My sailing holidays are coming to an end. And I have to say: everytime I am there I realise that water is definitely my element. There is something so freeing about it, and definitely makes you observe the world in a different perspective. You go slow, you are at the mercy of the elements, even if you have the engine to assist you - it’s best not to use it to force your way upwind (unless anchored in a storm, in that case , engine full on and brace yourself). You are aware of how much you consume and how much rubbish you produce , even if you are careful, and buy the family pack so to reduce size. And more than that , in the water, sailing, It’s somewhat easier to connect with others. After all, you are bracing the same conditions. So you nod and say hi to your neighbor boat , maybe you find each other again in other ports …
And so we are arriving at the point of this post. During the cruise , we saw this ‘ketch’ , first moored in Gallipoli, I remember thinking just how much it moved in the swell of the bay. Then we saw them again in Leuca. Then again , behind us, with a beautiful Jennaker open that we were admiring. And they moored next to us. In the morning I rowed past them, on the side you could clearly read ‘Mediterranea - a sailing, cultural, scientific expedition’. As I read scientific the brain lit up and I rowed on board going to check the internet to see if I could find the project . And I managed to get in contact, one thing after the other I was invited for a coffee and a chat, and was illuminated by the beautiful people and interesting projects they are carrying out , all on a volunteer basis , to spread a beautiful message about the sea that surrounds many of our countries - and so I invite you to check their site (https://progettomediterranea.com/en/mediterranea-project/ ) and follow their adventure . Hoping to see them again soon as they continue their route up north and on to Venice
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I am away on vacation (and don’t make any promises about posting next week) -
as I am writing this I am frantically checking weather forecasts and preparing to leave on a sailing cruise . where hopefully we will manage to stay at anchor the whole time! so i figured this would be a great time to give you some suggestions for alternative living resources… Do you remember your favourite trip ?
Can you describe what made it your ‘favourite’? Maybe, like me, you have many - but can you think if there is anything that is shared between them all? For today’s post I have been wanting to write about ‘species coexistence’, a term that seems to come out very often in cultural events lately.
Species coexistence is something that triggers many questions (what is it , what does it imply, where does it start/end ….) in my working life (restoration, moving species, farming, killing things for the sake of science (if they are invertebrates there are no ‘ethical’ rules and protocols…), and it’s also something that I am left wondering about in my daily life in general, even at night when you are trying to co-exist with mosquitoes (and sometimes they win the co-existence making you wish that morning comes quick so you can get up and finish the war.. The other day I was out for a run and realised they turned off nearly all the water fountains I am usually stopping at. My carefully curated route which include key water spots was now totally useless. Needless to say, I headed home earlier to drink (with the only other option buying a bottle at a bar/supermarket - which would have required having money and buying plastic..).
A little while later opening up social media, I came across a sponsored post by a famous charity, with an African child suffering from lack of water and the ways to donate to stop it. Having just having had my own (very limited, I know) experience of ‘water scarcity’ (ended pretty soon since the home tap was still working the way we are used to) i thought ‘how long since it will be us in these pictures ?’. if you find yourself having to pass sometime, maybe in isolation (it happens a lot these days)
here are some of my favourite resources to be entertained while learning something The Patagonia channel not just for the outdoor adventurers out there but also full of interesting stories of activism in many fields and great social and anthropology aspects including indigenous culture the TED channel that most likely most of you know already, but if you don't : head over it! the economist, will make sure you are up to date with the current state of affairs, plus some interesting 'series' to watch Piled Higher and Deeper (PhD), not updated but still very much relatable if you are in academia For Italian speakers: Will media has a bit of everything regarding current issues For French speakers: CNRS (the French national research centre) Ever heard of climate anxiety? Maybe you are experiencing it these days? Perhaps as you organise your holidays and are worried about the impacts of your flights, or are seeing the heatwaves and the impacts ( like the recent glacier slide in Italy, empty rivers, people collapsing ...)
Well. You are not the only one... Here some interesting podcasts to listen to to delve deeper in the topic On climate anxiety https://podcasts.apple.com/it/podcast/how-much-climate-anxiety-helps/id870688022?i=1000560452726 I also found out there is a ‘climate alliance’ https://www.climatepsychologyalliance.org And I recommend their podcast episode questioning whether it is enough to deal with climate anxiety or what else should the focus be https://podcasts.apple.com/it/podcast/climate-anxiety-is-it-the-right-focus-for-climate/id1630186610?i=1000566658915 These other two episodes look at different facets of climate impacts on the mind The climate question https://podcasts.apple.com/it/podcast/how-is-climate-change-affecting-our-mental-health/id1538415261?i=1000566166098 All in the mind https://podcasts.apple.com/it/podcast/all-in-the-mind/id73330911?i=1000561366603 Enjoy the listening, and take care ! Technology is advancing super fast, and is entering our lives more and more. Artificial intelligence is being used increasingly, and is appearing on everyday (even banal) activities -
I don't know about you, but to me there is not a lot that tops being outdoor in nature.
I like exploring new places, immersing myself. Sometimes, the best places are a little out of reach, this means potentially having to walk for quite a while. I like finding new places to run in, that state of flow the mind gets in that allows you to observe your surrounding a different way... if you are a runner you know what I mean, if not.. I invite you to try. Best if done away from busy roads, but even cities, at the right time of the day, can show you some nature, and you may be surprised by it, if you go out at dawn or dusk, when less people are out and about. Right, if you still don't want to go, I won't take it personally... But please stay here and read on, as today I want to bring to the table some ways in which some sports communities are being 'activists' , and how this can be a wonderful platform to bring more awareness. Before talking about all of the possible ways we will go extinct (we will), i want to use this space to talk about something more ‘positive’ and think about how can we avoid it in the short term.
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