371–380 of 481 posts
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I feel that I hear people say « we’re having a unusually hot dry year » every year...
The last 5 years have been the hottest years on record, so...
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I do this too but I get bylaw visits from the city. Which cities?
Search for wildflower seed bomb mix, you shouldn't get in trouble for this. My mom used to do this every year when I lived in Germany, looks pretty and zero maintenance.
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Fireflies certainly are in decline in urban areas, and from that in a holistic population sense. The amount of natural areas continues to decline worldwide leading to reduced habitat for a lot of insects and animals. However I was replying to someone who stated that they live in a rural area so lighting isn't the cause. I also live in a rural area, albeit on the edge of a very large city (e.g. there is the large ligh…
> To go back to the ladybugs, specifically the Asian ladybugs, last year they were everywhere. Every corner would have a bunch of them. They'd get in the house and then smash into the ceiling near every pot light leaving discolorations (blood or something). This year I've seen barely a dozen or so all season. It's just a complete 180. To me, it sounds like your area experienced an intentional release of the Asian Lad…
They are widely believed to be a major factor in the current decline of insects.
I actually was sitting outside a few nights ago and realized that there was no more fireflies, and I couldn't remember the last time I had seen one. I used to go out all the time during summer as a kid to catch them, they would light up whole fields. That was just like 15 years ago. Pretty sobering realization
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> What if I'd like to be able to see some stars from my bed? "My comfort should trump everyone's safety"? Still no.
And the cars you spoke of are stealthed, running dark, or what? /me shakes head and thinks "Here is your sign! Hold it!"
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As a non-American I have never understood why a people that values personal liberties are sometimes happy to be dictated to by housing authorities. I get it with apartment buildings with shared walls and communal property, but I just don't get why you would with suburban homes.
An HOA is typically formed by people who live in the neighborhood to allow a housing development to represent itself as a single larger entity instead of several smaller ones. Like any human collaboration they can be awesome or terrible. A good HOA can manage resources for ammenities like pools and sports courts, they can help homeowners settle disputes over things like fencing and street parking. Like many volunteer…
[1]: https://www.fcc.gov/media/over-air-reception-devices-rule
I used to point this out to hipster trendies who illuminate their trees at night. Don't they consider nocturnal life that are dependent on solar cycles for proper circadian rhythms? Seems disruptive. I got the impression the trees were a bit miffed.
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At the very least moss is beautiful. Personally I don't have a problem with "weeds" as Americans see them. If covid ever lets up, you should try taking your wife on a trip to Japan. The moss in Japanese gardens is extraordinary!
I assume it has to do with the US house price laws that mandate one takes care of the lawn, or risk incurring in fines or losing the house (quoting an US friend not sure about the details)
Recovering a lawn that is overrun with weeds is very expensive, time consuming, and hard work under the hot sun. A well maintained lawn only needs a few maintenance applications of weed killer every season, or can even be handled by hand. If you want flowers for the insects (I'm all for it) plant flowers. But just "let it go wild" never ends well.
Also, when it is time to sell your house a buyer is going to look at a wild lawn and just see a money/time sink.
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I live in a fairly rural area in Germany and even if the nightsky is perfectly clear the cities in the distance cast a bright haze into the sky. They aren't that dark...
Yes. Light pollution leaks out pretty far away from the source. I don't know if there's any patch of land in Europe now where light pollution is zero. Maybe in a few places in Scandinavia. Death Valley in California has pristine night skies. I cannot even begin to describe how different it is. Think - fine diamond dust on black velvet. There are stars everywhere you look . Amazing.
The most preserved one is surely around the Pic du Midi in French pyrenees. It is actually an Dark Sky Reserve since 2013.
And according to this map¹, North of Scotland seems a good spot too, among others.
1 : https://avex-asso.org/dossiers/pl/europe-2016/ (in French, but the colors are pretty self-explanatory)
I actually was sitting outside a few nights ago and realized that there was no more fireflies, and I couldn't remember the last time I had seen one. I used to go out all the time during summer as a kid to catch them, they would light up whole fields. That was just like 15 years ago. Pretty sobering realization