quercus

Anxiety levels are on the rise worldwide, especially among our youth. Many factors contribute to this trend. We are constantly “on”, striving to ensure we are scheduling for every moment. But in doing so, we are potentially depriving our brains and bodies of the downtime they need to reset and recharge.

We need to embrace the pause. It is a space where creativity can prosper, emotions can be regulated, and the nervous system can reset.

Read Emily's article in Current Affairs magazine here: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/how-we-stopped-caring-about-selling-out

From the article: "In recent years, our pop culture landscape has become so dominated by athletic-wear brand deals and laxative pill endorsements that it’s hard to remember an alternative. A-listers now seem to treat art like a side hustle, and advertising as their main career. It’s not enough for McConaughey to earn millions by smoldering through the window of a luxury Lincoln SUV, or lounging shirtless for Dolce & Gabbana cologne. He just had to become the creative director for Wild Turkey Bourbon, launch his own “Pantalones Organic Tequila” brand, and now, lend his rugged charisma to AI platforms. "

Using friendship-based community organizing and principles of permaculture, gift economy, and mutual aid, Food Not Lawns has been turning yards into gardens and neighborhoods into communities since 1999, when we were conceived by the Food Not Bombs family in Eugene, Oregon. For more than twenty years small, self-organized groups of grassroots gardeners have been organizing local seed swaps, joining together for garden work parties, and making lots of friends while learning more about the simple act of growing food can radically improve your home, your community, and your life.

https://doi.org/10.1111/dial.12890

This paper explores lights and landscapes as depicted in near-death experiences (NDEs). NDEs are specific experiences, which human beings with a (perceived) close brush with death may have and later recall, often including seeing a brilliant light and sometimes traveling to unearthly dimensions, which may or may not include landscapes. Such brilliant light takes many forms and colors and is often described as otherworldly with no physical origin. Reports of otherworldly landscapes in NDEs also span various forms, from being on the brink of a black hole to tranquil meadows. By reviewing lights and landscapes as they appear in select NDE reports, I will argue that these naturescapes may help to harmonize and reestablish our views of earthly nature as a source of meaning, also in the midst of the Anthropocene. Concluding, I claim that the data made available by thousands of NDE accounts across cultures, nations, and faiths may contribute, if considered valid, to metaphysical theological thinking.

cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/23574741

re:wild your campus co-directors Mackenzie Feldman and Sheina Crystal discuss their amazing initiative across college campuses, suggest pesticide free options for your lawn, and answer some of your questions about pesticides!

re:wild your campus co-directors Mackenzie Feldman and Sheina Crystal discuss their amazing initiative across college campuses, suggest pesticide free options for your lawn, and answer some of your questions about pesticides!

cross-posted from: https://beehaw.org/post/20217731

I planted 10 tubers last spring in this awkward space between the shed and fence. Things were much more sparse last fall when they bloomed and I could still see the ground 😅 Hopefully the switchgrass blocks their forward march.

Most of the natural world has been altered by humans in some way. Ecosystems that are dominated by humans or man-made structures, such as cities, can still provide meaningful and essential habitat for insects. Today, we are going to discuss research being done in various human-dominated landscapes to answer the question: how do we restore and conserve insects in these ecosystems?

Guest Information

Dr. Chelse Prather is an associate professor and environmental biology coordinator at the University of Dayton. As an ecologist, Chelse has worked with insect communities in forests, grasslands, and urban ecosystems. She has managed a variety of projects from understanding basic insect ecology, like what nutrients limit insect communities, to very applied projects, such as how the installation of solar arrays affects insect communities.

Nine to five, yeah
They got you where they want you
There's a better life
And you think about it, don't you?
It's a rich man's game
No matter what they call it
And you spend your life
Puttin' money in his wallet

Over 12 expert-led weekly challenges, transform your lawn into a vibrant ecosystem teeming with life. Discover simple techniques to create habitat that butterflies, birds, and beneficial insects can't resist. Ready to turn your patch of earth into something extraordinary?

Live Kickoff on May 1st @ 12 pm est / 9 am pst

Featuring Doug Tallamy
Renowned Ecologist,
Founder of Homegrown National Park

• Weekly Challenges
• Expert Speakers
• Free Land Assessment
• Prizes & Badges

Sign up for this free challenge at lesslawnmorelife.com