(Repost) Types of Treehuggers

(A belated*) Happy Earth Day!

In honour of Earth Day, here is an updated repost originally from to Nature-nimbus.blogspot.ca for May 24, 2016, but with the found original doodles to go with it. Each illustration is consciously exaggerated just for kicks so please don't takes offense to what is written here... hope you have fun reading them :) 

The reality is all of these roles have helped raise awareness on environmental needs -that is how they are so recognizable- and a person can combine the traits of any number of them, but the coolest part of sharing this with friends was seeing everyone feel out where their niche is and perhaps even feeling re-inspired to participate in green activities that they enjoy.

Hope you enjoy reading this, and have a lovely Earth Day every day.
~~~

All these characters were drawn on cue cards I cannot find yet, but that can be another post for another time. (2018 Update: Found them, here they are!)

It was a lot cooler when I was sitting at the kitchen table explaining it in a extemporaneous babble to relatives and my dog a little differently each time, but it and went something like this and I hope you find it amusing :)

The Hippie/Flower Child

The classic treehugger stereotypee right out of the 60s who really got environmental movement started. Clad in tye-dye and hemp, and sitting cross-legged in front of trees preaching their message of love, peace, and unity, they are also known for making some lovely tunes to get people in a mood and mindset of unity.

The Rebellious Radical

Sometimes seen as a close younger cousin of the hippie, The Rebellious Radical is loud and grabs attention, and sometimes that might be the exact push people need. Louder the better; think activists chaining themselves to trees maybe with some funky coloured hair. These people make bold statements pointing to the goal of drawing attention and spreading awareness of big issues that really matter.

The Wild Child/Conservationist

It's that kid that's always climbing trees and running around exploring outside with messy hair. They really are in their element/natural habitat outside, probably making mud pies and isn't afraid of getting dirty or touching creepy crawlies. These are the ones who probably know the common, maybe the scientific, and given personal names of backyard wildlife. These friends of the forest, conservation officers, camp counselors, and more have a contagious sense of wonder they are often eager to share with others.

The Humanitarian

The Humanitarian  recognize that people are part of the ecosystem just like other animals, and sincerely care about the wellbeing of fellow humans. Whether they be doctors, aid workers, or concerned citizens, they see how people around the world are affected by environmental issues and are ready to see how can to help. From pollution putting people's health at risk to climate change displacing entire communities, they recognize sustainability as a must, and clean air and water as basic human rights which they will fight for and seek to see as many people as possible having access to.

Engineer/Technician

These are the ones that really make all these advancements work. A lot of what they do is behind-the-scenes, but they use the power of their minds to make it possible to drive new sustainable technologies forward such as in renewable energy. The research they do also gives treehuggers the world over something to actually work with to show the world that what the heart says is the right thing to do also makes logical sense.

Politician/Consultant

"Work The System" is the name of the game here. These guys in the big leagues kind of have to be disguised in big business suits sometimes and they work undercover. Sometimes they develop "green" products, creative marketing to inspire people to take to them, or policies to help change the world. Among politicians and corporates, the suit-wearing or clip-board-yielding ones advocate for the environment in the big leagues using the system to further their agenda, to help the environment on a big scale.

Thanks for reading, and feel free to share your thoughts on which treehugger stereotypes you and your friends relate to in the comments, as well as any ideas for green activities people of different types might like participating in!

Originally posted by Melody Tadeo to Nature-nimbus.blogspot.ca for May 24, 2016
Edited April 9, 2018... also finally uploaded the photos!
*Reposted day after Earth Day 2018 because I forgot to pre-schedule on NN in addition to lunar-winds... sorry!

Breathing Earth: A sobering map visualizer

http://www.breathingearth.net/

This one really drives home the reality of overpopulation and the carbon footprint humanity is leaving.

Branching out to ecosia, a search engine that raises funds for tree-planting!

Title says it all!

https://www.ecosia.org/

Personal counter: https://ecosia.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/201657341-How-does-the-personal-counter-work-

Their mission: https://info.ecosia.org/what

How to make it your default search engine in Chrome:
http://theinsiter.org/features/68200/time-to-start-using-ecosia-as-your-default-search-engine/


Edited April 9, 2018

Comments on Cancer Villages Map

Awareness truly can change the way people look at things. It's not just a cliche that knowing what reality is like in less privileged situations increases appreciation for what we do have when taken to heart.

Five years ago I learned about China's Cancer villages, and it has never left the "featured" list on this blog since. It is a terrifying, and moving report. But what I didn't know was that Deng Fei, a Chinese journalist, published a map of these cancer villages in China. Today, English-readers have a translated version of that map available to explore here:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1R70M9vbPN104K-YqFlUnK1xUDoY&hl=en_US&ll=30.187076758346265%2C112.28646500000013&z=5

If you zoom in and select specific villages, there is even a short description of their specific situation on the left.

Eg: (found at G106 / the southernmost point on the mainland)
"name

Shaoguan, Wengyuan Counties; Xinjiang Township, Shangba village and 5 others

description

Legal Daily: 2001 report

A large amount of mining wastewater flowed into Shangba village. The “village of fish and rice,” saw its arable land take on a brownish-red color. Reports say an increasing number of villagers are contracting skin disease, liver disease and cancer. As for ducks, the fastest death happens within 4 to 5 hours, and the slowest occurs within 3 to 4 days"

This visual had brought something to my attention that may or may not be relevant, that all the listed  villages fall within the Eastern half of China.

Why? To be honest I don't know. Maybe that is the "only" ground Deng Fei could cover. All the same, I'd want to thank him for bringing this to the world's attention because evidently what he did has started steps to clean things up.

https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn23212-china-takes-steps-to-clean-up-cancer-villages/

Soggy Soccery Sympton: Changing Climate Affecting Soccer, Cricket, and Golf Games in UK

The change in climate has been affecting sport enthusiasts in soccer, cricket, and golf whose playing-scapes have been made too soggy to play on, and rising sea levels from melting ice in Greenland to the Himalayas are causing the erosion of coastal golf courses in Scotland.

The Weather Network posted a Reuters report yesterday that mentioned six out of the seven wettest years on record in the UK have been since the year 2000. Piers Forster who is a professor of climate change at University of Leeds contributed to the study told International News Agency, Reuters, "Britain is particularly susceptible to storms coming in from the North Atlantic."

Image A: Image credit: GISS NASA / Jack Cool, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

The above illustration shows the flow of the North Atlantic current, its branches, and the flow of water it crosses paths with off the coast of UK.

Despite all these things that may pique curiosity for climate geeks and potential research project on the horizon, clearly not everyone feels the same way about this information:

Ok, I'll admit a cry of "the soccer fields are soggy" sounds trivial on its own and may cause flashbacks of schoolkids disappointed with the "tarmack-only" recesses.

And to be honest I don't even like golf. (There, I said it.)

Nevertheless there is a point to acknowledging this. It just seems like an interesting climate-related observation that everyday people like you and I might actually be seeing. If you or I frequented such fields, and that is assuming you are an 'everyday person' like me which might not be true in this context, but anywho... you probably get where I'm going with this. It's readily observable, and helps contributes details to an ever-so-slightly bigger-picture perspective.

Sources
News: https://www.theweathernetwork.com/news/articles/soccer-cricket-and-golf-handicapped-by-uk-climate-change/95195/
Image A: GISS NASA / Jack Cool, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
http://www.giss.nasa.gov/research/briefs/legrande_01/, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:North_Atlantic_Circulation.gif
Image B: Under GNU Free Documentation Licence
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Circulacion_termohalina.jpg

Coral Pink and Peach

Some days I could sink a ship with my navy (blue) mood

Drag it down, such a downer in the dumps

While my coral peach

Feels so out of reach.

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More water works poetry: http://lunar-winds.blogspot.ca/search/label/water

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Fact about coral, 'Bleached' white coral does not equal dead coral: http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-great-barrier-reef-not-dead-20161014-snap-story.html

A big fan

I'm very much for renewable energy, but more solar than wind because the side effects of wind turbines are concerning.

You could say I'm not a big fan.

Badum-cha.

Canada Geese (Spoken Word)

The geese at night.

This is my version of tradition.

It has been a hard year like many others, but as I lie in bed and hear the familiar cacauohany of flocks of Canada geese on the lake I feel my heartbeat slow.

This sound is what I call home.

Even if someday I cannot live in this place, I will feel I belong beside the sounds of all the voices of dozens of geese all talking at the same time on their journey to fly away to a more hospitable place.

Canada geese will take my heart with them, where it is safe.

So no matter how harsh the winter, or how much our lake will freeze

They will tow this heavy heart made lighter by warmer currents in the breeze

And by their teamwork;

By the flock leader creating a lift through their wings,

Lifting hearts and let them sing.

They take the colder part of my heart somewhere warmer for the winter without fee.

Beloved Canada geese, with all your loyalty do have a wonderful journey

As you follow the earlier sunshine.