#How to create sustainable cities and communities

[greenthestral]

Building Sustainable Cities and Communities: The Path to a Greener Future

In today's rapidly urbanizing world, the concept of sustainability has become more important than ever. Goal 11 of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) focuses on creating sustainable cities and communities. With the global population projected to reach 9.8 billion by 2050, the need for sustainable urban planning and development is paramount. This article explores the significance of Goal 11 and highlights the key strategies and initiatives required to build greener, more resilient cities and communities.

Understanding Goal 11

Goal 11 of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has a comprehensive vision for cities and human settlements. It recognizes the importance of inclusivity, safety, resilience, and sustainability in urban areas. By addressing various aspects of urban development, Goal 11 aims to create thriving communities that prioritize the well-being of their residents and the environment.

One of the key objectives of Goal 11 is to ensure the availability of affordable housing. Access to adequate, safe, and affordable housing is a fundamental right for all individuals. However, in many urban areas, housing affordability has become a significant challenge, leading to homelessness and housing insecurity. Goal 11 emphasizes the need to implement policies and initiatives that promote affordable housing options. This can be achieved through social housing programs, rent control measures, and housing subsidies. By ensuring affordable housing, cities can address social inequality, provide stability to residents, and foster inclusive communities.

Sustainable transport systems are another crucial aspect of Goal 11. Transportation is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution in cities. To create sustainable cities and communities, it is essential to prioritize low-carbon and efficient transportation options. This includes expanding public transportation networks, encouraging cycling and walking infrastructure, and promoting the use of electric vehicles. By shifting away from private vehicles and promoting sustainable modes of transportation, cities can reduce congestion, improve air quality, and enhance mobility for all residents.

Efficient waste management is also highlighted in Goal 11. As cities grow, waste generation increases, posing significant environmental challenges. Sustainable waste management practices are crucial to minimize the environmental impact of urban areas. Goal 11 encourages the adoption of integrated waste management systems that prioritize waste reduction, recycling, and resource recovery. This can be achieved through initiatives such as waste segregation, composting, and the establishment of recycling facilities. Effective waste management not only helps reduce environmental pollution but also promotes the concept of a circular economy, where resources are used efficiently and waste is minimized.

Access to green spaces is another essential element of sustainable cities and communities. Urban areas often face challenges related to limited green areas and a lack of connection with nature. Goal 11 recognizes the importance of green infrastructure, which includes parks, urban forests, green roofs, and other natural elements integrated into the built environment. These green spaces provide numerous benefits, including improved air quality, reduced heat island effect, enhanced biodiversity, and increased recreational opportunities. By incorporating green spaces into cities, residents can have access to nature, promoting physical and mental well-being.

Preserving cultural heritage is a crucial aspect of Goal 11. Cities and communities are rich in history, culture, and traditions that contribute to their identity and uniqueness. Goal 11 emphasizes the need to safeguard cultural heritage sites, historic buildings, and traditional practices. By preserving cultural heritage, cities can maintain a sense of identity, promote cultural diversity, and attract tourism and economic opportunities. This preservation contributes to the social fabric and vibrancy of cities, making them more sustainable and livable.

By implementing the objectives of Goal 11, societies can enhance the quality of life for residents, reduce environmental impacts, and promote economic growth. Sustainable cities and communities prioritize the well-being of their residents, ensure social equity, and protect the environment. They provide affordable housing options, efficient transport systems, proper waste management, access to green spaces, and preserve cultural heritage. Ultimately, the successful implementation of Goal 11 leads to inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable urban areas that benefit present and future generations.

Sustainable Urban Planning

Sustainable urban planning is a key factor in the successful achievement of Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. It focuses on designing cities and communities that are not only visually appealing and functional but also prioritize environmental sustainability, resource efficiency, and the well-being of residents.

One of the primary principles of sustainable urban planning is the concept of compact cities. This approach encourages the development of cities that are designed to be dense and compact, rather than sprawling outward. Compact cities promote the efficient use of land, resources, and infrastructure. By concentrating development within a smaller footprint, compact cities minimize urban sprawl, preserve valuable agricultural land and natural habitats, and protect ecosystems. This approach also helps to reduce the need for long commutes, as essential services, amenities, and employment opportunities are located within close proximity to residential areas.

Well-connected cities are another crucial aspect of sustainable urban planning. The goal is to create cities and communities where different neighborhoods and areas are easily accessible to one another. This can be achieved through the design and implementation of a comprehensive transportation network that prioritizes public transportation over private vehicles. Robust public transportation systems, including buses, trains, and light rail, can reduce traffic congestion, lower carbon emissions, and enhance mobility for residents. Additionally, sustainable urban planning promotes the development of pedestrian-friendly infrastructure and encourages the use of bicycles, further reducing reliance on private vehicles and promoting active and healthy lifestyles.

Renewable energy plays a significant role in sustainable urban planning. The transition to clean and renewable energy sources is essential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change. Sustainable cities and communities incorporate renewable energy technologies, such as solar panels and wind turbines, into their infrastructure. By integrating renewable energy sources, cities can reduce their dependence on fossil fuels for electricity generation, mitigate air pollution, and contribute to a greener and more sustainable energy future.

Sustainable urban planning also emphasizes mixed land-use development. This approach seeks to create neighborhoods and areas where residential, commercial, and recreational spaces coexist in close proximity. Mixed land-use development reduces the need for long-distance travel and promotes walkability. It allows residents to access essential services, educational institutions, employment opportunities, and recreational facilities without having to rely heavily on private vehicles. By integrating various land uses, sustainable urban planning fosters vibrant and diverse communities that promote social interaction and economic vitality.

Furthermore, sustainable urban planning takes into account the importance of green infrastructure. This involves incorporating green spaces, parks, and natural elements into the urban fabric. Green infrastructure provides numerous benefits, such as improved air quality, temperature regulation, stormwater management, and biodiversity conservation. Parks and green spaces offer recreational opportunities, enhance the aesthetic appeal of cities, and contribute to the overall well-being and quality of life of residents.

In conclusion, sustainable urban planning is crucial for achieving Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. By designing cities and communities that are compact, well-connected, and resource-efficient, we can minimize urban sprawl, protect ecosystems, and reduce carbon emissions. Sustainable urban planning promotes mixed land-use development, prioritizes public transportation, and encourages the use of renewable energy sources. It also recognizes the importance of green infrastructure and the integration of natural elements into urban environments. By embracing sustainable urban planning principles, cities and communities can create a more sustainable, livable, and resilient future for all.

Green Infrastructure

Green infrastructure plays a vital role in creating sustainable cities and communities. It refers to the integration of natural elements, such as parks, green roofs, urban forests, green walls, and permeable surfaces, into the built environment. By incorporating these green spaces into cities and communities, numerous benefits are realized, positively impacting both the environment and the well-being of residents.

One significant advantage of green infrastructure is the improvement of air quality. Trees, plants, and vegetation help absorb pollutants such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and particulate matter from the air. Through the process of photosynthesis, plants release oxygen and filter harmful substances, leading to cleaner and healthier air. This reduction in air pollution contributes to the overall improvement of public health, as exposure to pollutants is linked to respiratory diseases and other health issues.

Another benefit of green infrastructure is the mitigation of the urban heat island effect. Urban areas tend to have higher temperatures than surrounding rural areas due to the concentration of buildings, roads, and concrete surfaces that absorb and retain heat. By incorporating green spaces, such as parks and urban forests, cities can create pockets of vegetation that provide shade and evaporative cooling, reducing ambient temperatures. This helps create a more comfortable and livable environment, particularly during hot summer months.

Green infrastructure also enhances biodiversity within urban areas. Traditional urban development often results in the destruction of natural habitats and fragmentation of ecosystems. By incorporating green spaces, cities can create corridors and habitats that support a variety of plant and animal species. These spaces provide shelter, food sources, and nesting areas, promoting biodiversity and ecological balance within the urban environment. By fostering biodiversity, cities can create resilient ecosystems that can adapt to environmental changes and provide ecosystem services.

In addition to the environmental benefits, green infrastructure also provides social and economic advantages. Access to green spaces has been shown to have a positive impact on mental health and well-being. People living in areas with green infrastructure have increased opportunities for outdoor activities, exercise, and relaxation, which can reduce stress, improve mood, and enhance overall quality of life. Green spaces also provide opportunities for social interaction and community engagement, fostering a sense of belonging and community cohesion.

Furthermore, incorporating green infrastructure into cities and communities contributes to economic prosperity. Green spaces attract tourism and visitors, generating revenue for local businesses. Properties located near green spaces often experience increased value, leading to economic benefits for property owners. Green infrastructure also has the potential to create job opportunities, particularly in the areas of park maintenance, landscaping, and urban forestry.

To fully realize the benefits of green infrastructure, strategic planning and implementation are essential. Cities and communities need to consider factors such as appropriate land allocation, connectivity of green spaces, and community engagement in the planning process. Collaboration between urban planners, architects, landscape designers, environmental experts, and community stakeholders is crucial to ensure the successful integration of green infrastructure into the urban fabric.

Green infrastructure plays a significant role in creating sustainable cities and communities. By integrating natural elements into the built environment, cities can reap a multitude of benefits. Improved air quality, reduced urban heat island effect, enhanced biodiversity, and increased recreational opportunities are among the advantages of green infrastructure. Moreover, it fosters a healthier and more livable environment, positively impacting the physical and mental well-being of residents. By prioritizing and investing in green infrastructure, cities can create sustainable, resilient, and vibrant urban spaces for present and future generations.

Affordable Housing

The lack of affordable housing is a significant challenge faced by many urban areas around the world. It is a complex issue that affects individuals and communities, impacting their overall well-being and quality of life. Goal 11 of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals recognizes the importance of addressing this challenge and emphasizes the need to ensure access to adequate, safe, and affordable housing for all.

Affordable housing refers to housing options that are within the financial means of individuals and families, considering their income levels. It is a fundamental right that enables individuals to live in safe and decent conditions, fostering stability and security. However, in many cities, the cost of housing has escalated significantly, making it unaffordable for a significant portion of the population, particularly low-income households.

To address this issue, Goal 11 encourages the implementation of policies and initiatives that promote affordable housing options. One approach is through the establishment of social housing programs. Social housing involves the provision of housing units at below-market rates to individuals and families who are unable to afford market-rate housing. These programs are often administered by government agencies or non-profit organizations and aim to provide affordable and stable housing for those in need. Social housing plays a crucial role in addressing homelessness, reducing housing inequality, and promoting social stability.

Rent control measures are another policy tool used to promote affordable housing. Rent control laws set limits on the amount landlords can increase rents, providing stability for tenants and preventing excessive rent hikes. These measures aim to protect vulnerable populations from the risk of displacement due to rising housing costs. Rent control can help maintain affordable housing options in areas where market forces would otherwise drive up rents, allowing individuals and families to remain in their homes and communities.

In addition to social housing and rent control, the provision of housing subsidies is another strategy to promote affordable housing. Housing subsidies are financial assistance programs that help low-income individuals and families cover the cost of housing. These subsidies can come in the form of rental assistance, such as Section 8 vouchers in the United States, or direct financial assistance to support homeownership. Housing subsidies help bridge the gap between income levels and housing costs, making housing more affordable and accessible to those in need.

Promoting affordable housing not only addresses the immediate issue of homelessness and housing insecurity but also contributes to social stability and inclusive communities. Access to affordable housing allows individuals and families to establish roots, build community connections, and contribute to the local economy. It fosters a sense of stability and security, providing a foundation for individuals to pursue education, employment, and other opportunities that contribute to their overall well-being. Affordable housing also helps prevent the displacement of vulnerable populations, preserving the social fabric and diversity of communities.

However, addressing the lack of affordable housing requires a multi-faceted approach and collaboration between various stakeholders. Governments, policymakers, urban planners, and community organizations play a crucial role in implementing effective strategies and initiatives. It is essential to consider factors such as land use planning, zoning regulations, construction costs, and the availability of financing mechanisms to support affordable housing development.

Furthermore, affordable housing initiatives should prioritize sustainable and energy-efficient design and construction practices. This not only reduces the environmental impact of housing but also lowers ongoing utility costs for residents, making housing more affordable in the long run. The integration of affordable housing with transportation hubs, amenities, and employment opportunities is also important to ensure that residents have access to essential services and can minimize transportation costs.

The lack of affordable housing is a critical challenge in urban areas, impacting the well-being and quality of life of individuals and communities. Goal 11 recognizes the importance of ensuring access to adequate, safe, and affordable housing for all. Through the implementation of policies and initiatives such as social housing programs, rent control measures, and housing subsidies, affordable housing options can be promoted. Affordable housing contributes to social stability, inclusive communities, and provides individuals and families with a foundation for economic and personal development. Addressing the issue of affordable housing requires a comprehensive and collaborative approach, involving governments, policymakers, urban planners, and community organizations to create sustainable and inclusive cities and communities

Sustainable Transport Systems

Transportation plays a significant role in urban areas, connecting people to their workplaces, schools, healthcare facilities, and leisure activities. However, traditional transportation systems heavily rely on fossil fuels, resulting in substantial greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. Goal 11 of the Sustainable Development Goals recognizes the need to develop sustainable transport systems that are accessible, affordable, and low-carbon, in order to create more sustainable cities and communities.

One of the key objectives of Goal 11 is to expand public transportation networks. Public transportation, such as buses, trams, and trains, offers an efficient and environmentally-friendly alternative to private vehicles. By investing in the expansion and improvement of public transportation infrastructure, cities can provide residents with reliable and affordable transportation options. This reduces the reliance on private cars, which contribute significantly to congestion, air pollution, and carbon emissions. Accessible and well-connected public transportation systems also promote social inclusivity by ensuring that individuals of all socioeconomic backgrounds have equal access to transportation services.

Promoting cycling and walking is another crucial aspect of sustainable transportation. Encouraging these modes of transportation not only reduces reliance on fossil fuels but also promotes active and healthy lifestyles. Cities can invest in infrastructure that supports safe and convenient cycling and walking, such as dedicated bike lanes, pedestrian-friendly sidewalks, and bike-sharing programs. These initiatives not only contribute to reduced traffic congestion and improved air quality but also enhance the overall well-being of residents by encouraging physical activity and reducing sedentary lifestyles.

Furthermore, Goal 11 promotes the use of electric vehicles (EVs) as a sustainable transportation option. Electric vehicles produce zero tailpipe emissions, reducing local air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. To support the adoption of EVs, cities can establish charging infrastructure, offer incentives for purchasing EVs, and promote public transportation systems that utilize electric buses and trains. The transition to electric vehicles also contributes to reducing dependence on fossil fuels and promoting the use of renewable energy sources in the transportation sector.

In addition to reducing emissions and air pollution, sustainable transportation systems offer several other benefits. By reducing congestion through the promotion of public transportation and active modes of transportation, cities can improve traffic flow and travel times. This enhances overall mobility and accessibility for all residents, including those who cannot afford private vehicles or have mobility restrictions. Sustainable transportation systems also contribute to improved road safety by reducing the number of vehicles on the road and promoting safer infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians.

To effectively implement sustainable transportation systems, cities need to adopt integrated and holistic approaches. This involves comprehensive urban planning that considers land use, transportation infrastructure, and public spaces. Planning should prioritize the development of compact, mixed-use neighborhoods that promote walkability and access to public transportation. It is crucial to engage with communities and stakeholders to ensure that transportation systems meet their needs and preferences.

Furthermore, the use of innovative technologies and smart transportation solutions can enhance the efficiency and sustainability of transportation systems. Intelligent transportation systems, such as real-time traffic monitoring, smart traffic signals, and integrated fare payment systems, can optimize transportation operations and improve overall system performance. These technologies can help reduce travel times, enhance user experience, and minimize environmental impacts.

In conclusion, sustainable transportation is a key component of Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. By promoting the development of accessible, affordable, and low-carbon transportation systems, cities can reduce congestion, improve air quality, and enhance mobility for all residents. Expanding public transportation networks, encouraging cycling and walking, and promoting the use of electric vehicles are important strategies in achieving sustainable transportation goals. To realize the benefits of sustainable transportation, cities should adopt integrated planning approaches, engage with communities, and leverage innovative technologies. By prioritizing sustainable modes of transportation, cities can create healthier, more livable, and environmentally-friendly urban environments.

Waste Management and Recycling

Effective waste management and recycling practices are crucial for creating sustainable cities and communities. The increasing population and urbanization have led to a significant rise in waste generation, posing environmental and health challenges. Goal 11 of the Sustainable Development Goals emphasizes the need for integrated waste management systems that prioritize waste reduction, recycling, and resource recovery.

One of the key objectives of Goal 11 is to promote waste reduction. By implementing waste reduction strategies, cities can minimize the amount of waste generated in the first place. This includes promoting the use of sustainable packaging, encouraging the adoption of reusable products, and raising awareness about the importance of minimizing waste. By reducing the amount of waste generated, cities can conserve natural resources, reduce energy consumption, and minimize the environmental impact associated with waste disposal.

Waste segregation is another essential component of effective waste management. By segregating waste at the source, cities can facilitate the recycling and proper disposal of different types of waste. Proper waste segregation involves separating recyclable materials, such as paper, plastics, glass, and metals, from non-recyclable waste. This allows for the efficient recycling and recovery of valuable resources, reducing the need for raw materials extraction and the associated environmental impact. Waste segregation can be achieved through community education and the provision of recycling bins and collection systems.

Recycling plays a critical role in sustainable waste management. It involves the conversion of waste materials into new products, reducing the demand for virgin materials and conserving natural resources. Cities can establish recycling facilities and collection programs to facilitate the recycling process. Recycling initiatives should be comprehensive and cover a wide range of materials, including paper, plastics, glass, metals, and electronic waste. By promoting recycling and creating an infrastructure to support it, cities can reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills and incineration facilities, thereby minimizing the environmental pollution and greenhouse gas emissions associated with these disposal methods.

Composting is another important practice in sustainable waste management. Organic waste, such as food scraps and yard trimmings, can be composted to create nutrient-rich soil amendments. Composting not only reduces the volume of waste sent to landfills but also produces a valuable resource that can be used in gardening, landscaping, and agricultural activities. Cities can promote home composting, as well as establish community composting programs and composting facilities, to divert organic waste from the waste stream and promote the circular economy.

To ensure the effectiveness of waste management systems, it is crucial to educate and engage communities. Public awareness campaigns and educational programs can help individuals and households understand the importance of waste reduction, segregation, and recycling. Citizens can be encouraged to adopt sustainable waste management practices through incentives, such as reduced waste collection fees for households that recycle or compost effectively. Engaging communities in the waste management process fosters a sense of responsibility and ownership, leading to increased participation and compliance with waste management guidelines.

In addition to environmental benefits, efficient waste management and recycling practices also offer economic opportunities. The recycling industry can create jobs and stimulate local economies through the collection, processing, and manufacturing of recycled materials. By promoting a circular economy, where waste is viewed as a valuable resource, cities can contribute to the creation of a sustainable and resilient economy.

Furthermore, sustainable waste management practices contribute to the overall cleanliness and aesthetic appeal of cities. Proper waste collection and disposal systems help maintain cleanliness, reduce litter, and prevent the spread of diseases. A clean and well-managed waste management system enhances the livability of cities, attracting visitors and fostering a sense of pride among residents.

Effective waste management and recycling practices are essential for achieving sustainable cities and communities. Goal 11 emphasizes the adoption of integrated waste management systems that prioritize waste reduction, recycling, and resource recovery. By implementing waste reduction strategies, promoting waste segregation, establishing recycling facilities, and promoting composting, cities can minimize the environmental impact of waste, conserve resources, and promote a circular economy. Public education and community engagement play a crucial role in ensuring the success of sustainable waste management initiatives. By investing in sustainable waste management practices, cities can create cleaner, healthier, and more environmentally-friendly urban environments for present and future generations

Climate Resilience

Building climate resilience is a critical aspect of creating sustainable cities and communities. With the increasing impacts of climate change, such as rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and sea-level rise, it is crucial for cities to develop adaptation and mitigation strategies to reduce vulnerability and enhance resilience. Goal 11 of the Sustainable Development Goals recognizes the importance of incorporating climate resilience into urban planning and development.

One of the key objectives of Goal 11 is to improve infrastructure resilience. This involves designing and constructing infrastructure that can withstand the impacts of climate change. For example, in coastal areas, infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and buildings can be built to be more resistant to storm surges and sea-level rise. In areas prone to extreme heat, infrastructure can incorporate heat-resistant materials and design elements that promote natural ventilation and cooling. By integrating climate resilience into infrastructure planning and development, cities can ensure that their critical systems and services remain operational during and after climate-related events, reducing disruption and protecting the well-being of their populations.

Implementing early warning systems is another important strategy for climate resilience. Early warning systems help cities anticipate and respond to climate-related hazards, such as hurricanes, floods, and heatwaves. These systems involve monitoring weather patterns and environmental conditions, as well as disseminating timely and accurate information to residents and relevant authorities. By providing early warnings, cities can improve preparedness, facilitate timely evacuations if necessary, and minimize the potential impacts of climate-related events on human lives and infrastructure.

Creating green infrastructure is another crucial measure for climate resilience. Green infrastructure refers to the use of natural elements, such as parks, urban forests, green roofs, and permeable surfaces, to manage stormwater, reduce the urban heat island effect, and enhance biodiversity. Green infrastructure helps mitigate the impacts of climate change by absorbing and storing rainwater, reducing the risk of flooding, and providing shade and cooling effects in urban areas. By incorporating green spaces into cities and communities, not only can the negative impacts of urbanization be mitigated, but residents can also enjoy improved air quality, enhanced recreational opportunities, and a better overall quality of life.

In addition to these specific strategies, incorporating climate resilience into urban planning is crucial. Cities need to consider climate risks and vulnerabilities in their long-term development plans. This includes identifying areas at risk of flooding, landslides, or other climate-related hazards and implementing appropriate land-use planning measures. For example, zoning regulations can be updated to prevent construction in high-risk areas or require developers to implement climate adaptation measures in their projects. By integrating climate resilience into urban planning, cities can ensure that new developments are designed with climate change in mind and that existing infrastructure is retrofitted to enhance resilience.

Furthermore, collaboration and partnerships are essential for building climate resilience. Cities should work with various stakeholders, including government agencies, community organizations, businesses, and academia, to develop and implement climate adaptation and mitigation strategies. Collaboration allows for the sharing of knowledge, expertise, and resources, leading to more effective and comprehensive climate resilience measures. Engaging the community in the planning and decision-making process also fosters a sense of ownership and increases the likelihood of successful implementation.

Investing in climate resilience not only helps cities adapt to the impacts of climate change but also brings multiple co-benefits. For example, green infrastructure not only helps manage stormwater but also improves air quality, enhances urban biodiversity, and provides recreational spaces for residents. Climate-resilient infrastructure can also contribute to energy efficiency, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting sustainability.

In conclusion, building climate resilience is a crucial component of Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. By incorporating climate resilience into urban planning, improving infrastructure resilience, implementing early warning systems, and creating green infrastructure, cities can reduce vulnerability and enhance their ability to withstand the impacts of climate change. Collaboration and community engagement are vital for the successful implementation of climate resilience measures. By investing in climate resilience, cities can protect their populations, infrastructure, and natural resources, ensuring a more sustainable and resilient future for all.

Preserving Cultural Heritage

Preserving cultural heritage is a vital aspect of sustainable development, and Goal 11 of the Sustainable Development Goals emphasizes the significance of safeguarding cultural heritage sites, historic buildings, and traditional practices. Cultural heritage encompasses a wide range of tangible and intangible elements, including monuments, archaeological sites, traditional craftsmanship, folklore, language, and social practices. By protecting and promoting cultural heritage, cities and communities can foster a sense of identity, promote social cohesion, attract tourism, and generate economic opportunities.

One of the key objectives of Goal 11 is to safeguard cultural heritage sites and historic buildings. These sites hold significant historical, architectural, and cultural value, and their preservation is crucial for maintaining a connection to the past and passing on knowledge to future generations. Historic buildings are not only physical structures but also bear witness to the stories, traditions, and identity of a place and its people. By protecting and conserving these sites, cities can maintain their unique character and cultural identity, contributing to a sense of pride and belonging among residents.

Preserving cultural heritage also has economic benefits for cities and communities. Cultural heritage tourism has gained prominence in recent years, with travelers seeking authentic experiences and a deeper understanding of local cultures. By promoting and preserving cultural heritage sites, cities can attract tourists, generate revenue, and create employment opportunities. Local businesses, such as hotels, restaurants, and handicrafts, can thrive through the promotion of cultural tourism, contributing to the local economy and livelihoods. Additionally, cultural heritage preservation can revitalize historic districts and neighborhoods, attracting investment and fostering sustainable economic growth.

Furthermore, the preservation of cultural heritage contributes to the social fabric of cities and communities. Cultural heritage is often intertwined with people's identities, traditions, and sense of belonging. By safeguarding cultural heritage, cities can strengthen social cohesion, promote intergenerational dialogue, and foster community pride. Cultural heritage preservation provides opportunities for communities to celebrate and showcase their traditions, customs, and artistic expressions. This engagement with cultural heritage enhances social inclusion and diversity, creating spaces for dialogue, mutual understanding, and appreciation of different cultures and perspectives.

In addition to tangible cultural heritage, Goal 11 also recognizes the importance of preserving intangible cultural heritage. Intangible cultural heritage refers to practices, expressions, knowledge, and skills that are passed down from generation to generation. It includes oral traditions, performing arts, rituals, traditional craftsmanship, and knowledge systems. Preserving intangible cultural heritage not only safeguards traditional practices but also promotes cultural diversity and encourages intercultural dialogue. It is through the transmission and revitalization of intangible cultural heritage that cities and communities can maintain their unique identities and contribute to a rich and vibrant cultural landscape.

To effectively preserve cultural heritage, cities and communities need to engage in comprehensive and inclusive planning and decision-making processes. This involves collaboration with local communities, cultural institutions, heritage experts, and relevant stakeholders. It is important to involve local residents in decision-making processes, ensuring that their voices are heard and their cultural heritage is respected and protected. Additionally, capacity-building initiatives and educational programs can empower local communities to actively participate in the preservation and promotion of their cultural heritage.

The preservation of cultural heritage is an integral part of sustainable development. Goal 11 highlights the importance of safeguarding cultural heritage sites, historic buildings, and traditional practices. By protecting and promoting cultural heritage, cities and communities can foster a sense of identity, social cohesion, and economic opportunities. Cultural heritage preservation contributes to the uniqueness and vibrancy of cities, attracting tourism, and enriching the lives of residents. By integrating cultural heritage into urban planning and development, cities can create sustainable, inclusive, and culturally rich environments for present and future generations.

Conclusion

Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities is a critical component of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. As urbanization continues to accelerate, it is crucial to prioritize sustainable urban planning, green infrastructure, affordable housing, sustainable transport systems, waste management, climate resilience, and the preservation of cultural heritage. By working towards these objectives, cities and communities can create a more sustainable, inclusive, and livable future for all. Embracing Goal 11 is not only an environmental imperative but also a pathway to economic prosperity, social equity, and a greener future for generations to come.

[serpentface]

Come On Man.

(Extensive linguistic notes for this 'balls in my mouth' comic under the cut)

The extensive linguistic notes for this "balls in my mouth" comic:

Brakul's first language is the West Rivers dialect of the broader Highlands language, which is part of the Finnic language family. It first split from the Proto-Finnic spoken north of the Viper about a millennia ago with migrants traveling south overseas, and further split into what are now the two native Finnic language groups in Wardin (the Highlands and North Wardi tongues). The Highlands language is a dialect continuum- most neighboring dialects are mutually intelligible, but people from opposite ends of the language's home region would have troubles communicating clearly (though the continuum is not wide enough for any to be fully incomprehensible).

Brakul knew some very, very basic Wardi from occasional contact with Ephenni traders as a teenager, and would later become fluent in the South Wardi dialect as a second language. Wardi is from a wholly separate language family than the Finnic languages with EXTREMELY distant common ancestry, and very different in form and function. Wardi is in many ways less specified and direct, having a smaller variety of individual words to communicate emotional/sensory states and instead imparting many layers of meaning to the same words in different contexts, which Brakul sometimes finds difficult and irritating to navigate. This is one of a number of reasons he often expresses himself more fully in his mother tongue.

Janeys is a native Wardi speaker (South Wardi dialect), fluent in 'Seaway Burri' (which is a lingua franca of the Mouth sea powers, many people along the coastal cities know it as a second language), and semi-fluent in 'High Burri' (state language of the Burri Republic), and in the present day has a modest comprehension of the West Rivers Highlands dialect. This takes place 4.5 years after he and Brakul met, and he mostly just knows basic utilitarian conversational terms and parts of speech, and has a decent understanding of the grammar and how to conjugate verbs. After 13 years of exposure to Brakul talking at him and occasionally deigning to explain what he's saying, Janeys can Sort Of hold a conversation.

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NOTES ON THE POST ITSELF:

I = Sí

My= Sig

You= Mí (casual) Mís (formal)

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Mí vírim is “I love you”.

The unconjugated form of the verb is vírir. The dead literal translation is “to need”, but "mí vírim" translates more accurately as "I love you" than "I need you". It DOES have connotations of need, it expresses love as a sense of wholeness and natural dependency- you say it to express affection towards someone to whom you owe your existence, to a line of ancestors, to your descendants, to the people you create or provide for your descendants with. It says "you are part of my sense of place in this world, you connect me to something greater than myself that sustains me". It will mostly be spoken between immediate kin (parents, children, siblings), husbands and wives, and in practice of venerating your ancestors. This is a gay as fuck thing to say to an unrelated man.

There's at least three other ways to directly say "I love ___" one of which is an affectionate expression of camaraderie, one of which communicates strong aesthetic appreciation, and one that is used in practice specifically to express affection/gratitude towards livestock (though can be used more broadly).

Janeys comprehends the phrase "Mí vírim" as “(I) [UNKNOWN VERB] you” and he's able to discern from Subtle Context Clues that it's something like 'I love you'.

He guesses the unconjugated verb inaccurately as (v)írer, as -Er and -Ur verb endings are more common than -Ir endings, and -Er/-Ir verbs share all the same conjugated forms.

Wardi languages have no ‘v’ sound to begin with, and the ‘v’ here is very soft, between a ‘vuh’ and ‘fuh’. This doesn’t come naturally to Janeys (or most Wardi speakers in general) and comes out as a 'wuh' on first impulse and a hard ‘fuh’ when he tries to replicate it.

This is something he never gets good at and Brakul is grateful that it’s his brother who was named ‘Vrailedh’ (Vrai-lehd-hh)) and not him so he doesn’t have to hear ‘Wrai-lehd’ or ‘Frai-lehd’ all the damn time by his Wardi compatriots. (Many of them don't even get his actual name right, but it's a lesser sin of not rolling the R and under-emphasizing the -ul)

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"Sí brūlmim fágh filshíbe" is “I am very gullible”. The use here is not particularly cruel and is more just that his first impulse upon realizing Janeys will repeat anything he says right now is to make a "someone wrote gullible on the ceiling" level joke at his expense.

Fágh is a word used to emphasize an adjective and some nouns, functionally close to 'very' but used specifically for non-physical/non-sensory qualities (emotion, personality, etc). You could use fágh in the sentence “I’m so sorry” "he's such an asshole".

Brūlmim is "I am" in present tense. The unconjugated form is brūlmur, meaning 'to be' in a permanent sense, as a matter of nature. Other verbs are used for ‘to be’ in a purely transitory sense (“I am tired”) or describing a prolonged but impermanent state, usually past tense (“I was a stupid teenager”).

Filshíbe straightforwardly means 'gullible'.

The 'h' at the end of fágh is vocalized as an exhale, sounds a little like 'fog-uh' with a VERY soft and breathy 'uh'. The '-e' at the end filshíbe is also exhaled, coming out as a quick, soft 'eh'. Neither of these sounds are natural to a Wardi speaker (especially the breathy 'eh', most -e ending words are pronounced with a strong '-ey').

Janeys is comprehending “I’m (very/so) [UNKNOWN WORD]” here, and his face is being touched so softly so [UNKNOWN WORD] is very compelling and he's learning new things and is kind of in the zone so might as well say it back.

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"Mísig uns drótes vísti sig bahrég, s'vaige do mi?" means "Your balls in my mouth, please?". What makes the sentence Particularly funny to Brakul here is that it's Excessively polite (using a formal and deferential 'your' and very gracious 'please') and jarringly accompanied with lowbrow slang for testicles. A more tonally accurate english translation would be "Sir, may I please perchance take your fat fucking sack in my mouth?"

Mísig means 'your', but specifically implies deference- it's a word you would use to address an elder or authority figure, or to use while being very, very polite. (Mís is the equivalent deferential 'you').

Uns drótes is one of several slang terms for testicles. This one uses the word 'boulders', and is thus Specifically implying 'big balls'. It's lowbrow and a very mild expletive (in the same degree 'ass' is in English).

Vísti means 'in' or 'inside', as a physical state of something being inside of another thing- you would use it for 'there's a bird in that cage' but not 'there's fear in my heart'.

Bahrég means 'mouth', which is almost always used in the purely anatomical sense. The other word for 'mouth' in the language more commonly refers to the mouths of animals (might be better translated as 'maw') and also gets applied to non-anatomical objects (ie 'the mouth of the cave').

S'vaige do mi means 'thank you' (dead literally 'my gratitude to you', the S in S'vaige is a contracted sig/'my') but is translated here as 'please' for clarity. There isn't actually a word that directly correlates to 'please' in the Highlands language, a polite request is accompanied with a 'thank you' instead (IE: "Could you pass the salt, thank you?"). This is one of two direct ways to say 'thank you' and this is the more intensely polite of the two.

Janeys will have understood this sentence as "(polite 'Your') [UNKNOWN WORD] (in? inside? within?) my [UNKNOWN WORD], please." This one throws him off, but he's pretty sure he's about to be kissed on the mouth for the first time in his life so he's willing to go with it.

[theglowsociety]

Why Supporting Black-Owned Businesses in February (and Beyond) Matters

February is Black History Month—a time to honor Black culture, resilience, and achievements. But while most people recognize this designated time of celebration, it doesn’t dismiss the fact that we are Black 365 days a year. Our history and heritage don’t begin on February 1st and end on February 29th. We are the living, breathing manifestations of our ancestors’ dreams, and every day is an opportunity to uplift, support, and build upon the legacy they fought for. One of the most powerful ways to do that? Investing in Black-owned businesses.

Shopping Black-owned isn’t just about economics—it’s about empowerment, equity, and making a direct impact on our communities. When we prioritize Black businesses, we create generational wealth, amplify Black voices, and ensure that our culture thrives in every industry. Here’s why it matters:

1. Circulating Wealth in the Black Community

Did you know that the average dollar circulates in the Black community for only six hours before leaving? Compared to other communities, where money is reinvested locally for days or even weeks, this statistic highlights a major economic gap. When we intentionally support Black-owned businesses, we ensure that our money stays within our community, fostering job creation, homeownership, and financial stability. This isn’t just about individual success—it’s about uplifting entire neighborhoods.

2. Closing the Racial Wealth Gap

For centuries, systemic barriers—such as redlining, discrimination in banking, and limited access to business funding—have prevented Black entrepreneurs from building the same level of generational wealth as others. By choosing to shop Black-owned, we actively work to close this gap, ensuring that Black business owners have the resources they need to thrive and pass down wealth to future generations.

3. Honoring Our Ancestors’ Legacy Through Economic Power

Our ancestors fought for freedom, equality, and the right to build prosperous lives for future generations. Owning and supporting Black businesses is one of the strongest ways to honor their sacrifices. Imagine what they could have built if they had access to the opportunities we do now. When we invest in Black businesses, we are fulfilling their vision of self-sufficiency, success, and economic independence.

4. Strengthening Local Communities

Many Black-owned businesses are deeply rooted in their communities. They hire locally, mentor young entrepreneurs, and provide essential services to underserved areas. When we support these businesses, we don’t just help one entrepreneur—we help entire families, neighborhoods, and cities flourish.

5. Encouraging Sustainable Business Growth

The Black business community is filled with innovative, groundbreaking entrepreneurs who bring fresh perspectives to every industry. But without consistent support, these businesses often struggle to survive. When we make shopping Black-owned a long-term habit—not just a trend in February—we create sustainable demand, allowing these businesses to expand, create more jobs, and increase their impact.

6. Diversifying the Marketplace

Representation in business matters. When Black entrepreneurs thrive, they introduce products and services that cater to our culture, needs, and experiences—things often overlooked by mainstream corporations. Supporting Black-owned brands ensures that our voices are heard, our creativity is valued, and our influence is undeniable in every market.

7. Making a Statement with Our Dollars

Every dollar we spend is a vote for the kind of world we want to live in. Choosing Black-owned businesses is a way to demonstrate solidarity, support economic justice, and create real change in how wealth is distributed. Our spending power is massive—trillions of dollars strong—so let’s use it with intention.

How to Support Black-Owned Businesses Beyond February

• Shop Intentionally – Research Black-owned brands, businesses, and services in your area and online.

• Spread the Word – A simple shoutout or recommendation on social media can bring a Black business new customers.

• Invest Beyond the Holidays – Make it a lifestyle, not just a seasonal act. Support Black businesses year-round.

• Leave Reviews & Feedback – Positive reviews help small businesses gain credibility and attract more customers.

• Attend Black Business Markets & Events – Show up, engage, and contribute to the growth of Black entrepreneurs.

• Mentor & Support Aspiring Black Entrepreneurs – Share resources, offer guidance, and help build the next generation of Black business leaders.

It’s a Movement, Not a Moment

February is a powerful reminder to celebrate Black excellence, but our commitment to supporting each other shouldn’t stop when the month ends. We are Black every day, and we carry the dreams of our ancestors in everything we do. Shopping Black-owned is just one of many ways to live out their legacy and build a future where Black success isn’t the exception—it’s the standard. Let’s make supporting Black businesses not just an annual tradition, but a lifelong commitment to community, growth, and generational wealth.

[kemetic-dreams]

Repost from @moyoafrika

•

#repost• @whatsculture History Class: Tracing the roots of Capoeira. The Afro-Brazilian martial art form incorporates acrobatics, dance, folklore, and music. Two opponents play each other inside a circle (Roda) formed by the other players, who create rhythm for the game by clapping, singing, and playing traditional instruments. It’s the second most popular sport in Brazil and is practiced in different parts of the world today. To understand the significance, we look at how it is a phenomenon born out of migration.

“Capoeira was conceived in Africa and born in Brazil,’’ Mestre Jelon Vieira once said. As a colony of the Portuguese Crown, millions of Africans were shipped and sold in Brazil. There, enslaved Africans shared their cultural traditions, including dances, rituals, and fighting techniques, which eventually evolved into capoeira. Many elements and traditions that would inform capoeira are said to have originated in Angola. At that time, 80% of all enslaved Africans in Rio de Janeiro came from Central West Africa from countries that are now known as Gabon, Angola and both Congos.

People from Angola were prominent among the enslaved Africans who played the game on the streets and squares of Rio de Janeiro, Salvador and other Brazilian port cities at the beginning of the nineteenth century. With many enslaved Africans revolting against slavery, they would soon form communities in villages called quilombos in which they could sustain different expressions of African culture. They used capoeira to defend themselves and resist capture, disguising its martial intent with music, song, and dance.

Capoeira became illegal after the abolition of slavery in 1888. Practitioners were socially ostracised for more 40 years, until the legendary capoeira master, Mestre Bimba, opened the first capoeira school in Bahia in 1932. From there, the martial art would reach all parts of the world. At its core, capoeira is born out of a mix of African and Brazilian indigenous cultures and it represents resistance and resilience 🇧🇷🌍

#moyoafrika #brazil #angola🇦🇴 #africanculture #africanculture #africandiaspora #african

[reasonsforhope]

"In drought-stricken areas, communities facing water shortages, or even in residential and commercial buildings eager to improve their environmental footprints, atmospheric water generators represent a new frontier in water production.

While it might sound like a tidbit from a science fiction movie, even the driest places on earth have moisture in the air that can be extracted and used for everyday necessities like plumbing and drinking. 

Unlike traditional dehumidifiers, which also pull moisture from the air, AWGs utilize filtration and sterilization technology to make water safe to drink. 

And while there are plenty of AWG companies out there — and the science itself isn’t novel — AWGs are becoming more efficient, affordable, and revolutionary in combating water scarcity in a myriad of communities.

Aquaria Technologies, a San Francisco-based AWG startup, was founded in 2022 to help provide affordable and clean drinking water in areas most affected by climate change. 

Using heat exchange and condensation, Aquaria’s generators draw air into their systems, cool that air below its dew point, and as it condenses, capture that water and filter it for consumption. 

As the cycle continues, the generator’s refrigerant vaporizes and goes through a process that cools it back into a liquid, meaning the heat transfer cycle repeats continuously in an energy-efficient and self-sustaining system.

“I’m sure you’ve had the experience in the summer, you take a glass of a cold drink out of the fridge and then water droplets form on the side of the bottle,” Aquaria’s co-founder and CEO Brian Sheng, said in a podcast episode. “That’s actually condensation.”

Sheng continued: “The question is, how do we create condensation? How do we extract water out of the air in large volume and using little energy? That’s what our technology does. We have created both active and passive cooling methods where we use special materials, and we’ve created heat exchange and recovery systems and airflow design, such that we’re maximizing heat exchange, and then we’re able to extract large volumes of water.”

Aquaria has created a number of generators, but its stand-alone model — the Hydropack X — can replace an entire home’s dependence on municipal water, producing as much as 264 gallons of potable water per day. 

Other models, like the Hydrostation, can provide water for up to 1,500 people at parks, construction sites, or other outdoor public areas. The Hydropixel can make 24 gallons of water per day for a seamless at-home application, requiring a simple outlet for power. 

“Atmospheric water generators present a groundbreaking solution to the global challenge of clean water scarcity, leveraging the humidity present in the air to produce potable water,” the company’s website explains.

“This technology is versatile, functioning efficiently across diverse climates — from arid regions to tropical settings. From rural communities in developing countries to advanced cities facing unexpected droughts, atmospheric water generators have a wide range of applications… transforming lives and providing secure, clean water sources.”

Considering an estimated 2.2 billion people lack access to clean water globally — including in American cities like Flint, Michigan, or Modesto, California — innovative solutions like AWGs are vital to maintaining the basic human right to clean water. 

The World Economic Forum has begun to dip its toes into this technology as well, implementing public and private partnerships to introduce AWG units in Arizona’s Navajo Nation, where the machines produce about 200 gallons of clean water per day.

“When combined with an appropriate level of community engagement and triple-bottom-line business (people, planet, profit),” a blog post for WE Forum said, “this model can be a powerful stopgap solution where few exist today.”

Similarly, according to New Atlas, Aquaria has a partnership with developers to supply its technology to a 1,000-home community in Hawaii later this year, relying entirely on atmospherically generated water.

The company also has a “Frontier Access Program,” which partners with water-related NGOs, community project developers, and sustainable development groups to deploy this technology in areas most in need.

Regardless of their use cases — in homes, in communities facing water shortages, or at aid sites navigating natural disasters — AWGs have a minimal environmental impact. Sourcing water “from thin air,” requires no plastic bottles, no large-scale plants using up loads of energy, and no byproducts that can harm the environment."

-via GoodGoodGood, August 27, 2024

[dandelionsresilience]

Dandelion News - April 22-28

Based on the results of this poll, for the next few weeks I’m gonna test out doing 5 articles a week instead of 10, as part of an effort to maintain my own mental health. If these half-sized posts get markedly fewer notes, I’ll try to figure out a different compromise.

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

1. Turning Surfboard Waste Into Sustainable Housing

“A Hawaiian architecture firm has found a creative way to repurpose discarded surfboard foam by transforming it into building blocks for constructing homes. […] The firm also partners with local businesses to collect foam from packaging materials[….] While the materials used are lightweight, they still offer excellent insulation and durability, addressing both environmental and practical needs.”

2. HHS Walks Back “Autism Registry” Plans

“Thursday April 24th, HHS said in written statements to multiple journalists that they will not be creating an autism registry, contrary to Dr. Bhattacharya’s statements. HHS’ reversal on creating an autism registry shows that even when it seems that no one is listening, your voice matters. Public outcry seems to have caused HHS to change course and walk away from some of the most concerning aspects of the project. Right now, HHS does not appear to be creating a centralized list of autistic people that could be used against our community.”

3. Teaming up to track the Pacific walrus

“In Alaska, western scientists often collaborate with Alaska Native hunters when counting, tagging, and/or sampling wildlife. The Indigenous knowledge and expertise that these hunters bring encompasses everything from animal behavior and capture techniques, to reading the weather and sea ice.”

4. Workers in 600+ US Cities to Protest 'Billionaire Takeover' on May Day

“The protests will take place in over 600 cities in all 50 states, said organizers[….] “Across the nation, we're reclaiming May Day in the spirit it was born, in solidarity with immigrants, in defense of all working people who make our schools run, our hospitals heal, our trains move, and our cities thrive."”

5. Loos to loaves: How the ‘nervous wees’ of London Marathon runners are being turned into fertiliser

“The campaign is powered by Peequal, a company designing women’s urinals that it claims are 2.7 times faster to use than traditional port-a-loos[.…] Instead of being sent into sewage systems, the collected urine will be treated using bacteria to extract nutrients like nitrogen, a chemical that wheat craves. The fertiliser will then be trialled on test fields to evaluate its performance. According to NPK Recovery’s estimates, 1,000 litres of urine could eventually grow enough wheat for about 195 loaves of bread.”

Bonus: Wildlife livestreams!

April 15-21 news here | (all credit for images and written material can be found at the source linked; I don’t claim credit for anything but curating.)

[sepublic]

So in Willow’s debut, it’s established that Abominations is considered as having better career opportunities than Plants. And in hindsight, it makes sense now; Abominations are valued by the coven regime in the way Blight Industries does them, as industrial Abomatons that can be controlled, as a means of military power and not magitech medicine as Alador shows in the epilogue. Belos buys them from Odalia, he practically assimilates Blight Industries.

This is because Abomatons don’t think for themselves, they’re servants that can replace covenscouts in areas that would challenge morality, and they lack the sapience to be targeted. They’re beings Belos can control without having to learn more of the magic he despises to do so; All of this is in contrast to how Darius or Amity use Abominations as a reflection of their own skill, the individual.

We see how the Abomatons aid the coven regime, and esp see through the Day of Unity; The Abomatons can be programmed, and do nothing without orders; They’re not going to become witches and demons in their own right, they’ll maintain those walls and then do so for the end of time.

They don’t need to be targeted for genocide as victims of the draining spell who would be incapacitated, so they can do their job while that happens. They keep witches corralled because the closer to the ritual, the faster the covenbound die. Of course, those who haven’t collapsed might try and stop the spell by removing the coven heads, which would place them within weakening proximity anyhow…

But that paranoia over covenbound who aren’t yet unconscious is justified; The Abomatons’ own creator rendered their role in the Day of Unity and the regime as a whole obsolete, because he had the strength away from the ritual to help the kids reach the skull, which allowed King to free the Collector and undo everything.

Plus, Belos is loathe to the isles; He depletes its natural resources, he wants all life to die and devastating the ecosystem is another way to do so. Hunter suggests growing Palistrom wood and he’s furious at the idea. So of course Plant magic is devalued, because it’s focused on life, on sustainability, with keeping others alive.

It’s the exact opposite of the cold industrialism that will make the Day of Unity happen and leave the land barren afterwards because the Abomatons themselves are barren in that sense, lacking magic and with little to contribute to the ecosystem, if anything. Plant magic is half of nature, the other being Beastkeeping, I wonder if that is also devalued by the regime?

Makes sense the Demon Hunters have to resort to menial city jobs instead of their traditional livelihood, forced to assimilate into an urban society if their environment has been depleted by colonialism. Adds to Darius and Eberwolf being rebels. And with Terra, it shows how much she’s willing to throw her fellow witches under the bus for utopia.

I remember speculating it since I was a Teenage Abomination; Abominations really is STEM, down to being used for military applications. Given TOH’s critique of the American education system, you can see how this metaphor extends when the work of creating a sustainable society and environment is secondary to destroying enemies and establishing supremacy and capital (As established with CEO Odalia’s motives).

Because it’s fun and easy to destroy, rather than do the banal yet meaningful work of actually building and healing and feeding people, thinking of how society can be sustainable. It’s easy to talk about how you can destroy witches zombies in an apocalypse, instead of how to keep a community of survivors alive; All that talk about how dudes bored with their lives dream about being an action hero at the expense of society’s collapse, without understanding what the world really needs is builders and not destroyers, and that they’d be nothing without the people who do this ‘boring’ work, is so very Belos.

[teh-tj]

Greenbelt Maryland. Or, how America almost solved housing only to abandon it.

**I AM NOT AN EXPERT! I AM JUST AN ENTHUSIST! DO NOT TREAT MY OPINIONS/SPECULATION AS EDUCATION!**

During the Depression America faced a housing crisis that rhymes with but differs from our own. It’s different in that there wasn’t a supply issue, there were loads of houses in very desirable areas, but they were still unaffordable as people’s incomes collapsed causing a deflationary spiral. While the housing supply subtly grew and succeeded demand, people simply couldn’t pay the meager rents and mortgages. Herbert Hoover failed to manage the Depression, while his inaction is greatly exaggerated, his policy of boosting the economy with works projects and protecting banks from runs failed and the depression only got more pronounced in his term. In comes Franklin Roosevelt, a progressive liberal much like his distant and popular cousin/uncle-in-law Teddy. Franklin’s plan was to create a large safety net for people to be able to be economically viable even if they’re otherwise poor. These reforms are called the New Deal and they did many controversial things like giving disabled and retired people welfare, giving farmers conditioned subsidies to manipulate the price of food, a works program to build/rebuild vital infrastructure, etc. One of these programs was the USHA (a predecessor of America’s HUD), an agency created to build and maintain public housing projects with the goal of creating neighborhoods with artificially affordable rents so people who work low-wage jobs or rely on welfare can be housed.

In this spirit, the agency started experimenting with new and hopefully efficient housing blueprints and layouts. If you ever see very large apartment towers or antiquated brick low-rise townhouses in America, they might be these. The USHA bought land in many large and medium-sized cities to build “house-in-park” style apartments, which is what they sound like. Putting apartment buildings inside green spaces so residents can be surrounded by greenery and ideally peacefully coexist. Three entire towns were built with these ideas outside three medium-sized cities that were hit hard by the depression; Greenbelt outside DC, Greenhills outside Cincinnati, and Greendale outside Milwaukee. The idea was to move people out of these crowded cities into these more sustainable and idyllic towns. There were many catches though, the USHA planned for these towns to be all-white, they used to inspect the houses for cleanliness, they required residents to be employed or on Social Security (which basically meant retired or disabled), they also had an income limit and if your income exceeded that limit you were given a two-month eviction notice, and you were expected to attend town meetings at least monthly. While the towns didn’t have religious requirements they did only build protestant churches. Which is an example of discrimination by omission. While a Catholic, Jew, Muslim, etc could in theory move into town they also couldn’t go to a Catholic church, synagogue, or Islamic center without having to extensively travel. Things planned communities leave out might indicate what kind of people planned communities want to leave out. Basically, the whole thing was an experiment in moving Americans into small direct-democracy suburbs as opposed to the then-current system of crowded cities and isolated farm/mine towns. This type of design wasn’t without precedent, there were famously company towns like Gary and Pullman which both existed outside Chicago. But those lacked the autonomy and democracy some USHA apparatchiks desired.

The green cities were a series of low-rise apartments housing over a hundred people each, they were short walks from a parking lot and roads, and walking paths directly and conveniently led residents to the town center which had amenities and a shopping district. Greenbelt in particular is famous for its art deco shopping complex, basically an early mall where business owners would open stores for the townspeople. These businesses were stuck being small, given the income requirements, but it was encouraged for locals to open a business to prove their entrepreneurial spirit. Because city affairs were elected at town meetings the city was able to pull resources to eventually build their own amenities the USHA didn’t originally plan for like a public swimming pool or better negotiated garbage collection.

These three cities were regarded as a success by the USHA until World War II happened and suddenly they showed flaws given the shift in focus. These towns housed poor people who barely if at all could afford a car, so semi-isolated towns outside the city became redundant and pointless. The USHA also had to keep raising the income requirement since the war saw a spike in well-paying jobs which made the town unsustainable otherwise. During the war and subsequent welfare programs to help veterans, these green cities became de facto retirement and single-mother communities for a few years as most able-bodied men were drafted or volunteered. Eventually, the USDA would make the towns independent, after the war they raised the income limit yet again and slowly the towns repopulated. As cars became more common and suburbanization became a wider trend these towns would be less noticeably burdensome and were eventually interpreted as just three out of hundreds of small suburban towns that grew out of major cities. They were still all-white and the town maintained cleanliness requirements; after all they lived in apartments it just takes one guy’s stink-ass clogged toilet to ruin everyone’s day.

By the 1950’s these towns were fully independent. Greendale and Greenhills voted to privatize their homes and get rid of the income limit all together so the towns can become more normal. Greenhills, Ohio still has many of these USHA-era houses and apartments, all owned by a series of corporations and private owners. Greendale, Wisconsin property owners have demolished most of these old houses and restructured their town government so most traces of its founding are lost. But Greenbelt, Maryland still maintains a lot of its structure to this day. Greenbelt has privatized some land and buildings, but most of the original USHA apartments are owned by the Greenbelt Homes, Inc cooperative which gives residents co-ownership of the building they live in and their payments mostly go to maintenance. Because Greenbelt was collectively owned the House Un-American Activities Committee would blacklist and put on trial most of Greenbelt’s residents and officials. Though they didn’t find much evidence of communist influence, the town was a target of the red scare by the DMV area, residents were discriminated, blacklisted, and pressured into selling their assets. While Greenbelt did commodify some of the town, the still existing co-ownership shows the town’s democratic initiative to maintain its heritage. The green cities desegregated in the 50’s and 60’s depending on state law, Greenbelt was the last to desegregate under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, while discrimination persisted for years by the 1980’s the town would become half non-white, today the town is 47% black and 10% Asian.

Though these towns largely integrated with a privatized and suburbanized America, they do stand as a memorial to an idea of American urbanism that died. They were designed for walkability and were planned to be more democratic and egalitarian towns, with the conditions that came with segregation and government oversight. You can’t ignore the strict standards and racism in their history, but you can say that about many towns. How do you think America would be different if more cities had green suburbs that were more interconnected and designed for community gatherings?

[wachinyeya]

by Grant Brown, Thu 3 Jul 2025

Citizens reclaim neglected public spaces across France by creating French guerrilla gardens that build community and support biodiversity.

In France’s bustling cities, a quiet revolution is taking root. A growing movement of urban gardeners is transforming abandoned lots, forgotten corners, and concrete spaces into lively green oases. Known as French guerrilla gardens, these unauthorized green spaces are sprouting up across the country, driven by passionate citizens reclaiming public land to benefit their communities and the environment.

Leading this green revolution is Ophélie Damblé, a 35-year-old gardening author and influencer who goes by the online moniker Ta Mère Nature. With over 243,000 Instagram followers and a thriving YouTube channel, Damblé has become one of the most recognizable faces of France’s burgeoning guerrilla gardening movement.

French guerrilla gardens are grassroots initiatives where citizens plant flowers, vegetables, and herbs in neglected urban areas without official permission. This form of urban agriculture represents a peaceful act of civil disobedience against what Damblé calls “excessive concreting” in cities. While technically unauthorized, these projects often receive tacit approval from local authorities, who recognize their benefits to community well-being and urban biodiversity.

Damblé operates a neighborhood nursery at Cité Fertile, a former freight station in Pantin, and has been a vocal advocate for this movement since she began sharing gardening videos in 2017. For her, green guerrilla warfare is a tool for getting involved in greening. It’s about reclaiming public space in a completely spontaneous way.

The French guerrilla garden movement is about more than just beautifying urban spaces. These gardens serve multiple purposes, from fostering social connections to supporting local ecosystems.

Guerrilla gardens unite people, creating spaces where neighbors can connect and collaborate. Damblé emphasizes that these projects often start as small, unauthorized efforts but can evolve into officially recognized community spaces. She notes that what is interesting is when residents begin taking care of the space. Then, one can think about making it official by setting up an association to safeguard the garden.

Urban areas often lack green spaces to support pollinators like bees and butterflies. Guerrilla gardeners help provide essential food sources for these vital species by planting melliferous plants that produce nectar.

The French guerrilla garden movement draws inspiration from international successes like those of Los Angeles activist Ron Finley. In 2010, Finley planted vegetables in a neglected strip of land, an act of civil disobedience that initially resulted in fines. However, his efforts garnered widespread media attention and led to legal changes, highlighting the lack of access to fresh produce in poorer neighborhoods.

Damblé parallels Finley’s work and the growing momentum of guerrilla gardening in France. They are trying to organize urban farms to help people understand all the benefits that plants can bring. It’s not just about plants—it is about social links, food, biodiversity, and creating sustainable urban spaces.

Se also: Guerrilla Gardening and Seed Bombs – How to Get Started

As a guide for aspiring guerrilla gardeners, Damblé emphasizes the importance of strategic planning and community involvement in urban greening initiatives. According to her, success begins with careful plant selection. Plants must withstand urban conditions and support local ecosystems, highlighting pollinator-friendly options such as lavender and sunflowers as particularly effective choices.

Damblé recommends using planters or raised beds to address soil quality concerns in urban areas. This approach circumvents potential soil contamination issues and provides garden placement and maintenance flexibility. The expert also endorsed using seed bombs—an innovative technique combining seeds, compost, clay, and water. These biodegradable projectiles can effectively green areas that are otherwise difficult to access or lack nutrients.

The French guerrilla garden movement attracts diverse participants, from schoolchildren to business professionals and retirees. Damblé’s workshops at Cité Fertile draw people from all walks of life, united by their shared passion for gardening and urban renewal.

French cities are increasingly adapting to this citizen-led initiative. Some municipalities now offer permits for urban gardening projects, recognizing these spaces’ value to their communities. This shift reflects a growing understanding of urban agriculture’s role in creating more sustainable and livable cities.

For Damblé, gardening is more than just a hobby—it is a universal language that brings people together. She finds that people always find a way of understanding each other when they talk about plants.

As French guerrilla gardens flourish, they demonstrate how citizen action can drive positive environmental change. Urban residents reclaim their cities, foster community connections through these green spaces, and make France’s urban landscapes more resilient and environmentally friendly.

[summerfox1988]

This is my first and last Dead on Main prompt. Any and all writing prowess has been consumed by drought. Not sure if this variation has been done yet, but:

Danny as John Constantine’s whatever, and he gets roped in to filling in for John. Shows up dressed in the above.

After AGiT, he was trying to help Clockwork figure out what went wrong.

Traversing through the Realms, he keeps encountering this weird dude that keeps getting into verbal arguments with random citizens of whatever city Danny is in that CW sent him to. This dude kept bartering horribly, and swindled his way out when he realized he couldn’t get what he wanted the proper way. Not liking the way this guy did things, Danny confronts him. Since Danny utilizes Proper Communication, he doesn’t get his ass handed to him by who he now knows is The Laughing Magician. Lame name, but Danny isn’t one to talk. Anyhow, turns out he was getting materials to figure out the same thing Danny was sent to search for.

Danny talks his way into a team up. John was Not having it, he isn’t fond of babysitting. Soon figures out that Danny can hold his own, and concedes. A few stops in alternating times and dimensions, they get a lead. Narrowing in on a whisp of CW’s power that he didn’t sanction, they come across Valerie Gray. She’s been using her stolen Medallion to traverse the Realms and finding teachers who can help her fight the supernatural.

She sees them and takes off, and they go on a what surmounts to a loony toon style chase. In the end they only caught up to her because CW managed to wrangle enough power into Valerie’s Medallion to send her to a Time Period where the people sucked. They save her, and John surprisingly talks sense into her. (He maybe brings up Asta, or some other personal story that gets through to her.)

They go back to the Ever Moving Now. They patch up CW, but by then time has moved on in Amity Park.

Danny took to staying in his unaging ghost form after one dimension made his human form ill. The Realms helped sustain him when ever they stopped to rest, so his human half was only malnourished and slightly dehydrated. (Frostbite will have a field day figuring that out, but we’ve gone on another tangent!)

Valerie’s time was stopped while she wore the Medallion. (After her self appointed quest, CW gave her a modified version so that her lost time didn’t catch up to her too quickly).

As they’d already separated from John because he came from a different dimension, they had this discovery in CW’s lair. Danny contacts Jazz one last time. He tells her what he’s done, and not to worry. He made a new friend who owes him now. They have a heartfelt goodbye. He couldn’t bring himself to do the same for Sam. (Whether she and Tuck moved on is up to you).

Valerie stayed behind in Amity, she wanted closure and to give it. Danny went back to the Realms. There were more worlds to help, and in the time he’d been gone Amity had advanced enough to where he wasn’t needed anymore. Not to mention his rogues had settled down when they realized that with Danny gone the humans only got more vicious in retaliation. If they couldn’t blend in, then they didn’t visit.

Danny goes through multiple self discoveries and emotional upheavals. He ages on and off and is no longer sure how old he is. At this point he doesn’t really care. About anything really. He’s getting better though. But since John was around most of his latter formative years, Danny emulated the man more than he should. Which is why, in one of his better moods, Danny got them matching pajamas. (The attached picture) That was a fun time.

Because Danny runs into John a couple more times on his adventures, they exchange favors and earn them in turn. Which leads to the scenario in which Danny gets summoned in John’s place.

Zatanna was trying to summon John for whatever reason. However, due to John helping Danny create his summoning sigil, John had finagled it to where Danny can get summoned in his place if John is unavailable. Danny Will get him back for this.

At the end of this, Danny has new friends. Along with a new favorite dimension. He pops in from time to time. Eventually for whatever reason, he winds up in Gotham. He meets Jason when he crashes through his window. Danny was heavily concussed the night before, and has a severe headache now. Yay healing factor. The lights hurt, he’s wearing his new glasses*. Along with his favorite pjs. When this brick shithouse crashes in and makes his headache worse. He gives him lip, and grabs one of his dropped guns. Normally RH is never that sloppy, but Danny’s wall wasn’t the only one he crashed through in that fall. Throw. However he got there by whichever villain/rogue.

Danny proceeds to use his powers to fix his wall and window. He kept Hood’s gun in hand in case whomever caught up. They didn’t, he gives back the gun. Patches him up and sends him off.

Jason tries to find him again, an unknown magician in Gotham, his Bat Paranoia demands it. Only Danny knows magic now, he can’t be found by Bat Stalking. He can however be found by coincidence. CW meddles, of course.

They meet, over and over. They get closer, and I am at my limit. Have fun with this whomever!

[the-garbanzo-annex-jr]

by Dion J. Pierre

Two Jewish students participating in a pro-Israel demonstration at DePaul University in Chicago on Wednesday were “brutally” assaulted by two ruffians who concealed their identities with masks.

“We are outraged that this occurred on our campus. It is completely unacceptable and a violation of DePaul’s values to uphold and care for the dignity of every individual,” DePaul president Robert Manuel said on Wednesday in a statement addressing the issue.

Manuel described how “masked attackers punched our students,” who were injured but declined medical treatment.

“We will continue to do everything possible to ensure DePaul is a safe and welcoming space for every member of our diverse university community. We recognize that for a significant portion of our Jewish community, Israel is a core part of their Jewish identity. Those students — and every student — should feel safe on our university campus. Our shared expectations and guiding principles make it clear that DePaul will not tolerate any acts of hatred or violence.”

Manuel confirmed that DePaul officials are working with the Chicago Police Department to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Meanwhile, the Chicago Jewish Alliance (CJA), a local nonprofit which promotes the welfare and civil rights of the city’s Jewish community, vowed to be advocates of the victims and continue raising awareness of antisemitism in the US.

“We are deeply saddened and outraged to report that two Jewish students were brutally assaulted at DePaul University today. This shocking act of violence is a stark reminder of the growing intolerance and antisemitism that cannot be tolerated in our society,” the group wrote on X/Twitter. “This is not just an isolated incident; it is a call to action for all of us. We must united to create a safe space for our Jewish community and stand against prejudice. This will not be the last you hear from us regarding this critical issue.”

Several antisemitic hate crimes have struck major American cities in just the past couple weeks. On Monday morning, an African American male smacked a 13-year-old Jewish boy who was commuting to school on his bike in the Crown Heights section of New York City. Days earlier, a Jewish man in the same neighborhood was stabbed in the face.

[drdemonprince]

Hangouts don’t have to involve doing something out of the ordinary together— majority of life is an accumulation of a series of mundane, regular, consistent tasks we need to engage in to survive. The goal is to move towards sharing the mundane together rather than drifting through each day, moving from task to task… alone. Right now, I’m being forced to apply for jobs so I have a position as an attending somewhere after I finish my fellowship next June. There’s so few openings that I can’t be picky about location. I’m also simultaneously studying for my board exams to get licensed in my medical specialty. It’s overwhelming. I find most of these processes deeply unethical and it is excruciatingly cringe to beg for someone to see that you are worthy of life. I’m not even sure how long I can drag on in academic medicine… so this is a particularly stressful time period in my life. But I don’t want to isolate and study myself to death. I don’t want to fixate on this in a way where I have no time left to spend with the people I care about. If I only hung out with people to do something different/ fun/ out of the norm, I’d essentially limit myself to sporadic interactions. Instead, I asked my homies if I could still be there with them AND study or work on a stupid cover letter etc. Along with communal cooking nights and such, I’m slowly starting to spend more time in comforting silence with my homies. I’ll be studying while someone is cleaning or cooking or doing their laundry. Bottomline: I want our day-to-day lives to be more bearable. The cooking, cleaning, caretaking, caregiving, chores, all of the mundane… that’s where we can gradually build in more interdependence. It’s nice to have celebrations that honor any auspicious moment or time in our lives. It’s great to get together to try something new. But we need more low-stakes hangouts that also give us room to deepen our relationships. In Bengre, even if some folks still went out into the city to work during the day— almost everyone including our elders and children, would be outside under the moon at night. Some spend hours drinking chai on porches looking onward at the children playing cricket on the beach sand. Some make the rounds sprinkling blessed flowers from this morning’s temple ritual on every patch of fertile soil in the village as an offering to the land. Some practice their musical instruments and everyone can hear the soothing beats of the mridangam or the melody of the tambura. Some are out back in the kitchens mashing together spices to marinade the fish that others caught on the river this morning. Point is anything… no matter how “mundane” can be a ritual. If anything, that is what makes rituals sustainable.

Beautiful writing from Ayesha Khan that gets me thinking about the conversations we've been having on here about culture!

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Deb Chachra's "How Infrastructure Works": Mutual aid, the built environment, the climate, and a future of comfort and abundance

This Thursday (Oct 19), I'm in Charleston, WV to give the 41st annual McCreight Lecture in the Humanities. And on Friday (Oct 20), I'm at Charleston's Taylor Books from 12h-14h.

Engineering professor and materials scientist Deb Chachra's new book How Infrastructure Works is a hopeful, lyrical – even beautiful – hymn to the systems of mutual aid we embed in our material world, from sewers to roads to the power grid. It's a book that will make you see the world in a different way – forever:

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/612711/how-infrastructure-works-by-deb-chachra/

Chachra structures the book as a kind of travelogue, in which she visits power plants, sewers, water treatment plants and other "charismatic megaprojects," connecting these to science, history, and her own memoir. In so doing, she doesn't merely surface the normally invisible stuff that sustains us all, but also surfaces its normally invisible meaning.

Infrastructure isn't merely a way to deliver life's necessities – mobility, energy, sanitation, water, and so on – it's a shared way of delivering those necessities. It's not just that economies of scale and network effects don't merely make it more efficient and cheaper to provide these necessities to whole populations. It's also that the lack of these network and scale effects make it unimaginable that these necessities could be provided to all of us without being part of a collective, public project.

Think of the automobile versus public transit: if you want to live in a big, built up city, you need public transit. Once a city gets big enough, putting everyone who needs to go everywhere in a car becomes a Red Queen's Race. With that many cars on the road, you need more roads. More roads push everything farther apart. Once everything is farther apart, you need more cars.

Geometry hates cars. You can't bargain with geometry. You can't tunnel your way out of this. You can't solve it with VTOL sky-taxis. You can't fix it with self-driving cars whose car-to-car comms let them shave down their following distances. You need buses, subways and trams. You need transit. There's a reason that every plan to "disrupt" transportation ends up reinventing the bus:

https://stanforddaily.com/2018/04/09/when-silicon-valley-accidentally-reinvents-the-city-bus/

Even the cities we think of as motorists' paradises – such as LA – have vast, extensive transit systems. They suck – because they are designed for poor people – but without them, the city would go from traffic-blighted to traffic-destroyed.

The dream of declaring independence from society, of going "off-grid," of rejecting any system of mutual obligation and reliance isn't merely an infantile fantasy – it also doesn't scale, which is ironic, given how scale-obsessed its foremost proponents are in their other passions. Replicating sanitation, water, rubbish disposal, etc to create individual systems is wildly inefficient. Creating per-person communications systems makes no sense – by definition, communications involves at least two people.

So infrastructure, Chachra reminds us, is a form of mutual aid. It's a gift we give to ourselves, to each other, and to the people who come after us. Any rugged individualism is but a thin raft, floating on an ocean of mutual obligation, mutual aid, care and maintenance.

Infrastructure is vital and difficult. Its amortization schedule is so long that in most cases, it won't pay for itself until long after the politicians who shepherded it into being are out of office (or dead). Its duty cycle is so long that it can be easy to forget it even exists – especially since the only time most of us notice infrastructure is when it stops working.

This makes infrastructure precarious even at the best of times – hard to commit to, easy to neglect. But throw in the climate emergency and it all gets pretty gnarly. Whatever operating parameters we've designed into our infra, whatever maintenance regimes we've committed to for it, it's totally inadequate. We're living through a period where abnormal is normal, where hundred year storms come every six months, where the heat and cold and wet and dry are all off the charts.

It's not just that the climate emergency is straining our existing infrastructure – Chachra makes the obvious and important point that any answer to the climate emergency means building a lot of new infrastructure. We're going to need new systems for power, transportation, telecoms, water delivery, sanitation, health delivery, and emergency response. Lots of emergency response.

Chachra points out here that the history of big, transformative infra projects is…complicated. Yes, Bazalgette's London sewers were a breathtaking achievement (though they could have done a better job separating sewage from storm runoff), but the money to build them, and all the other megaprojects of Victorian England, came from looting India. Chachra's family is from India, though she was raised in my hometown of Toronto, and spent a lot of her childhood traveling to see family in Bhopal, and she has a keen appreciation of the way that those old timey Victorian engineers externalized their costs on brown people half a world away.

But if we can figure out how to deliver climate-ready infra, the possibilities are wild – and beautiful. Take energy: we've all heard that Americans use far more energy than most of their foreign cousins (Canadians and Norwegians are even more energy-hungry, thanks to their heating bills).

The idea of providing every person on Earth with the energy abundance of an average Canadian is a horrifying prospect – provided that your energy generation is coupled to your carbon emissions. But there are lots of renewable sources of energy. For every single person on Earth to enjoy the same energy diet as a Canadian, we would have to capture a whopping four tenths of a percent of the solar radiation that reaches the Earth. Four tenths of a percent!

Of course, making solar – and wind, tidal, and geothermal – work will require a lot of stuff. We'll need panels and windmills and turbines to catch the energy, batteries to store it, and wires to transmit it. The material bill for all of this is astounding, and if all that material is to come out of the ground, it'll mean despoiling the environments and destroying the lives of the people who live near those extraction sites. Those are, of course and inevitably, poor and/or brown people.

But all those materials? They're also infra problems. We've spent millennia treating energy as scarce, despite the fact that fresh supplies of it arrive on Earth with every sunrise and every moonrise. Moreover, we've spent that same period treating materials as infinite despite the fact that we've got precisely one Earth's worth of stuff, and fresh supplies arrive sporadically, unpredictably, and in tiny quantities that usually burn up before they reach the ground.

Chachra proposes that we could – we must – treat material as scarce, and that one way to do this is to recognize that energy is not. We can trade energy for material, opting for more energy intensive manufacturing processes that make materials easier to recover when the good reaches its end of life. We can also opt for energy intensive material recovery processes. If we put our focus on designing objects that decompose gracefully back into the material stream, we can build the energy infrastructure to make energy truly abundant and truly clean.

This is a bold engineering vision, one that fuses Chachra's material science background, her work as an engineering educator, her activism as an anti-colonialist and feminist. The way she lays it out is just…breathtaking. Here, read an essay of hers that prefigures this book:

https://tinyletter.com/metafoundry/letters/metafoundry-75-resilience-abundance-decentralization

How Infrastructure Works is a worthy addition to the popular engineering books that have grappled with the climate emergency. The granddaddy of these is the late David MacKay's open access, brilliant, essential, Sustainable Energy Without the Hot Air, a book that will forever change the way you think about energy:

https://memex.craphound.com/2009/04/08/sustainable-energy-without-the-hot-air-the-freakonomics-of-conservation-climate-and-energy/

The whole "Without the Hot Air" series is totally radical, brilliant, and beautiful. Start with the Sustainable Materials companion volume to understand why everything can be explained by studying, thinking about and changing the way we use concrete and aluminum:

https://memex.craphound.com/2011/11/17/sustainable-materials-indispensable-impartial-popular-engineering-book-on-the-future-of-our-built-and-made-world/

And then get much closer to home – your kitchen, to be precise – with the Food and Climate Change volume:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/01/06/methane-diet/#3kg-per-day

Reading Chachra's book, I kept thinking about Saul Griffith's amazing Electrify, a shovel-ready book about how we can effect the transition to a fully electrified America:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/12/09/practical-visionary/#popular-engineering

Chachra's How Infrastructure Works makes a great companion volume to Electrify, a kind of inspirational march to play accompaniment on Griffith's nuts-and-bolts journey. It's a lyrical, visionary book, charting a bold course through the climate emergency, to a world of care, maintenance, comfort and abundance.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/10/17/care-work/#charismatic-megaprojects

My next novel is The Lost Cause, a hopeful novel of the climate emergency. Amazon won't sell the audiobook, so I made my own and I'm pre-selling it on Kickstarter!

[ivyyisbored22]

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭— 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐅𝐅

Note: Check Description and other chapters first to understand the story ^^♡

Chapter 19

Bang Chan

"Fabulous! Everything is flawless," I clapped Han's back, the two of us were at Nexus Court, where he organised and had everything set for my pre-launch party for tomorrow.

The venue was stunning, a perfect blend of elegance and modernity. High ceilings adorned with chandeliers, casting a warm, golden light over the marble floors. Floor-to-ceiling windows offered a breathtaking view of the city skyline, the lights twinkling like stars against the evening sky. Every detail, from the meticulously arranged floral displays to the sleek, minimalist furniture, exuded sophistication.

"I got you, Chris. May I say, this might be my best event yet," Han replied, a proud grin spreading across his face.

I nodded, scanning the room, taking in the flawless setup. "It certainly looks that way. You've outdone yourself."

The pre-launch party for my new sustainable luxury line was a significant milestone. Months of hard work, planning, and innovation had gone into creating a brand that not only epitomized elegance but also championed sustainability. This event was the first step in unveiling it to the world.

"Everything's set for tomorrow," Han continued, his voice breaking through my thoughts. "We've got the press, influencers, and industry leaders all confirmed. It's going to be a night to remember."

I nodded again, my mind racing. "It has to be. This line... it's more than just business. It's about setting a new standard, showing that luxury and sustainability can coexist."

Han's expression softened, sensing the weight of the moment. "And you will, Chris. This is your vision coming to life."

I took a deep breath, letting Han's words sink in. My mind wandered back to a thought of a certain guy would have brought this vision to life if I hadn't gotten him fired but I pushed it away.

Aurelius is my legacy. My future. And I'd be dammed to let him ruin it.

"You're right. Tomorrow is just the beginning."

As we made our way around the venue, checking final details, my eyes briefly drifted to Aria. I thought to bring her with me to check the venue, I.N was also here with Han.

Aria and I.N were chatting in a corner, their laughter occasionally drifting over to where I stood.

Aria and I made some progress into our newfound relationship the past month. I began to grow to like her company even though a part of me kept warning me about getting too attached to her. The evident deadline kept reworking its way back to my mind any chance it had, but I shoved it back.

When time comes I'll deal with it.

I still struggled, well, sucked at communicating with her since she makes my heart run fucking laps in my chest, the way it beats around her could put a cardiologist in concern. I hated it. But it gave a different level of satisfaction when she surrendered herself to me.

"Yo, give me a sec, I gotta take this," Han gave a quick pat to my shoulder and walked away answering the call, I looked around the venue for a second and walked towards Aria.

"Hey sweetheart," The words felt easy, almost too easy, but I didn't pull them back. I couldn't help it around her. She looked at me with a hint of curiosity and a small smile tugging her lips.

"Hey," she said almost breathlessly, and every time her voice managed to make something flutter in my chest.

"All set for the party?" I.N asked, his tone light and cheerful, who recently signed to be the brand ambassador for Aurelius. I envied how he could always stay so positive, like nothing ever fazed him.

I nodded, trying to keep my focus on the conversation. "Yeah, everything's in place. Should be smooth."

"It's gonna be awesome," He gave a quick nod toward Aria and me.

"But well, I have to go now. We'll see each other tomorrow?" His tone was casual, but there was warmth in it, he genuinely looked forward to it.

I nodded again, trying to shake off the lingering haze Aria's presence always seemed to wrap me in. "Yeah, see you tomorrow."

We spotted Han walking back to us, finishing his call, slipping his phone into his pocket and looking for his keys.

"Chris, everything's set," Han said, his tone confident as he fumbled for his keys. "I'll be here before the party starts. I guess we can call it a day."

The words should have brought me some relief—confirmation that everything was under control—but instead, I felt that familiar knot tightening in my chest. It wasn't about the party. That was the easy part.

It was everything else that made my pulse race: the delicate balancing act between business, my growing connection with Aria, and the impending future that kept knocking at the back of my mind, threatening to unravel it all.

I forced myself to nod. "Yeah, good call." My voice sounded distant even to me, as if part of my brain was somewhere else—likely with her.

Han gave me a quick, knowing glance, one that said he could read the room better than I'd like to admit. He didn't push, though. Instead, he turned his attention to Aria, flashing her a warm smile. "It was nice to see you again, Aria. I'll catch you both tomorrow."

Aria returned his smile, though it was softer, a little more reserved. "You too. See you guys tomorrow."

"Let's go," He said to I.N, patting his shoulder. I.N gave a quick nod to us and left with him showing something on his phone to Han as they walked out of the venue, leaving me along with Aria.

I found myself standing there, with nothing but her presence to ground me. The weight of what I was feeling started to creep up again, that familiar sense of unease, of not knowing what the hell to say or do.

I glanced at Aria, and for a moment, everything else fell away. She was just beautiful, standing there under the dim lights of the venue, but there was something more unspoken that seemed to pass between us. Her eyes held mine, and it was like the world had narrowed down to just the two of us.

"Are you ready for tomorrow?" She asked, her voice steady, almost casual.

"Yeah. Just a little nervous I guess."

"Nervous?" she asked, her voice soft. "You? I can't picture that."

A dry laugh escaped me. "Yeah, well, it happens."

She smiled, that soft, knowing smile that seemed to disarm me every time, but there was something deeper in her eyes tonight. A hint of uncertainty, maybe even vulnerability.

I leaned down and kissed her cheek, "But I guess I won't be nervous when I'm around you."

A deep blush bloomed her face that made my heart flutter. It unsettled me yet gave me a certain satisfaction.

After one last glance around the venue, the two of us made our way to the entrance, the cool night air brushed against us, a relief after the intensity of the evening. Aria walked a little closer to me than usual, and I didn't mind. It was like she found comfort in my presence, and that made the chaotic mess inside me settle, even if just for a moment.

But then, we stepped outside—everything shifted.

Standing just outside the venue, leaning casually against a black car, was that one face I wanted feel against my fist.

My muscles tensed immediately, every sense going on high alert. I didn't need to hear him speak to know why he was here. His presence alone, the smug expression on his face, was enough to ruin the moment.

Aria stiffened beside me, and without even thinking, my fingers immediately locked with hers. She took a step closer, seeking the protection of my arm.

Victor pushed off the car, his lips curling into a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Chris," he greeted, his tone sickly sweet, " Gorgeous Aria. What a surprise."

I didn't move, my eyes locked on him, the tension between us like a drawn wire ready to snap. "What the hell are you doing here?"

His smile widened. "Oh, just enjoying the view. You know how it is—catching up on old times."

"Old times?" I scoffed, stepping slightly in front of Aria, my body shielding her from him. "There's nothing left to catch up on. You've got no business here."

Victor's eyes flicked to Aria for a brief second, a look that made my blood boil. He chuckled, his voice low and mocking. "You always did have a flair for the dramatic, Chris. I'm not here to cause trouble. Not yet, anyway."

Aria's grip tightened on my fingers. The way she shifted behind me told me all I needed to know. That Victor had left his mark on her before, and she was unsettled. I could feel her discomfort, even if she was trying to hide it.

"I don't have time for your games." I growled, my voice colder than I intended. "Stay away from us, or I'll make sure you regret it."

Victor's smile faltered for a moment, but then he recovered, his eyes gleaming with something dark and dangerous. "Oh, Chris, you don't get it, do you? This isn't about you. It's about taking back what's mine. And trust me," he leaned in slightly, his voice lowering, "I'm just getting started."

A chill ran down my spine, but I refused to let it show. Instead, I squared my shoulders, standing firm between Victor and Aria.

"You already lost everything," I said, my tone steady, filled with controlled anger. "You're not getting it back. Not now or ever."

Victor's expression darkened, his eyes narrowing as he looked between the two of us. "We'll see about that," he muttered, the threat clear in his voice.

Without another word, he turned on his heel, walking toward his car. The tension didn't leave my body until I heard the car engine roar to life and watched it speed off into the distance.

I've known Victor since my childhood. He was as stubborn as I could get and I knew he won't back down until he gets what he wants. I'll be damned if he gets it and I'm not Bang Christopher Chan if I let my enemies win against me.

I glanced down at Aria. She looked shaken, but she was trying to hold herself together. I turned to her and softly caressed my thumb against her cheek.

"You okay?"

"Yeah," She nodded, though her eyes betrayed the fear she still felt. "He's just, unsettling."

"Don't worry about him," I took her lips in mine, hoping to brush away whatever fear that was clawing her. "He's after me, and I'm not letting him get anywhere near you."

I said against her lips. She smiled and ran her fingers through my hair, pulling me closer for another long, tender kiss. I could never get enough of how she tasted, how she fit perfectly in my arms.

As I pulled away, I could see a flicker of something more than just comfort in Aria’s gaze. There was a softness, a warmth that made my chest tighten in the best way.

"What do you wanna do?" I asked, hoping to distract her from the tension Victor left behind.

"Don't you have work?" She asked tilting her head, curiosity sparkling in her eyes.

I chuckled, shaking my head. "I can get back to it later. I want to spend the evening with you."

My voice was genuine, because it was true. I wanted to savor every moment with her. The deadline looming over us was still there, ticking closer every day, but tonight, I wanted it to fade into the background.

Her eyes lit up, and she thought for a moment before her lips curled into a smile. "Well, then Ice cream. I want ice cream."

I chuckled, at how simple her desires were, my hand still resting on her cheek. "Okay then you want to go to L'Étoile? We could grab some ice cream there."

She looked at me in shock and burst into laughter, her whole face brightening. "You want to eat ice cream at a Michelin star restaurant?" She raised an eyebrow, amusement dancing in her eyes.

My gaze was fixed on her, trying to understand why would she be surprised about that. I couldn’t help but smile as she looked at me with that playful glint in her eyes, shaking her head as if I had just said the most dumbest thing.

“Why not? They’d probably drizzle it with gold flakes or something,” I said, almost serious.

She shook her head, still smiling. “You’re ridiculous, Chris,” she said, still grinning.

“No. I want real ice cream. Down the street over there. You know, from an actual ice cream stand. The kind that melts all over your hands if you’re not fast enough.”

I paused for a second, considering it. The idea of eating from somewhere not fancy was a bit foreign to me. I was used to dining in some of the best restaurants around the world, where the plates were more expensive than an average person’s weekly groceries.

I thought for second then agreed half hesitantly. "Alright then, you lead the way."

We left the venue hand in hand, walking down the bustling streets illuminated by the soft glow of streetlights and neon signs. The city was alive tonight, with people laughing, chatting, and moving through the streets. I felt self conscious for a second for being quite over dressed for the setting, walking the bustling streets in my luxury suit.

Yet it was like we were in our own bubble, where only the two of us existed.

As we approached a cluster of food stalls, the smells of street food hit me. Sweet, savory, smoky. It wasn’t the high-end cuisine I was used to, it was chaotic but in a way that felt real and authentic.

"Here we are," Aria said, gesturing to the colorful row of vendors selling everything from ice cream to skewers to noodles. She squeezed my hand, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"What do you think?"

I glanced around, a little skeptical. "Are we sure about this? What if we get sick?" I was hoping to not regret whatever decision I was going to take tonight.

“Live a little, Chris. You’re not gonna die from street food. Trust me.” She laughed again, a sound that was music to my ears.

We ordered, and soon enough, I was holding a cone of brightly colored sorbet. Aria got a classic vanilla cone with chocolate chips. She took a bite, her eyes fluttering shut as she savored it. I couldn’t help but stare, captivated by how at ease she seemed in this simple moment.

She caught me watching and grinned. “You gonna eat, or just stare at me?”

"Okay alright," with a small chuckle, I took a hesitant bite of my sorbet, my eyes widened as the sorbet melted on my tongue, surprised by how refreshing it was. “It's...not bad actually.”

"Not bad?" she teased. "Admit it, it's better than your fancy desserts."

I raised an eyebrow, still unsure. “It’s not my usual. But…yeah, it’s nice.”

We found a nearby bench to sit on, surrounded by a few other people who seemed to be enjoying the lively, casual atmosphere. I looked around at the food trucks, the people laughing and chatting, and the simplicity of it all. For once, it felt nice not to be wrapped up in meetings or worrying about business deals.

Aria noticed my gaze and smiled knowingly. “Feels good, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah,” I said after a moment. “It feels... different. But good.”

She leaned her head against my shoulder as we finished our ice cream. “You’re allowed to have fun too, you know. Not everything has to be about work.”

I nodded, letting her words sink in. “I know. It’s just... I’ve always been so focused on everything else. It’s hard to turn it off sometimes.”

“I get that,” she murmured. “But you don’t have to turn it off completely. Just... take moments like these when you can.”

I looked at her, the soft breeze of the evening brushing against her skin. Aria's thumb came up to my lip, wiping away a stray bit of sorbet that had apparently stuck there. Her touch was gentle, lingering a little longer than necessary, and I felt the warmth of it seep through me.

“Thanks,” I muttered, feeling my heartbeat pick up.

She smiled softly, her eyes meeting mine in that way that always seemed to unravel me. “You looked too serious for a second. Can’t have that, not when you’re eating sorbet.”

I chuckled, shaking my head.

We sat there for a while, just the two of us, watching the world go by. And for once, I felt like I could breathe, like I didn’t have to worry about what was waiting for me tomorrow.

After the ice cream, Aria stood up, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “How about some street tacos now?”

I raised an eyebrow, half-joking. “You’re trying to kill me, aren’t you?”

She laughed and pulled me toward the taco stand. “Come on, please," she gave me a puppy eye look that almost felt like I got shot with an arrow by Cupid himself.

"Fine." I said, and we walked towards the stand.

Her smile never left her face and I could just keep looking at her like that forever. As we ordered, I found myself enjoying the ease of the evening even more. The tacos were incredible, bursting with flavor in a way that no five-star chef could replicate.

The atmosphere was lively, people chatting, the sizzling of grills, and the distant hum of traffic. I was skeptical at first, but this was something different and real.

When we finished eating, I felt like I was seeing the world through new eyes. It wasn’t about the luxury or the price tag, it was about the experience, the company, the simplicity.

Aria turned to me, her eyes sparkling with a mix of mischief and satisfaction. “So, how was it?”

I smiled, unable to hide the truth. “It was... surprisingly good. Better than I expected.”

Aria tilted her head, her expression softening. “You’ve been too busy keeping the world on your shoulders, Chris. It’s okay to let go sometimes.”

Her words struck deeper than I expected, and for a moment, I didn’t know how to respond. She was right. I had developed on spending so long trying to keep everything under control, managing every detail, that I’d forgotten how to just live.

Even back in Europe all I did was spend my nights in clubs and yachts and drinks, never stepping out of luxury.

But being with Aria, in this moment, I realized how much I needed this—needed her.

“I could get used to this,” I said, my voice low, almost more to myself than to her.

Aria looked up at me, her eyes searching mine. “Maybe you don’t have to choose between this and everything else. You can have both.”

Her words hung in the air, filled with possibility. For the first time in a long while, I felt like maybe she was right. I didn’t have to live in extremes. Either high-end luxury or nothing at all. Maybe there was room for both. For moments like this, tucked in between the chaos.

There was a pause. The kind that felt comfortable, like the world could wait while we stood there, wrapped in the moment. The cool breeze carried the scent of grilled food, laughter from nearby conversations, and the distant hum of the city, but none of it felt overwhelming. It was just life happening around us.

Aria leaned into me, her head resting against my shoulder as we began walking again. I slipped my arm around her, pulling her a little closer, content to let the night stretch on as long as it wanted to.

For now, I was happy—really, genuinely happy. And that was enough.

------------------------

Taglist: @bowsnbang @bangchannie97lov @hwasmints @laurenalpha123 @mrs-hwangh @greyyeti @sociallyawkward18 @stephanieeeyang @piscesrising01 @jaquisos @de-uns-tempos-pra-ca @princess-sunshyn @my-neurodivergent-world @ladyeagle @nchhuhi

If you want to be added to the taglist, let me know <3 (If I missed someone please lmk)

Thank you for reading!

xx,Ivyy

Next Chapter

[biomaterial]

This is hands-down, one of the most solid and well supported pieces I've read on substack in ages. The premise, by drag queen Kochina Rude, surrounds what community means in the present era of queer visibility, the state of politics, and the reliance on businesses as queer third-spaces. It's a SF specific lens, but I feel it rings true for a large swath of the US, and beyond, with frustration and fatigue surrounding language vs action, individualism, and everyone being broke. While I recommend you read the entire piece, here are a few meaningful excerpts.

The current nightlife business model can no longer support those tasked with creating the culture San Francisco is known for, and our workforce has been paying the price for years. (Ask any bartender or security guard how many jobs they have.) The abundant, cheap labor the nightlife industry relies on to sustain itself is no longer possible within city limits; workers have moved across the bay or out of the area just to make ends meet, even if San Francisco remains the center of their social world. The drag queen supply has also just straight up exceeded demand; not just locally, but on television, as indicated by former reality TV contestants reporting fewer opportunities and empty schedules. (I’ve given up on keeping track of these girls, and I work with them.) On top of that, we’re living through a period of inflation and income disparity in the most expensive region in America, and anyone with a stake in the entertainment industry would be hard-pressed to deny what we’re seeing with our own eyes and in our bank statements. To sum it up: we’re down bad, divas.

...

As a queer person, I no longer believe that identity politics will save us. Unity and hybridity (separate parts that comprise the whole; or, intersectionality) come to roost in affinity: a commonality of characteristics suggesting a relationship to shared interests, causes, or circumstances. On paper, I may have next to nothing in common with my heterosexual friends in tattoo shops or hardcore bands, but we possess a unified outlook on life based on shared experiences from our youth. In contrast, I find that I do not typically share affinity with most other gay people I meet at the gay club. (Ooh, she’s “different.”)

...

It’s true that I’m sick of talking about community. But I’m entering the new year with the understanding that sometimes we must take a step back and re-examine our relationships to things to remember why it’s worth doing. One must never forget that we—me, you, and everyone we know—are all worth it. A Jewish proverb attributed to Pirkei Avot from the early common era (first and second centuries, CE) states: “you are not obligated to finish the work, but neither are you free to desist from it.”

[dandelionsresilience]

Dandelion News - February 8-14

(I’m finally starting to get better from having had pneumonia for 2+ weeks, hopefully next week’s news should be on time)

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

1. Solar-powered device captures carbon dioxide from air to make sustainable fuel

“[The] solar-powered reactor could be used to make fuel to power cars and planes[.… It] does not require fossil-fuel-based power, or the transport and storage of carbon dioxide, but instead converts atmospheric CO2 into something useful using sunlight.”

2. How artificial light can boost coral reef recovery

“UZELA is [an autonomous submersible] designed to attract zooplankton […] by emitting specific wavelengths of light. [… In a ”six-month testing period,” it] significantly increased local zooplankton density and boosted the feeding rates of both healthy and bleached coral.”

3. Next-gen solar cells now fully recyclable with water-based method

“The recycled solar cell has the same efficiency as the original one. The solar cell is made of perovskite and the main solvent is water. […] They are not only relatively inexpensive and easy to manufacture but also lightweight, flexible and transparent.”

4. Green walls cool cities and create urban habitats

“The researchers measured a cooling effect of up to 0.6–0.7 degrees Celsius [… which] could help combat the urban heat island phenomenon. […] The researchers [also] found that plant-covered facades hosted over 100 animal species, including insects, spiders, and birds.”

5. Major cause of honeybee mortality can be easily reduced

“If treatment occurs too soon, it may not fully eliminate the mites, allowing them to rebound before the season ends. […] Similar to antibiotic-resistant bacteria, mites that survive mistimed or improperly applied treatments become more resistant to future applications.”

6. Uganda community group restores shea groves and livelihoods

“As part of a larger effort to restore Uganda’s shea parklands, the cooperative has successfully rehabilitated more than 500 hectares (1,240 acres) of degraded land, integrating shea trees (Vitellaria paradoxa) and other native species with maize and sunflower crops.”

7. Senate Renews Commitment to the Great Lakes

“The [Act] represents the most significant federal investment in the health of the Great Lakes, addressing critical challenges such as pollution, invasive species, and habitat restoration. The Great Lakes […] hold 20 percent of the world’s surface freshwater[….]”

8. Earth Gets Its Largest Protected Tropical Forest Reserve

“The Kivu-Kinshasa Green Corridor will […] protect 108,000 square kilometres of primary forest and support 60 million people who depend on the forest for food, energy and jobs. […] Through this approach, the DRC is empowering local communities to protect the forest while fostering economic growth.”

9. Australia’s Rarest Bird of Prey Spotted in Central Australia After 30 Years

“Dr. Henderson’s finding is an encouraging sign of the health of the sanctuary’s ecosystems as well as the bird’s continued migration into new areas. This bird’s presence in the sanctuary is particularly significant as it is the first confirmed sighting in the region since the mid-1990s.”

10. Australian company wins contract to design “hydrogen ready” high speed ferry

“The ferry, the Horizon X, will have capacity for 1,650 passengers and 450 cars, and will be able to travel at a speed of up to 35 knots. […] The ship will also have a specially-designed propulsion system arrangement that repurposes exhaust from the engine to help propel the vessel, in theory reducing its emissions.”

February 1-7 news here | (all credit for images and written material can be found at the source linked; I don’t claim credit for anything but curating.)