I am stressed the hell out. This happened last year when the fires were burning. We aren't in danger, but the thought of all the people and animals and forests who are....
And I'm learning in my soil microbiology class about how the destruction of fungi in the forests' soils is contributing not only to global warming (via the release of carbon), but also to the dryness of forests (fungi holds moisture in the soil). Drift events from biocides are killing off fungal populations in our forests--all the sprays along power lines, golf courses, overzealous homeowners, farmers who are reliant on chemicals. ... Anyway.
Maybe in a previous life, I died in a forest fire. My level of stress feels irrational and out-of-proportion to our danger level.
I need to do something. I need to start an organization that focuses on encouraging state services to promote the growth of fungi in forests, and for that, I need to do some experimentation myself. Like, would rock dust help?
What should I do? A non-profit?
- Start developing a chain of people who know how to make compost or at the very least, promote fungal growth in soil. Then we could have teams of people spray tea and extracts in forests when they go hiking. This will be a lot of time for no influx of money, which sucks. Or I guess I could train people for a small donation to the non-profit. But when they in turn train someone, I can't ask them to ask that person for a donation, can I? I guess I can.
- Lobby for hydro to stop spraying shit. Give them an alternative.
- Raise funds for a compost turner for farmers in our area to borrow.
- Start education campaigns about the need for and purpose of fungi, and the need for the duff layer in forests (OMG, don't fucking "rake" forests!)
