Smoking a Forest Could be Hazardous to Your Health
August 22, 2018 and I feel like a pack a day cigarette smoker. I quit smoking years ago but it seems like the habit has followed me around somehow. The air has this thick smoky flavor and I can see the gray outline of my neighbors trees through the haze. Air quality, “hack, hack” has been really low lately from the countless fires all around the region.
Heather flowers attract pollinators – click for viewing full screen
This seems like it is becoming the new norm with many of my favorite camping areas having experienced nearby forest fires in the recent years. My fear is that once all the forests around here are burned down there will no longer be sufficient conditions to allow them to regrow how they once were. Maybe we will see some drought and heat tolerate trees grow back, I’m not sure.
Most people don’t seem to be connecting the dots very well about the things we are experiencing globally and the possible connection to anything “human caused.” Everything, including the smallest insect causes countless ripples of change throughout the world. With no pollinating insects there would be no food for us to eat. How can we believe that we are not capable of making great changes in the environment?
It really depends on how you look at it – click for viewing full screen
The next few years seem very pivotal imho. Technological solutions exist or are being developed, for many of the issues we are facing. There are a great many more efficient ways of doing things that do not deplete world resources as much. (Crypto being one of them, lol)
At this point I really don’t know what to think. The heat, fires, and dangerous weather conditions seem to be increasing globally without much concern from anyone in charge.
Things I would seriously consider funding or researching more, if I were benevolent dictator for the day:
- Hydrogen power
- Solar electric generation
- Geothermal power
- Ocean upwelling tubes for CO2 removal
- Ocean fertilization
- Active CO2 removal through any means
- Indoor farming, vertical farming
- Better road and pavement materials that are porous and reflect heat
- Better roofing materials that reflect heat or generate power
- Production of meat or protein based foods without methane generation
- Better distribution of wealth and improved metrics for economic success
Bee in flight, are we ready for take off? – click for viewing full screen
Those are just a few of my ideas, but there are countless other things we could be doing with our funding. Can you think of other things we could be funding?
Thanks for reading! I always value your support and comments. The pictures were taken by me with my Galaxy S9+.
When I was in elementary school, I had an idea for expressways lined with solar cells that would power the cars driving on it. Seems like a no brainer to incorporate solar cells in the shingles.
I am a real believer in renewables. I mean essentially free energy.
I just hope the world's technology can stay ahead of the problems.
I think solar powered roadways could really become a working solution. The idea sounds great - driving along and recharging your batteries for your vehicle at the same time.
It seems like free clean energy would be wonderful - one less bill to pay right? Lots of stuff that requires any kind of labor to produce should get less expensive too, I would guess.
I think the technological solutions are there or could be researched and refined if given the priority. I mean we put a man on the moon many years ago with much less technical knowledge, it seems like a trivial problem in comparison to switch to renewables and fix some of the issues we face.
To me it is more of a social issue than anything else. We have medicine and food in good supply yet they remain undistributed to many people. Until we change our priorities I fear a lot of our problems will continue.
YES! Absolutely correct! And this may sound silly, but I think that is where there is value to a site like Steemit. Here among all the noise of spam etc, we can see a bit of real community. And in community is where ideas can be discussed and people's minds can be enlightened, educated and changed. Because like you say even if the tech is there, people have to demand the changes!! Well said , my friend.
I had to resteem this!!
True, quite an illuminating comment.
Nice @lightsplasher
I was joking yesterday that Vancouver now has two seasons ... rain and smoke. It seems to me that the neither the Canadian nor the American government is doing what needs to be done to fight these fires. We definitely need more water bombers and on the ground firefighters. Instead many political leaders play propaganda games and/or take fires abroad with warfare. Our own past Liberal Premier sold off our water bombers. Nero is fiddling while Rome burns.
On the bright side, I endeavoured to grow a small garden on my balcony this year. I got started a little late and so my cucumber plants are just blooming now and in profusion. There are probably about a hundred or so bees and some predatory wasp after the aphids that visit them everyday. I know that the strongest chemical they get is some water with a few drops of peppermint oil to discourage the aphids. I will harvest a few cucumbers but mainly the good will be felt by the pollinators. This makes me feel good.
I also planted some kohlrabi and turnips which grow rather well in containers. I walk just about everywhere and a little less food now will have to travel to get to me, an acre so less of habitat won't be taken from the wild to grow my food. Small things. Not to mention ... I don't think I have to tell you this ... but gardening is good for the soul.
I agree we need to support the innovators who offer a better way because right now ... those like say Elon Musk ... are being targeted by biased media outlets and oil and gas shills. So the only thing we can really be assured of are the personal choices we make on how we live.
Good news. There is rain in the forecast ... bring it on.
It sure seems like governments should be held accountable for their spending. Perhaps something like the steem block chain could help track where funds are allocated and give people some way of voting for where their funds are spent. (Wishful, fantasy thinking I know)
I'm glad your garden is growing well, I agree that they are so good for the soul.
Tomorrow should be a good day to get outside, I can deal with the rain.
Industries like hog raising or cattle raising produces lots of Methane gas and their waste products must be used to not let those gases pollute the air that we breathe. @lightsplasher
But sadly regulations in large factories are somewhat circumvented to show that they are obeying the environmental rules but in fact they are not because of corruption and politics.
Climate change is real. A few years ago our home here doesn't get flooded, now it is flooding with just one hard rainfall.
Yes, I think we really could be doing things much more efficiently but it seems like we are suffering from a "bad case of capitalism," LOL. Hopefully it is not a terminal diagnoses.
Regulations always have a way of being circumvented. Some companies are even starting to use chemicals that were banned internationally long ago. See: Mysterious rise in banned ozone-destroying chemical shocks scientists I guess these chemicals are cheaper to use than the risk of fines they may face if they are caught using them.
The price that we pay for the greed of others is environmental catastrophe and poisoning because of the processed products we are using everyday which large industries created which sometimes gets above the law.
Smoking is really fun, that's what I experienced.😂
It can be, but I'm still glad I quit. It is terribly expensive now among other things.
a very inspirational article, very beautiful photos @lightsplasher
I was very touched by forest fires, in my area several years of forest fires were so frequent that everything was chaotic.
due to the opening of new agricultural land, and throwing cigarette butts carelessly especially those who go camping in the forest in the dry season.
but it has all been overcome by strict regulations.
shout out my brother for a better world.
Hopefully your article will be a light for many people.
and hopefully you are always healthy, happy and successful always.
Regards @longberry
Thank you, the air quality is supposed to get better by tomorrow. I wish you well too my friend.
very concerned about the weather or climate change that is happening at your place @lightsplasher. when trees and plants are too dry or extinct, then! the air around will be disturbed by haze or so forth. things that nobody wants if they happen. if I may ask a little! What are the main sources or causes of forest fires, friend?
I would say global climate change is the main cause of the increase in forest fires. They seem to be increasing in many areas besides just where I live.
Global climate change? Let me guess, we have more bushes? bushes are now drier so they easily catch fire? Is that what you mean, cos I thought our actions, whether deliberate or accidental are the causes. I really can follow what@longberry said, including the bit about overcoming it by strict regulations.
A very pointy paragraph there. No, most people don't connect. Very many people are illiterates to even basic science and I don't mean it derogatorily. For one, I've never given a thought to pollinating insects, I had to consciously ruminate over how their disappearance would affect my food.
However, I guess researching a solution to the effects of radiation from even so-called technological advancements would fit into your list somewhere. There's been more awareness about the dangers that our devices pose to our overall health, thanks to whatsapp. To me, the technology behind mobile computers (phones, tablets etc) is so hazardous and irresponsible. I think they shouldn't have been made mobiles as it is so we won't have so much interaction with them. Very little precautions are being taken and we should sooner begin to see the results if the warnings are true.
Yup, global climate change brought about primarily through human activities imho. We have increased the carbon dioxide level above 400 parts per million. The last time this happened the world was a much different place and very inhospitable to humans. From all that I have heard and read on the subject we are heading towards a four or five degree centigrade rise in temperature and should be taking emergency steps to head off this possibility. See more: Carbon dioxide hits new high
I agree that radiation from electronic devices would be a good thing to research more solutions to as well. My grandfather passed away from cancer that they think was caused from working around high voltage and dielectric materials (PVC) so I know this can cause issues. It would be good to find healthier solutions for using these mobile computers.
My guess is that unless we fix the climate issue soon, most of us will not be too worried about EV radiation because estimates of the carrying capacity of the earth could drop to a billion people if the temperature rises this high. The way things are going, this could happen faster than developing cancer for most of us. See this article for more on these facts: Earth risks tipping into 'hothouse' state: study
The second article read like the script of a really good thriller, I couldn't help imagining it. And it sounds like we’re moving towards an irredeemable, ticking time-tomb... Thanks for the read @lightsplasher, it sparked off some research in previously unexplored areas.
Perfect shot
Thanks, they are this morning's photos.
hi, my friend @lightsplasher. if this continues to occur forest fires occur continuously and are not matched by improvements that are commensurate we will lose green areas that can produce oxygen and natural resources.
I am very interested in, what is my friend @lightsplasher posting this evening, a picture of flowers that have animals, this is so amazing I am very interested in all this, thank you my friend for showing something very beautiful and interesting.
The flowers are very beautiful and beautiful, I really like writing this flower because it's beautiful.