No problem! I am glad I was able to help!

Sadly I have WAY too much social anxiety to organize any of these myself, but my town does have little libraries and pantries, and does do seed swaps and repair cafes, so it can be done! I think the trick for organizing is building a local area community online (maybe the app “Nextdoor??” and gradually warming people up to the idea. Basically, building hype and trust before trying to start it. That also has the benefit of making sure you have built a community to help you run it, rather than trying to do it all on your own.

The other method in my town is just proposing the idea to the town council, then if they like it, they help with the marketing and whatnot because it’s good PR for them. I get that’s harder in a city, though. You could also try proposing the idea to community boards or community centers.

Sorry I can’t be of any real help! The only thing on the list I have done is built a little library.

Very true!

There’s actually several problems with most hydro dams that sadly is often completely ignored due to it being “green energy.” For example:

• Disrupting Fish Migrations. The dams can act like walls, stopping annual fish migrations. Though this is sometimes minimized using fish-ladders, often many other aquatic species that can’t use the ladders are ignored.
• Displacing people and wildlife. For example, Lake Minnewanka in Alberta, Canada, has an underwater town that was flooded for a hydro-dam. The spot was also of importance to the indigenous people of the area, as it was seen to be connected to the spirit world.
• Polluting the Water. By causing higher levels of sediment and algae in the reservoirs. This is called “eutrophication.”
• Hurting or Killing Wildlife. The released water is often cold and low in oxygen, which can shock and even kill wildlife downstream.
• Water-Depletion. Reservoirs can cause water-depletion for an area, since still water evaporates faster than the water in a moving river, and the plants consume water to work.

That’s why I don’t always classify hydro as actually being green energy. There’s hope in small-scale turbines making a comeback in a fish-friendly style https://youtu.be/KEsrAmM07fs , as well as updated takes on tidal energy, such as the wave swing. https://youtu.be/mxesgXdw0Zw

Those are very good points! I especially didn’t think of the last one, and it’s really important.

Those are all beautiful examples!😍 I absolutely understand why you picked them

I hope it helps! 😊

You’re welcome and thanks! I will add that to the list with credit to you.

Haha Thanks! I made the section breaks on Canva(free version) so I am not really attached to them or anything, so please feel free to save and use them if you’d like!

Perfect, thanks! I will add those right away with credit to you.

I have never owned carp, but a lot of fish are opportunistic, though have food preferences(so basically, if they are starving, they may resort to eating something, even if they prefer something else). If your setup is outdoors, they may get enough food from wild insects. For example, my mother has a very small outdoor goldfish pond with some real lily-pads, and thanks to the wildlife insects, she does not have to feed them and they are many years old. Otherwise, you could grow your own fish food (example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6k9xuW2Irck ) or some fish even like certain kitchen scraps.

AH WAIT. 💡 I just remembered a video of a system in Japan where the people of a town wash their produce and dishes in a kabata. It is basically a network of streams going from house to house, and the free-roaming fish there(which I think *might *have been carp) eat all the waste and help keep the water clean. Here is the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rwxsjzjDhs I also remember this article being informative (and is where the image is from): http://ihcsacafe-en.ihcsa.or.jp/news/harie/

In regards to your story, haha I am sorry to say it does not sound like I will be much help for that. The science your story is going into is far too smart for my brain, I’m afraid. You sound like a scientist! hahaha.

No problem! I am happy to share them 😊

Thanks! I will add Kolourpaint and Standard Notes (with credit), and remove Obsidian

I’m happy to help. Good luck on your expansion!

A very good point! It’s too bad they are not made out of natural fibre twine that has been dyed or something

I don’t see why you couldn’t add a loop! A lot of fish owners use sponge filters now (they sit at the bottom of the tank and release bubbles), so you wouldn’t have to worry about your floaters being sucked into your filter. Also, floating plant coverage can cut down on harmful algae blooms(it cuts down on sunlight in the water) and gives your fish more places to hide, so it would be extra ideal for people with a window tank or outdoor tank. I think most people put the outtake pump (going to the plants) under the rocks or with a filter, so I don’t think it would bother the setup either.

Woah! Your story sounds crazily detailed. It must be taking you a lot of research. If it helps, there are plants called “nitrogen fixers” that add nitrogen back to soil

Yes! There are studies about fish for that. You might have to be more specific for the species of fish if you want more specific answers(since fish behavior can be so different between species), but here are some studies:

• From Land to Water: Taking Fish Welfare Seriously
• The Welfare of Captive Fish
• Aquarium fishes are more aggressive in reduced environments
• Keeping Fish in Home Aquariums: Two Is Not Company, As Far As Fish Are Concerned
• Enriched environment in aquaculture enhances the survival of fish from bacterial disease

A lot of it typically comes down to the basics. For example, fish feel less stressed when they have somewhere to hide, and so if you put driftwood in a tank(simulating a log they might hide behind in a natural environment), they feel safer. Part of it making them live longer can also come from it being a breeding ground for healthy microbes, but driftwood can also release tannin’s, which help with the water PH.

Here are some other studies you might like:

• Fish and veggies: Water flow for more efficient aquaponic systems
• Fish just want to have fun, according to a new study that finds even fish ‘play’
• Fish under threat release chemicals to warn others of danger

I adore free little libraries and free little pantries (for food), but online I have also seen free tool sheds, clothing “closets,” and craft boxes. I love the idea of these so much. Imagine an apartment building having a tool shed or a craft box, so that when you are done with your hobby, you can pass the tools onto someone else. Some people mark the address and purpose onto the tools so they can’t be resold.

Also, you never know who in your neighborhood needs help, so this is a quiet way of helping people.

These do originate from very hot and dry climates, so I agree there might be a leak in yours, or perhaps you are trying to water too large of an area with too few of Olla’s.

I am in Alberta(Canada), and it did work here during our droughts when we were also dry and hot last summer, with temperatures comparable to Texas (at least according to your averages online).

However, drip lines are a good choice, too! I quite like them paired with rain barrels and battery-operated faucet timers(for automatic watering). Though I don’t know if rain barrels are legal where you are? I have heard they are illegal in some places in the USA.

I am happy to help! Please do keep me updated with the results!

That reminds me of Chinmapa from Mexico! A chinampa is a floating garden built on a freshwater lake, made by making a raft of woven reeds, with stakes to keep it in place. Soil was placed down until it was above the waters surface.

This system eliminates the need for watering, and was successful in growing maize, fruit, tomatoes, amaranth, beans, chile, and flowers.

If anyone wants to learn more, there is a good video here: https://youtu.be/HJiTRh4EeTs