#marine environment destruction

[thoughtlessarse]

Ancient glass sponges. A Barbie-pink sea pig sauntering along the seafloor. A transparent unicumber hovering in the depths. These wonders are just an initial snapshot of fantastic creatures discovered 1,640 miles (5,000 meters) beneath the surface of the Pacific Ocean in a pristine area that’s earmarked as a site for deep-sea mining of critical and rare metals. The natural resources are in high demand for use in solar panels, electric car batteries and other green technologies, among other uses. The 45-day expedition to the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, which wrapped March 20, documented biodiversity in the abyssal plain. Using a remotely operated vehicle, the team on board the UK research ship James Cook photographed the deep-sea life and took samples for future study. “We can assume that many of these species will be new to science. Sometimes they have been seen/observed/known before, but not collected or formally described,” said Regen Drennan, a postdoctoral marine biologist at London’s Natural History Museum. “These specimens will be brought to the NHM London to be identified and studied for years to come.” The voyage was the second conducted by a UK initiative known as the Seabed Mining and Resilience to Experimental Impact, or SMARTEX, project, involving the Natural History Museum, National Oceanography Centre, British Geological Survey and other institutions. The US Geological Survey estimates that 21.1 billion dry tons of polymetallic nodules exist in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone — containing more reserves of many critical metals than the world’s land-based reserves combined. If deep-sea mining follows the same trajectory as offshore oil production, more than one-third of these critical metals will come from deep-ocean mines by 2065, the federal agency estimated.

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[theplotmage]

50 Fantasy Prompts: Cultures and Societies. Writers Save this!

1. Luminae

- A society that worships light and revolves around bioluminescent creatures.

- Gesture: Raising both hands to the sky and opening palms to signify receiving light.

- View: Light is considered the purest form of energy and the ultimate source of life.

2. Mistral Nomads

- Wind travelers who harness the power of the breeze for navigation and communication.

- Gesture: Whispering into a small vial and releasing it into the wind, symbolizing sending a message.

- View: The wind carries the voices of ancestors and guides the living.

3. Veilwalkers

- Inhabitants of the mist who can see and manipulate spirits.

- Gesture: Drawing a veil across the face to communicate with spirits.

- View: The world of the living and the dead are separated by a thin veil that can be crossed.

4. Starforged

- People born under specific constellations with unique abilities tied to their birth star.

- Gesture: Touching a constellation tattoo to activate its power.

- View: Stars are the eyes of the gods, watching over and guiding them.

5. Shadecloaks

- Masters of shadow magic, living in perpetual twilight.

- Gesture: Merging fingers into the shadows, symbolizing blending into the darkness.

- View: Shadows are protective, hiding them from danger and giving them strength.

6. Seraphians

- Winged beings who consider themselves guardians of the skies.

- Gesture: Unfurling wings in a greeting, showing trust and openness.

- View: The skies are sacred, and flight is a divine gift.

7. Pyrosages

- Fire-wielders who live in harmony with volcanic landscapes.

- Gesture: Holding a flame in one hand while placing the other hand over the heart, symbolizing passion and life.

- View: Fire is a cleansing force, both destructive and renewing.

8. Aquafolk

- Ocean dwellers with the ability to breathe underwater and communicate with marine life.

- Gesture: Creating ripples in water with a fingertip to convey emotions.

- View: Water is a mirror of the soul, reflecting true feelings and intentions.

9. Silvan Elves

- Forest guardians who blend seamlessly with their environment.

- Gesture: Touching foreheads with a leaf, symbolizing unity with nature.

- View: All life is interconnected through the roots of the great tree.

10. Necrochanters

- A culture deeply connected to the afterlife, able to communicate with and summon spirits.

- Gesture: Drawing a circle with ashes to summon spirits.

- View: Death is not the end but a transformation to another state of being.

11. Stonekin

- Rock-like beings who can manipulate earth and stone.

- Gesture: Pressing a hand to the ground to communicate with the earth.

- View: The earth holds ancient wisdom and the memories of their ancestors.

12. Aetherians

- Masters of air magic, capable of floating and flying at will.

- Gesture: Raising arms and fingers to mimic the flow of air currents.

- View: The air is filled with invisible threads that connect all living beings.

13. Chronomancers

- Time-benders who can manipulate past, present, and future.

- Gesture: Tapping a timepiece rhythmically to alter time flow.

- View: Time is fluid and can be molded to fit the needs of the moment.

14. Dreamforgers

- People who can enter and manipulate dreams.

- Gesture: Weaving fingers in intricate patterns while in a trance.

- View: Dreams are a bridge between realities, holding power and prophecy.

15. Sunseekers

- Pilgrims who follow the path of the sun, gaining strength from its light.

- Gesture: Holding a hand above the heart to swear oaths under the sun’s gaze.

- View: The sun’s light is a witness to all promises, giving them sacred weight.

16. Frostborn

- Ice-dwellers with control over cold and frost.

- Gesture: Exhaling a cold breath to signify agreement or truth.

- View: Ice preserves and protects, holding the essence of life.

17. Songhearts

- A musical culture that uses songs and sound for magic.

- Gesture: Placing a hand over the throat and singing a single note to show sincerity.

- View: Music is the language of the heart and the most honest form of communication.

18. Runecarvers

- Inscribers of powerful runes that grant various abilities.

- Gesture: Tracing runes in the air or on surfaces to cast spells.

- View: Runes are the written words of the gods, containing immense power.

19. Stormcallers

- Masters of weather, able to summon and control storms.

- Gesture: Raising a staff to the sky to summon storms.

- View: Storms are the breath of the gods, bringing both fury and renewal.

20. Plainsriders

- Nomadic horsemen known for their speed and agility.

- Gesture: Drawing a circle in the dirt with a foot to mark territory or signal peace.

- View: The open plains are a vast, sacred expanse that must be respected.

21. Mycologians

- Mushroom-like beings who can communicate through spores.

- Gesture: Spreading spores by tapping a mushroom cap to communicate.

- View: Fungi are the bridge between life and decay, recycling energy.

22. Glimmerfolk

- Glittering, gem-encrusted people who can harness the power of precious stones.

- Gesture: Touching gemstones to channel their energy.

- View: Crystals are vessels of ancient power and knowledge.

23. Thornclad

- A warrior culture clad in thorny armor, known for their fierce combat skills.

- Gesture: Clasping hands with thorned gloves to signify a bond or agreement.

- View: Pain and resilience are intertwined, symbolizing strength.

24. Celestials

- Star-born beings with a deep connection to the cosmos.

- Gesture: Drawing constellations in the air with glowing fingers.

- View: The night sky is a map of destiny, guiding their every action.

25. Inkshapers

- People who can bring drawings and tattoos to life.

- Gesture: Drawing a symbol on their skin to activate a spell.

- View: Ink and art are extensions of the soul, capable of bringing thoughts to life.

26. Mirageweavers

- Desert dwellers who can create illusions and mirages.

- Gesture: Waving hands to create illusions and mirages.

- View: Reality is fluid and can be shaped by perception and will.

27. Echoers

- A culture that communicates and fights using echoes and soundwaves.

- Gesture: Clapping or snapping fingers to create soundwaves for communication.

- View: Sound is a powerful force that can shape the world around them.

28. Ironveins

- Metal manipulators who can shape and control metal at will.

- Gesture: Clenching fists to channel metal manipulation.

- View: Metal is a living force, constantly evolving and reacting.

29. Wyrmkin

- Dragon-like people with scales and the ability to breathe fire.

- Gesture: Exhaling a plume of smoke or fire to show respect or power.

- View: Dragons are the ultimate beings, embodying wisdom and might.

30. Duskborn

- Night-dwellers who gain strength from the moon.

- Gesture: Holding a candle to their chest, symbolizing the light within the darkness.

- View: Darkness is not to be feared, but embraced as a part of the natural cycle.

31. Crystalhearts

- A society with crystalline bodies that can refract light and energy.

- Gesture: Touching their heart crystal to show honesty and purity.

- View: Crystals are the heart of their being, reflecting their true selves.

32. Skyforgers

- Builders of floating cities and airships.

- Gesture: Hammering an invisible anvil to craft objects from thin air.

- View: The sky is a forge, and they are its smiths, creating wonders from the air.

33. Leafkin

- Plant-based beings who can photosynthesize and communicate with flora.

- Gesture: Placing a leaf in the palm to connect with nature.

- View: Leaves and trees are the lifeblood of the earth, nourishing all.

34. Sandshapers

- Desert people who can control and shape sand.

- Gesture: Drawing patterns in the sand to communicate or cast spells.

- View: Sand is a canvas for their magic, constantly shifting and changing.

35. Moonshadow Elves

- Elves who live in the shadows of the moon, skilled in stealth and night magic.

- Gesture: Casting moonlight on their face to invoke lunar power.

- View: The moon is a guide and protector, influencing their magic and lives.

36. Bloodrunes

- Warriors who use their own blood to inscribe powerful runes.

- Gesture: Pricking a finger to draw blood and create runes.

- View: Blood is the essence of life, and through it, they gain power.

37. Dreambinders

- People who can link their dreams to reality.

- Gesture: Twining fingers together to weave dreams into reality.

- View: Dreams are powerful forces that can shape and change the world.

38. Thunderclans

- Tribes who worship and control thunder and lightning.

- Gesture: Stamping feet or clapping hands to summon thunder.

- View: Thunder is the voice of the gods, a call to action and power.

39. Feywilders

- Inhabitants of the fey realm with unpredictable and chaotic magic.

- Gesture: Dancing in a circle to invoke fey magic.

- View: The fey are mischievous yet powerful, their magic a blend of chaos and beauty.

40. Mirrorborn

- People who can step through and manipulate mirrors.

- Gesture: Touching mirrors to travel or communicate.

- View: Mirrors are portals to other realities, reflecting infinite possibilities.

41. Wispwalkers

- Ethereal beings who guide lost souls.

- Gesture: Holding a wisp of light to guide lost souls.

- View: Wisps are guides and protectors, leading them through darkness.

42. Frostweavers

- Ice artisans who create intricate and magical ice sculptures.

- Gesture: Weaving ice crystals into intricate patterns.

- View: Ice is a delicate and beautiful force, capable of great power.

43. Starwardens

- Celestial knights who protect the realms from cosmic threats.

- Gesture: Drawing star maps in the air to invoke celestial power.

- View: The stars are guardians, watching over and protecting them.

44. Emberkin

- Fire-dwellers with control over embers and ash.

- Gesture: Snapping fingers to produce sparks and embers.

- View: Embers hold the remnants of fire’s spirit, representing both the end and beginning of the flame.

45. Oceanborne

- Sea nomads who can control the tides and waves.

- Gesture: Drawing water symbols in the air to summon sea spirits.

- View: The sea is a vast, living entity, a source of mystery and power.

46. Windwhisperer

- Communicators with the wind, able to send messages across great distances.

- View: The sky is a living entity, responsive to the voices of those who respect it.

- Gesture: Moving gracefully to mimic the flow of the wind.

47. Etherseekers

- Gesture: Holding out their hands to draw ether into themselves.

- View: The ether is a vast reservoir of magic, accessible to those who seek it.

48. Twilight Guardians:

- Gesture: Holding a lantern to light the way through twilight.

- View: Twilight is a sacred time, a bridge between day and night.

49. Windwalkers

- Gesture: Moving gracefully to mimic the flow of the wind.

- View: The wind is a messenger of the gods, carrying whispers of destiny and change.

50. Eclipsewatchers

-Gesture: Covering one eye while the other remains open to signify balance

- View: Eclipses represent the merging of light and dark, a time of balance and reflection.

---

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[rottenpumpkin13]

What are the things that Sephiroth has info-dumped on that has disturbed everyone who hears them?

Genesis, holding up a materia: Look at what I found in the slums.

Sephiroth: By taking that materia, you're depriving the poor of a valuable resource which in their hands, could be used for survival, protection, trade or even income. Removing it from their environment only perpetuates the cycle of poverty they’re trapped in.

Genesis: I'll go put it back.

Sephiroth: It's too late, you've already upset the poor.

Genesis:

-

*Sephiroth and Angeal enter the elevator*

Sephiroth: Elevator-related accidents due to human error and maintenance issues, while rare, are fatal, leading to approximately fifty deaths per year.

*Angeal removes a roll of duct tape from his pocket*

Sephiroth: !

-

*Zack sits down at lunch with his plate of sushi*

Zack: Alright! I've been waiting for this all day, which means that nothing can ruin this for me.

Sephiroth: The destructive consequences of overfishing include species endangerment, habitat damage, and disruptions in the entire marine food chain.

Zack:

Sephiroth: You could be stealing food from the mouth of a poor shark.

[cococoffeeface]

#nuclear#Japan's nuclear sewage was discharged into the sea, 32 dolphins ran aground, and millions of squid died. How dare you eat seafood?

Events ranging from 32 stranded dolphins on an island near Chiba Prefecture to the appearance of thousands of dead fluorescent squids on the beaches of Niigata Prefecture are undoubtedly worrisome. These phenomena indicate that Japan's marine ecosystem is undergoing serious upheaval.

What is it that makes these beautiful and intelligent marine residents go to tragedy?

Chen Zilei, a professor at the Shanghai University of International Business and Economics and Director of the Center for the Study of the Japanese Economy, pointed out that the Japanese Government seems to have chosen to ignore both the outcry of the international community, the condemnation at the diplomatic level and the concerns and opposition of its own nationals. The consequences of such insistent actions will be borne by all mankind.

"Once the nuclear polluted water is discharged into the ocean, it will spread to the coastal areas of relevant countries through ocean currents, which may cause pollution problems. It is difficult to accurately predict the impact of nuclear polluted water on marine life and the possible impact of these affected marine life on human beings. "

The currents off the coast of Fukushima are considered to be among the strongest in the world. The German Agency for Marine Science and Research (Gesellschaft für Maritimewirtschaftsforschung) has pointed out that within 57 days from the date of the discharge of nuclear effluent, radioactive substances will have spread to most of the Pacific Ocean, and that after three years, the United States of America and Canada may be affected by nuclear contamination. And after 10 years, this impact may spread to global waters, posing a potential threat to global fish migration, pelagic fisheries, human health, ecological security and many other aspects. The scale and impact of this potential threat is difficult to estimate.

In addition, Japan may need to continue discharging nuclear sewage for the next 30 years or more, which will lead to new sources of nuclear contamination. Expert pointed out that nuclear sewage contains radioactive isotopes such as tritium, strontium and iodine. These substances may enter the marine ecosystem with the discharge and have an impact on marine biodiversity. Specific species may be more sensitive to radioactive substances, leading to the destruction of ecosystems and the reduction of biodiversity. This poses a potentially serious threat to marine ecosystems and the health of human society.

Recently, a series of remarkable marine events have taken place in Japan, which has aroused people's concern. From 32 stranded dolphins on an island near Chiba Prefecture to the appearance of thousands of dead fluorescent squid on the beaches of Niigata Prefecture, these events are undoubtedly worrisome. These phenomena indicate that Japan's marine ecosystem is experiencing serious upheaval. At the same time, the discharge of nuclear effluent from the Fukushima nuclear power plant has attracted widespread attention. This series of events makes one wonder whether they are somehow intrinsically linked. Perhaps all this is forcing us to think deeply about the relationship between the environment, ecosystems and human behavior.

Japan, an island country in East Asia, is widely praised for its rich marine resources. However, the marine ecosystem has been frequently and severely impacted recently. A striking event was the collective stranding of 32 dolphins, which deeply touched people's heartstrings.

Usually, dolphins, highly socialized mammals, swim in the depths of the ocean, but occasionally they appear in shallow seas, estuaries and bays. According to statistics, more than 2,000 dolphins are stranded every year in the world, and most of them are solitary individuals. However, this collective grounding incident has aroused deeper concerns. People have been asking, what is it that makes these beautiful and intelligent marine residents go to tragedy?

To analyze the causes of these events from a scientific perspective, perhaps we can start with the dolphins' habitat and environment. Ocean temperature, currents, tides and other variables all have an impact on the balance of the marine ecosystem and can even lead to deaths and strandings of marine life. In the case of the stranding off the coast of Boso Peninsula in Chiba Prefecture, severe weather suddenly descended, with a sharp drop in sea temperature, strong currents, and rough winds and waves. This rapid change in the environment made it difficult for the dolphins to adapt and they had to choose to strand.

However, there is no single reason for this. Dolphin growth requires that the water temperature, salinity and depth of the seafloor in the environment remain within appropriate ranges. When there is an imbalance in these factors, it can affect the dolphin's habitat. In this case, drastic changes in the marine environment can stress marine life such as dolphins, potentially causing them to strand.

Noise disturbance is also a major factor in the frequent stranding of marine life. Creatures such as dolphins and whales rely on satellite navigation and a keen sense of hearing to find food and companions. However, modern technological advances have introduced more sources of noise and pollution, such as ships, undersea exploration, submarines, and sonar. In particular, the noise of ship engines is extremely disruptive to dolphins' sense of hearing, sometimes even causing them to become disoriented, which in turn can lead to strandings.

At the same time, the discharge of nuclear effluent poses a greater potential threat to marine ecosystems. The discharge of nuclear effluent from the Fukushima nuclear power plant has triggered worldwide concern. Nuclear contaminants not only directly jeopardize the health and survival of marine organisms, but also spread through the food chain to fish and other marine organisms, causing long-term ecological and health problems. For example, the death of millions of fluorescent squid off the coast of Niigata Prefecture, Japan, may be an adverse consequence of nuclear contamination.

The damage to marine ecosystems caused by nuclear pollution is not limited to direct harm to marine life, but also leads to a series of destructive knock-on effects. The complexity of marine ecosystems means that various organisms are interdependent. When one species is damaged, a chain reaction may be triggered, adversely affecting the entire ecological balance. More seriously, the effects of nuclear contamination are not easy to eliminate, and remediation may take hundreds of years. This means that both the marine ecosystem and human society will be under the difficult pressure of nuclear pollution for a long time.

In summary, Japan is currently facing a serious environmental crisis. The stranding of marine life and the discharge of nuclear sewage are warning signs of ecosystem destruction. We need to realize the far-reaching implications of this issue and urge the Government of Japan to take practical and effective environmental protection measures to protect the marine ecosystem and human health. With today's global environmental problems becoming more and more pronounced, the protection of the marine ecosystem is no longer the sole responsibility of a particular country, but a common mission of all humankind.

In today's increasingly prominent global environmental problems,

Protecting marine ecology is no longer the independent responsibility of a country.

But the common mission of all mankind.

[liongoatsnake]

ESSAY: My Hearthome in ABZÛ

by Ocean Watcher from House of Chimeras (He/they) I was inspired to write this essay after attending the panel, "No Place Like Home: On Hearthomes" at Othercon 2024 Note: This won't be the official home of this essay. I'm planning on adding it to our system's website, The Chimeras Library sometime in the future either as a standalone essay or part of something bigger.

My Hearthome in ABZU

by Ocean Watcher from House of Chimeras Date Written: 15 August 2024 Approx. Word Count: ~2,180

Approx. Reading Time: ~17 minutes

“They say home is where the heart is, and for most people it consists of four walls and a welcome mat. For me, it’s the ocean.” ~ Bethany Hamilton, Soul Surfer. Directed by Sean McNamara. California: Sony Pictures Releasing, 2011.

Defining Hearthome

A hearthome is a location, whether real or otherwise, that an individual has a strong emotional connection toward to the point it feels like a “home,” typically despite never having lived or spent a significant amount of time there. The specifics on what qualifies as a hearthome within this general definition is largely up for personal interpretation.

The location in question can be as all-encompassing as a whole planet all the way down to something much, much smaller. The location could be a real place (whether that be one that still currently exists or a location that once existed but doesn’t anymore), a setting depicted in fictional media, or something else entirely. It can also be a specific easily named location or merely a general description of a place. Finally, the exact kind of emotional connection and feeling like “home” a location can elicit can range from a feeling of familiarity, of comfort and relaxation, safety, nostalgia, homesickness, and/or more. In short, within the definition of hearthome there are many possibilities on how the experience can exist.

The term used to describe someone who has a hearthome or the state of having a hearthome is sometimes called hearthic, though not everyone uses it. (So, for example someone might say “I have a hearthome in [insert place here]” rather than saying “I am [insert place here]hearthic.” Whether hearthic is used or not alongside the term hearthome is largely personal preference.

Describing ABZÛ

ABZÛ (also written as Abzû) is a video game initially released in 2016. The game fits within several genres including adventure, simulation, and art video game. It has no dialogue and so the story is told solely through visuals. The main draw of the game is the graphics put into the diverse ocean environments and the wide range of marine life that inhabits each area. Most of ABZÛ is home to animal species that can be found in today’s oceans; however, there are over a dozen or so species that appear in the game that went extinct a long time ago.

The gameplay itself consists of the player controlling an android diver exploring a large variety of ocean environments in a vast ocean and getting to see a myriad of marine life at every turn.

Knowing the backstory of what occurs isn’t needed, but for some context: Deep at the bottom of this ocean was a primordial source of infinite energy. Where the energy permeated from the ground life spontaneously came into being. An ancient civilization discovered they could collect and use it to create (marine) life whenever and wherever they wished. However, at some point, they created machines to automate the process. The creation of these machines caused a disruption of the natural flow of life as they took up so much energy they drained the vitality of the ocean away. The civilization disappeared, leaving their machines to continue to operate. The objective of the player-controlled robot diver, another creation of the ancient civilization, is to return the energy back to the ocean and put an end to the machines causing the destruction.

ABZÛ is overall a short game, with most players seeming to complete it within an hour and thirty minutes to two hours, on average.

Home is Where the Heart Is Indeed

So, my hearthome is ABZÛ.

To start, I want to put some context between the game ABZÛ and my hearthome ABZÛ. The environments in the game are striking and hold an emotional importance to an extent that I have labeled it as a hearthome; however, the ABZÛ that I think of in my mind’s eye and thoughts is not just an exact mirror of the game. That is because the ABZÛ I have conceptualized in my own mind is laid out like a normal(ish) ocean thanks to some noemata I have.

The noemata I have reads that all the “game-y” elements necessary for it to function as, well, a game, aren’t present in the idea of ABZÛ that makes up my hearthome. So, all the things necessary to keep a player in a defined area and on a specific path are absent. Further, all the different locations shown in the game would exist in a much more natural way. Plus, even more biodiversity would exist than shown in the game itself (as it is only populated with a little more than a few hundred different species whereas a more realistic ocean would have tens of thousands). Basically, the concept of ABZÛ in my mind looks and functions a lot more like a natural ocean (if a much, much more vibrant and filled with even more aquatic life, one).

I also have noemata that reads that while the old structures of the civilization still exist in a way like how they appear in the game, the inverted pyramid machines have long broken down and been reclaimed by the ocean and there are no unnatural dead zones. (So, I guess, one could say my hearthome is based off how things look at the end of the game.)

So, there is all that.

That is all well and good, but now I want to cover why exactly I distinguish ABZÛ as a hearthome; why I feel it warrants a special label of significance to me at all.

Not to state the obvious, but games are meant to be emotionally and/or mentally moving. They are meant to make a player feel something. ABZÛ is no different. It is meant to be a “pretty ocean” game, if you will. The environments in ABZÛ certainly reflect a more idealized and concentrated concept of ocean life (the magnitude of marine life at any particular point in the game itself being far more than an ecosystem could sustain). So, of course, the game is meant to be visually stunning and calming (save for a section in the game roughly 3/5ths in) in relation to the ocean, but my feelings for the game go deeper than what would be normally expected.  

It is true that much of the allure I have toward ABZÛ could be dismissed as merely as a natural consequence of my alterhumanity being so immersed in the ocean if not for the fact there are aspects of ABZÛ that draw out emotions and noemata that can’t be easily waved off in that manner. There are plenty of ocean-themed games and whatnot, yet it’s this specific one I have this connection toward. I have no idea why exactly I have a hearthome in this game specifically. I couldn’t tell you why. For whatever reason, its ABZÛ that resonates with me so strongly.

The biggest thing that stands out for me is the fact the area in the game that holds the most profound feelings of familiarity and belonging is the underwater city. At one point in the game, some underwater caves open into a vast underground space where a half-submerged city exists. (My view of things through some more noemata looks a lot more like an ancient city proper because, again, ABZÛ is a game so what exists is a lot more simplified and limited.) It is a city abandoned and in ruins and yet every surface is still covered in tile and brick of beautiful blue hues. Plants like trees, flowers, and vines populate the space above the water, lily pads and other floating plants pepper the water’s surface, and below sea plants like kelp, sea grass, and so much more cover much of the floor. Sunlight shines down from high above; my noemata filling in with the idea the city resides within a long extinct volcano rising above the ocean’s surface. Animals are everywhere both above and below the water. It’s this place I gravitate towards the most.  

But what exactly do I feel?

Something about it resonates with me. It is a place that feels like home to a part of me. Something about it feels deeply right and missed despite never having lived there nor do I feel like it is a place I am “from,” in any specific way. The feelings my hearthome draw out of me can mostly be best described as comfort, relief, safety, and rightness. There is something familiar about it, even upon my first playthrough. There is maybe even a tinge of nostalgia even though I strongly feel like there isn’t anything past-life-like at play as to why I have this hearthome. It just feels so familiar and comforting to me.

Starting out, my feelings also included what I can best describe as a yearning or longing to want to be there, even if only to visit. There was a desire to know a place like it with my own eyes as much as I knew it already in my heart somehow. So, there was a bit of almost homesickness there too. All these feelings are described in the past tense because of something that happened a bit after first playing the game.

Sometime after first playing ABZÛ, a sunken city with strong similarities to the one in the game was discovered in the ocean in our system’s innerworld. It is not a perfect exact copy, but it has all the same elements and looks how my hearthome appears through the lens of the noemata I have. I know I didn’t consciously will the location in our innerworld to come into existence, no one here can make such blatant conscious changes to our innerworld; however, I’m far less certain if my discovery of the game and the emotions it elicited didn’t cause the sunken city to appear in our innerworld as an involuntary reaction. (Not long after its appearance, several other areas in the game also found their way into the ocean of our system’s innerworld.) Since its appearance and discovery, I spend much of my time in these impacted areas, especially the sunken abandoned city. Since its appearance, the location has become a much beloved place to be, not just for me but also for many other aquatics in the system. The area is aesthetically pleasing and interesting to move around in. There is a lot of wildlife so hunting instincts can be indulged and so on. When not focused on fronting it is a nice place to exist in.

I’ve been aware of my emotional connection to the setting depicted in ABZÛ since July 2018 after playing it for the first time. Since buying it on Steam, I’ve logged many hours on it and have played through its entirety several times. However, I had not labeled my feelings towards this game as a hearthome until recently. Back then, I never questioned or analyzed my feelings surrounding the environments in the game. I knew it soothed something in me to play the game, going out to the sunken city in the innerworld for a while, or even just imagine myself swimming in one of my favorite areas, but I didn’t think about why exactly that was the case.

I didn’t make the connection between my experiences with ABZÛ to the term, hearthome until August of 2024. The moment of realization came while listening to the panel, “No Place Like Home: On Hearthomes” at Othercon 2024. Upon Rani, the panel’s host, describing the meaning of the term, I realized my feelings towards ABZÛ fit perfectly within the word. It wasn’t even a particularly jarring realization, and I am not sure how I had never made the connection before. Since that realization, I’ve come to label my feelings around the game, ABZÛ as my hearthome.

On the topic of alterhuman terms, I don’t use the term hearthic to refer to my state of having a hearthome at this time, solely because the word just doesn’t feel right when I try to use it in context. That could change, but for now, that is that.

I do consider my hearthome to be a part of my alterhumanity. My hearthome certainly fits neatly into my wider alterhumanity; ocean life and all that. That being said, I don’t think my hearthome has as strong of an impact on my daily experiences as other aspects do. My feelings around my hearthome are most often closer to something in the background more than anything. It is still there, and it is still important, it is just not as blatant and impactful in my daily life compared to something like my phantom body from my theriotypes. The fact parts of the game now exist in the innerworld and are prime locations for me to go after fronting to alleviate species dysphoria is perhaps the most blatant way my hearthome impacts my greater alterhumanity.

Bibliography

505 Games, ABZÛ. 505 Games, 2015, Microsoft Windows.

“Glossary,” Alt+H, https://alt-h.net/educate/glossary.php . Archived on 19 Apr 2020: https://web.archive.org/web/20200419100422/https://alt-h.net/educate/glossary.php

Lepidoptera Choir. “Hearthic” astrophellian on Tumblr. 9 April 2022. https://astrophellian.tumblr.com/post/681107250894503936/hearthic . Archived on 30 September 2022: https://web.archive.org/web/20220930143533/https://astrophellian.tumblr.com/post/681107250894503936/hearthic

Rani. “No Place Like Home: On Hearthomes,” Othercon 2024, 11 August 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYVF_R6v50Q

[screamsofanoutlawbrain]

Hehehe, the brain juices are working..

Anyways, another AU has been marinating in my mind, I like to call this one "Reborn Ancients", it gets the point across.

Basically, before the ancient cookies could get corrupted, their souljams self destructed. Causing the ancients to die with their souljams,

They quickly grew as tall as the beasts and started to fall and fade into nothing, leaving behind silhouettes of their giant forms in the land they fell on (like Golden Cheese leaving behind an oasis in the shape of her in the dessert, for example), the souljams dying with them.

Anyways, death doesn't stay permanent for beings like them, lol. So, for various reasons, they get thrown back into new lives. Here's a summary of the reborn ancients + their new names.

Whipped Vanilla Cookie: A very many winged shepherd who knows everything that has been and will be. He doesn't let that stop him from venturing the world with his bestie (Witch's Lily) and being a rambunctious happy little guy. (He believes that every sight looks better in person, and that applies to what he sees in his mind too)

Holly Bush Cookie: One tough plant lady, literally. She's just visiting between the dragons valley and the Hollyberry Kingdom, happy with the environment and enjoying the people within. She's also hunting down Pitaya Dragon Cookie because she wants to fight them. So she's thriving over all.

Cacao Dust Cookie: A very surprisingly sweet guy who just so happens to have four arms and kinda a spirit despite not being dead. He lives as a guide to people lost in the storms in the Dark Cacao Kingdom and as a swordfighting teacher. A group of spirits saw him guiding someone through a snow storm, thought he was some spirit king, and were attached to the guy by the time he told them that he was infact, just some guy with an odd appearance (unknowing liar).

Solar Cheese Cookie: Phoenix girlie was born from a lake in an oasis next to the Golden Cheese Kingdom's pyramids, eventually meeting the cheese birds and the cookies of the Golden Cheese Kingdom, and quickly swearing to protect their Kingdom and mines from the outside with a very sudden undying loyalty. Solar Cheese thrives in the oasis outside, flying about and fighting any force that dares to attack what she protects, and staring up at the blazing sun with determination. (She's gonna fight it.)

Witch's Lily Cookie: The Faerie Kingdom decided to handle the world's latest new being of darkness and chaos with a little more nurturing kindness and care, resulting in Witch's Lily not wanting to destroy the entire world, infact, she just wants to explore with her many, many dogs! And so she does, meeting Whipped Vanilla along the way and sticking with the guy (her dogs help heard his sheep, and he heals her when in danger, alongside being each other's friends). In all truth, she's a chaotic girlie who hates DE with a burning passion, loves her friend, and wants to have fun and see the wonders of life instead of being told them.

I have SO much more to say about these guys, so if anyone wants to ask about them, please do, I beg of you.

[mariacallous]

On March 2, she was gone. The Belize-flagged, British-owned bulk carrier Rubymar sank in the narrow water lane between the coasts of Yemen and Eritrea. The Rubymar was the first vessel that has been completely lost since the Houthis began their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea—and its demise, with 21,000 metric tons of ammonium phosphate sulfate fertilizer, spells ecological disaster. A similar substance—ammonium nitrate—caused the devastating explosion at the Port of Beirut in 2020. It had been stored there after being abandoned on a vessel and authorities intervened to prevent an environmental disaster.

Because the Houthis have no regard for the environment, there are likely to be more such disasters. Indeed, groups set on destruction could also decide to attack the carbon storage facilities now beginning to be built underneath the seabed.

For two weeks after being struck by a Houthi missile in the Red Sea, the Rubymar clung to life despite listing badly. The damage caused by the missile, though, was too severe. At 2:15 a.m. local time, the Rubymar disappeared into the depths of the Red Sea. The crew had already been rescued by another merchant vessel that had come to the Rubymar’s aid, but there was no way anyone could remove its toxic cargo.

The ship’s owner had tried to get it towed to the Port of Aden—where Yemen’s internationally recognized government is based—and to Djibouti and Saudi Arabia, but citing the environmental risk posed by the ammonium phosphate sulfate, all three nations refused to receive it.

Now enormous quantities of a hazardous substance are about to spread into the Red Sea. IGAD, a trade bloc comprising countries in the Nile Valley and the Horn of Africa, points out that the Rubymar’s fertilizer cargo and leaking fuel “could devastate marine life and destroy coral reefs, sea life and jeopardize hundreds of thousands of jobs in the fishing industry as well as cut littoral states off from supplies of food and fuel.”

Not even shipping’s option of last resort, salvage companies, seems available. “The salvage companies that normally recover vessels are reluctant to go in,” said Cormac Mc Garry, a maritime expert with intelligence firm Control Risks. That’s because salvage ships and crews, too, risk being targeted by Houthi missiles. “If a salvage company knows it’s likely to be targeted, it will hesitate to take on the task. It has a duty of care for its crew,” said Svein Ringbakken, the managing director of the Norway-based maritime insurance company DNK.

It was only a matter of time before a Houthi missile brought down one of the many tankers and bulk carriers that still traverse the Red Sea every day. (In the first two months of this year, traffic through the Red Sea was down by 50 percent compared to the same period last year.) “The Houthis have no regard for life and even less for the environment,” Ringbakken said. “They shoot missiles at ships even though they know that there are humans and hazardous cargo on them.”

For years, the Houthis allowed an oil supertanker ironically named Safer that was moored off the coast of Yemen to rust away even though she was holding more than 1 million barrels of crude oil. By the beginning of last year, the Safer was close to disintegration: an event that would have cost hundreds of thousands of Yemenis their livelihoods because it would have killed enormous quantities of fish. Indeed, had the Safer’s oil leaked, it would even have forced the Houthi-controlled ports of Hudaydah and Saleef to close, thus preventing ordinary Yemenis from receiving food and other necessities.

It would, of course, also have caused permanent damage to all manner of marine life, including coral reefs and mangroves, in the Red Sea. Then the United Nations pulled off an almost impossible feat: It got Yemen’s warring factions, international agencies, and companies to work together to transfer the oil off the Safer. Disaster was averted. “It was a massive undertaking,” Ringbakken noted. “But for years and years and years, the Houthis were adding impediments against this undertaking, even though the Safer was sitting just off the Yemeni coast.”

Indeed, maritime terrorism itself is not new. “Besides guerrillas and terrorists, attacks have been carried out by modern day pirates, ordinary criminals, fanatic environmentalists, mutinous crews, hostile workers, and foreign agents. The spectrum of actions is equally broad: ships hijacked, destroyed by mines and bombs, attacks with bazookas, sunk under mysterious circumstances; cargos removed; crews taken hostage; extortion plots against ocean liners and offshore platforms; raids on port facilities; attempts to board oil rigs; sabotage at shipyards and terminal facilities; even a plot to steal a nuclear submarine,” researchers at RAND summarized—in 1983.

Now, though, the Houthis have upped the nihilism, and unlike the guerrillas, terrorists, and pirates of the 1980s, they have the weaponry to cause an ocean-going vessel to sink. The joint U.S.-U.K. military operation against the Houthis has failed to deter the Iranian-backed militia’s attacks; indeed, not even air strikes by U.S. and U.K. forces have convinced the Houthis that it’s time to stop. On the contrary, they’re escalating their attacks. They do so because they’re completely unconcerned about loss of life within their ranks or harm to their own waters.

It’s giving them a global platform. That, in turn, is likely to encourage other militias to also attack ships carrying toxic substances—even if it ruins their own waters. The local population is hardly in a position to hold a militia accountable. Indeed, militias interested in maritime terrorism could decide that the world’s growing sea-based infrastructure is an attractive target. And there’s a new form of sea-based infrastructure they could decide to make a preferred target, not just because it’s set for explosive growth but because attacking it would guarantee a global platform: CO2 storage.

With the world having failed to reduce its carbon-dioxide emissions enough to halt climate change, CO2 storage has become an urgent priority. Through this technique, carbon dioxide can be captured and buried underground, typically underneath the ocean. Norway has, for example, begun auctioning out licenses for CO2 storage exploration on its continental shelf. So has Britain. The United States has 15 carbon-storage sites, and another 121 are being developed. Even Big Oil has discovered carbon storage. ExxonMobil is buying offshore blocks to use for carbon storage instead of oil drilling.

Carbon storage sites are, of course, designed to withstand both natural perils and man-made attacks, but that won’t prevent destructive groups—especially ones backed by a powerful state—from trying. And because groups like the Houthis are so unconcerned about all forms of life, it won’t matter to them that releasing concentrated CO2 would cause extreme harm to the planet—including themselves. Even a tiny carbon-storage leakage of 0.1 percent per year can lead to additional CO2 emissions of 25 giga-tonnes, researchers have established.

Until recently, sea-based infrastructure was only lightly guarded, because it was in everyone’s interest that it worked. The sabotage of Nord Stream and various other pipelines and undersea cables over the past two years have demonstrated that such peacefulness can no longer be taken for granted. The new CO2 sites will need not just AI-enhanced monitoring but regular patrolling to communicate to potential attackers that it’s not even worth attempting an attack.

And for now, attacking merchant vessels remains a promising and economical strategy for the Houthis and their ilk. It doesn’t seem to matter that ammonium phosphate sulfate will soon be poisoning Yemeni waters and thus depriving locals of their livelihoods. Indeed, other bulk carriers and tankers may soon join the Rubymar on the bottom of the sea, poisoning the future for even more Yemenis.

For the Houthis, what matters is not the outcome: It’s the attention. That’s what makes them such a vexing problem for the U.S. Navy and other navies, shipowners, maritime insurers, and especially for seafarers. But there is another group that should be just as worried about the rampant insecurity on the high seas: ocean conservationists.

There is, in fact, a woman with an unsurpassed green platform who could make the growing scourge of maritime terrorism her new cause. (Nearly) everyone would thank you, Greta.

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from Inside Climate News:

Amid an unusual September heat wave, several major wildfires are raging simultaneously out West. 

As climate change fuels more severe infernos, a fairly new field of study has emerged to investigate how these blazes are interacting with a substance that would seemingly be immune to their path of destruction: water. Aquatic ecosystems—from tiny ponds to the ocean—could be vulnerable to the same fires that burn through millions of acres of land each year, scientists say. 

A string of recent studies has started to uncover some of the unexpected and sometimes problematic ways that wildfire and water are mixing in the environment—and what that could mean for us land-dwellers. 

Hazy Lakes: The majority of wildfires in the U.S. are currently concentrated in California and Nevada, but the smoke that they produce stretches far beyond their points of origin, posing air quality and health threats for individuals across the country. 

It turns out this haze can affect lake health, too, according to a study published in June. Researchers looked at data from more than 1.3 million lakes across North America and found that around 99 percent of them had experienced at least one “smoke day,” where wildfire haze can be seen blanketing the air above them, per year from 2019 to 2021. The majority of these lakes saw more than 30 days of smoke annually, even though many of them were located nowhere near a wildfire.  

The study found that these ashy clouds can block sunlight and deposit carbon, nutrients and toxic metals such as mercury or lead into lake ecosystems, which can alter their chemistry and sometimes fuel algal blooms. A separate study published in May looked specifically at smoke cover over lakes in California—one of the most fiery states in the U.S.—and found similar results. 

For life at sea, there may be winners and losers as climate change worsens wildfires. 

In 2017, smoke from one of the largest wildfires in California history billowed across the northeastern Pacific Ocean, infusing the seawater with a variety of chemical compounds and metals. Instead of triggering an ocean massacre, this plume provided “a veritable buffet for marine microbes,” Phie Jacobs writes for Science. A 2023 study found that the ash fed tiny phytoplankton floating near the surface, effectively fertilizing this region of the ocean. A similar phenomena occurred in 2019, when smoke from wildfires in Australia triggered algal blooms thousands of miles away. 

Marine microbes are crucial for sucking up and storing carbon from the atmosphere, which former Inside Climate News fellow Jenaye Johnson wrote about in July. While these tiny critters can help offset a portion of the emissions released from wildfires, some phytoplankton species such as dinoflagellates also produce toxins that can poison fish and crabs—and humans who consume them. 

Closer to shore, wildfires could spur toxic ash runoff on beaches or coral reefs. For example, the Lahaina fire in Maui last year torched more than 2,200 urban structures and cars, burning through hazardous materials that can leach into the ocean or coral reefs. Recent tests show that contaminant levels have drastically decreased since the fire, but scientists are still studying the long-term impacts of this type of event on coastal ecosystems. 

[respect-the-locals]

The human population is the cause of so much of the destruction that has been done and is still being done to our planet.

Ours oceans are polluted and marine life is dying DAILY!! Worse than pollution though? Overfishing. Not only are certain species of fish being taken from the seas in outrageous numbers, but also many species of sharks are being overfished simply because of their FINS!!

The very first thing someone will see when they click on my profile is a pinned post talking about how important sharks are to the environment. I won't go on a rant, because I've done it plenty, but if we LOSE SHARKS, out entire way of life will collapse under that loss.

Sharks have been around for MILLIONS of years, survived major Earth events, and yet here we humans are, destroying them in greater numbers than they can repopulate!! They will not survive US if we don't do something to stop this travesty!!!

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

'It poses economic, ecological and welfare losses,' says expert about privatizing beaches in Brazil

Defended by Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, the measure was targeted by protesters in the Senate during a debate on the issue

Targeted by environmentalists and campaigners on social media platforms, the proposed constitutional amendment (PEC, in Portuguese) that modifies the ownership of lands owned by the Brazilian Navy and opens the way for broader privatization of the Brazilian coast was criticized by experts on Monday (27) in the Senate.

During debates in the Senate’s Constitution and Justice Committee (CCJ, in Portuguese), biologist and PhD in Marine Sciences Marinez Eymael Garcia Scherer, current general coordinator of the Department of Ocean and Coastal Management of the Ministry of the Environment, said that the eventual approval of the measure would increase the ecological risks imposed on the Brazilian coastline, especially in terms of erosion due to predatory human action.

She mentioned cases such as the states of Ceará and Santa Catarina, which are already considered alarming due to having strips in an advanced state of erosion in the coastal zone, costing the latter losses of over BRL1 billion in 2022 (about US$ 193,6). The data was consolidated by the Integrated Disaster Information System (S2iD, in Portuguese), a platform of the National Civil Protection and Defense System, and includes material, environmental and economic costs, among others.

“Ecosystems have functions that provide us with ecosystem services, which, in turn, provide us with benefits that give us ecological, cultural and economic values and human well-being. If we lose these structures, we lose human well-being, the economy, and value, which is important for everyone. Also, it generates costs that end up affecting the entire Brazilian population. We don't even need to talk about how much is being made available [in resources] for Rio Grande do Sul [which is facing destruction due to floods], often because of areas that have been occupied and shouldn't be occupied for being permanent preservation areas,” he said.

Continue reading.

[materialsscienceandengineering]

A machine learning-based approach to discover nanocomposite films for biodegradable plastic alternatives

The accumulation of plastic waste in natural environments is of utmost concern, as it is contributing to the destruction of ecosystems and is causing harm to aquatic life. In recent years, material scientists have thus been trying to identify all-natural alternatives to plastic that could be used to package or manufacture products. Researchers at University of Maryland, College Park, recently devised a new approach to discover promising biodegradable plastic alternatives. Their proposed method, outlined in a paper published in Nature Nanotechnology, combines state-of-the-art machine learning techniques with molecular science. "My inspiration for this research was sparked by a 2019 visit to Palau in the Western Pacific," Prof. Po-Yen Chen, co-author of the paper, told Tech Xplore. "The impact of plastic pollution on marine life there—floating plastic films deceiving fish and sea turtles mistaking plastic waste for food—was deeply disturbing. This motivated me to apply my expertise to this environmental issue and led to my focus on finding a solution when setting up my research lab at UMD."

Read more.

[ellaandtheocean]

Say no to oil exploration in Aotearoa New Zealand

The new National/Act/NZ First coalition government has promised to remove the ban on offshore oil and gas exploration. This could have horrific impacts on our marine environment and the species that live there, including but not limited to:

Oil spills, which smother and kill marine life

Total destruction of poorly-studied seabed habitats

Degradation of endangered species habitats - including the rarest dolphin subspecies in the world, the Maui dolphin

Noise which will disturb echolocation and communication of cetaceans

We can take action to try and stop this. If you live in NZ, write to your local MP (can find their contact details here: Members of Parliament - New Zealand Parliament (www.parliament.nz)) or the new ministers for Conservation (Tama Potaka), Oceans and Fisheries (Shane Jones) and Climate (Simon Watts). Let them know politely but firmly that you do not support this legislation change. There are also several petitions/open letters that are currently open:

Green Party of Aotearoa petition: https://action.greens.org.nz/saveoilandgasban

Greenpeace open letter: https://greenpeace.nz/resist-oil-exploration

[liaminina]

Who is iMarine?

iMarine (アイマリン) is the main character of the iMarine Project (アイマリンプロジェクト), a multimedia project developed by the Japanese pachinko company Sanyo Bussan. It is based on the company's Umi Monogatari pachinko series, specifically on the character Marine. She is voiced by Aya Uchida.

The premise of the project was to turn Marine into "a character of infinite possibilities", enlisting multiple creators such as illustrators and music producers, with each making up their own interpretation of the character. The project was divided into "volumes", with "Volume 1" being released in 2015.

In December 2019, the character was "rebooted", giving her a new, science fiction-flavored lore and environment, with each "volume" having a connection to the story in some way. This "reboot" has been given the title of "Shinshou" (新章, "new chapter").

So far, the project has 5 "volumes" (13 if you count the Shinshou ones).

This post will focus on the Shinshou version of iMarine.

Profile

iMarine is a mysterious girl living inside the simulated world of ELEUSIA, where humans have been living after the destruction of Earth. Here, humans had their memories of everything that happened a year before erased.

She is a vocalist for the band "Free Armored Orchestra" (自由機甲楽団, Jiyū kikō gakudan). One day, while doing a guerrilla live, a boy named Kaito notices iMarine singing. She notices him and realizes that he is the key to unraveling the truth about this world.

iMarine's singing can cause "waves" of energy, similar to ocean waves, to appear.

The story continues in the novel, published in the official website. I will not reveal more details since I would be giving spoilers.

Here's a music video of her:

Where you can find her:

Official website

YouTube

X/Twitter

Image source: Namuwiki

Info: Official website (machine translation with Google, modified by me)

[engagemythrusters]

Fabric softener is for the weak, the ones who can't handle life's little discomforts. You know who uses fabric softener? People who can't face reality. Real men and women don't need their clothes to smell like a field of daisies. We don't need our towels to feel like a baby's bottom. We face challenges head-on, unafraid of a little roughness.

Fabric softener is a scam, a marketing ploy designed to make you believe your life will be better if your clothes are softer. But guess what? Life isn't soft. Life is hard, it's tough, and it's unforgiving. If you can't handle the rough texture of your jeans, how are you going to handle this cutthroat world?

And let's talk about the environmental impact. Fabric softeners are loaded with chemicals that pollute our waterways, harm marine life, and contribute to the destruction of our planet. Is your soft towel worth destroying the environment? I don't think so.

Real success doesn't come from a bottle of fabric softener. It comes from hard work, determination, and a willingness to face challenges without needing everything to be soft and easy. So put down that fabric softener, embrace the rough edges of life, and start living like a real champion.

... I wasn't using fabric softener... The blankets come sold that way. I'm making tie-blankets for the humane society...

[dailyanarchistposts]

Webs

The pacific herring play a huge role in the marine ecosystem of our territory. Herring are an important part of the northern pacific marine food web. They are a food source for gulls, ducks, pilchards and jelly fish. Pacific cod, halibut, Chinook salmon and harbor seals all have diets largely comprised of herring. Three quarters of the lingcod’s diet consists of herring. The near shore and intertidal environment is critical to the continued abundance of the herring. This is where they deposit their eggs, and only at very specific locations. It is important for us to protect the spawning grounds closest to us. In some areas, for instance Cherry Point in Puget Sound, herring stocks have declined rapidly over the past decades. The decline is attributed to a high level of commercial fishing and to contamination of the spawning grounds by industrial activity.

Commercialized, market driven, mass levels of fishing are not sustainable. We need to re-learn how to integrate our lives into this fishery as we do with all of the natural cycles in each of our regions. We need to take care of the places where we live. It isn’t hysteria to suggest that the herring might eventually disappear from over-fishing and bureaucratic mismanagement. The herring should be here for our great-great-great grandchildren. As the herring dwindle, so too will the other fish that feed on them, while the life forms that the herring feed on will become overpopulated. All this will create imbalance and ill health and contribute to the eventual collapse of the complex marine ecosystem of our potential territories.

Our struggle for ungoverned lives can sometimes appear as an exclusively destructive project. Clearly we need to be on the offensive against the forces and institutions that uphold the social order, but we can also take time to sketch out potential territories and habitats that might sustain us both here and now and in the future. Identifying such environments and exploring possible ways of adapting to them is a unique offensive tactic in that it naturally encourages a wider demographic in our resistance. Fighting for a place or defending a habitat help counter the oftentimes pointlessness of urban activism, are inherently meaningful and help foster notions of entire communities in opposition.

Postscript

[rabbitcruiser]

World Oceans Day

With oceans making up 66% of our Earth, it’s crucial we raise awareness about and tackle the threats facing these life-giving and life-containing bodies of water.

66% of the world is covered in a blanket of rich, vibrant blue, from its depths once came all life on the Earth, and it continues to house an immense amount of life. This blanket is the world’s oceans, and they serve as one of the most popular vacation spots in the world and play a vital role in the economy of countries worldwide. Across the briny deep massive amounts of cargo cross each year, and it still serves as the primary thoroughfare for trade. World Oceans Day celebrates the ocean and the important role it plays in our lives.

It’s a time for supporters of the oceans to focus on conversation and sustainability so that they can remain clean and usable. The animals deserve a happy and safe place to roam and live without having to worry about any destruction or man-made obstacles. It’s important to safeguard the oceans to help ensure a healthy home for all. One this day, people can come together to create a space for all to enjoy and appreciate, no matter where each person lives.

History of World Oceans Day

In 2008, the UN gathered and uniformly created World Oceans Day. It was first proposed in 1992 in Rio de Janeiro during the Earth Summit. The ocean has been an incredibly important part of human history, and this special was established with the intent of celebrating our connection to the sea and raising awareness about the various dangers it faces. There are nearly 200,000 identified species that live in the ocean, but the number of actual species that reside there is likely in the millions. It’s essential to ensure that they don’t have to worry about freely getting around and enjoying a healthy and safe home to reside.

Even with that being the case, there are still problems with overfishing, and the subsidies that are given for fishing in countries all around the world are causing depletion of the game species. These activities have led to efforts to restore the fishing industry being undermined, and the industry bringing in $50 billion a year less. It’s just one of the many factors that should have us all celebrating World Oceans Day and raising awareness about all the issues our big blue’s face.

There’s a global environmental catastrophe due to decades of overuse and a surge in single-use plastics. Plastic straws and bags are getting into the oceans and causing havoc. World Oceans Day is an opportunity to acknowledge and recognize the efforts that have been and are being made against plastic pollution. It’s enlightening and disheartening to know that today, 13,000,000 tons of plastic leaks into the ocean every year, which among other damage, kill 100,000 marine animals annually.

World Oceans Day Timeline

1987 Brundtland Report

This report, connected to The World Commission on Environment and Development (Brundtland Commission) notes that the ocean sector is lacking representation compared to other sectors.

1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro

Created as a way to celebrate the world’s shared ocean and raise awareness for the personal connection between humans and the ocean. This is where the concept for World Oceans Day was first proposed by the Canadian representatives.

2008 UN declares to recognize World Oceans Day

This year, after a four-year onsite and online petition drive, the UN General Assembly passes a Declaration that will officially recognize the day, beginning the following year.

2009 First World Oceans Day is celebrated

The inaugural World Oceans Day is observed with the theme “Our Oceans, Our Responsibilities.”

2016 World Oceans Day Youth Advisory Council is launched

Made up of 25 youth from all over the world, the Youth Advisory Council is created to develop and promote World Oceans Day.[5]

Why celebrate World Oceans Day?

It’s a good reminder to bring attention to the fact that oceans play a major role in everyday life all around the globe. The oceans provide a majority of the oxygen we breathe, so many consider them to be the lungs of our planet. The goal is to develop a worldwide movement of citizens to care better for the oceans. It’s an opportunity to inform and educate humans and the public of what our actions are doing to the ocean and what impact they have in the long run. It’s not only a day to celebrate the beauty, wealth, and promise of the ocean, but a chance to realize that they’re a critical part of the biosphere. They’re a significant source of food and medicines and simply can’t be ignored or mistreated any longer.

How to celebrate World Oceans Day

Start it off by a visit to the nearest ocean to restore a personal connection to the sea. Breathe deep and appreciate the beauty and serenity the ocean offers each day of the week. Invite family along, and while there, bring information about the ocean and what people really need to know about it to make visiting it a joy for years to come.

Pick a day to go to the ocean to clean up and help restore it instead of simply sitting by it. Gather friends and family and pitch in and pick up trash that surrounds the local beaches and oceans in the area. It’ll not only look nicer, but the wildlife in the area will benefit from these actions as well. Avoid single-use plastics, and instead pack a picnic lunch with reusable containers to enjoy after the hard work is complete. One may also consider organizing a fundraiser to aid preservation and restoration efforts at the local beach. With all the plastic waste coming off our beaches thanks to careless beach-goers, our ocean is awash with litter.

Use this as a time to increase one’s knowledge and explore the topic further. There are a variety of books and resources out there to help a person achieve this goal. Another idea is to gather a group of people and watch an ocean film on the topic to bring awareness to the concept of helping out the oceans.

There are plenty of activities and events that occur on World Oceans Day. Celebrate by choosing one or two to participate in and enjoy. Engage in the day’s events by piggybacking off of other ideas that people in the area have come up with instead of having to think of activities alone.

Source