In mid-October of this year, ISIS was defeated in Raqqa by a predominantly Kurdish militia, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). In September I had gone with a TV team to see what remained of the city the jihadists had declared the capital of their caliphate. Entering from the east, we passed through an avenue of trees casting shadows across the baking hot desert road, like the entrance to one of those small French towns where, according to legend, Napoleon insisted poplars should be planted so his troops could march in the shade.
Author: signordal
Fake Tradition
To the Editors: Tim Flannery does an excellent job reviewing recent books about fishing and its long-term impacts on human development. However, he overstates the case considerably in tying Japanese traditions of fishing for dolphins to current industrial dolphin slaughters and whaling.
A Banquet of Words
To the Editors: I would like to comment briefly, in Hayden Pelliccia’s discussion of Iliad translations, mine included, on the much-debated “reading” by Zenodotus of daita (feast, banquet) rather than the otherwise unanimous pasi (all) at the very beginning of the Iliad, changing the fate of the Greek battlefield corpses at Troy from being “carrion for dogs and all birds [of prey]” to “carrion for dogs, for birds a feast.”
Correction
In Simon Winchester’s review of Michael Ignatieff’s The Ordinary Virtues: Moral Order in a Divided World [NYR, November 9], the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs, not the Carnegie Endowment, sponsored the research project that Ignatieff writes about in the book. He undertook the project when he served as the Council’s Centennial Chair.
Life doesn’t have to be perfect…
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73 Million Trees to Be Planted in World’s Largest Reforestation Initiative
Photo: Jorge Illich-Gejo
In an increasingly urgent race to combat rising climates and CO2 emissions, Conservation International is turning to our greatest weapon—the Amazon rainforest. A bold new project by the non-profit aims to be the largest tropical reforestation initiative in history, with 73 million trees to be planted over 6 years.
By strategically planting in an area of Brazil known as the “arc of deforestation,” the goal is to transform 70,000 acres of cleared pasture back into the lush tropical forest of the past. Even with an increased awareness about the importance of the Amazon rainforest, scientists are concerned that 20% may be deforested over the next 20 years, this in addition to the 20% that was already destroyed in the last 40 years. This makes Conservation International’s ambitious project all the more necessary.
“If the world is to hit the 1.2°C or 2°C (34.16°F or 35.6°F) [degrees of warming] target that we all agreed to in Paris, then protecting tropical forests in particular has to be a big part of that,” M. Sanjayan, CEO of Conservation International, warns. “It’s not just the trees that matter, but what kind of trees. If you’re really thinking about getting carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, then tropical forests are the ones that end up mattering the most.”
Photo: Alyssa Crouse
In fact, if deforestation were to cease altogether, forests could absorb up to 37% of our annual carbon emissions. To make a lasting impact, Conservation International has researched a well thought out process to ensure they hit their targets. A new, more efficient planting technique known as muvuca, in which hundreds of native tree seeds from a variety of species are planted over every inch of the deforested land.
The seeds used are from the Xingu Seed Network, which has acted as a native seed supply for over 40 organizations since 2007. Their network of over 400 seed collectors are typically indigenous women and local youth, therefore providing employment opportunities as well as environmental conservation.
Once seeded, natural selection decides which plants survive and thrive. A 2014 study by the Food and Agriculture Organization and Biodiversity International found that 90% of native plant germinate survive using this method, which is less expensive—and labor intensive—than the typical method of planting saplings. It also results in more plants per acre.
“With plant-by-plant reforestation techniques, you get a typical density of about 160 plants per hectare,” shares Rodrigo Medeiros, Conservation International’s vice president of the Brazil program and project lead. “With muvuca, the initial outcome is 2,500 species per hectare. And after 10 years, you can reach 5,000 trees per hectare. It’s much more diverse, much more dense, and less expensive than traditional techniques.”
Photo: Isabella Jusková
Conservation International: Website | Facebook | Instagram
h/t: [Inhabitat, Fast Company]
Related Articles:
Tree-Planting Drones Are Helping Replant Our Forests by Seeding 100,000 Plants a Day
Powerful Series Projects Faces of Indigenous People Onto the Amazon Rainforest
India Aims to Break World Record by Planting 50 Million Trees in 24 Hours
Couple Spends 26 Years Rebuilding an Ecosystem on Abandoned Land in India
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Nostalgic Landscapes Captured in Jars Using an In-Camera Double Exposure Technique
It’s natural to want to save pleasant memories, be it through photographs, video, or audio recordings. Christoffer Relander has created a unique twist on preservation by using double exposure photography and landscapes from his childhood. He “places” the miniaturized nature scenes into jars, capturing a moment that’s now confined in a miniature time capsule. Calling the series Jarred & Displaced, it’s the second installment of this surreal collection.
Double exposure photography can be created in a variety of ways. Today, it’s most commonly done with Photoshop, but there are other (less hi-tech) ways to combine two images. Relander prefers to work with an analog approach and produce all of his alluring images in camera. “This project was not created or layered in an external software,” Relander writes. “Images are not put into physical jars (as is misunderstood sometimes), only blended into one photograph.”
We first marveled over Jarred & Displaced a year ago, and Relander has made one big change since then—everything is in color. The shift from black and white alters not just the vibrancy, but the emotional tone of the images as well. In monochrome, the places in the jars felt desolate and lonely. Now, the dreamy double exposure photos have a sense of hope—Relander is literally taking us out of the dark and into the light.
Photographer Christoffer Relander collects memories in an unusual way.
He uses double exposure photography techniques to put locales from his childhood into small jars.
The double exposure technique is done completely analog—all of the landscapes are composed in camera.
Christoffer Relander: Website | Facebook | Instagram
h/t: [PetaPixel]
All images via Christoffer Relander.
Related Articles:
Masters of Multiple Exposure Photography
Interview: Multiple Exposures on Film Turn Ordinary Moments into Dreamlike Scenes
Exquisite Multiple Exposure Photos of Women and Flowers
Father Offers Wisdom to His Kids Through Powerful Double-Exposure Photos
Photographer Shares How She Makes Dreamy Double Exposure Portraits
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The first rays of the sun rises over the Jim Sage Mountains and…
The first rays of the sun rises over the Jim Sage Mountains and illuminate the granite spires of Castle Rocks, Idaho. This little known gem located near the Utah border packs spectacular scenery and diverse natural features into a compact area. Granite spires rise up to 400 feet above the mixed aspen, fir and pinon pine forest. Single-leaf pinon (shown in photo) is relatively rare in Idaho and is a traditional food source to area Native Americans. The area is of great importance to the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of Fort Hall and the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of Duck Valley who have worked with the Bureau of Land Management to protect sensitive resources here. The adjoining Castle Rocks State Park offers developed camping, hiking trails and other visitor amenities with expansive vistas of the spectacular rock formations and surrounding mountain ranges. The area served as a landmark along the California and Oregon National Historic Trails. Photo by Bob Wick, Bureau of Land Management, @mypubliclands
Do not dwell in the past…
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How to Take Care of Your Back When You Have a Sitting Job
Sitting at a desk all day can wreak havoc on your back health. It can leave your spine in pain and feel stiff and sore. It can also cause tightness in your lower back and hips.
Whether you’re experiencing a little tension or more serious back pain, here are a few ways to lessen work-related back pain.
Sit Correctly At Your Desk
Sitting jobs are bad for your back. Unfortunately, most of today’s jobs include long hours of sitting at a desk. If you want to minimize its impact on your back health, you have to improve your position while working.
A desk and a chair situated at the right height could make all the difference. Your feet should touch the floor or a footrest and you should avoid crossing your legs. Your upper and lower arms should be at a right angle and you should have a space below your keyboard where you can rest your wrists. You should be able to look straight ahead to see your computer screen.
Consider Alternative Office Furniture
The right desk furniture can help with back problems, too. You can consult with a specialist to find the most ergonomic pieces of furniture that can help you with your back pain.
Your chair should support your lower back and be adjustable. If this doesn’t solve your back problems, you can consider getting a standing desk or a kneeler chair to help you get into the perfect posture. It’s something many workers do so don’t be afraid to experiment.
Take Regular Breaks
When we sit at a desk for a long time, our posture can get worse and worse. That’s why you need to take regular breaks. You can get up to make a cup of coffee, take a stroll around the block or just walk around your room. Just do whatever you need to realign your posture.
Maintain a Good Posture
Whether at your desk, standing or walking, maintaining a good posture should always be a priority. The problem, however, is that it’s really easy to forget how to sit properly when you’re sucked into your computer screen and all the tasks you have to finish.
As a tip, your shoulders should be down and neither your bottom nor your stomach should be sticking out. Your posture should encourage all of your muscles to work properly together to prevent pain or tension in your back.
Have a Regular Back Massage
A good masseuse can work on all of the tight knots you have in your back. He or she can release the tension caused by poor posture.
While a massage won’t prevent your back tension from reoccurring, it can relieve pain temporarily.
Attend a Pilates Class
Pilates is a low-impact activity designed to strengthen your muscles and release tension. Through a combination of poses and under the guidance of an experienced teacher, you can strengthen your core. This is the band of muscles around your abdomen and back that help you maintain a good and healthy posture. These muscles have an effect on your overall body strength and ability to sit and stand.
See Also: Top 10 Yoga-Before-Bed Poses to Reduce your Back Pain
See a Physiotherapist
If you have long-standing issues with your back, it’s a good idea to see a trained physiotherapist. He can advise you on exactly where you have areas of tension. He can also provide you with some exercises to target those areas. Most of those exercises are easy to repeat at home or even in the office. You can use them to relieve pain and strengthen your muscles.
No one should have to put up with an ongoing back tension or pain. Unfortunately, those of us with sitting jobs are usually plagued by such complaints. If you want to get rid of your work-related back problems, you need to make an effort to improve your desk setup, work on your posture and seek help in relieving some of your back tension.
See Also: 10 Stretches To Do Right Now For Back Pain Relief
The post How to Take Care of Your Back When You Have a Sitting Job appeared first on Dumb Little Man.
Sig Nordal 