Imagine spending a thousand lifetimes caring for these lands only for billionaires to exploit them in an instant – the same way colonists exploited the people.
Decolonizing the Mind
Tag Archives: biodiversity
After Virtue, After Invasion
Continue reading After Virtue, After Invasion“Imagine that the natural sciences were to suffer the effects of a catastrophe. A series of environmental disasters are blamed by the general public on the scientists. Widespread riots occur, laboratories are burnt down, physicists are lynched, books and instruments are destroyed. Finally a Know-Nothing political movement takes power and successfully abolishes science teaching in schools and universities, imprisoning and executing the remaining scientists.”
Influenza and Zoonosis
In my last post I used a photo of an old (positive) test result for COVID (this is also an old photo of my sweet baby, hence the grainy appearance) and I noticed it included Influenza A and B as possible results as well, which got me thinking about the flu and wondering how much people know what the flu even is. The question also ties into vaccines and how experts decide on which “strain” to use – and do people even know what they mean by strain?!
Ok, that’s a LOT to cover, so I’ll try to keep it all simple. First, let’s define what zoonosis is – this is a hot topic for One Health.
Continue reading Influenza and Zoonosis
A Haggis Hiatus
Hi, everyone! How have you been?
I just returned from my vacation in the UK (all around Scotland and then a stint to London) and decided to disconnect while I was gone, hence my silence over the past two weeks..
Can’t say I’m super thrilled to be back – the second we touched down in D.C., reality pelted us hard, right upside the head like a noxious smell you weren’t expecting. One sad or embarrassing story after another about the happenings in the grand U.S. of A. came flooding into our phones and I realized coming back was a terrible idea.
Sigh.
Continue reading A Haggis Hiatus
I Think We Are Being Invaded by Aliens
First there was one pile. Then a second. A third, fourth, fifth….I’ve lost count. I’ve stopped paying attention to how many piles I am finding, and have grown more interested in the color changes this life form is experiencing. From yellow to orangish to white. This extra terrestrial looking creature seems to bleach in the sun like coral in the reefs. It even looks like coral – well, up close it does. When you see it splattered about in a pile when it first appears, it definitely brings to mind the look of bile and foam that’s just been hacked up by your canine companion. The species: colloquially known as Dog Vomit Slime Mold.
Continue reading I Think We Are Being Invaded by Aliens
Today I Tasted the Devastation of a Wildfire
And I wasn’t even near it!
The air quality where I live has been generally poor, as of late. Not from one wildfire, but from two, plus a Haboob from the Middle East that blew sand halfway around the world to settle on the East Coast of the U.S.. It was the fire in New Jersey, however, that left a film in my mouth and throat and a grimy feel on my skin this past Saturday.
Continue reading Today I Tasted the Devastation of a Wildfire
Broccoli!
- Origin
- Modern Cultivation
- Impact
- Nutritional Profile
- Dietary Concerns
- How to Eat it
- Recipe: Roasted Broccoli
Origin
Broccoli is a member of the cole crops (also known as cruciferous vegetables), all of which are derived from a singular species known as Brassica oleracea L.. This includes kale, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kohlrabi, and cabbage and each of these foods share a genome with the wild type, Brassica. As with so many things, it’s difficult to prove exact origin of species, especially when it involves human cultivation and migration; however, most studies indicate Europe, broadly, as the birthplace of these Brassica plants. Very little evidence indicates Asia as a potential origin and within Europe there is a slight divide between the UK and Greece, but there is stronger evidence for the rocky shores of England. There is a fascinating paper that uses linguistic terms for “broccoli” in various ancient cultures to help identify the origin that some of you might be interested in reading. In the end, broccoli is just one form, or cultivar, of a group of plants that has been selected for it’s specific geno-/phenotype that gives us what we, today, call broccoli.
Continue reading Broccoli!
Mushroom: My Latest Side Quest
There’s not mu[c]h-room in this backyard for a beast like this one! But it looks like such a fun-g[uy]! No? Fine – I’ll stop, but I’m sure it’ll disappoint all the dads out there.
Continue reading Mushroom: My Latest Side Quest
Regenerating Life and Love: The Animals (and Fungi)
At the risk of forging through the gate this week with another complaint about the human species, I want to lead with a personal frustration I have when I hear individuals reduce the importance of a species that is going, or has gone, extinct with a flippant toss of the hair, followed by a casual “who cares?” This is often embedded within a conversation intended to discredit environmental programs that favor a small endangered organism over that of human interest. Well, I’m pretty sure I speak on behalf of the organisms at risk of becoming extinct that they care. They probably care a great deal. Moreover, we should all care. Perhaps, if we just took the time to realize their worth….
Continue reading Regenerating Life and Love: The Animals (and Fungi)
The Disposable Society and My Current Rage
I am taking a pause this week from my Regenerating Life and Love posts to rage. There are so many things happening in my country right now. Depending on your ideologies, they might be horrifying or exciting. I’ve tried multiple times to bring myself into a space of understanding and contemplation, but I am struggling. What I am witnessing is, for me, horrifying.
Continue reading The Disposable Society and My Current Rage
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