Sprig and Quill

A blog musing about methods that could create an optimistic future

Ceramic water filters became particularly popular in the 1800's in London, when poor water qualities were often reported on. [3] Since then, they spread across the world.

They are an inexpensive water filter which uses the small pore size of the ceramics to filter out impurities. You pour water into the top half, and that water slowly filters into the lower half. Since it only needs gravity and does not cost anything to run, it is a very cost-effective way of filtering water.

Some (though not all) also come with a activated carbon filter to aid in the removal of chemical contaminates (like chlorine) and/or a special silver treatment to help kill bacteria, mold, and algae. [1]

Since many people in the world do not have save drinking water or do not trust the water from their local treatment plants, these filters can provide a filtration method that does not contribute to the use of bottled water.

Note: When treating water directly from a wild water source, it is generally suggested to use a filtration method along with a method of disinfecting (such as boiling). This is because while filtering can remove many dangers, it can not remove viruses. [2]

Maintenance:

The top half should be cleaned regularly to keep the ceramic pours free of impurities. This can be done with soap and water, or just water and a bristle brush.

#water #lowtech

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overpass

Roads can cause major problems for wildlife, and not just from the danger of being truck by vehicles. With busy enough traffic, wildlife may avoid crossing at all, causing habitat fragmentation. Habitat fragmentation is when the natural paths and territories of a living creature is broken up. This limits the area animals can forage, can limit mating options, and can completely disrupt migration patterns. Due to this, habitat fragmentation is showing to have world-wide consequences. [1]

In order to stitch habitats back together, wildlife overpasses, underpasses/tunnels, and viaducts are all used. They not only protect the wildlife, but also help drivers and passengers by limiting the chance of a collision with an animal. Considering roads are the biggest source of human-caused wildlife death in Canada's national parks [2] , a change can make a big impact.

Proof They Work

Wildlife crossings are not a new idea, so some of our oldest crossings have provided many years of data, showing their worth.

“In 2012, eleven species of large mammals have been recorded using wildlife crossings more than 150,000 times since 1996. This includes grizzly and black bears, wolves, coyotes, cougars, moose, elk, deer, bighorn sheep, and more recently wolverine and lynx.“ Parks Canada

When paired with fences to keep animals off the roads and help encourage them to use the crossings, areas can see a reduction in animal-vehicle collisions by more than 80%, and that number jumps to a reduction of 96% for just elk and deer. [4]

What Wildlife Crossings Look Like

There are a wide range of different crossings that might be built for animals. Some are large overpasses that span over roads and are covered with greenery to make them seem more like hills. Others are large tunnels that pass under the roads, and some are barely wider than a basket ball or baseball, and are used for our smallest critters. An example of one of these small paths is in Waterton Lakes National Park (Canada) where care was taken to ensure Salamanders have a safe path. [5]

Typically, overpasses work better than underpasses for most wildlife, since not all wildlife is comfortable traversing into a dark tunnel which is often loud with traffic vibrations. In comparison, the overpasses are typically made with soil, grass, and trees, to feel like a hill for wildlife.

Where We Also Need More

As cities continue to spread outward, one place more care in creating these would be within cities themselves. Typically, they are only found in wild spaces, but they make a big impact in cities as well.

#nature #betterbuilds #cityplanning #outdoors

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Internet radio is a digital audio service transmitted over the internet. Unlike traditional AM/FM radio, which uses radio waves, internet radio streams audio through online connections, making it accessible from anywhere in the world with an internet connection.

Benefits:

  • Global Access. Listen to radio stations from the other side of the world from you, or right in your area.
  • Variety: Thousands of stations offer everything from indie music to talk shows, news, and music genres.
  • Less Restrictions: In places where there is a lot of censorship, using the internet can provide more freedom than traditional radio.
  • Free Music: So long as you have internet, you can listen to music. This makes internet radio an alternative for those who can't afford music-streaming platforms.
  • Emergency Situation News: If you are somewhere that does not have a radio, you can connect to local news stations over the internet.

How To Tune In:

While there are some dedicated internet radio apps and websites, some of them only display stations directly linked to their companies, and some even charge for the service. So, be sure to use FOSS apps and programs (example: VLC. There is a tutorial here ).

Once you have your app or program: 1. Find stations using search engines like Radio Stream URL Search Engine or InternetRadio . 2. Add stations to your platform of choice 3. Enjoy!

Getting Creative:

There are devices you can buy that look just like traditional radios, but another popular method is to make. Here are some examples:

Station Examples:

#DigitalPrivacy #DigitalFreedom #internetradio #radio #music

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