quercus

Authors: Chris P. Kale, Len Tilbürger
Topics: #anarchism #animalliberation #animalrights #FoodNotBombs #hardcore #intersectionality #music #punk #UnitedKingdom #Vegan
Date: 2014

This zine examines the frequent overlap between punk culture and animal rights^[1]^ activism/vegan consumption habits. It is argued that this relationship is most strongly and consistently expressed, and most sensibly understood, in connection with anarchism.

Examining this relationship is important in several ways. Firstly, it is under-researched and overlooked – as environmental journalist Will Potter argues, given the importance that punk plays in the political development of individual activists, it is surprising that ‘there is a shortage of research into punk’s impact on animal rights and environmental activism.’^[2]^ This zine, which brings together material from numerous bands, zines, patches, leaflets, and newly researched interview material, addresses this absence by considering the relationship between animal rights/veganism and punk. Secondly, the themes raised in this zine resonate far beyond the punk scenes from which material is collected: diversity and difference within activist communities, how these differences are managed (even ‘policed’), the prioritisation of certain forms of activism over others, and the role of culture are all issues which cut right to the heart of contemporary activist and community organising. Thirdly, the topic is of personal importance to the authors, both of whom are writing the zine from the impetus of their own life experiences.

In the first part of the zine the ways in which punk culture and veganism/animal rights coincide will be laid out, to stress the connection’s existence and to explore the different ways in which this connection is expressed. Next, the theme of politicisation will be raised, examining the link between people’s exposure to animal rights/veganism through punk, and the adoption of vegan consumption habits or involvement in animal rights activism. Thirdly, the tension between individual choice and subcultural expectation will be explored, followed by an examination of the supposed dichotomy between consumption and activist politics in animal rights. The zine will conclude by examining how anarchist perspectives cut across and inform these debates in an intersectional manner.^[3]^

Jamie Peck and Sam Beard are joined by Zhandarka Kurti and Jarrod Shanahan to discuss their new book “Skyscraper Jails: The Abolitionist Fight Against Jail Expansion in New York City” from Haymarket Books. What happens when politically underdeveloped abolitionists team up with ladder-climbing non-profit directors and big money philanthropy? Nothing good, that’s what!

Join us as we discuss the heartbreaking, cautionary tale about how a fight to shut down Rikers Island prison was taken over, watered-down, and channeled into a movement to built four of the tallest prisons in the world.

Why does the prison industry develop in response to the failures of capitalism? How was the movement to shut down one prison turned into a movement to open a network of skyscraper jail facilities? Will Rikers Island ever close? Was “Defund the Police” actually just a betrayal of the George Floyd Rebellion? How can our movements win?

Extra credit reading from Jarrod & Zhana :) https://urbanomnibus.net/2017/12/jail-end-jails/
https://brooklynrail.org/2020/07/field-notes/Prelude-to-a-Hot-American-Summer/

Currently resisting the spring cleaning urge! The grass in the front yard is starting to grow, so it won't be too much longer.

The first on my list is thinning out the orange coneflower to make beds in the backyard. The second is grouping up the late boneset that sprouted in random places.

Is the Easter Bunny pagan? Probably not. It seems to have been invented by German-speaking Protestants sometime in the 1600s.

Bibliography:

Stephen Winick, "Ostara and the Hare: Not Ancient, but Not As Modern As Some Skeptics Think," Library of Congress Blogs, April 28, 2016.

Stephen Winick, On the Bunny Trail: In Search of the Easter Bunny, Library of Congress Blogs, March 22, 2016

Nonagenarian cook and great grandmother, Clara, recounts her childhood during the Great Depression as she prepares meals from the era. Learn how to make simple yet delicious dishes while listening to stories from the Great Depression.

Guidance for safe foraging

Brian d'Souza, also known as DJ Auntie Flo, has been experimenting with making music from plants and fungi for the past five years. He uses the plant biodata to trigger notes on his specially built modular synthesizer in a process called biosonification, with the intention of bridging the gap between the natural world and electronic music. He currently runs the A State Of Flo label and substack, focusing on the biological basis for music, new ecosystems and the creation of acoustic ecologies. As Auntie Flo, he recently released his fourth album 'In My Dreams (I'm A Bird And I'm Free)' with one of the singles of 2024 'Green City' - the follow up to the acclaimed 'Radio Highlife' released with Gilles Peterson's Brownswood. His nature based music has been featured on the BBC, 6Music, V&A, Discovery Channel, Tate, Glastonbury, National Trust and more.

'Plants Can Dance (and Mushrooms Sing)', Brian's new concept, debuts on MAJ, combining the realtime sounds of the plants in the MAJ studio with a choice selection of rare ambient, new age, electroacoustic and polyrhythmical vinyl. Records featured include music by Mort Garson, Midori Takada, Nuno Cannavaro, Suzanne Ciani, Flore Libertine and more.

Chrissa Carlson, the former Garden and Nutrition Educator at Baltimore's Hampstead Hill Academy, shows us the steps needed to start a school garden and explains the different components of her school garden that not only makes it an effective space for growing plants, but also an engaging classroom.

If you don't have a lawn of your own to convert, this could be a great project for your neighborhood! Retirement communities or houses of worship are some other possible options.

More about the Baltimore Curriculum Project's Food For Life Program can be found here.

Peels were from ripe bananas. I cleaned them, cut off the ends, removed the peel, and ate the fruit for a quick snack lol. I used a spoon to scrape the inside of the peels to remove the stringy bits. Using a fork, I shredded them into strips then cut the strips into thirds.

I cooked up some onions and garlic in oil. Once they were ready, I threw in the shredded peels, covered with a mix of water and soy sauce, added some spices, and let simmer for 20 minutes. The serving in the picture is from one banana.

They remind me of green beans, not the flavor but the texture. Surprisingly, the flavor is pretty neutral. I wouldn't know it was banana peels if I didn't cook them myself.

I can't believe I got this close to 40 not knowing they were edible 🤯

This seems like a tasty, !zerowaste@slrpnk.net way to use an ingredient thought of as trash around these parts.

The recipe doesn't state this, but the bananas should be washed prior to cutting and should not be overripe (no to minimal brown spots).

I haven't tried making this yet, but I also found other recipes using banana peels in curries or in whole banana bread.

Y'all - I was set on taking pictures of the finished product to share with this community! But by the time the food was done, my stomach took over and my brain forgot 😅

Anyway, here's a side view of the remaining tofu:

Made a double batch of this recipe. Fit nicely in an 8x8 baking dish, but I definitely need more practice evening out the surface lol.

It's not like soy tofu, more like polenta? I tried the red lentil version yesterday, but I liked this one better.

I cubed it and fried in oil to use as a crouton of sorts for a red lentil and tomato soup.

Imagine enjoying a starry and fragrant night in the garden of shadow and moonlight. As daylight pollinators are settling down to rest, night pollinators appear for a feeding fest. Night pollinators are drawn by the eerie charm of pale flowers blooming at night. Many people only think of gardens as something to enjoy during the daylight, but moon gardens can be enjoyed during the night and attract night pollinators such as nectar feeding bats and moths. Night pollinators are attracted to the lighter colored and heavily fragrant flowers of night blooming plants like evening primrose and cacti, such as the saguaro. Moon gardens can also attract insects that will invite insect feeding bats.

archive.org

A science class for middle school students at Panorama Middle School commonly involves a trek out to the prairie behind the school, a sketch of native seeds under the microscope or a homework assignment to track the progress of a backyard bluebird from its birdhouse.

Teacher Mark Dorhout created an outdoor education program at the middle school in Panora to “connect (students) to the natural world,” foster environmental stewardship, and give students a real-world application to the science they learn in the classroom.