to talk about this.

This is the infamous flower shirt Thomas put on in his store and, since the fandom is the fandom, everyone started to speculate about those flowers.

At first, I didn’t want to do it. They’re just flowers and other people already talked about them, so what could I possibly add to the conversation?

But while I was writing about Orange, I had to talk a moment about the orange flower. It was supposed to be a small parenthesis, just a couple of words about that.

But then I looked at the other flowers and what other people told/not told about them and how some didn’t find Patton’s flower... so here I am, adding my two cents to this theme.

You needed it? Probably not. Well, I’m writing it anyway.

So let’s take a closer look at those flowers and see each one in detail:

__________________________________

Roman: Red rose

Should I really explain why it’s perfect for Roman? Red roses are the universal symbol of love. Basically in all cultures red roses symbolize passion, true love, romance and desire. Also, according to this website, even the shade has a meaning! In fact, the deeper the red shade is, the stronger is the passion.

And even the number of red roses has a meaning! In this case, we have only one single red rose and that "represents love at first sight, or if it’s coming from a long-term partner, they are saying “you are still the one”.”

You know what that made me think? About Thomas telling Roman “You’re my hero”. A perfect symbol that he was “still the one” for Thomas.

__________________________________

Orange: Lantana camara

This is an incredibly peculiar flower.

Lantana Camara symbolizes severity and rigour. And this alone can be analyzed in all possible ways, but there are other interesting details about this plant I think it's worth mentioning.

Lantana is toxic for livestock, such as cattle, sheep, horses, dogs and goats. According to Wikipedia, previous studies suggested it could be toxic for humans too, especially the green unripe berries. However "other studies have found evidence which suggests that its fruit poses no risk to humans".

Lantana is a freaking invasive plant. In some areas, it's so predominant, to reduce biodiversity, because its presence "can significantly slow down the regeneration of forests, by preventing the growth of new trees". Also, as if this isn't enough, this plant can also produce toxic chemicals which inhibit other plant species.

Lantana has also a great adaptability, that helped it to be so invasive: it can live in a wide range of different environmental conditions, it can survive long periods without water, heck it's even resistant to fire. It's not a plant you can underestimate. Like Orange, I assume.

But Lantana isn't just an invasive plant. Lantana has always been used for medical purposes, because it showed good antimicrobial, fungicidal and insecticidal properties and its extract helps against respiratory infections and ulcers.

Also, since it doesn't have many pests or diseases, lantana became a common ornamental plant. It even attracts butterflies!

In other words: isn't that the perfect plant to symbolize the double nature of a dark side? It can be a threat, change the environment, destroy and even kill. But it can also be a medicine, something useful, something beautiful.

Whoever Orange is, Lantana camara tells us that, whithout a doubt, he’s a dark side.

__________________________________

Janus: Sunflower

Do you think Janus isn't perfect enough as he is? Do you think there's not enough husband material in the snek?

Well, you’re wrong and the sunflower is here to prove it.

Sunflower symbolizes loyalty, adoration, longevity, vitality, worship. Now add this up to the sunflower’s behaviour and how it follows the sun... and you’ll get Janus. Janus literally acts like a sunflower: Thomas is his sun and everything Janus does is for him. His whole existence is centered around Thomas.

But we already knew that, because it's the same message that shone through his playlist. Everything about Janus tells us how much he adores Thomas, from his canonical behavior in the series, to his playlist, to this flower.

Oh, do you need another proof that this is flower is perfect for Janus? Some societies use sunflowers as religious symbols. Ah, some good ol' reference to religion: it’s like being in his playlist all over again.

And, of course, sunflowers are used for a variety of reasons, like cooking oils, skin care and so on. Even the flower says self care.

This man is perfect.

__________________________________

Remus: Green chrysanthemum

Here's another interesting flower.

Chrysanthemum symbolizes death and it’s the typical flower used for funerals. And I thought this was its universal meaning. It was perfect for Remus just like that.

But then I found out that Europeans use chrysanthemums for funerals and to honor the dead. This flower actually has a whole lot of meanings, some completely different from this.

In China, for example, chrysanthemums are associated with wealth, prosperity and long life. Also they're symbols of new life and reincarnations, so they're the perfect gift for old people or newborns.

While in Japan chrysanthemums are symbols of power and royalty. And that's even more fitting for Remus, because he's a Duke, so he is royalty.

But chrysanthemum also symbolizes friendship - and not just "a friendship", but a meaningful one. It's a symbol of loyalty, devotion, romantic/platonic love and, in general, positive energy. It's a flower with an incredibly strong meaning, so it can't be given too lightly.

And this makes it even more perfect for Remus. It's a flower with a huge plurality of meanings, it's both associated with life and death, it's powerful and it's royalty.

Also, you can eat it. Isn't that the perfect Remus flower?

(On a side note: please notice how chrysanthemums and sunflowers are both associated with joy, loyalty and devotion. I would have never considered "joy" a common trait between Janus and Remus while loyalty and devotion... well, they both care about Thomas and his career and they both work for him despite not being accepted, so I can see why those are common traits.)

__________________________________

Patton: Nemophila

Surprise surprise, this flower wasn't easy to find. I’ve never heard of it, so I had to search among endless lists of blue flowers, hoping to find one that would perfectly match the one on the shirt.

And that’s how I found nemophila.

First of all: nemophila is also known as "Baby Blue Eyes" and it's an extremely rare color to find in nature. It’s very famous in Japan, thanks to the Hitachi Seaside Park. Open this link: it’s a literal sea of blue and it’s absolutely gorgeous. Of course, it attracts people every year.

Nemophila represents prosperity, congratulations on success and victory. Not the first things you would associate with Patton, right?

Well, while I was searching more informations about this flower, I found out this website about the essence of Baby Blue Eyes and the passage I quoted down below has the exact same words you can find on that link:

With its pronounced affinity for water, the Baby Blue Eyes flower essences addresses qualities of tender sensitivity, innocence and trust associated one’s early childhood relationship to the father, or other significant masculine figures that are in some way disturbed.

Very often the father was absent, or there was a lack of support or genuine presence. The Baby Blue Eyes type attempts over time to cover this wound of vulnerability with a false “hardening,” such as emotional distancing, mistrust, cynicism or spiritual alienation. It is a flower that can be equally helpful for men or women, although it is especially needed for many men who struggle to become strong, by disowning their pain.

So nemophilia’s essence has qualities associated with childhood, to the father figure and attempts to “repress” and hide emotions.

That’s Patton. That’s him, period. The childhood-related emotions, that are linked to Patton’s longing for “a simpler time”. The mentions of a father figure - who migh be absent or showing lack of support (like, idk, suggesting you should die so your friends live?). And the attempt to “cover the vulnerability” doesn’t remind you anything? Like the Nostalgia episodes?

This flower is Patton.

__________________________________

Logan: Blue petunia

I would like to say, from the bottom of my heart, a huge "FUCK YOU" to this flower, because I spent TWO DAYS searching all the blue flowers in the world and all possible variants, asking myself why this goddamn flower looked so familiar and why it was so hard to find. Blue isn't even a common color in nature, so why couldn't I find it?

I've learned more about blue flowers in these two days than in my entire life. I've searched among flowers I never saw before, like glandora diffusa, leschenaultia and omphalodes verna. I was so desperate to consider this flower a new species, with the petals of a bellflower and the corolla of a morning glory. I even found a goddamn chinese variant of the morning glory that was somehow similar but not that much and why, WHY this was so hard to find?!

And then, after two days and a lot more desperation, I remembered: my dear friend @reptilianwithscallions​ told me about a post they made, regarding this shirt and the flowers. Maybe they had some idea about Logan's flower?

Well, let's all thank my saviour and this post, because otherwise I would've kept searching until the end of my days.

Long story short, Logan's flower is a fucking blue petunia.

And it's a very peculiar choice, because petunias have multiple meanings, several of which can be contradictory.

In general, petunia symbolizes anger and resentment. It reminds someone that you're still angry or disappointed by their actions and you haven’t gotten over the things that caused these feelings.

Oh my, I didn't know we were back in Logan's playlist. It's basically what he kept expressing towards Thomas with his songs: that he was angry at Thomas for his decision, that he doesn't approve that Thomas hasn't "a real job" and so on. Petunia is a flower that screams passive-aggressive, so it's perfect for Logan.

But petunia's meaning deeply changes, depending on the color of the flower. And while petunia in general symbolizes anger, a blue petunia is a symbol of peacefulness, intimacy and deep trust, shared between two or more people. It's so wholesome, because the deep trust reminds me - again - of Logan's playlist and how it ended: no matter what, he and Thomas are always best friends.

Also, petunia flowers have even a secret meaning behind. Since they’re also gifted to new neighbors or to people who have just moved into a new home, they represent a perfect welcome and a way to express affection and kindness to others.

You’re lucky to be so wholesome, you tricky flower.

__________________________________

Virgil: Perennial Geranium

Geranium is a confused flower.

Some of the other flowers have conflicted meanings, but not as much as this flower. These are the most common meanings I found:

Folly or Stupidity

Gentility and kind nature

Clever minds

Ingenuity

Melancholy

Perfect gift for a bride

You can gift it to someone with whom you have planned a meeting 

You can gift it to someone with whom you haven't planned a meeting, just to make them feel welcomed

True Friendship

See? It’s confused.

Aside from jokes, this variety of meanings is due to its great diffusion: since geraniums grow everywhere, every culture gave them a different meaning. And sometimes these meanings depend on the situation too.

Awww, isn't it perfect for Virgil? He can be good and bad at the same time. Anxiety can be bad for Thomas and detrimental for his life, but it can also be the alarm Thomas needs. It depends on the situation.

And, just like geraniums in general symbolize positive emotions, happiness and friendship, so Virgil is in general a good guy. All he does is for Thomas' wellbeing, not against him.

And this is confirmed by the vast use of geranium's essential oil. It's one of the most popular and it has a ton of properties: anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-depressant, decongestant, relaxing and so on. Just like our Virge boy can be incredibly useful under the right circumstances. (Did someone say "Flirting with social Anxiety"?)

Also, geraniums are simple, humble flowers that usually grow outside, but then we take them and make them part of our homes. Once again, it’s Virgil: he's an outsider, he's humble, he talks bad about himself - but Thomas and the others took him and made him part of the famILY anyway.

__________________________________

Thomas: Cherry blossom

I searched this flower everywhere and the only one that looks like the one on the shirt is the cherry blossom. Why did Thomas make a cherry blossom with eight petals, when they all have five? I have no idea. Is this a different flower, maybe? Maybe, but I’m done: I've looked at enough flowers and I don’t have any strength left.

As you probably already know, cherry blossoms are extremely important in Japan. They're beautiful, they're everywhere and they're meaningful.

Why? Because cherry blossoms are considered the perfect metaphor for human existence. When they blossom it's a pink ocean, a party, people go to admire them - but they’re short lived, because in two weeks, the blossoms start to fall. It's just like human life: a small, rich, glorious parenthesis in the void. Something little and precious that ends soon.

But cherry blossoms also symbolize rebirth, optimism, hopes and dreams. When they bloom, it means springtime is coming and spring has always been associated with renewal.

That’s a very good choice for character Thomas. He’s basically a cherry blossom, the whole series is: something that reminds us how beautiful life is, how multi-faceted, how important. Just like Thomas' single being encompasses seven different sides of himself, so life presents a wide range of choices, of aspects, of flavours. All beautiful, all worthy of appreciation, no matter how different they can be from you and your experience.

And this becomes even more important, in relation to the passage of time and the transience of life. Because life is short and, after that, there won't be any more time to appreciate anything.

In addition to that, I would like to point out how the theme of passage of time is something we already saw in the series. And not just one time, but several. Since the first season, we have episodes all around the concept of growing up, growing old, not being a child anymore, becoming an adult. And the last Aside keeps going in this direction. It's clear this is a big theme and its connection with the cherry blossoms proves it.

But why is the flower so different on the shirt? Because Thomas wanted to mess up with us? Probably. Almost certainly. Once again, thank you Mr. Sanders for making me question everything.

The floor is (figuratively) yours now: if you have any other information, thoughts or opinions, feel free to share them.

_______________________________

TAGLIST:

@willpowerwisps @royalprinceroman @reesiereads @mudpuddlenl @shelby-711 @allmycrushesaredead @aquatedia @sweetkirbi @whatishappeningrightnow  @effortiswhatmatters  @atlasistryingherbest @bella-in-a-bag  @doydoune  @miasheer  @forever-third-wheeling @mishanthropist  @corndot @payte @mcang3l  @geekyapollokid  @kawaiipotatuh  @hypnossanders  @idontreallyknow24  @imcrushedbyarainbow  @simplyapannightmare  @patton-cake

@riseofthewerewolf @frog-candy-bee @bosspotato01  @rosesandlove44 @methaley @sololad  @firey-alex  @sashootkahoot​ @chewy-rubies @groaaaaan  @croftergamer​ @misty-the-girlflux-mess​  @thedevilseyes​  @arya-skywalker​  @csi-baker-street-babes​ @queen-of-all-things-snuggly

@virgildarknessdementiaravenway​ @mishanthropist​  @dracayd-universe​  @unknown-artworks​   @lonelyfangirl453​  @starlightnyx​ @alienvamp-hesitantflowerface​ @stubbornness-and-spite​  @alittletoo-extra​ @averykedavra  @iloveeverytjing123 @bookedforevermore @joyrose-fandomer @anachronismes @the-cloud-14  @mihaela-tbg @igonnatalknothing

@thatoneloudowl​  @grayson-22​  @softangryfuckingdepressed​ @theotherella​  @boopypasta​ @nevenastark​ @varthandi @floofyconfusednerd @nothing-worth-mentioning @mikalya12 @roses-bubbles @cuter-on-the-inside  @coldbookworm  @orchidstanslogan  @snixxxsmythe  @frog-candy-bee  @holleratyour-buoyancy @alexowlndra  @fadingbagelbananapatrol  @our-bloody-mari666  @cxsmospooks @we-need-more-empathy  @riverraysong

#sanders sides #sander sides #analysis #roman sanders #ts roman #orange side #janus sanders #ts janus #remus sanders #ts remus #patton sanders #ts patton #logan sanders #ts logan #virgil sanders #ts virgil #thomas sanders #flowers #sander side #sanders sides theory

[authorstalker]

My Year in Reading

The best book that’s dedicated to me...

Waiting for Tom Hanks, Kerry Winfrey - Are you the kind of reader who always always always, no matter what, looks at a book’s dedication page? I sure am, so imagine my joy when I found out Kerry dedicated WFTH to little old me. Please trust that I wouldn’t recommend a book just because of the dedication. WFTH is a delicious treat, a warm hug, a goddamn delight. Enjoy it and think of me! Sidenote: how weird is it when a book isn’t dedicated to anyone? I think that’s messed up.

The best book that traumatized me for life...

Marilou Is Everywhere, Sarah Elaine Smith - The writing is gorgeous, I loved the story, but oh my god. I read this book in August and the trauma feels FRESH. Read it :). 

The best book that made me stare at birds...

How to Do Nothing, Jenny Odell - I’m a bit of a dummy and I struggle with any nonfiction that isn’t about the inner life of dogs, so yeah. However! Bits and pieces of this stuck with me, specifically the message about observing local biodiversity and paying attention to wildlife. Since I finished reading, I catch myself watching birds for fun. Just call me Jonathan Franzen.

The best series I discovered thanks to Twitter...

Heartstopper, Alice Oseman - Okay, so Rainbow Rowell tweeted about how much she loved a comic called Heartstopper and I looked it up and here we are: a full-blown obsession. I started with Alice Oseman’s first novel, Solitaire, because the library had it, then I moved on to the Heartstopper comic (which you can read on tumblr!). Alice is so talented and I’m crazy in love with Charlie and Nick. 

The best book by an old but new-to-me author...

A Song for Summer, Eva Ibbotson - I keep telling all my friends to get into Eva Ibbotson, and I’m not sure any of them have listened to me. Offensive! This is actually another book I discovered via someone else’s social media post, and it’s now on my all-time favorites list. It’s hilarious, romantic, charming; in my opinion, it’s perfect. Let’s make the Ibbotsonaissance happen in 2020!

The best books I revisited from childhood...

The Unlikely Romance of Kate Bjorkman, Louise Plummer - I’m not gonna say classic YA is better than contemporary YA, but I’m not not gonna say it either, alright? To sum up, thanks to rediscovering this book during a fairly high-stress year, I ended up re-reading a handful of young adult and middle grade books from my youth. They’re amazing! This one is about Christmas and being an ugly duckling and crushing on your older brother’s best friend. 

Baby, Patricia MacLachlan - A middle grade book by the author of Sarah, Plain and Tall. Oh my gosh, it’s so beautiful and sad. Do books this heartbreaking and honest still get published? Send them all my way!

The best book I read because it had a sweet, sweet cover...

Getting a Life, Helen Simpson - Do y’all know of Helen Simpson? Jesus Christ, she’s so good at writing. This is a short story collection about motherhood! It’s gripping and depressing and wonderful! This year I got back into short stories and poems, and you know what, I feel great about it. Please read Helen Simpson in 2020. 

#year in reading #books #literature #2019 #favorite books #helen simpson #patricia maclachlan #louise plummer #eva ibbotson #alice oseman #jenny odell #sarah elaine smith #kerry winfrey

[blonkk]

i’m so serious i can’t raise kids in this society. like i think me saying that is kind of a projection because actually i don’t even want to have kids but i can’t stay here myself. i want to adopt /foster kids. not babies, kids. but that creates another moral/ethical dilemma because my ideal life is living somewhere far away from urban centres in a small community surrounded by grass and trees and the like. and if i foster or adopt children i can’t take them away from their own communities/families/friends etc.

anyways i guess the need to have children around me is selfish, like i don’t actually need it i just genuinely enjoy their company and want to do something for kids who need it. there’s no perfect way to do that…….but i know that removing them from those important people/places is like. abusive and wrong. so anyways

but like i grew up when technology was just starting to get insidious, but still, i had a time in my life where reading for hours instead of scrolling for hours was the thing to do without effort. i had an attention span. i played outside and got hurt and got bored sitting in front of the tv. my parents weren’t consumed by their own devices. i still played on the computer and watched tv but it wasn’t constant mindless consumption to the point where i revolved my entire life and identity around it. i remember feeling bad for kids when i was in high school who had a radically different childhood then mine, but now i look at the way things are and the way they’re going and i just do not want to have any part in it. like i know that there are benefits, like kids can learn to code and watch exciting things on youtube and stay busy etc. but in my opinion lapses of boredom and not being able to just know everything immediately is actually good for you. i don’t want my kid or myself to develop neck problems, back problems, sleeping problems, eye problems, attention span problems, mental illness. like literally i’m so sorry this shit makes people sad and fills us with loneliness and self hatred. bad things exist without tech and the internet but guess what?? it doesn’t even come close to comparing. but how do you go on in life trying to defy the norms??? i want to be a part of society so i legit NEED a smartphone, NEED wifi, NEED goddamn gmail. i hate it.

like the worst thing is that we knowwww that this stuff isn’t good. it goes beyond tech, i more mean the rhetoric of the “future” and all that shit. sorry but we don’t need electric cars especially if we rely on fossil fuels to power them. we don’t need to go to fucking mars. we don’t need to have face and touch ID and mobile wallets and crypto and go cashless. these are all objectively bad things for the planet, people, and the future. i don’t get how people think that this is the only way to go forward when it’s actually so incredibly shortsighted. like there is no sustainability in any of this. we need cross country railway and expanded public transport systems. we need to invest in conservation and education about home economics ie identifying edible plants, first aid and home remedies, gardening, cooking, etc. we need to keep carrying cash on our person everywhere we go. we need to walk or bike or drive to the store to get pens or milk instead of ordering and having it delivered by someone whose face we never even see. we need to let kids play unsupervised and we need to let them be bored. we need to enact some sort of policy that makes it against employee rights to be contacted after work hours; work emails need to automatically stop notifying after 4:30 let’s say. we need to crush grind culture under our heels. we need to make it illegal for children under like 16 to have access to any social media. also it needs to be illegal to put photos of children on the internet. there needs to be bylaws that prohibit chemicals being used on yards and grass being placed where it doesn’t belong and instead promote i manicured biodiversity. we need to eat local meat and dairy and produce.

i could go on. basically my main point is that children are not safe nor looked after in our societies. they are not protected or valued. they aren’t nourished properly. and when we talk all this shit about the future!! wow!! innovation! expansion!! it’s all such a farce because nooooppppeeeee no one will be okay. no one will even have a chance at experiencing a life that isn’t about making sure you can merely sustain yourself. literallylyyyyy we are on a sinking ship and the people just keep adding water and pissing in it

#i do not know #childrens rights #sustainability #environment #my crazy rambling #but i’m serious #the future #i hate elite environmentalist people #elon musk worshipping asses #they are sooooo stupid #your crypto is destroying the planet. teslas are useless moneytraps. you will never go to mats you fool it’s not for you #no one actually cares about kids it’s really bad #ethics has completely been removed from public consciousness #it’s not ethical for our data to be mined!!! it’s not ethical for our identities and movements and transaction to be tracked!! #but will still go to work and suck company balls. for ethical purposes #i hate ambitious people lol #there i said it. #i do not care that you have a six fig salary and you have a freighter of respect #because you work 9-5 plus are on call plus get work emails on sundays plus spent your 20s in school plus you can’t have any free time #because you only get 2 weeks vacation. you never see your kids or family. you are worried. you have health problems. #why the fuck is that an aspiration for so many people. it doesn’t work and we know this so why do we still work towards it #this dream is dead yall #not to be corny but all that matters is love and connection. your children miss you and have 6 different mental illnesses and premature #health conditions. they resent you because they only see you an hour a day. #turn off the wifi at night. #bye

[theashemarie]

Please 25 for the writing Drabble thingy! (If you want to of course!) and sonknuckles!! :D Also ps I'm really glad you turned anon back on because I'm real shy lmao! You're one of my absolute favourite writers!

send me a number and a ship! - #25: “I’m scared.” [REQUESTS CLOSED]

Ey nonnie! I’m glad I turned anon back on so I can hear from lovely people like you! Thank you so much for your compliments! And no need to be shy. I’m just a giant softie. 

I wrote you a Sonic Forces thing. Hope you like it. ;)

The bunker is almost like a second home, which makes Knuckles uncomfortable. He’s never lived in such close proximity to other people before, and he likes it—he likes being able to stick his head out of his room and see people he recognizes walking through the metal halls. He can identify everyone based on the sound of their footsteps—Tails is light-footed but well-paced, while the smaller, other Sonic, the light blue one that popped out of a wormhole, sounds like the light pops of an air gun, hit hit hit, as he hops quickly down the hall, and Amy is clunky with her boots but moves with purpose; Silver sometimes doesn��t make noise at all—and he knows all of their names, their ranks, their families, their homes, their occupations. He likes having all this information, locks it up in his brain in the same place where he keeps all the knowledge of the Island and its individual plants, their root systems, the biodiversity that exists nowhere else on the planet; it’s all the same, that ecosystem and this one, except this one is full of people who are more important than any single plant could be.

It’s like a city, one that Knuckles watches move around him a whirlwind. When they lose someone, the mourning paints the walls; when a baby is born (six so far), celebration lights the halls; when Sonic returns (limping, ba-thump, ba-thump, down the hall, until he eventually comes back into his light, quick taptaptap steps, so much like the other (wormhole) Sonic but with a different timbre to his stride), the whole feeling shifts as what was once a survival operation becomes one of victory and chance.

Which is why, more than anything, when things start to feel normal, Knuckles begins to get suspicious. And, when he gets suspicious, he gets quiet, pensive, stares long stares at what he’s most worried about. And Sonic, damn him, is too perceptive to not notice. Luckily, he doesn’t say anything when they’re in public, probably because he knows that doing so would get him punched, and he waits until they’re both in Knuckles’s room, sitting up in bed on top of the covers with their shoes on because they’re supposed to be on emergency duty and things could go wrong at a moment’s notice.

Knuckles is pretending to read a report on a tablet, but his eyes are unfocused, which is probably what tips Sonic off the final time. Sonic carefully puts his hand on Knuckles’s arm, clutches there, tugs once to get his attention. Knuckles sighs and puts the tablet down.

“What’s up?” Sonic asks.

Knuckles could pretend that it’s nothing, but there’s something so raw about that question, about its asking here in the low-light of Knuckles’s quarters when they can’t really see each other. He swallows once and can tell from the way Sonic’s fingers tighten that he probably heard that. “I’m scared.”

Sonic’s eyes are a sickly green in the near-dark, and Knuckles sees him blink once, slowly, computing that vulnerable omission. “About what?”

Because that’s the thing: there’s so much to be scared of. There’s so much to lose, so much that could go wrong.

Knuckles isn’t exactly sure what he’s scared of. It’s something to do with the bunker, with all the people inside it, with the fact that they’re all relying on Knuckles, with how he feels all these lives between his fingers like sand, slipping and sliding around. If he clutches too tight, they’ll all dead drop, squeezed of their very souls.

“I don’t know,” he says, and it’s desperate. He refuses to look at Sonic, merely stares down at his own lap, at the hands that he’s knotted into fists. “It’s— Everything. The people.”

“You don’t want to lose anyone else.” It’s that simple, coming from Sonic. He says that and Knuckles feels it, like a smack, like the sound of Gadget, heading down the hallway on crutches because he almost died last mission but luckily escaped with only a sprained knee, the uneven stride of pain and injury that’s familiar around here. “They’re all relying on you.”

Knuckles isn’t used to showcasing weakness, so he merely nods. It’s a huge omission and Sonic knows it.

“Knuckles, I have to tell you. If anyone’s going to keep everyone safe, it’s you.” Sonic is looking at him—Knuckles can feel his eyes on his face—and he speaks plainly. “Protecting is your thing, and that’s not just some stationary thing. You keep people safe every way you can. Sometimes, it involves getting in between them and danger, and other times that means canceling missions because they’re too dangerous. You have the head for it.”

Knuckles knows he’s right. It’s a hard thing to swallow, that of all these people, somehow, Knuckles—who grew up in the clouds, away from all this, above all this—is better equipped to keep all these people intact and safe. Knuckles knows his own abilities, and he’ll be damned if he lets anyone under his protection walk into a trap, but there’s always the possibility he’ll screw up, and what then?

“Hey,” Sonic says, and carefully lays a hand over Knuckles’s tightening, tightening, tightening fist, “it’s okay to be scared. It keeps you grounded.”

Knuckles can’t help but laugh, because of all the wording, it’s that. Angel Island, floating, grounded. There’s some symbolism there that he can’t put his finger on. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

And, of course, the alarm blares, guillotining the conversation. They both jump up, Sonic heaves the door open, someone out there yells “The kitchens!” and they set off, matching pace, Sonic’s quick, rat-a-tat steps blending with Knuckles’s heavier, cannon-fire ones.  

#sth #sonic the hedgehog #sonuckles #knuckles the echidna #ashe writes #ask #anon #i'm not dead! #yay! #long post #drabbles

[cries-and-sings]

88It is on fire, I’m on fire. I feel it in my extremeties. I feel my face flushed with, yo no se que, anxiety? Uncomfortable for sure. Panicky even. 

therapy day today. Unlike other days, it was more of a conversation. It was fine, though it felt a bit like i was paying someone to be my friend. lol. 

my fingers are so warm, my feet are burning too. the window is open. It’s almost comical, every past year, it’s been complaining that we don’t really get summers here. Well we skipped summer weather and went to a scorching hell. Trees burning, I’m burning up. A symptom of something that’s been a long time coming. But it’s here bitches, and no one gives a shit. 

There is no turning back now. A chunk of ice, the size of Florida, melted in teh Artic, in one day. flooding will be an issue, except for here, where everything will be burning up. 

I’ve always thought that my quality of life, as a woman of color, is better off in the present day. I think it was a gross over-simplification. For one, I wonder how much more majestic our surroundings would be. If nature is so beautiful now, I can’t imagine what it was like back then. Mi pueblito wouldn’t smell like burnt plastic. Water would be present, and there would be many birds full of chirp and color. The parakeets, I think it is my favorite childhood memory. That flock of flourescent lime green. Instead it is what it is. and the fish, I wouldn’t know that they existed, so i would never have seen them. Not that I’ve seen it for myself now, but i hear that someone’s dad’s dad said it used to be beautiful. to clarify, on a documentary a man talked about the drastic decrease in coral reef fish and biodiversity in the ocean in general. I think this was in some tropical island. I dono’t remember how young this man was, but it doesn’t matter because the result is the same and his perspective highlights how drastic the downward trend of oxygen depletion in general is. Well then let me throw another one at you, this same man, talks about how when he was a young boy, his father told him the same thing. How there were less fish than there used to be when he was a boy. And of course, wouldn’t you know it, the man’s father would tell him the same thing. 

I think I’m pretty mad, as an avid admirer of nature, that I will never be able to see it, not even in picture. Of course one could create a realistic image of what that would have looked like. But at the end of the day, it would just be all speculation, a guess. 

Global warming most likely began during the pre-industrial and industrial times, according to the internet. 

in my typical indecisive fashion, I can’t choose which period of time i would be better of in. 

Maybe I would’ve been happy in pre columbian times, though my existance wouldn’t even be possible. Why that infuriates me, I don’t know. I’m mized race, wether I like it or not. 

So I’ve digresed, the story of my family:

Dad- Short (5′4″ maybe 5′5 in his young days, his nose has a bit of a hook. He for the most part, took after his father. Beautiful thick black straight hair. Thick eyebrows, his teeth are virtually the same size. Small shovered teet. His eyes are wide, East Asian like almost. His parents, I imagine, were both short. 

His mother was born in Tixtla, Guerrero. A bigger town than where I and my father were born, which to me, is an isolated little town. I see now that that isn’e necessarily true, the isolated part. It is crazy to me that everyone knows everyone. I worry about incest lol. Eveolution fascinates me more that I realize, and the fact that the gene pool is small, you can see why one could worry. But again, me distraigo. I am proud of her lineage the most, because it would be the most native one. I was born in Native country and I am enamored with that culture. Not all of my antepasados are native to that area though. And they must’ve not have been good people. At least from the stories dad shares, they weren’t. The thing is, I don’t know arnything about my grandma, because I never interacted with her, i mean im sure i did if i was born in her home, but i remember all of my grandparents more than i remember her. Like i remember what she looked like, I just can’t remember even talking to her. And then there is the fact that I even existed, just at first though. I mean i can’t say for sure, but she was not happy about that my dad and mom got together. And she loved another little girl more. It’s fine though? Maybe, because I don’t remember being sad when she passed. I was afraid my father would be taken away from me, but not as sad about my grandma dying. I am still not super sad about it. I exaggerate it with dad, cause he loved his mom. But from what I heard, I was not her favorite. lol. I mean I’m sure she loved me some. and mom says she did apologize for the way that she treated her, so remorse or fear. quien sabe. y hasta le encargo a su hijo, her baby, that must’ve meant something.  

But her dad was a real prick. he left her mom, taking with him, a year’s harvests. What he did leave were a few hungry mouths. My dad hates the man. He would hate the fact that he would stop by my granparent’s place to get some mescal from my grandpa. Such a shameless man. I wonder what her mom’s name was, Lucina? I honestly don’t remember, I remember that I did know that when I was little. I wonder what her story was like. I have a picture of them though, so I know what they were like. Did dad know his great grandparents. Do most people know who their great grandparents were? about half of Americans know 1 or more of their granparents name. I wonder if that statistic is the same for Mexicans. 

On my grandpa’s side. His mother got around. Paternity quien sabe quien, dad knows, a Najera maybe? shit what are my granparent’s maternal last names? Well I know about her the most, becaus she lived with dads family. Story goes that her mom died when she was little, then her dad was a wealthy man, better to do at least. anyways he didn’t want to join the Mexican Revolution and ran and was able to hide for some time, but was eventually executed for it. I think dad told me the story of how that exactly unfolded, but I don’t remember it now. 

Anyways the girls were orphans, but she remembers her dad taking her to Chilpancingo, and she made it sound like she had been to Mexico City too. Which is huge, travel by horse would be insane. It’s crazy to believe that that was reality for most of humanity up until the last 150? years or so. thousands of years that was the norm, and now we fly,too. she sowed dresses, she saw a soldier shoot himself when he dropped his rifle from atop his horse and kill himself. Eran chismosos lo viejitos? who knows. Well then she was orphaned and she supported herself through sowing. She was white, her family was European, the last name, what was her last name? It just hit me that I do not know. but she did give my uncle a very italian name. but who was the man whose last name I carry. A missing puzzle piece.

Mom’s dad 

Mi hermoso viejito. The loving father I wish I had. The one that would curl his grandbabies up. Oh how I ache to be in his arms again. Mi viejito. His mother was either a prostitute or she got around. I wonder what her side of the story was. She was not a good looking woman. She looked like my grandpa with long hair. the features taht made her masculine, also made my hermoso such a handsome man. And that would be my poor chaparrita’s reason for pain many a time. His dad, who knows. I think his last name is his moms. My favorite tio uses that last name, why, who knows, in an attempt to rectify something that wasn’t supposed to be. MY uncle, the male version of my mom. it’s quite trippy to think about, groundbreaking realizations, truly lol. Oh and her mom, a living relic lol. An old woman with long hair, i don’t know her face as she was when i saw her last, or saw her in general. Did mom grow up with her there? was she always old?

I wonder what life was like, poverty after poverty. Were they even aware? More recently that makes sense, but what about back then.

It terrifies me that if it weren’t for leaving my birthtown, I would be stuck. Only seeing the outside world through a screen. And not having had flied to different places. A luxury that they do not have. 

[labgrownsteaks]

Chapter 3

My initial reaction was to sell it. If I could fetch 320 grand that would significantly change my life. On the other hand, considering I could print anything I wanted, I could make far more than 320k. I had to focus on the road because I was so excited. Erin was screaming and dancing and saying something, but I could barely hear any of it. I could print anything in the world. 

“How could you not know you had a CZ101?!” Erin exclaimed. 

“I don’t know. I used it last night to make a lab grown steak and then this morning Siri asked me if I wanted anything for the picnic”

“Wait, why did Siri ask you if you wanted anything? Since when does Siri give advice?!”

I was a bit baffled by this question. Siri always gave me advice. I literally thought that was what Siri did

I hesitated, and then asked. “Doesn’t Siri always do that?”

“lawl no! Siri’s not Hal! She basically just googles questions and figures out the best answer”

“Erin. Does your Siri ever joke around?”

Erin laughed. “What do you mean? Joke around? I’m sure if you ask her to tell a joke she’ll tell one”

“Does your Siri ever change her accent?”

“What are you talking about? No. You can change it manually in settings though.”

“Ha! Gotcha!”

“You bitch!” Erin shrieked while smiling. 

She hit me a few times in the arm, right before our turn to Burnt Dock boat landing. It’s where we’d have to park the car. The idea that my Siri was different kind of bugged me, but my mom was always buying me the knockoff versions of things. Who knows if I even had a real Siri. I remember Christmas in 1989 when I was super excited to get a pair of Reebok Pumps but they turned out to be Reeback Pomps. I took a sharpie and blacked out the center of the  “a” so it looked more like an O, and then used White Out to finish the job. 

I pulled the Mustang onto a gravel road. Erin had taken the beautiful mushroom out of my backpack and unwrapped it on her lap. 

“Oh I don’t want to break you. I know you are so beautiful” she said to it, speaking as if it were a baby kitten. 

“Hey, keep it down. God knows these fishermen aren’t too keen on a couple hippies eating shrooms and wandering around the banks”

I turned the car, and in the next moment I looked over to see Erin stuffing a substantial chunk into her mouth. 

“Damn, slow down! That’s like 6 grams there!

Mouth full, she said  “probbubly 6 gwams et”

“What?”

She completed chewing and swallowed. 

“Probably 6 grams wet. It isn’t dried, so you have to eat more than you normally would”

With that she snapped the stem and handed me a piece. I grabbed it and ate it like a normal human. The distinct taste of burnt popcorn and pumpkin seeds filled my mouth. I washed it down with some blue Powerade. I was picking some bits out of my mouth when Erin lifted up a chunk of the orange cap and said “Let’s make a toast” I took a bit into my hand as well, smiling and looking her in the eyes. “To.......” we both sat and stared at each other for a bit. “To....Biodiversity” I responded ‘lawl ok, to Biodiversity” and we clinked our mushroom caps together and then scarfed them down. The sun was shining beautifully through the leaves, and they were already like water ripples at dawn. Erin hopped out of the car as I through all the food and stuff into my backpack. I pushed my alarm button and a voice stated “Viper Armed” . Erin laughed “VIPER ARMED! “ making fun of my totally badass car alarm. She was kind of skipping towards a trail that lead into a thick grove of Cottonwood trees. I had to jog a bit to catch up with her. There wasn’t a lot of really foresty areas in Chisuwick, so when we finally entered the grove it felt like we were in a different world. The sound was immediately just quieter. There were some red winged black birds fluttering about and squawking. We both walked in relative silence just looking and waiting for the mushroom to kick in. It was always good to trip with someone else because you’d come up at the same time generally. Erin walked up to a cliff which looked out at the river. “Look, a beaver!” she yelled. “Ummm, that’s a duck” I replied. Seeing the mallard duck’s distinctive green head even from a distance. “Maybe it’s a beaver in a duck costume!” Erin said as she began to giggle. “What benefit would a beaver have for dressing up like a duck?” I stated, trying to bring some much needed logic into the conversation. Erin looked at me seriously, then started laughing. And then I started laughing too, and every time we looked at each other the other would start giggling again. The duck was up by the shore now, probably thought we had some food or something. “I love you duck!” Erin yelled. The duck was unmoved, staring at us. I just sat for a bit “God, I fucking love nature! Nature must be a woman because she looks sooooo good!” she continued on. Erin was always a bit more extroverted when she tripped, I was the opposite. I got caught up in all my thoughts. I thought about the beaver in a duck costume and smiled a bit and Erin kept on babbling about something. I was staring at the reflections on the water and could tell that I was definitely feeling the effects at this point. Visually everything was turning into large blobs which were intersecting with one another and making up these blobby impressionist paintings. Erin was picking flowers and putting them into her hair. They weren’t arranged neatly. Her head looked more like a flowerpot than her wearing a crown of flowers. I looked back at the blobs of light on the water slowly vibrating and intersecting with one another. Then back at Erin, now the flowers were in a perfect crown on her head, and they were getting more and more vibrant. I couldn’t help the words coming out of my mouth, and I blurted out. 

“Jesus, you’re fucking beautiful”

Erin looked back and smiled and stated “You’re in the spirit world” a nod to the scene on Young Guns where they all take peyote and Lou Diamond Phillips says the same to Emilio Estevez. It was unironically our favorite film and we had watched it together countless times. Somehow the area where we were sitting felt more like a clearing now. It was opened up, and more expansive.

“How’d we get here?” I stated, kind of freaked out that I had lost time or something. 

“We walked” Erin said plainly. 

I could feel my breathing get a little strained, and I took a couple deep breaths and recentered myself. 

“Doesn’t it feel more open?”

“Hmmm, yes. it does..” Erin stated, sitting on a tree trunk which had fallen down. I unzipped my bag and grabbed the blue Powerade and took a swig before handing it to Erin. 

We spent the next few hours investigating the forest. We found a bunch of cicada cases on the ground which made no sense to us and seemed totally alien, and then sun was coming down pretty intensely. I looked at my Casio watch (gold metal band) and it was already 2 o clock! We had been in the forest for almost four hours now! I could feel the effects beginning to wane, and Erin was the same. We wandered back to the car, still giggling occasionally or stopping to see an ant colony. 

#lgs

[ohdallaslove]

January 27, 2020

Coming Soon: The A Team

Today the world is changing drastically. Technology has improved, discoveries have been made, and new lifestyles have been implemented. The most common opinion is that this is the best time to be alive. We have all kinds of technology available, making life and interaction with the entire world easier than ever. It’s disappointing to know that we’re still lacking a lot more as human beings. The idea of perfecting our ecological systems and making the world “green” again is exhausting. There’s a lot to consider, especially our ecological footprints as individuals and as a whole. There’s high levels of pollution, wastes, carbon emissions. Seems quite everlasting. People go on about their lives everyday,  most of them caring more about luxuries and ways to live their best life.  You can’t possibly think of helping the world by yourself. I think it is interesting, however, that you would want to live your “best life” in a dying world. Again, no one is asking anyone to take on all the tasks on their own,  but I am asking people to at least consider taking small actions. Taking initiative as a whole would be a great start. Earth isn’t immortal, it has been damaged severely. In Living in the Environment, page 24, anthropologist Margaret Mead is quoted, ‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.’ Again, one person cannot change the world, one voice cannot cover the entire planet earth. But one voice can reach out to others, and can show how to try to fix an issue. Making sure to not litter, reduce the consumption of plastic or other non renewable resources.

Many other developing countries have already established the “no plastic bags” policy. Last summer, I went to a small town in Puebla, Mexico. I remember that many ambulant vendors, most not providing any plastic bags for every sale. Instead, many people shopping had plastic, hand-woven, shopping bags on hand. Those bags are very resistant, and very useful. The point with this is that people in a small, low-income town rather invest on a reusable that’s over $200 pesos. (Side note: a common agriculture worker in Mexico earns about $190 pesos a day) Other options are to buy cheaper and less resistant plastic bags that are about $100 pesos, or a regular disposable bag for $10-$25 pesos. This all comes to say that in a place where a policy has been enforced, we see that people are given the option to opt for a simple disposable bag or invest in reusable shopping bags. Even then, I noticed that 90% of the people shopping had the hand woven ones. People are deciding to invest into something that’s worth more than a day’s paycheck. I’m not saying that we should go and buy shopping that is worth more than a day’s pay. But I do encourage people to think about making a small investment, buying a reusable shopping bag that will allow us to reduce the waste of plastic. It could be as simple as a tote bag that’s $5 USD, or maybe use one of the free tote bags that you get at public events. After all, this is about recycling.

Going forward onto policies placed by governments, I personally think they don’t always have eco-friendly ideas. Actually, they seem to think “money” and make decisions based on it at the cost of the environment.  It’s as if you must use some of these non renewable resources, whether you like it or not. Sounds rough. The point here is that as an individual we should be conscious of our choices, and not just act the way everyone else does. Maybe you alone can’t fix the world, and again,  no one is putting all off the pressure on you alone. However you can change your way of carrying yourself and reduce your input of waste, oils, or others.

We should also not just be interested in changing our lives, but also be mindful of the rest of the world. Try to voice out our concerns for the rest. How many third world countries have no access to clean water? How many do not have the same privilege of breathing clean air, or at least not as polluted? India is one of the countries where people cannot even breathe without a mask. If they breathe too much air, they run the risk of getting very ill. Most of these cases aren’t even known by most of the people in America. We should be mindful of our actions and how these affect the rest of the world. In this discussion any other issue can be brought up, social injustice, poverty, poor government leadership, amongst others. We should try to raise our voices and look more into improving our ecological footprint. We should want to help these other countries get some of the privileges that we have in America. We can raise awareness.

I know that I speak from the perspective of a person who lives in America, and that alone makes my opinion biased. I’m also aware that I keep comparing America to other countries, but I also have a reason for that. America is one of the riches and most powerful countries in the world. Like it or not, others follow our lead, other countries see us as an example. Let us be a good example. With that being said,  we should also pay a lot more attention on our domestic issues. We should want to work our way out, by starting to acknowledge some of the domestic problems and try to come up with solutions. Earth is everyone’s home and should therefore work together. Let’s spread the word, educate ourselves and others. It shouldn’t be a selfish act.

Another great point brought up in the textbook and discussions is ecological footprints. I did not have any previous knowledge of this topic until I took the online quiz. Personally I know that I’m not the most eco-friendly person, so I feel a little ashamed to talk to people about fixing their toxic habits and I’m not even a good example. However, I do make more conscious decisions than many of my peers and try to encourage others to do the same. In a small group of students, our average ecological footprint was not so good, our highest were like 5.0+ worlds, while our lowest was about 2.5 worlds. I was 2.9 worlds, so I do fall on the lower spectrum, but it’s still not something I’m proud of. We found that most of our print was made up by the emissions of carbon dioxide and our diet. We decided that we should be more educated on the subject, try to figure out the sources of our wastes. We should also avoid the blame game, and instead accept our responsibilities and hold ourselves accountable. We are all responsible for our own actions. We should  be more conscious of our daily decisions, maybe carpool with friends. We should also be more conscious of our food, how much we buy and where we get it from. We should start buying locally.  It’s small baby steps that will take us all a long way. What other ways can we approach the issue of our ecological footprint?

Word Count: 1225

Bibliography: Miller, Tyler G, and Scott E Spoolman. Living in the Environment. 19th ed. National Geographic Learning, 2018.

https://www.footprintcalculator.org

https://articulo.mercadolibre.com.mx/MLM-753815643-bolsa-tejida-a-mano-de-plastico-_JM?searchVariation=49771460807&quantity=1&variation=49771460807#searchVariation=49771460807&position=1&type=item&tracking_id=aecacec6-515a-470e-8ef7-b54189576524

February 3, 2020

Native?

Do you remember your science teacher back in elementary school telling you that everyone is a scientist? Well, it is true. We’re not all the lab kind, but we are observers that see, listen, and learn. Lately, we’ve been playing this game, called “stay woke” with social media being our only source. Did social media tell you about California Floristic Province being the only biodiversity hotspot in America? A biodiversity hotspot is a biogeographical region with significant levels of biodiversity that is threatened by human habitation. What is the big deal about this? First of all, my “sources” didn’t tell me anything. Secondly, why are we so humancentric? This province is home to many of the endemic plant species. In fact about 60% of the province’s plants are endemic. I get it, this land is very important for everyone. Since it grows about half of the food eaten in America,  we can already assume it's essential to us. The issue is not using land to survive, because it is in our nature to want to survive. The issue is that we think we are above every other organism, and automatically deserve to dispose of the land and its resources as we please. We are being unconscious and selfish, not considering that our actions affect other ecosystems. About 75% of the original land in the Province has been lost to agriculture and other human developments. You can easily argue that we need all that land to grow our foods and develop our economy, or something else. I think my issue is that we are consciously acting selfish, taking up more land than needed, probably still knowing that we are jeopardizing the sustainability of the land and the endemic plants along with it. It seems like we don’t care. We are not respecting it.

To us it’s a competition, a survival of the fittest. If you can’t adapt, then you don’t belong here. I found it interesting that the textbook went over a few myths about evolution through natural selection on page 89. First off, we tend to think that survival of the fittest means survival of the strongest. Not in the sense of strength, but in who has more descendants. The second myth is that evolution explains the origin of life. It doesn’t take us all the way back, but it does show us how we have evolved over the last couple of billion years. Thirdly, it’s believed that humans evolved from apes or monkeys. Fourthly, evolution by natural selection is part of a grand plan in nature in which species are to become perfectly adapted. Lastly, the evolution by natural selection is not important because it is just a theory. It’s much easier for us to simply believe what we think supports the idea that we are the strongest or most developed.

In How Wolves Change Rivers by George Monbiot, he speaks on how important an ecosystem working together is, he tells the story of trophic cascades of wolves in Yellowstone. After wolves being absent for 70 years, they reappeared, and helped improve the ecosystem in the park. It was a chain reaction, their most significant and major thing they did was decrease the population of deer and consequently changed the deer’s behaviour. The land that was overpopulated like the gorges and valleys were able to regenerate, and trees quintupled in size over a few years. This allowed smaller animals to reappear as predators and prey. Not only did they impact other species, but also improved the rivers and its behaviour. The narrative on its own shows us that everyone has an important role in improving the environment. It’s not to say that wolves are the most important, but their absence was definitely noticed. You can say that the ecosystem was imbalanced.

I think what I found interesting is that there was a clear problem in Yellowstone, there was an abundant population of deers that reduced the vegetation to almost nothing. What really caught my attention is that humans tried to control the situation by shooting deer. It was necessary to try to restore the vegetation for the sake of other animals. But this section really causes me a conflict. I see this as another way in which humans want to show their superiority by trying to fix an issue that is beyond them. Also, killing deers “to help solve the issue” sounds more of an excuse to be able to hunt as many people already enjoy to do so. Although the public reasons given to kill and try to control the ecosystem seems “right”, I feel like the real reasons underneath are much more selfish and arrogant.

I think Monbiot had a deeper meaning behind this narrative. It sounds like the common story that humans, as the superior beings, are the only ones that can fix the issue. It is up to us to control animals and their behaviour because they don’t understand, they're wild, and need our guidance. The ironic part is that, in the end, at least I don’t think we directly or intentionally brought back the wolves. I actually still wonder what exactly made the wolves come back to yellowstone. The point is that wolves fixed the problem themselves, without the need of us to control the environment. Going back to Monbiot, I think a possible reason for his narrative is to show us that we need to write a new story. We don’t need a protagonist, we don’t need humans to be the saviours, the ones who have the power to control and destroy when necessary. He’s probably not arguing that humans aren’t needed either. I think maybe the point he was trying to get across is that instead of trying to always be superior, we should work together as a whole. Yes, try our best to improve our environment and the things that are at our hands. That that is beyond our reach, nature will work its course and bring the wolves back.

I’m not saying that we shouldn’t worry about Yellowstone, because we should. But what I am trying to say is that there’s a lot of other environmental issues that also need our attention, and to be frank, we shrug it off like nothing. Maybe not focus so much on killing the deer to restore vegetation. We should take these situations as reflections and see the extremes of the spectrum. In California we have the province, who’s original land has been destroyed severely by agriculture, human developments and modifications. Here the endemic plant species are at risk, the province becoming a biodiversity hotspot. Meanwhile in Yellowstone, the overpopulation of deer and absence of wolves began to affect vegetation and water bodies in a negative way. So where we need to back up, we don’t, but where we don’t need to be so involved, we want to be. Can we come together as a whole, to rewrite a new story, where humans and other living organisms work together to have a better world?

Word Count: 1170

Bibliography:  Miller, Tyler G, and Scott E Spoolman. Living in the Environment. 19th ed. National Geographic Learning, 2018.

https://youtu.be/ysa5OBhXz-Q

https://www.uscg.mil/Portals/0/Headquarters/Administrative%20Law%20Judges/NOAA%20files%202019/34%20-%20AWI%20-%20Exhibit%2038%20-%20Biological%20Conservation%20Trophic%20cascades%20in%20Yellowstone%20the%20first%2015%20years%20after%20wolf%20reintroduction.pdf?ver=2019-05-29-112239-287

February 10, 2020

Human History

According to the timechart of the universe, Earth came into existence about 4.6 billion years ago. It wasn’t until about 150,000 years ago that humans came into existence. Technically, humans have inhabited the Earth for about 33% of its total existence, a very small amount of time in comparison to the damage we have caused it. We have improved our way of living by a lot, but at what cost? Is this even proven, or is it just another assumption? Well, there’s different ways of approaching this topic of self awareness. Big History and Anthropocene are two ways of approaching these impacts, using different techniques. The overall goal can be said that it’s not to  have a unified environmental history. Instead focus, respectively, on how it affects, its substantial results, and what it affects.

The first one is big history. Sounds big huh? Well it is an interdisciplinary study, whose goal is to retell “human story” (Big History). It examines the entire history from the big bang theory until our present day. As mentioned earlier, it’s an interdisciplinary study, so it uses physics, biology, chemistry, theology, and many others. You cannot examine such an extended period of time through one lense only, it takes many lenses to see a fuller picture. This discipline focuses on human kind as a framework, while having the universe as its center focus point. As Sam Wineburg from Stanford University said, “it’s less history and more of a kind of evolutionary biology or quantum physics” (Big History).  This can be taken as a valid overview of the discipline as a whole, or it can also be taken as a criticism. To be fair, humans don’t come into the picture until about a third into the courses, because the earth is a lot older than the existence of humans. What history will be told in the space in between if nothing is 100% either way. Going on with criticisms, many people consider this discipline “anti-humanist”. Personally I think it’s very interesting, it provides people with a different perspective. Our existence and that of Earth does not just fall under sciences, history, arts, or astrology. It reminds me of my introduction to Environmental Studies and how to go about class: be thinkers, unify the variety of approaches, and be prepared to be introduced to the productive nature of incoherence. If the world was never all about humans, why do we make everything else all about us?

Word Count: 411

Bibliography: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_History#Criticism_of_Big_History

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthropocene

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collapse:_How_Societies_Choose_to_Fail_or_Succeed

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzKbjVLpnX0RejdkT2ExNVJjUWc/view

February 17, 2020

Does It Matter?

In this world, we see a lot of people with skin problems, acne, fungus, scars, discoloration, etc. As a female who is prone to acne, I’ll say that my skin’s condition affects me a lot. “Oh, but it’s just the exterior, what matters is the interior”. Yes, but having a clear skin can boost up your self confidence, and even indicate that you are healthy. When you don’t drink enough water or eat a lot of junk food/poor diet, your skin starts breaking out, it gets dry, peeling, or it gets too oily. It can even indicate other health issues. Let’s also remember that the skin is an organ and we should take care of it. It’s the barrier that protects us from the polluted air and other external factors that can harm us. As an organ, if decided and if in good condition, it can be donated to someone who needs it. This is all to say that we should take more care of our skin and also of the earth. It is probably not the best analogy, but I think they’re both similar in some ways.

Word Count: 189 Bibliography: Miller, Tyler G, and Scott E Spoolman. Living in the Environment. 19th ed. National Geographic Learning, 2018.

February 24, 2020

ECOnomics

Budgeting my own expenses can be a little nerve wrecking, deciding how and where to spend money. I have to constantly seperate my wants from my needs, and keep in mind where I buy and what I leave for later. Ideally, living in an eco-friendly world is what everyone would like. Imagine a world with a cleaner world, fresher air, and having other ecosystems working as they should. Wouldn’t it be great? Everyone talks about making a change, about changing our daily choices and making them more environmentally friendly. Shop locally, use public transportation, recycle more. It is hard to try to make changes when the people in big corporations, having a lot more power to make change, are choosing not to. They seem to care a lot more about the money going into their pockets than the environment. I mean, who wouldn’t choose one million dollars over clean water for everyone? I think you see where I am going here. Environmental economics has gotten a lot more popular, especially in the last decade. People have been making a lot more investments and trying to do more for the people who are below poverty. Following the principle of sustainability has become somewhat of a trend, but we’ll get into that later.  So how exactly does the economy play a factor in sustainability? How do corporations make these decisions? Everything is quantified. Usually we think of supply and demand, and even though that is what economics is mostly based not, it is not all. They are trying to quantify other factors, and usually the factor that comes in play is the cost of production. You don’t want to pay more for the production of something that won’t give you back your money or any profit. However, in the process of the making, we are not including the natural resources, their cost and the cost on society. For example, a piece of paper may cost 5 cents to make, so you’ll sell it for 10 cents. But how much did it cost to make, like really make? Let’s say that piece of paper takes up 6% of a tree to make. That6% of a tree that must be cut, how many leaves would you take down with it? So now that area has less clean air, maybe 1% less. It may seem like nothing, but do the math. We can only quantify things so much. We can’t be 100% accurate. Another point made was how much are people willing to protect certain resources. Another topic I wanted to touch on was quantifying human life? Life in general?

We cannot put a price on a life.

Word Count: 443

Bibliography: Miller, Tyler G, and Scott E Spoolman. Living in the Environment. 19th ed. National Geographic Learning, 2018.

VectorStock.com/22770066

The Economist- The Quantified Self

Living in the Environment- G. Tyler Miller. 19th Edition

Word Count:

March 2, 2020

Will There Be Enough?

We live in a world, where capitalism reigns for the most part. At least in America works, it’s usually justified by the idea of freedom. We should be allowed to work for our wealth, consume what we live, and sell as much as we can. The restristics are limited. This isn’t a place for equality, it’s a “survival of fittest” but with power and wealth. As you’ve probably heard, time is money, and money can buy anything. Maybe not anything but most things. This all goes to say that today we live in a world where we are driven by wealth, and work around it. There’s about 8 billion people in the world, so there’s a lot of consumers, and a lot of demand that needs to be supplied. Even if not all 8 billion are able to consume as they please, they still consume. It’s getting to the point, where it’s becoming unnatural, and soon will collapse. The impossible hamster describes it as it being unnatural and unsustainable for the economy to grow forever. We need to set a cap on the situation to keep things from getting out of hand.

The steady state economy consumption’s main idea is to halt the growth of wealth, population, and with it the economy. Some of the approaches to limit consumption include more eco friendly options. It suggests the discontinue of the use of plastic bags. Maybe it won’t work 100%, but it can definitely decrease its usage by a huge percentage. This will probably increase the use of reusable bags, and with it control how much we buy. When I go grocery shopping, I take a bag depending on how much I’m planning to buy. So while adding items to my cart, I’m also being mindful of what I’m getting, and If I’ll really need it. Will it all fit in my bag? So then I’ll put down the cookies, and the creamer that I can substitute with milk. 

 The SSEC also suggests to reduce the use of plastic and promotes recycling. If you go to dunkin donuts and buy a reusable, you get a free drink with it. At Starbucks if you take your reusable cup, I think you get a 5% discount of your purchase. These are little steps that promote the switch to recycling, maybe offering a higher incentive would help accelerate the process. Other brands are starting to switch their packaging to reusable ones, avoiding plastic that after a couple of recycles will end up in land waste. SSEC also suggests placing a cap on the emission and/or emissions trade. I have actually been exploring this in another class, environmental economics. I think, as a capitalist nation, at the end of the day money will overweight ecological ideals. If we decide to place caps, we need to be careful and choose wisely whether it’ll be a tax cap or a quota. We need to be mindful that these policies need to be supported by federal law in order for it to truly be followed, and be ready for any pushes made by these corporations. I recently became aware of something very interesting in the beauty industry. We all know that black friday is a huge thing? All the prices are lowered, allowing people to buy in abundance. This is actually ironic because its origin comes from something like a financial setback, stocks were crashing, and inflation occured. The point is that on black friday, people spend hundreds of dollars, hoarding as much as they can. This is the time when makeup and skincare products are the lowest price, and people buy anything they get their hands on, usually not making a smart purchase. This past 2019, Diciem, a beauty company decided to not be part of the black friday sale. Instead they opted to do a 23% off special for the entire month of november. This is to let consumers think about their purchases more thoroughly, instead of supporting impulsive purchase. This makes since their products are known to be more eco friendly and accessible, such as the ordinary brand.

Another idea mentioned is the plenitude economy, suggesting that society needs a break. Corporations want to get the most of out every dollar, sometimes exploiting their employees. The plenitude model is to hire more workers who work less hours, caring for the well-bing of the laborers. It also sounds more ethical, you’re placing social capital above financial capital.  My job experiences are definitely on board with this. Working a minimum salary job is a very different experience than that of an internship or a better paid job.

A movement mentioned is the degrowth movement, it started in the 1970s advocating for an economic model that was not based on expansion. I think we know that current day expansion looks something like moving over to less developed countries, whose workers are exploited, not mayed enough, and work in poor conditions. The movement seeks to reduce the environmental impact of human activity, redistribute income and wealth within and between countries. It also promotes the transition from a materialistic a convivial/ participatory society. However it received some criticisms, as expected. It was accused of having a negative connotation to the phrase, misleading the public, it is too idealistic, it will come across many political and social challenges. So, as we see, there have been plans and movements to help find a solution to over consumerism, and attack the issue of sustainability with it.

We can talk about how to control the economy all day long, but there is still a big factor, population. There’s a need to create supply because we know there’s a demand. There are a lot of people in the world, 8 billion. Not only that, we are using our resources everyday, to the point where we can be hitting its peak very soon. We are using more than the earth can provide us with, this, along with unequal distribution of wealth can lead to a scarcity of resources. A topic that we should consider is overpopulation. A possible solution to unsustainability is to put more thought into reproduction. We cannot tell women how to go about their bodies, how many kids to have. 40% of the pregancies are unplanned, and out of those, half end in abortion. 225 million women do not have access to family planning services. Women should be educated, given the choice of whether they want to reproduce. Many are kept in the dark, told their only role is motherhood and providing family care. Sometimes they’re not even given the option to make a decision over their body. If they are given the information on how to have safe sexual intercourse, it’ll avoid abortion rates, as well as hunger issues. I’ve noticed that most of the women who aren’t offered family planning services are low income families or those who fall below the poverty line. These also happen to have the most children. This means that the income is distributed amongst the children. There’s already very little money coming in, now having more kids to provide for, reduces the amount each is given. It’s a cycle that keeps repeating itself. Educating ourselves and others is a step into helping us to continue living in a sustainable world.

Word Count: 1215 Bibliography: Miller, Tyler G, and Scott E Spoolman. Living in the Environment. 19th ed. National Geographic Learning, 2018.

https://www.ecowatch.com/four-brands-going-green-for-black-friday-2641466611.html?rebelltitem=1#rebelltitem1

https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2019/11/8689919/deciem-black-friday-boycott-sale-november-2019

https://www.womansworld.com/gallery/shopping/reusable-grocery-bags

March 9, 2020

Follow Up With The Plan

In the past couple of decades we have grown more conscious of how our actions affect other living things in the world. Even though we may not change our actions, we are at least aware. I like to believe that the more aware you are about your surroundings, the more likely you are to change your ways. Today’s readings were based on the importance of preserving terrestrial biodiversity, specifically forests, and wilderness areas. To start off, I think it’s important to realize these areas are important to preserve. Forests serve as medicines and food. The medicine is often used for humans, tested in labs to come up with medicines or other health related benefits. If used in a lab, the substances will most likely be modified and used as a more pharmaceutical way. The forest provides us with trees that produce herbs or fruits that treat illnesses that we cannot treat with more common ingredients. In South America, you can find the cinchona tree, who’s bark contains the drug that is known as quinine. This drug is known to treat malaria, and also contains quinidine that helps to treat arrhythmias. Forests also serve as economic dependance, like timber, paper, wood. The trees in the forest are very useful for the survival of us humans. They also serve as habitats for people and for animals. This may all be redundant, but just think for a moment. What would it look like if we don’t have any forests? I don’t think the picture is pretty. The air will be significantly more polluted. Animals that are dependent on them won’t have any homes, and will probably go extinct. I imagine a ruined world.

I think the typical solution offered is to STOP CUTTING DOWN TREES. I do agree, but I also understand that trees are very important for civilizations to function as they do now. There’s also other approaches to this issue such as maximum sustainable yield, ecosystem-based management , and adaptive management. Planting trees should be something we should consider and do more often, but we also have to be mindful of maximizing sustainable yield. We cannot go crazy and plant trees all our lives. We need to go by the forest’s carrying capacity to avoid any stress. We should also consider the environmental conditions that forests experience over time. The ecosystem-based management approach is being careful with the use of renewable resources, not overwhelming the land. It’s not about “oh, another tree will grow again”. How long will it take? What will happen until then? How is this affecting the organisms that surround it?  The adaptive management I think goes hand in hand with growing trees. It’s about using our knowledge to see how we can help forests to continue to grow, but it uses previous attempts including successes and failures. We should algo place an economic value on these areas, especially for those who go by the tangible value of things. This means to set a price on these resources, the work done to help these. In this, we may notice that keeping forests in a good shape, holds more profit than expected. The thing with this is that it is harder to set a price on how much carbon dioxide the trees absorb, or the price of providing habitats for animals. It’s much easier to set a price on log, because it's a tangible resource that humans can use, than something we can benefit from. We can also use prescribed burns. No, it’s not saying that we will say where and when we’ll burn down trees. It’s about being more careful, knowing where and how our actions can impact and possibly cause a fire. Not use flammable things nearby forests, keep vigilant over forests, and protect its surroundings. With global warming, we know that the sun can cause wildfires/forest fires, as so can human actions. So people should be more conscious and be careful or avoid open fires, properly dispose of hot charcoal, extinguishing materials, and have fire departments nearby? We know that wildfires can occur at any time, but especially during dry seasons, so in those times be more vigilant. Have tools at hand to help just in case there’s a fire. It’s simple things that can help a lot, not just to protect the trees but also the animals that live there, and ourselves. Honestly, it broke my heart to see videos of animals trying to escape the fire in Australia, and sometimes dying while trying.

Another section that caught my attention was the protection of wildlife. I think that because these are animals, they’re thought of as insignificant. In Narnia: Prince Caspian, narnians are talking animals amongst other creatures. But since the invasion of humans, they began killing these creatures and treating them as if they were dumb, and began to lose their essence. But I found it so interesting. The quote went something like, “it [the bear] is wild, that’s what happens when you’re treated like your dumb.” It may not sound so relevant, but I think the issue is that we think of animals as dangerous creatures that we should get rid of, for our protection. Hunting them became a way to practice your privileges, and their heads your trophy.

The idea proposed here to protect them from human activity, while having reserved areas and parks to keep humans involved. It’s a way to bring awareness of endangered and non endangered species, increasing care for other ecosystems. These areas will also be undisturbed and protected by the federal law, so we’ll know that they are safe. It can also increase populations, maybe even reintroduce species, like the wolves in yellowstone. The down side to this is that it may be seen as the promotion of local and widespread diversity. This may also imply the conflict of designation and unfairness. How to choose what animals will be in the reserve? Where will these be built? Another fear is that these can become human attraction, distracting us from the real issue. Even though I’d like to say that it’s not true, that it’ll serve us to learn about them and want to help. Let’s use zoos as an example. Isn’t their purpose to educate and entertain the public? They’re used for scientific research and species conservation. Yes, but, no. It is nice to go see animals at zoos, and be like WOW ! But with it also taking away their freedom by keeping them trapped inside a zoo. We are controlling them. It reminds me a lot of Finding Dory. One of the sharks in the aquarium says she is blind, and can only use her sensors to locate herself, but once she goes out into the ocean, she can see again. It’s not that she was blind. She was imposed on living in a certain way, she didn’t choose how to live. I think that if we do make wildlife reserve areas, we should manage these in the most ethical way possible. We should keep in mind that we do this for them, to help them, and not for our entertainment.

Word Count: 1200

Bibliography: Miller, Tyler G, and Scott E Spoolman. Living in the Environment. 19th ed. National Geographic Learning, 2018.

https://abcnews.go.com/International/billion-animals-estimated-dead-australia-wildfires/story?id=68143966

March 23, 2020

Food: Side effects

After a long day on campus, If I decide to stay to do homework, I’ll go get dinner. I usually go for the testo, tomato and mozzarella panini at Fluffy’s. If I have a ram van to catch, I’ll stop by to get a chocolate croissant or pita chips with guacamole. Either way, I have the privilege of grabbing food nearby campus if needed. I have the privilege of having a meal on my table every day. If I choose not to eat, then it’s a different story, it’s not the world being so unfair with me. I think the topic of agriculture on food is something I can speak to. In this world, through media and education, we have been exposed to sides of the spectrum, malnutrition and overnutrition. One in eight people don’t have enough food, suffering from chronic malnutrition and hunger. There has been a correlation between hunger and poverty. Those who live in poor communities can’t afford to include meat and other important sources in their diet. They usually rely on a high-carbohydrate and a vegetarian diet. Not usually by choice. This makes it hard to have a proper balance of macronutrients and micronutrients. Those who experience malnutrition usually live in less developed countries. As expected, their diet is probably off grains like wheat and corn. Now, on the other side, we have overnutrition. This is more common in more developed countries, since there's more access to food, not always healthy. The food is likely to be processed, high in carbohydrates, high in salts and fats. These make it difficult for the intake of food to be disposed of through energy. Especially if the people are not as active as they should.  Like malnutrition, overnutrition can also cause health problems like cholesterol, obesity, etc. Both lower life expectancy, leading to susceptibility to disease and illness. They lower productivity and overall life quality.

A concept that was introduced is food security and food insecurity. Food security is the ability to have access to food rich in nutrients. Some of the causes of food insecurity are due to poverty, war, corruption, high costs of living, bad weather, the rapid growth of population, and climate change. Let us keep in mind that half of the people in the world earn about $2.25 USD a day, and one in every six earn about $1.15 USD a day. In one of my previous blogas I had briefly discussed the average salary of a typical agriculture worker in Mexico, who works 10 hours and is well paid, earns about $7.75 a day. Cecina is a traditional meat that falls in the upper range, is about $11.50 per kilo, which is 50% more of their daily paycheck. A kilo of raw chicken  is about $3.25, about 40% of their daily paycheck. It is much easier to eat grain based foods, using less expensive ingredients or ingredients that they grow themselves. Adding meat to their daily diet isn’t the best decision, they have other expenses to cover. Countries who are currently involved in war or something like that, may be facing rations in order to provide food for everyone. Even though the government may try to stabilize things by providings meals for everyone in their best ability, sometimes the portions given aren’t enough if it’s a big family. We can use NYC as an example. The rent for a small family apartment can be around $1800-$2000 a month. There’s bills to pay, and maybe even transportation. That alone may take up more than 75% of your paychecks. Now if you’re working a minimum paying job, you’re left with very little money to cover groceries. It may be easier for you to get meat into your diet than other parts of the world, but how nutritional would it be? Of course, the circumstances range and are different in each household, but the issue is there. The person can either be getting too little protein and fats, or more than needed. We are all aware of the dollar menu that Mcdonald’s has to offer, yes it has meat, and yes, it’s also unhealthy. Fast food can cause health issues that can later develop into something more serious.

It is no secret that the population is growing rapidly. By 2050, the population on earth is expected to be 2.5 billion people. Our current population is around 8 billion, so by 2050, it is estimated to be 10.5 billion. All these people need to eat, whether it is in  small or large quantities, food will be in high demand. 40% of the world’s land is used for food production. Out of that land, 77% is used to grow grains like rice, wheat, and corn, while the reamiing 23% is used for meat, meat production, fish, and aquaculture. One of the agricultural systems that caught my eye is industrialized agriculture. It is responsible for 80% of the world’s food, and 25% is practiced on cultivated croplands mostly found in more developed countries. This already puts a lot of pressure on the system. As a result of its high demands, it uses GMOs, synthetics and chemical pesticides. Non-renewable fossils are used for machinery, causing significant pollution. This means that it only adds population to the areas, and contributes to modified food. Organic food isn’t the only way to go, but we also know that conventional produce isn’t always the best choice, it’s chemicals can cause some damage. However, since it doubles yields of key crops such as wheat, corn and soybeans, it has helped to save large areas in the United states that include forests, grasslands, wetlands from being converted into farmlands. The pro is that since the crops are the same species, you don’t need to use many chemicals to attack pesticides. But this is doubled edged. A resistance disease or pesticide can destroy the entire plantation.

I do have mixed feelings about this approach. You’re telling me that you produce 80% of the food I consume, specifically key crops. Since the food is genetically modified, I think it would sell out as conventional. If so is the case, that means that it will sell out as a regular price. In comparison to organic produce, conventional is more affordable. Due to its genetic modifications, the crops can last you longer than usual. So you can argue and say “if it can last me for so long, that means that it’s just as harmful”. This is really complicated to talk on. It’s not the safest, but that is what makes it cheaper and more accessible. It’s not the most ethical approach, but it seems like in this reality, it’s the most convenient. Now, it is sad that that is the only option available for those who can’t afford organic or less invasive products. How does food production push forward to financial and social inequality? Is food production a cause or an effect?

Word Count: 1166

Bibliography: Miller, Tyler G, and Scott E Spoolman. Living in the Environment. 19th ed. National Geographic Learning, 2018.

https://www.rappler.com/move-ph/issues/hunger/84126-double-burden-malnutrition-obesity-urbanization

March 30, 2020

FOOD INC

I think it’s more important for our society today to be more aware of our surroundings. Especially what we put into our body. Food Inc does this. It shows us the “behind the scenes” of our current food production. We are exposed to things corporations don’t want us to know. Ven though it’s hard to watch, because of the animal cruelty and exploitatiuon. I think it’s a way to get people to wake up, and start talking. Honestly, iot opens your eyes about things you thought weren’t so harmful. I for one thought eggs weren't so bad, like oh, chickens lay eggs. Yes, you can also say you’re killing is babies, but that’s a different topic. Seeing how they are injected and constantly treated in order for them to lay eggs over and over. Not to mention that at such a young age, they are placed through this is horrific. It may be overboard, but rape kept coming  up to mind. I kept thinking it was something disgusting. I’ve been a pescatarian before, because I found the slaughtering of animals very harsh and too brutal. But seeing the way eggs come, makes it even worse. The one thing I thought wasn’t so bad, turned out to be so disturbing. I think after this, I will probably reconsider my life choices. It opens up your mind about the world, what it really is. Markets advertise eggs, yes, they’re good for you, etc. But they don’t say “get an egg, we exploit chickens at young ages to produce their maximum capacity. Once they can’t produce or become not as useful, we kill them off like nothing.” If so was the case, they wouldn’t sell. It really comes down to money. I don't think people need 3 dozen eggs a day per household. Just think for a second. This is just one farm, there's probably hundreds doing the exact same thing. Doesn’t that just sit in your mind? Any heavy weights? This reminded me of those PETA videos that try to convince people to go full vegan. Except that it doesn’t show as much blood. But still. It made me very uncomfortable. I think this aslp goes to show that we need to be more conscious of the food we intake. Remember that a good amount of our ecological foot comes from food. Maybe making some changes to our diet can help us improve our ecological footprint, and also help to change our food industry. Making it safer for us and for the animals.

Word Count: 421 Bibliography: FOOD INC. Movie

April 6, 2020

Vs Health?

Science is seen as the way to go about health. We’re a lot more confident about our products if we know they have been tested. Not to mention that we feel much better knowing that we can count on science to tell us how to live healthy lives. It can be as simple as scientists telling us that we need to go get annual checkups at our physicians. They tell us to not share needles to help us avoid the possible transmisión of aids and other diseases. The issue is that scientists base their ideas on science, by doing research. Most of the public will listen since they feel that scientists have the upper hand on this topic. Many however, feel the need to not necessarily challenge medicine, but may ask for more information. Let’s take vaccines as an example, it’s a controversial topic, at least in the United States. Vaccines are a weakened version of the disease or virus trying to fight. When you get vaccinated, you are being exposed to the diseases, with no intention for you to actually get sick, something very minor. The idea is that the antibodies in your body will be exposed to the disease and fight it, that way, if your body is ever exposed to that same virus, your body will know how to fight. It’s not necessarily a solution that will take away the virus, it is more of a method to help prevent. This helps to reduce any upcoming cases of a virus that can severely affect a population. What’s the controversy about? It is straight, if you want to prevent catching the virus, you get vaccinated and then move on. Well there’s two reasons why people don’t want to take it. People think that getting vaccinated is actually more harmful, it can cause other diseases, making you sick. There’s a man that started a movement to stop people from getting vaccinated, claiming that it is one of the causes of down syndrome. Parents around the nation can believe it, and refuse to get themselves or their children vaccinated. I’m not sure, but I think this man was proven wrong scientifically, but until now, a good amount of people have refused to get vaccinated from anything. Another controversy around this topic is the ethics in its history. If not misinformed, vaccines were tested on humans as part of its research. A lot of people see human testing as the most unethical and disgusting thing ever. Now what makes this even more controversial is that the person who vaccines were tested on is a black woman, who died because of this. This knowledge infuriated many people from the community of color. This raised the number of people who don’t want to get vaccinated. Some think that this shows that the government is using vaccines to kill people of color as a way to get rid of them. Personally, I wouldn’t know how true these theories are. I know scientists and medical staff still encourage people to get vaccinated.

The textbook talks about five main hazards that include biological, chemical, natural, cultural, and lifestyle choices. Infections and viruses are seen as a biological hazard, because they usually die, and cannot always be treated with antibiotics. Not to mention that doctors start prescribing antibiotics for everything, our body will eventually become immune to the virus. Since 1960, infectious disease death rates have greatly decreased. It still doesn’t mean that it has decreased enough, and as we had said earlier, usually antibiotics are prescribed. The issue is that as helpful as it can be, drug companies do not invest in them because they are not profitable. I think it’s crazy that even at time of necessity, our health and well-being still have a price on it. I remember I was shocked when I found out that the United States’s GDP, measuring the value of economic activity within the  country, also includes the cases of cancer. That is like whoa. Even serious devastating cases, where people are suffering through chemotherapy are still priced, and that is part of our “increasing” economy. It’s sick from a human’s point of view, not so much from an economic point of view. I guess that it’s no surprise that in this capitalist nation, everything has a price on it.

I think it’s also important to mention that even though infectious disease death rates are declining, more and more diseases are transferring from animals to humans like malaria, zika, and coronavirus. We don’t know about these diseases, most are new. I think in this case, when there is no vaccination available, we should be more mindful of our actions and impact on the community. I know there were many people who took coronavirus as a joke. On my social media newsfeed, all I saw were memes about china, bats, and coronavirus. In these cases, I think the education of people is more important than entertainment. If there’s no medicine to directly treat the infection, or no vaccine available to prevent people from getting infected, we should all just take a step back. Analyze our behavior, and try to do what’s best for ourselves and others. It may sound redundant, but taking in consideration that this is a chain reaction, we should do our best to avoid the spreading.

At this moment I think the bat memes aren’t necessary. Yes, we shouldn’t be eating bats to begin with, but that’s not the case right now. Playing the blame game won’t avoid the conversation of how every single one of us is just as guilty of the spread. They asked us to stay at home to avoid the spread. Be more hygienic and keep our distances. What do teens do? Gather together at the park, or go out for trips. Not only them, we also have people who don’t wear masks or gloves, even when given the opportunity. We should all be a little more responsible. I also think that at this time, poverty and citizenship status were highlighted. Who goes to work and who is considered an essential worker? There’s medical staff, they are considered essential, but also have attained a diploma or special recognition for their completion of work in their field. They’re essential, but they have somewhat of an authority. Meanwhile most of the other essential workers are low-income people who work in grocery stores, supermarkets, or other services to help the society to keep running. This all goes to say that those who are considered essential workers, low-income, are exposing themselves everyday. Many of them will get infected. In comparison to a rich person who doesn’t need to go out, and instead sends other people to do their shopping or does shopping online. Do you think people will get the coronavirus vaccine if it is found?

Word Count: 1138 Bibliography: Miller, Tyler G, and Scott E Spoolman. Living in the Environment. 19th ed. National Geographic Learning, 2018.

http://vaccineresistancemovement.org/?p=2129

April 20, 2020

Got Water?

Water is essential for survival. Although 70% of the world is made up of bodies of water, not all of it is drinkable, and not all for us. I see many commercials that advertise buying a filter that can help purify or clean tap water. They say it’s more convenient, it is not the cheapest, but it claims to be a  very good investment. You can connect it to your water supply at home, so you’re purifying tap water, it also helps to save up from having to buy gallons of water. In the US, many people buy gallons of spring water, including brands like Poland Spring. I think people feel safer drinking water that is already purified. Others, however, decide to keep drinking tap water. It saves them money that could be spent on the filter or on gallons of water. Yes, tap water isn’t the cleanest water available but it contains few minerals. People’s bodies seem to react well with these, it becomes regular water. I see this as a privilege. Not all water sources are as clean, many containing chemicals, baterias, and other harmful things that will only harm us even more.

As the textbook mentioned, we have a couple of issues that revolve around water, polluting them. There’s point-sources, which are pollutants that are discharged from specific locations into larger bodies of water. They’re traced from specific drain pipes, ditches, or sewer lines like factories, animal feedlots, or oil tankers. There also is a nonpoint source, pollutants that are discharged from nonspecific locations inot large bodies of water. These are harder to control and regulate because of their origin. These are usually found in crop lands, animal feedlots, logged forest, or city streets. This is all to say that pure, unfiltrated water is not the safest. But also to emphasize that there’s possibly more point-sources in an urban area, than a suburban area. Not to mention that there’s more suburban with nonpoint source, meaning that it’s harder to control. Well, this tells us that maybe there’s more attention to stop water from being polluted in largely polluted areas, which makes the fight unfair. You’re giving cities more resources to reduce, when they cause more harsh pollution. In their defense I will say that helping cities will set an example for the rest. They’ll want to update their technology too. There’s two takes on this situation. By giving more attention to cities, you’ll be more likely to develop technology that can help, it also creates more awareness of the situation.

Word Count: 423 Bibliography: Bibliography: Miller, Tyler G, and Scott E Spoolman. Living in the Environment. 19th ed. National Geographic Learning, 2018.

April 27, 2020

Equality?

The topic of possible equality was discussed. Yes, all these most developed countries became powerful and wealthy as they are now because they exploited the rest of the world. They used impoverished people and vulnerable places to build their own empire. So it can be thought as the poorer get poorer and the richer will get richer. This whole global situation reminds me of what the U.S is now. The 1% versus the 99%. It seems like the 1% will stay as it is, and the 99% will also stay as it is. Now, this enrages me. To think that no matter how much you try, how  hard you fight, how much you’re willing to sacrifice, things won’t change at either end. It said that these top nations had used up everything and they could not do much change, they kind of have to stay as they are. Maybe not continue to increase their use of nonrenewable fossil fuels. But the thing is, they won’t even do that. They’re still considering whether they actually want to do that or not. They are rethinking about this topic, they are trying to implace policies that will work around it, not actually attacking the real issue. They are still trying to find a way or “solution” that will benefit that 1% economically. MONEY. Meanwhile, the 99% cannot move either, as they are dependent on that 1%. Their economy is dependent on their decisions. As much as they would like to create change, they will still fall under the 1%’s shadow. Why not reunite the entire 99%? People are selfish. They’ll look out for themselves alone. Not care what the next guy is doing, unless the next guy will be feeding them, or providing some kind of support, especially if it is financial support. I think there's a way. People need to stop being selfish. Government and policy makers should make things less about money, more about the people and earth. It should be quality over quantity. At this rate, we will have billions of starving people in a dying world. I don’t see much quality there once we reach full carrying capacity. Do you think there’s a way that we can all get on board with an idea to try to turn or at least stop our negative impact on the world?

Word Count: 391 Bibliography: Lewis and Maslin's The Human Planet: How We Created the Anthropocene (2018).