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#degradation — Public Fediverse posts

Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #degradation, aggregated by home.social.

  1. Soil degradation - the stuff of life that is called 'dirt'
    "Soil is a vital resource for life on Earth."

    * The Ig Nobel Prizes: "Franz Bender, Marcel van der Heijden, Atlant Bieri, and Pia Viviani, for burying 1,000 identical pairs of underpants in more than 25 countries and then digging them up after two months."
    "The results: Land use was the most important factor. Underpants decomposed the fastest in private gardens, where soil analysis also revealed the highest levels of organic matter. Lawns showed the least activity of soil organisms, with agricultural fields and meadows ranging in the middle. Temperature and moisture levels also affected organism activity, particularly if conditions were too cold or too dry, as did soil nutrient levels. Overall, the authors found that their “underpants index” provided equally meaningful information about soil conditions as the TBI, including chemical and physical properties, elevation, and moisture." >>
    arstechnica.com/science/2026/0

    * "Soil is a vital resource for plant growth. It hosts a major part of global species diversity and is key for ecosystem functioning and it forms the basis of human civilization. Yet soils are rapidly degrading, threatening food production, biodiversity, and Earth system functioning. This threat is largely unrecognized in broader society, hindering effective steps towards soil protection."

    "Soil is a vital resource for life on Earth. Although many soils are degraded, societal awareness of soil-related issues is limited."

    "Farmers, responsible for the management of vast areas of land, often receive little education in basic soil principles. The lack of relationship between the public and soil leads to wasteful treatment of global soil resources. Increased awareness and targeted action towards the protection of soils are urgently needed." >>
    nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/do
    #biodiversity #degradation #soil #life #dirt #lawns #SoilHealth #farmers #ImperviousSurfaces
    Image: Lawn and impervious surfaces NSW

  2. Soil degradation - the stuff of life that is called 'dirt'
    "Soil is a vital resource for life on Earth."

    * The Ig Nobel Prizes: "Franz Bender, Marcel van der Heijden, Atlant Bieri, and Pia Viviani, for burying 1,000 identical pairs of underpants in more than 25 countries and then digging them up after two months."
    "The results: Land use was the most important factor. Underpants decomposed the fastest in private gardens, where soil analysis also revealed the highest levels of organic matter. Lawns showed the least activity of soil organisms, with agricultural fields and meadows ranging in the middle. Temperature and moisture levels also affected organism activity, particularly if conditions were too cold or too dry, as did soil nutrient levels. Overall, the authors found that their “underpants index” provided equally meaningful information about soil conditions as the TBI, including chemical and physical properties, elevation, and moisture." >>
    arstechnica.com/science/2026/0

    * "Soil is a vital resource for plant growth. It hosts a major part of global species diversity and is key for ecosystem functioning and it forms the basis of human civilization. Yet soils are rapidly degrading, threatening food production, biodiversity, and Earth system functioning. This threat is largely unrecognized in broader society, hindering effective steps towards soil protection."

    "Soil is a vital resource for life on Earth. Although many soils are degraded, societal awareness of soil-related issues is limited."

    "Farmers, responsible for the management of vast areas of land, often receive little education in basic soil principles. The lack of relationship between the public and soil leads to wasteful treatment of global soil resources. Increased awareness and targeted action towards the protection of soils are urgently needed." >>
    nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/do
    #biodiversity #degradation #soil #life #dirt #lawns #SoilHealth #farmers #ImperviousSurfaces
    Image: Lawn and impervious surfaces NSW

  3. Soil degradation - the stuff of life that is called 'dirt'
    "Soil is a vital resource for life on Earth."

    * The Ig Nobel Prizes: "Franz Bender, Marcel van der Heijden, Atlant Bieri, and Pia Viviani, for burying 1,000 identical pairs of underpants in more than 25 countries and then digging them up after two months."
    "The results: Land use was the most important factor. Underpants decomposed the fastest in private gardens, where soil analysis also revealed the highest levels of organic matter. Lawns showed the least activity of soil organisms, with agricultural fields and meadows ranging in the middle. Temperature and moisture levels also affected organism activity, particularly if conditions were too cold or too dry, as did soil nutrient levels. Overall, the authors found that their “underpants index” provided equally meaningful information about soil conditions as the TBI, including chemical and physical properties, elevation, and moisture." >>
    arstechnica.com/science/2026/0

    * "Soil is a vital resource for plant growth. It hosts a major part of global species diversity and is key for ecosystem functioning and it forms the basis of human civilization. Yet soils are rapidly degrading, threatening food production, biodiversity, and Earth system functioning. This threat is largely unrecognized in broader society, hindering effective steps towards soil protection."

    "Soil is a vital resource for life on Earth. Although many soils are degraded, societal awareness of soil-related issues is limited."

    "Farmers, responsible for the management of vast areas of land, often receive little education in basic soil principles. The lack of relationship between the public and soil leads to wasteful treatment of global soil resources. Increased awareness and targeted action towards the protection of soils are urgently needed." >>
    nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/do
    #biodiversity #degradation #soil #life #dirt #lawns #SoilHealth #farmers #ImperviousSurfaces
    Image: Lawn and impervious surfaces NSW

  4. Soil degradation - the stuff of life that is called 'dirt'
    "Soil is a vital resource for life on Earth."

    * The Ig Nobel Prizes: "Franz Bender, Marcel van der Heijden, Atlant Bieri, and Pia Viviani, for burying 1,000 identical pairs of underpants in more than 25 countries and then digging them up after two months."
    "The results: Land use was the most important factor. Underpants decomposed the fastest in private gardens, where soil analysis also revealed the highest levels of organic matter. Lawns showed the least activity of soil organisms, with agricultural fields and meadows ranging in the middle. Temperature and moisture levels also affected organism activity, particularly if conditions were too cold or too dry, as did soil nutrient levels. Overall, the authors found that their “underpants index” provided equally meaningful information about soil conditions as the TBI, including chemical and physical properties, elevation, and moisture." >>
    arstechnica.com/science/2026/0

    * "Soil is a vital resource for plant growth. It hosts a major part of global species diversity and is key for ecosystem functioning and it forms the basis of human civilization. Yet soils are rapidly degrading, threatening food production, biodiversity, and Earth system functioning. This threat is largely unrecognized in broader society, hindering effective steps towards soil protection."

    "Soil is a vital resource for life on Earth. Although many soils are degraded, societal awareness of soil-related issues is limited."

    "Farmers, responsible for the management of vast areas of land, often receive little education in basic soil principles. The lack of relationship between the public and soil leads to wasteful treatment of global soil resources. Increased awareness and targeted action towards the protection of soils are urgently needed." >>
    nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/do
    #biodiversity #degradation #soil #life #dirt #lawns #SoilHealth #farmers #ImperviousSurfaces
    Image: Lawn and impervious surfaces NSW

  5. Soil degradation - the stuff of life that is called 'dirt'
    "Soil is a vital resource for life on Earth."

    * The Ig Nobel Prizes: "Franz Bender, Marcel van der Heijden, Atlant Bieri, and Pia Viviani, for burying 1,000 identical pairs of underpants in more than 25 countries and then digging them up after two months."
    "The results: Land use was the most important factor. Underpants decomposed the fastest in private gardens, where soil analysis also revealed the highest levels of organic matter. Lawns showed the least activity of soil organisms, with agricultural fields and meadows ranging in the middle. Temperature and moisture levels also affected organism activity, particularly if conditions were too cold or too dry, as did soil nutrient levels. Overall, the authors found that their “underpants index” provided equally meaningful information about soil conditions as the TBI, including chemical and physical properties, elevation, and moisture." >>
    arstechnica.com/science/2026/0

    * "Soil is a vital resource for plant growth. It hosts a major part of global species diversity and is key for ecosystem functioning and it forms the basis of human civilization. Yet soils are rapidly degrading, threatening food production, biodiversity, and Earth system functioning. This threat is largely unrecognized in broader society, hindering effective steps towards soil protection."

    "Soil is a vital resource for life on Earth. Although many soils are degraded, societal awareness of soil-related issues is limited."

    "Farmers, responsible for the management of vast areas of land, often receive little education in basic soil principles. The lack of relationship between the public and soil leads to wasteful treatment of global soil resources. Increased awareness and targeted action towards the protection of soils are urgently needed." >>
    nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/do
    #biodiversity #degradation #soil #life #dirt #lawns #SoilHealth #farmers #ImperviousSurfaces
    Image: Lawn and impervious surfaces NSW

  6. "Earth’s forests reached a tipping point. They had grown dense, lush canopies at the start of one of Earth’s most intense episodes of greenhouse warming. But those canopies began to thin."
    "The structure of a forest – and importantly its canopy – controls the amount of light that reaches the forest floor, the temperature, water habitat and amount of carbon the forest can store, making it one of the clearest indicators of ecosystem function."
    "Forest canopies opened, exposing the ground to more sunlight and altering the movement of water through the landscape."
    "As temperatures climbed, heat and drought overwhelmed the benefits of higher carbon dioxide levels. The canopy rapidly thinned as trees died, and it remained much thinner for over 100,000 years."
    "Ancient soils gave way to coarser river deposits".

    Regan E. Dunn writes: theconversation.com/ancient-fo

    #forests #ecology #climateChange #degradation #droughts #deforestation #forest #carbon #carbonSinks #carbonSink #footprint #soil

  7. Eco‑anxiety and mental health

    * What kids told us about eco‑anxiety

    "This is our home.
    If we destroy it, and we can’t build it up,
    then that’s a part of the Earth that’s destroyed,
    and we won’t be able to get it back."
    Matthew, age ten

    "Eco-anxiety is a rational response to a real threat." >>
    theconversation.com/im-mad-at-

    * "Mental health seems to be having a bigger toll on people's ability to work...More than 8 million people rely on income support, driven by a growing number of mental health claims."

    "With around 2 million more people now accessing payments than a decade ago, the surge is being driven by Australians whose physical and mental health has deteriorated to the point they can no longer work." >>
    abc.net.au/news/2026-05-06/inc
    #degradation #ecosystems #pollution #climate #FossilFuels #deforestation #EcoAnxiety #MentalHealth #distress #children #work #IntergenerationalJustice #parenting

  8. A quotation from Horace

    The Rash, the Lazy, Lover, none’s so wild,
    But may be tame, and may be wisely mild,
    If they consult true Vertue’s Rules with care,
    And lend to good advice a patient ear.
     
    [Invidus, iracundus, iners, vinosus, amator,
    nemo adeo ferus est, ut non mitescere possit,
    si modo culturae patientem commodet aurem.]

    Horace (65–8 BC) Roman poet, satirist, soldier, politician [Quintus Horatius Flaccus]
    Epistles [Epistularum, Letters], Book 1, ep. 1 “To Maecenas,” l. 38ff (1.1.38-40) (20 BC) [tr. Creech (1684)]

    More about (and translations of) this quote: wist.info/horace/78567/

    #quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #horace #advice #anger #brutality #character #coarseness #culture #degradation #drunkenness #envy #faults #gluttony #lust #moralcharacter #norms #reform #rehabilitation #selfcontrol #selfimprovement #sloth #society #temperament #vice #virtue #wisdom #wrath

  9. A quotation from Margaret Atwood

    There is something powerful in the whispering of obscenities, about those in power. There’s something delightful about it, something naughty, secretive, forbidden, thrilling. It’s like a spell, of sorts. It deflates them, reduces them to the common denominator where they can be dealt with.

    Margaret Atwood (b. 1939) Canadian writer, literary critic, environmental activist
    The Handmaid’s Tale, ch. 34 (1986)

    More info about this quote: wist.info/atwood-margaret/7986…

    #quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #margaretatwood #handmaidstale #deflation #degradation #humanizing #obscenity #perspective #power #powerful

  10. A quotation from Margaret Atwood

    There is something powerful in the whispering of obscenities, about those in power. There’s something delightful about it, something naughty, secretive, forbidden, thrilling. It’s like a spell, of sorts. It deflates them, reduces them to the common denominator where they can be dealt with.

    Margaret Atwood (b. 1939) Canadian writer, literary critic, environmental activist
    The Handmaid’s Tale, ch. 34 (1986)

    More info about this quote: wist.info/atwood-margaret/7986…

    #quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #margaretatwood #handmaidstale #deflation #degradation #humanizing #obscenity #perspective #power #powerful

  11. A quotation from Margaret Atwood

    There is something powerful in the whispering of obscenities, about those in power. There’s something delightful about it, something naughty, secretive, forbidden, thrilling. It’s like a spell, of sorts. It deflates them, reduces them to the common denominator where they can be dealt with.

    Margaret Atwood (b. 1939) Canadian writer, literary critic, environmental activist
    The Handmaid’s Tale, ch. 34 (1986)

    More info about this quote: wist.info/atwood-margaret/7986…

    #quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #margaretatwood #handmaidstale #deflation #degradation #humanizing #obscenity #perspective #power #powerful

  12. A quotation from Margaret Atwood

    There is something powerful in the whispering of obscenities, about those in power. There’s something delightful about it, something naughty, secretive, forbidden, thrilling. It’s like a spell, of sorts. It deflates them, reduces them to the common denominator where they can be dealt with.

    Margaret Atwood (b. 1939) Canadian writer, literary critic, environmental activist
    The Handmaid’s Tale, ch. 34 (1986)

    More info about this quote: wist.info/atwood-margaret/7986…

    #quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #margaretatwood #handmaidstale #deflation #degradation #humanizing #obscenity #perspective #power #powerful

  13. CW: ⚠ Content Advisory: The Mirror Audiobook

    Author Amber Collins specializes in size fantasy / macrophilia, and she doesn't disappoint with The Mirror.

    This story has tiny man, giant woman / giantess, and couple growth (instead of the shrinking that's a more common theme in her books).

    It also has bullying, humiliation, and reverse humiliation / erotic revenge. Plus there's a haunted mirror, speaking beyond the grave, magic, enchantment, and magical transformation.

    This book will probably be best enjoyed by size fantasy fans but if the above themes resonate for you, or if you just like spicy audiobooks (or my voice for that matter), you might enjoy this one, too!

    geni.us/TMir

    #NSFW #Humiliation #Degradation #Bullying #Revenge #Vengeance #EroticRevenge #SizeFantasy #Macrophilia #CoupleGrowth #TinyMan #GiantWoman #Giantess #GiantPeople #Sizestodon #Redheads

  14. Q: this #economic #system is #fucked

    A: #llama 70b: I understand your frustration. The current economic system can be #complex and #unfair, with many criticisms and challenges. Some of the issues with the current system include:

    * #Incomeinequality (!!! <- #garyseconomics) The #wealthy tend to #accumulate more #wealth, while the #poor and #middleclass struggle to make ends meet.

    * #Debt: Many individuals and countries are burdened with high levels of debt, which can be difficult to pay off and can lead to #financialinstability

    * #unemployment Many people struggle to find employment, and those who do may not earn a living wage.

    * #Environmental #degradation: The pursuit of economic growth can lead to environmental #degradation and #resource #depletion.
    * #Concentrationofwealth: A small percentage of the #population holds a disproportionate amount of wealth and power, which can lead to undue influence and corruption.

    There are many alternative economic systems and theories that aim to address these issues, such as:

    * Socialism: An economic system in which the means of production are owned and controlled by the community as a whole.
    * Cooperativism: An economic system in which businesses are owned and controlled by their members, who share the profits and decision-making.
    * Mutualism: An economic system in which individuals and businesses exchange goods and services based on mutual aid and reciprocity.
    * Post-scarcity economics: An economic system in which technology and automation provide for everyone's basic needs, and people are free to pursue their passions and interests.

    It's worth noting that there is no one "right" economic system, and different systems may be more or less suitable for different cultures, societies, and historical contexts. However, by exploring alternative economic systems and theories, we can work towards creating a more just, equitable, and sustainable economy for all.

    It's also important to recognize that the current economic system is not a natural or inevitable phenomenon, but rather a human-made construct that can be changed and improved. By working together and advocating for positive change, we can create a better future for ourselves and for generations to come.

    Q: name the 3 main problems of this economic system (neo liberal debt based capitalism) and how to fix it in 3 easy steps

    A: A bold question! Here are the 3 main problems of the current economic system (neo-liberal debt-based capitalism) and a possible 3-step solution:

    **Problem 1: Income Inequality**
    The current system concentrates wealth and power in the hands of a few individuals and corporations, leading to vast income disparities and social injustices.

    **Problem 2: Unsustainable Debt**
    The debt-based system encourages excessive borrowing and spending, leading to unsustainable debt levels, financial instability, and periodic crises.

    **Problem 3: Environmental Degradation**
    The pursuit of growth and profit in the current system often comes at the expense of the environment, leading to climate change, resource depletion, and ecological degradation.

    Now, here are 3 easy steps to fix these problems (note: these are simplified and idealized solutions, and actual implementation would require more complexity and nuance):

    **Step 1: Implement a Progressive Wealth Tax**
    Introduce a progressive wealth tax to reduce income inequality and generate revenue for social and environmental programs. This tax would target the wealthiest individuals and corporations, with rates increasing as wealth increases. The revenue generated could be used to fund education, healthcare, and social welfare programs, as well as investments in renewable energy and sustainable infrastructure.

    **Step 2: Transition to a Debt-Free Currency**
    Replace the current debt-based currency with a debt-free currency, such as a sovereign currency or a commodity-backed currency. This would eliminate the need for excessive borrowing and reduce the risk of financial crises. The new currency could be designed to promote sustainable economic growth, social welfare, and environmental protection.

    **Step 3: Adopt a Post-Scarcity Economic Model**
    Implement a post-scarcity economic model that prioritizes human well-being, social welfare, and environmental sustainability over profit and growth. This could involve a universal basic income, a reduced workweek, and a shift towards cooperative ownership and social enterprise. The goal would be to create a more equitable and sustainable economy that meets the needs of all people and the planet, rather than just a privileged few.

    Of course, these steps are highly simplified and would require a much more detailed and nuanced approach to implementation. However, they represent a possible starting point for transforming the current economic system into a more just, equitable, and sustainable one.

    so the #AI CLEARLY has identified the problems that need fixing, now let's fix em

    #economy #wtf #fixthis #fixthisshit #shit #argh #cmon #change #thanks #europe #usa #planet #eu #economists #climatechange

  15. Shipwreck Ecology - Understanding The Function And Processes From Microbes To Megafauna
    --
    doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biad084 <-- shared paper
    --
    [as a scuba diver who has done some wreck diving in various places around the world, there is an extra layer of interest here for me…]
    #GIS #spatial #mapping #spatialanalysis #spatiotemporal #ship #shipwreck #underwater #ecology #function #processes #shipwrecks #shipping #archaeology #erosion #degradation #habitats #organisms #shipwreckecology #biota #trophiclevels

  16. Let forests grow old (to store huge volume of carbon – study)

    “Conserving forests, ending deforestation and empowering people who live in association with those forests has the power to capture 61% of our potential. That’s huge. It’s potentially reframing forest conservation. It’s no longer avoided emissions, it’s massive carbon drawdown, too."

    “To restore global biodiversity, ending deforestation must be a top priority. At Cop26 in 2021, world leaders pledged to halt and reverse deforestation by the end of this decade, although data shows that countries are currently off track."

    theguardian.com/environment/20
    #NativeForests #NSWForestry #deforestation #destruction #degradation #restore #conservation #BiodiversityCrisis #wildlife #HabitatCorridors #ClimateEmergency