#q42020

Crystal healing started as a niche of spiritual hippies that believed in the metaphysical properties of crystals. Millions of years ago, these stones were formed when liquid rock inside Earth cooled and hardened, creating these beautiful eye-catching stones. We cannot deny that these stones were made under intense energy, which has been interpreted as having mystical healing properties that have been marketed as alchemy for the soul. Nowadays, the niche crystal-healers community has expanded into the mainstream due to celebrity endorsements, such as Adele needing them to perform on stage, Kim Kardashian-West using it as a PTSD-healer after her traumatic robbery, and Gwyneth Paltrow using them to purify water. The rumored healing properties have echoed in all the corners of the world, making people feel closer to Earth through their stones. In reality, they are funding human rights violations, environmental chaos, and, yes, the Taliban. 

Environmental effects:

We all know that the mining industry is a huge polluter, destroying pristine forests in every corner of the world. Countries such as Myanmar, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Afghanistan are a few of the leading suppliers of crystals. Their governments have little to no environmental restrictions for mining, allowing them to pollute without control or sanctions. Even in the  United States, which has some environmental policies, a recent study found that mines in New Mexico that extract blue chrysocolla -which is supposed to support "goddess energy" -are responsible for leaking 2 billion gallons of acid and heavy metals that contaminate surface and groundwater. 

It all begins with deforestation, and land degradation to arrive in the rock underlayers. Then then it

Pollutes the air

Deteriorates the ozone layer

Pollutes water sources

Limits water consumption for wildlife and people

This affects the local population too, making the air toxic and a biodiverse imbalance, cutting down the water supply and food security, which can eventually lead to pandemics... 

Besides all of this, crystals are non-renewable resources, so if we continue to extract these precious stones, we will eventually run out of them. 

Social effects:

The crystal trade and mining lax regulations, making it easy to foster social conflict and human rights violations. Most of these mining jobs are performed by minors searching for a route out of poverty at the cost of being part of massive organizations that own their lives, such as the Taliban. 

The international NGO, Global Witness found that the Taliban earns up to $20 million a year from Afghanistan's crystals, such as nephrite, lapis lazuli, aquamarine, jade, jasper, morganite, sapphire, tourmaline, and topaz. So if you buy a crystal from Afghanistan, you are indeed funding the terrorist, human-rights violator, and misogynist organization. 

Other than the obscene organization behind the mining industry, workers are also exposed to highly toxic environments where their health is at extreme risk. When miners cut and polish the stones, they inhale silica particles and catch silicosis, a fatal disease similar to lung cancer. Often that part is outsourced to countries such as China and India, where worker safety regulations are limited.  

So if you believe in the energy stored in these crystals, imagine the dark energy these crystals experienced when being extracted. Boys giving up their childhood to work underground for long hours. Afghan women are being controlled by the Taliban. And environmental degradation. Is that the energy you want to heal your soul?  

Buying crystals for the sake of feeling grounded and healed comes at the cost of international peace, human rights violations, and environmental deterioration. 

If you still believe in the metaphysical properties of crystals, you can:

Research where these crystals come from. 

If the mining practices are ethical and regulated. 

Keep the ones you already own. Focus on quality and not quantity. 

First of all thank you so much to all of you who have been showing your love and support for this fandom. The quarter just started a few days ago and already we have some authors/artist that have maxed their quota.

Remember, our limit is two works per creator and two categories per single work (so in theory the most category nominations a single creator can receive in a quarter is four).

So, to help out people who still hasn´t made their nominations we made a compilation of the creators who have reached or are approaching the nomination quotas: 

It's summer, rising temperatures are bringing heat waves that affect both our mental and physical healths, thus we cannot wait to go inside our homes, a store, a restaurant, or a car to turn the AC on and relieve our heatstroke. While we relax in the cooling air of a hot summer, we start to contemplate how the climate crisis is affecting the world, our days, and biodiversity. The irony? Our air conditioning addiction is cooling our bodies yet warming the planet. The history of ACs

Freon or Chlorofluorocarbons were first introduced in the 1930s as the chemical used in air conditioners, fridges, and freezers. This invention was a great household success, although, in 1987, the production of these chemicals was globally banned due to its ozone-depleting effect. 

Every October in Antarctica, new holes in the ozone layer were discovered and directly correlated to Freon; this made freon producers switch to HCFCs, which were supposedly non-ozone-depleting.

What are HCFCs? 

HCFC is a chemical compound made up of carbon, hydrogen, chlorine, and fluorine, produced as a volatile derivative of methane, ethane, and propane. Sadly, its components caused hundreds to thousands of times more global warming effects than carbon dioxide. HCFC is found in mainstream household air conditioners and in cars’ ACs. Even if HCFC producers allegate that the compound isn’t released during active use, in the span of 15 years compounds of Freon are released from the AC if it’s not well maintained. 

Waste impact:

Apart from the toxic component of air conditioners, AC vents require yearly maintenance. It can be costly, so many households throw away the AC vents in the streets of cities in exchange for new ones, creating a vicious waste cycle and releasing toxic chemicals into the air. The U.S. alone throws out a staggering six million window air conditioners each year.  “If your old AC unit ends up in a landfill still with the refrigerants inside, HCFC could leak out into the atmosphere and destroy the ozone layer. Meanwhile, the refrigerant can also emit greenhouse gases that are well-known to contribute to climate change.” -Jackie Thompson, Waste Advantage Magazine. 

How to properly get rid of your AC windows:

Donate your old AC window to some community that needs it 

Find a local organization that can use parts of the AC, such as the motors, coils, and copper tubbing for replacements of other mechanical devices. 

Give your AC vent to an air conditioning company, they will know how to make use of the working parts and how to properly dispose of them. 

Energy is a Social Issue 

We realize that air conditioning is a necessity in many parts of the world due to the rising temperatures. But we find it ironic that we are looking for a cool-down effect that only produces a warm-up impact on the atmosphere. Heatwaves are a social issue. People suffering from extremely high temperatures find themselves saving up for their energy bills due to the high cost of AC. Some populations live in remote desert areas lacking trees and parks. 

Solutions: 

Eric Dean, the author of "After Cooling: on Freon, Global Warming, and the Terrible Cost of Comfort," mentions that a possible solution to balance out extreme temperatures is "The need for things like community solar, or community-controlled energy, rather than having a monopoly company that controls it." This way, AC is powered by renewable energy; thus, its carbon footprint reduces its impact. 

We believe that cooling off is necessary for hot places, but that does not mean that air conditioning is the solution. Sustainable architecture explores how to use termite mounds, beehives, and better building materials that don't absorb heat to keep a household fresh and cool.