Author: Quinn Forney

hedaclara:

hedaclara:

hedaclara:

Guys, the first images of Irma’s level of devastation are coming out of Barbuda and it’s heartbreaking. The President of Barbuda says that 90% of the island is uninhabitable, upwards of 60% of the TOTAL population are now homeless because the hurricane destroyed virtually every building and home on the island, and that the estimated damage is valued at no less than $200 million dollars. That’s money a small island like that doesn’t have. They’re saying it’s going to take years to rebuild and Hurricane Jose is right behind Irma on the same path which means they could be hit twice. This is just one of the islands being affected.

Please, show up for the Caribbean like you did for Houston. There is no safety net for any of these islands including mine. They’ll rely entirely on foreign aid. Find local charities or global trustworthy charities (NOT the Red Cross) and make a donation asking them to aid the Caribbean. There’s whole countries being turned into rubble with no financial means to repair their infrastructures. They’re going to need help.

For the hundreds of people replying or in my inbox asking “Why not the Red Cross?!”:

  1. Google is free.
  2. Why The Red Cross Faces Backlash on Harvey Relief Efforts [Washington Post]
  3. Red Cross Built Exactly 6 Homes For Haiti With Nearly Half A Billion Dollars In Donations [Huffington Post]
  4. Red Cross Exec Doesn’t Know What Portion Of Donations Go To Harvey Relief [NPR]
  5. Report: Red Cross Spent 25 Percent Of Haiti Donations On Internal Expenses [NPR]
  6. Seriously, guess where I found all of those in two solid minutes of searching? Google. Even better, they didn’t charge me a penny for it. 

Stop wanting things to be spoonfed to you. While you waited for someone to link you to sources, you could’ve done it yourself and already donated to people who desperately need it. 

Because people are also asking where to donate instead of the Red Cross:

  1. MercyCorps [89% rating on Charity Navigator]
  2. Heart To Heart International [97% rating on Charity Navigator]
  3. Direct Relief [100% rating on Charity Navigator]
  4. Habitat For Humanity [83% rating on Charity Navigator // Because with islands like Barbuda 90% destroyed and French St. Martin said to be 95% destroyed then people are going to need homes built]
  5. Catholic Relief Services [90% rating on Charity Navigator // For those who would want to donate to a religious organization]

If there is a note or comments section on their donation page please do let them know that you would want your money to go to their Caribbean relief efforts. Houston and Florida have the US government backing them in whatever they will need but these islands will have very little except for these charities to fall back if they have any hope of rebuilding what seems to be entire countries in some cases. For the people who lost everything even a few bucks will go a long way. 

For the most part I would suggest staying away from privately launched GoFundMes unless you know the person directly. Ultimately, you just never know where those funds are going to end up and if your money will be used wisely. Sure, the same can be said for charity organizations but at least there is a better shot at possibly helping through them. The five listed above are world known and have been studied by charity oversight organizations. It’s as close to perfect as we’re going to get.

bunnyreeses12:

Shoutout to all American media for sending a clear message: you don’t care about 3.5 million Americans in Puerto Rico. While you obsess about the possibility of #Irma making landfall in Florida, tomorrow Puerto Rico will suffer the effects of a category 5 hurricane with winds of up to 185 mph. And yet, these facts are mere footnotes on your stories after you spent all summer fetishizing Puerto Rico pasito a pasito.

Also, shoutout to all my Latinx friends for expressing concerns about my friends and family back home. ❤

get a green thumb

spiritvexer:

basic gardening guide for indoor gardeners

climate & light

  • Research your climate zone [usa] [ca]. Buy plants that are recommended for your climate zone.
  • Note the sunniness of where you are going to grow your plants. 
    • no direct sun at all (still needs ambient light) = full shade
    • sun in morning/evening shade for rest of the day = part shade
    • sun all day = full sun
    • shade in morning/sun for rest of the day = sunny, part sun
  • follow these guidelines:
    • south window = sunny, part sun, sometimes full sun
    • east window = part shade
    • west window = part shade
    • north window = full shade
  • sun bulbs can be purchased to encourage indoor growth.
  • indoor plants used to low light might easily burn and dehydrate if left in full sun for too long, even if they are normally hardy plants.

soil & drainage

  • basic potting soil or gardening soil is “universal” for almost all plants.
    • major exception:
      • cactus & succulents = rocky, sandy, succulent soil is necessary for proper drainage
  • all plants need proper drainage or else they will ‘drown’. Choose only containers with holes in the bottom. Use a thin layer of rocks and/or gravel at the bottom of containers to ensure the hole is not clogged with soil.

watering

  • water less = cooler, cloudy, low wind, humid, rainy.
  • water more = warmer, sunny, windy, dry, no rain.
  • note the type of container you have used.
    • dries out more slowly, water less = metal, plastic, glazed ceramic, light colors in sunlight, nonporous.
    • dries out more quickly, water more = terracotta, wood, moss, dark colors in sunlight, porous.
  • indoor gardeners, plants with smaller root systems need less water. Watering them more will drown them; not encourage them to grow. The roots cannot drain the soil and the water will sit, drowning the tender root system 😦 this applies primarily to container gardening.
  • no need to water daily. water when the plant tells you it is ready:
    • its leaves droop (aim to water a day before this hits!)
    • it begins to stop being glossy and starts looking a bit drab
    • the soil is dry 1 to 2 inches down
    • the pot is lighter because the soil is dry (lift pots before and after watering to compare)
  • you want your plant’s root ball to be moist.
    • when roots dry, they shrink, pulling away from the edges of the pot.
    • when you add water to the pot, it follows the path of least resistance around the edges of the pot, straight past the root system.
    • to fix this, soak the plant once in water. then, water again.
  • if a plant is not seeming to be hydrated no matter how much you water, it is possible all your water is draining off to the sides and never reaching the actual root ball. to fix:
    • soak thoroughly in water several times.
    • place your container in a tray of water and let osmosis or whatever suck that water right up straight to the root.
  • avoid frequent, small waterings. this encourages the plant’s roots to grow too close to the surface. It is best to thoroughly water plants then let them dry out slightly before you water again (no need to let the leaves droop or anything – just wait until the plant is ready again, as described above).

getting a plant from a nursery

  • choose smaller plants as long as they are healthy.
    • smaller plant = smaller root system, healthy.
    • larger plant = big root system, curled and unhealthy in small commercial pot.
    • young plants with fruit or flowers = prematurely grown, highly stressed, unhealthy.
  • healthy plants have several identifiable traits.
    • they are colorful and lush
    • they are firm and do not have mushy stems or leaves
    • they have thick white roots
    • they are free of brown, white, or yellow spots
    • they are free of bug bites and infestation

transplanting a new plant to a pot

  • get the right sized pot.
    • too big = easily drown plant in soil that cannot drain.
    • too small = root system curls in an unhealthy way, not properly sized.
  • the “right sized” pot is based on the current size and future growth of the plant.
    • if a plant is 10-12 inches tall, give it an 8 inch diameter pot.
    • if the plant is 2-3 feet tall, give it a 24 inch diameter pot.
    • with a new nursery plant, get a container giving about 2 extra inches on each side of the plant.
    • get a container tall enough that you can have 2 inches of soil at the bottom of the container, a plant, and one inch of space between the topsoil and the lip of the container. This gives you plenty of room to water!
  • ensure your drainage hole is properly covered with mesh or a stone to prevent soil from falling out or clogging it.
  • moisten your potting soil if it is really dry. Mix some in a pail or bucket with water until it has the texture of a squeezed sponge.
  • ensure the nursery plant is damp enough to transplant. If the soil is too dry the root system will not hold the dirt together and everything will just fall apart (!!!). Soak your nursery plant for 30 minutes in water.
  • fill the space around the plant with potting soil, leaving one inch of free container space above the plant.
  • although the soil and plant should both be damp, you must now water your transplanted baby to ensure all air pockets are eliminated and that the soil has settled around the root ball.
  • even if plant is “full sun” do not simply place a young plant right outside for hours and hours. “Harden off” plants by slowly introducing them to the sun for an hour at a time and progressing over a course of days until they are ready for full sun.

enjoy plants :3

extensively plagiarized from Container Gardening for Dummies