home

{% load i18n %}

{% load static %}

{% block title %}{% trans "About myself" %}{% endblock title %}

{% block description %}{% blocktrans %}A page where I talk about myself, what I

	do, what I (dis)like, who I am, ...{% endblocktrans %}

{% endblock description %}

{% block main %}

<section>

<p>

    {% blocktrans %}Why hello! Thanks for stopping by! As I mentioned on my

    homepage, My name is Maarten. I'm a {{ age }} years old student, and I dabble in

    a lot of things that I enjoy doing.

    Some of these things I put on display here, my website, for the world to

    see!<br />

    On this page, I talk a bit about myself, my daily routine, what I do, ...

    It's not all-encompassing, and I've narrowed it down quite a bit to the most

    important things. I plan on sharing more through my upcoming blog, but until

    that's done, I hope this is enough to keep you satisfied.

    {% endblocktrans %}

</p>

<h2 id="interests">{% trans "Interests" %}</h2>

<h3 id="hacking">{% trans "Hacking" %}</h3>

<p> 

    {% blocktrans %}It's mostly hacking/coding. It's kind of my jam. I've

        been working and playing with computers since I was a toddler, so it

        shouldn't come as a surprise that that became a big hobby form me.

        I'm doing a lot of other things as well, but they're either not really well

        enough developed to talk about, or too minor to mention. Of course, I'm not

        stagnant, so I'll be updating this as soon as it's relevant.

    {% endblocktrans %}

</p>

<h3 id="music">{% trans "music" %}</h3>

<p>

    {% blocktrans %}I don't like rap and pop music. I get annoyed by

        hearing most of it, so I try to avoid it. Especially recent popular songs can

        irritate me to no end, almost without exception. Luckily I don't get that much

        joy out of listening music anyway, so I don't feel like I miss out a lot.<br />

        I do like popular numbers from the eighties, some Eurodance style numbers,

        and ambient music. I don't have favourite numbers or anything. I just like

		them.

    {% endblocktrans %}

</p>

<!--<p>

    I have a hard time focusing, so I try to ban as much distraction

    as possible when I'm working. When I do reach a state of concentration, it goes

    very well, but I lose it very quickly, and regaining it takes a long time as well.-->

<p>

    {% blocktrans %}I'm blessed with a set of the best friends one can imagine.

    They make life just so amazing, and I hope I can also do that for them.

    I try to open myself up to others as much as possible (or at least, as much

    as I feel comfortable with), hoping that I can share my

    happiness with them as well. All in pursuit of making our world a better

    place for everyone!{% endblocktrans %}

</p>

{% comment %}

<h3 id="trains">{% trans "Trains" %}</h3>

<p>

  {% blocktrans %}I'm crazy about trains. My grandfather is a retired train

  operator, and from there I got passed on a certain love for these

  machines.<br />

  I see trains as thé solution for transportation of both passengers (day) and

  cargo (night). They're fast, convenient, large, all that while being

  ecologically only second to bicycles for transportation, and the all-out #1

  choice for public transport (provided it's reasonably used). In Europe, I hope

  that air travel will be replaced by HST travel, which would allow a lot of

  people to travel the continent easily, affordable, and ecological. Trains are amazing!<br />

  My favourite is the

  <a href="MW41PIC">MW41</a>, a

  <abbr title="Diesel Multiple Unit train">DMU</abbr> that's frequently used on

  the

  <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antwerpen-Centraal_railway_station" target="_blank">Antwerp-Central</a> -

  <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasselt_railway_station" target="_blank">Hasselt</a>/

  <a href="https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Station_Hamont" target="_blank">Hamont</a>

  corridor. This is also the route my grandfather did, as he was stationed at

  the depot in Mol. It's a very versatile train:{% endblocktrans %}

  {% blocktrans %}<ul>

	<li>It can drive on non-electrified tracks</li>

	<li>The middle provides a big compartment for wheelchairs, luggage, and

	  (non-folding) bicycles, as well as a comfortably big toilet</li>

	<li>The top speed is relatively low (120km/h), but it makes up for that with

	a relatively high power-to-mass ratio. Combined with its low capacity, this

	  makes it an ideal train for frequent stop services.</li>

	<li>It doesn't waste an extra set of doors in the middle of the train, like

	  the MS96 does</li>

	<li>There's enough space for luggage storage, the seats all have smileys,

	  and the whole train has A/C</li>

	<li>The space is optimally distributed, which can easily be seen when you

	enter the doors at the front or back, which curve inside to give room for

	the driver's compartment.</li>

	<li>The train can be coupled to meet high demand, increasing the capacity to

	  +600 people</li>

  </ul>{% endblocktrans %}

</p>

{% endcomment %}

<h3 id="food">{% trans "Food" %}</h3>

<p>

    {% blocktrans %}I'm an omnivore, and eat everything that I like to eat. I like

        a variety of different things, but the things I like most are nicely prepared

        beef, yummy vegetables, and fish. I heavily dislike pureed food, beans

        and peas, and

        desserts that are not simple. I'll seldom turn down things like

        hamburgers, pizzas, ...<br />

        Spaghettis (and other pastas) are extremely satisfying for me to eat, because

        practically

        everyone knows how to make it, but almost every time I try someone's version,

        it's a different taste. I love how many varieties of all the pastas exist!<br />

        This is quite the opposite with fries: Only Belgians seem to know how

        fries are served properly. I've seen (and sadly, tasted) the ways fries

        are prepared abroad, and it's often an insult against our national

        pride, so much so that I avoid eating them outside of Belgium.<br />

        I enjoy Belgian fries a lot, but I am picky about them. I consider my portion

        "great" if fresh potatoes are used, they're medium sized, and well baked,

        topped off with a generous amount of (real) mayonnaise. Eating them with a

        <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frikandel" target="_blank">frikandel</a>

        makes me feel like a true Belgian.<br />

        I might eat vegetarian when an attractive option is available. That is: It

        has to be tasty, not expensive, and shouldn't make me miss meat. If those

        conditions are met, I'll probably take a vegetarian dish, but not because I

        want to <em>be</em> a vegetarian. I believe this

        helps to reduce my carbon footprint. I started doing this when I went to Ghent

        University, where there's often a tasty vegetarian dish available.

    {% endblocktrans %}

</p>

{% comment %}

<h4 id="veganism">{% trans "Not a vegan" %}</h4>

<p>

    {% blocktrans %}I'll never be a vegan and I firmly believe that veganism is not

        necessary to prevent animal abuse. Humans have lived with animals for

        centuries, sometimes even in a way that proved beneficial to both the animals and humans

        (for example: chickens, sheep, and goats provide eggs, wool, and milk, while we provide them

        adequate protection from predators). I've had chicken coops for my entire life

        and I think that eating eggs does not amount to animal cruelty, contrary

        to veganistic beliefs.<br />

        While I know that animals are abused in big farms, a system called "laws" can

        effectively stop those practices, way better than veganism. It's also a very

        radical lifestyle for most people to attempt.<br />

        That's not to say that veganism is bad; delicious meals are easily made in a

        vegan way, and within a healthy and varied diet, it's possible to be a

        lifelong vegan, starting from adulthood: due to health concerns minors

        mustn't be vegans.{% endblocktrans %}

</p>

{% endcomment %}

<h3 id="drugs">{% trans "Drugs" %}</h3>

<p>

  {% blocktrans %}I have banned recreational use of all drugs out of my life for as long as I

  can remember. This includes nicotine products and alcoholic beverages.<br />

  I do this for multiple reasons:

  <ul>

	<li>I don't believe drugs are necessary to have fun. When I'm with friends

	they may be drinking alcohol, but I enjoy my time just as much with

	  non-alcoholic drinks like sodas.</li>

	<li>Drugs are unhealthy. Most of them cause damage to organs, and can badly

        affect the body long-term. I have no desire for any of that.</li>

	<li>For social purposes, it's always easy that I am the person that's

	sober. This can be for multiple reasons; an emergency, being the driver of

	  the evening, ...</li>

	<li>Drugs alter the user's perception of, and actions in reality. I don't

	  have any need to go through that. I enjoy being sober.</li>

  </ul>

  That being said, I do see why people enjoy them, and I've read about how

  cannabis is sometimes used for medical purposes (which I would do as well

  should I need it, since that's not recreational), so I don't oppose to others

  using them, nor do I refrain from buying them if I know they will be consumed

  in moderation. I do oppose to usage that inflicts harm to others, or in

  general, forces other people to use it as well in a passive way.{% endblocktrans %}

</p>

<h3 id="studies">{% trans "Studies" %}</h3>

<p>

    {% blocktrans %}I hold an undergraduate Informatics degree from Hasselt University.

    (coloquially named UHasselt). However, nowadays I'm rarely there, since I'm

    now a graduate

    student of (Scientific Engineering) Informatics at Ghent University. I spent most of my

    time in a rented space in Ghent with my friend Jonathan.<br />

    When I don't have any lessons to attend, I'm close to the Faculty of

    Psychology & Pedagogy. For my

    courses I often travel to the Ardoyen campus in Zwijnaarde.

    {% endblocktrans %}

</p>

<h2 id="sports">{% trans "Sports" %}</h2>

<p>

  {% blocktrans %}Every week, I use my bicycle to commute between Ghent and the

  technology campus of Ghent University, so I cycle approximately 50km per week.

  <!--I also go swimming for two hours every week in the GUSB swimming

  complex. Or... TOCH ALS DE LESSEN EENS EEN KEER ZOUDEN DOORGAAN VOOR ÉÉN KEER-->

  {% endblocktrans %}

</p>

<p>

    {% blocktrans %}When I'm not in Ghent, I'm often home, most probably

    extremely busy with hugging my 3 dogs. Apart from that (and homework),

    my evenings are a mix of several things, like socializing,

    coding, writing, hacking my laptop, you get the idea. Also, when I feel like

    dabbling in something, I'll make some time for it.

    {% endblocktrans %}

</p>

<p>

    {% blocktrans %}Weekends are often trying to keep up with what university

    threw at me the last week.

    This website is my <i>spot</i> on the internet, so this is basically

    where I hang out. Sometimes you might run into me while I'm "redecorating" the

    place, or doing spring cleaning in my code repository. Anyway, if you

    want to sit down, you can always do so, I love having people around! 😃

    {% endblocktrans %}

</p>

<p>

    {% blocktrans %}I regularly add new texts to my website, or do general

    maitenance. I try to

    extract time where I can, but maintaining a website (and doing it well), is

    not always the most easy job. Different screen sizes, JS (in)compatibility,

    enforcing encryption, translating my website (which I do myself), ...

    Nevertheless, if I find a free spot somewhere, I might very well be updating

    my website. It's satisfying work to see my own place grow under my

    fingertips, albeit slower than I want it to.<br />

    Sometimes, it might seem I've not been doing anything on my website for a

    while. This might indicate real-life obligations, but might also be

    invisible changes to the source code, which are just as important as

    anything else I do around here. 

    {% endblocktrans %}

</p>

<h3 id="politics">{% trans "Politics" %}</h3>

    {% blocktrans %}I

    keep myself informed about political subjects that interest me. A list of

    some subjects I follow with hightened attention:

    <ul>

        <li>Law enforcement</li>

        <li>Public transport</li>

        <li>Climate mayhem</li>

        <li>Freedom and privacy</li>

        <li>Human rights</li>

        <li>Digital agenda</li>

        <li>Copyright abuse &amp; reform</li>

        <li>Belgian communautarian debate</li>

        <li>Governmental &amp; corporate accountability</li>

    </ul>

    I also hold opinions on many issues, which I believe to be rational (but

    who doesn't, right?), but I don't feel attached to a political orientation, nor do I

    change my viewpoint to better align with one. I will say that <em>in

    general</em> I tend to lean towards ideas that ecological parties and pirate

    parties often espouse. But again, my opinions might differ

    drastically. Do ask me if you would like to know more, I'm all for

    explaining.{% endblocktrans %}

</p>

{% comment %} 

<p>

    {% blocktrans %}I especially

    dislike the "left-wing/right-wing" division that's currently gaining ground, because it

    portrays politics as if it were just a one-dimensional spectrum on which

    every viewpoint can be allocated in an arbitrary order. This is influenced

    by the ridiculous

    American political system that only knows two big parties, and causes people

    to cease critical thinking in favour of party alliance, to the point that a

    "democratic election" is reduced to a poisonous contest where you must

    win, rational debate be damned. Please do not refer 

    to people as "being left-wing" or "being right-wing"; many people are more

    complicated than that.{% endblocktrans %}

</p>

{% endcomment %}

<p>

    {% blocktrans %}Despite my interest in politics, I try not to bring this up

    into daily communication when it's not necessary. The reason is threefold:

    <ul>

        <li>In addition to my poor social skills, I am also a very bad speaker;

            without ample time to prepare, I have a 

            very hard time voicing my opinion in a convincing manner, even on

            issues that I (think I) understand very well. I would like to inform

            people, but if I can't talk in a convincing way, I might do more

            harm than good, so I try to avoid "live debating".</li>

        <li>Politics can be a sensitive topic. While I'd love to talk about

            sensitive issues with my friends, I don't know if the reverse is

            true, and I do not want to look annoying to be friends with.

            Therefore I try to refrain from bringing up political 

            discussions myself. However, if one of my friends were to bring it

            up, I will gladly partake, because I take that as a sign that there

            is some mutual interest.</li>

        <li>I have a website on which I can talk at length and in detail about

            these things. This also offers an easy "getaway" for friends, but

            also other people; they can decide for themselves whether they want

            to know about my opinions, without awkward social interactions. It

            also allows me to directly link to source material, correct

            mistakes, and it's an easy reference point for myself.</li>

    </ul>

    {% endblocktrans %}

</p>

<h3 id="computing">{% trans "How I do my computing" %}</h3>

<p>

    {% blocktrans %}It's what I do most, so for those interested, I

    figured I'd talk about how I do the things with computers =3{% endblocktrans %}

</p>

<p>

    {% blocktrans %}I have a reliable computer that I built myself, and a

    companion laptop through Hasselt University. Both run

    <a href="https://archlinux.org" target="_blank">Arch</a>,

    the best

    <a href="https://GNU.org" target="_blank">GNU</a>/<a

       href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_kernel" target="_blank">Linux</a> distro out there.

    I do almost all my stuff in

    <a href="https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/" target="_blank">GNU Emacs</a>, like

    programming, maintaining my diary, working, system maitenance, and sometimes

    even browsing. I sometimes also use

    <a  href="https://neovim.io" target="_blank">NeoVim</a>.

    >80% of my work is text

    related, and terminals are just better at that than a fully fledged desktop

    environment.<br />

    Languages I prefer are

    <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C_%28programming_language%29" target="_blank">C</a>,

    <a href="https://www.python.org/" target="_blank">Python</a>,

    and (my current favorite)

    <a href="https://clojure.org" target="_blank">Clojure</a>.

    I'm trying to pick up

    <a href="https://haskell.org" target="_blank">Haskell</a>,

    which goes as well as you'd expect from a language like that. <br />

    I run

    <a href="https://lineageos.org/" target="_blank">Lineage OS 14.1</a>

    on my phone (In laymen terms: It's basically

    a cool and slim Android/Linux 7 with less Google interference).<br />

    Code repositories are <b>always</b>

    <a href="https://git-scm.com/" target="_blank">Git</a>

    repos, no exceptions. Depending on

    the project size, I use a simple dependency listing, or a recognized project

    manager like

    <a href="https://leiningen.org/" target="_blank">Leiningen</a>

    or

    <a href="http://doc.crates.io/" target="_blank">Cargo</a>.

    {% endblocktrans %}

</p>

<h4 id="website">{% trans "My website" %}</h4>

<p>

    {% blocktrans %}

    <a href="https://nginx.com" target="_blank">Nginx</a>, and the website

    itself is built using 

    <a href="https://djangoproject.com" target="_blank">Django</a>, a Python

    web framework that's extremely well written.

<h4 id="sociaj-retejoj">{% trans "Social media" %}</h4>

<p>

    {% blocktrans %}I do not have a social media account on any big platform, except for Reddit.

    That's because Reddit is one of the few platforms that respects its users' privacies enough,

    and doesn't require me to identify myself.<br />

    The other platforms (like Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp, ...) all vehemently

    violate their useds'

    privacies in order to get more profits. I will not create an account on those.

    I also hope others will follow me in this decision, as being on platforms like

    Facebook compels others to do the same. An easy way to break their power is to

    refuse being used, and additionally, this makes it easier for others to act

    similarly.{% endblocktrans %}

</p>

<h4 id="browsing">{% trans "Browsing" %}</h4>

<p id="tor">

    {% blocktrans %}I fully condemn the practice of tracking people's (browser)

        habits for financial gain without proper consent (and no, clicking "I agree"

        does not imply giving proper consent),

        and I refuse to tolerate it. That's why I often browse using

        <a href="https://torproject.org" target="_blank">Tor</a>

        to conceal my identity. You can do so likewise, even for practical purposes;

        the network is steadily gaining more speed because of the growing amount of

        people concerned with their privacy. Some offer Tor nodes that speed the

        network up and increase the security. If you really want to, you can also

        help by becoming a <strong>non</strong>-exit node (because exit nodes

        may get blocked by some websites, I don't recommend doing that 

        unless you know what you're doing).

    {% endblocktrans %}

</p>

<p id="adblocker">

    {% blocktrans %}I normally would not use an adblocker to browse the web. As much as I

    resent the use of advertisements, I understand that keeping a website up

    costs money, and advertising is an easy way to fund that, a practice of which traces

    can be found back until the Roman empire. Because their existence is not

    harmful to society either, I see no valid ethical objection to an

    advertisement on a website, and I don't want to block them. (I also don't oppose the

    use of adblockers by others: I think people have a right to decide whether they

    want to see ads or not.)<br />

    However, I do use

    <a href="https://noscript.net" target="_blank">NoScript</a>,

    which is a <em>script blocker</em>. It helps me stay anonymous on the

    internet by blocking (mostly client side) scripts that may reveal my identity.

    Unfortunately, a lot of websites have started using tracking scripts to

    trace what I see, what I do, what I surf to on the internet, and use that

    for advertising, profiling, and identifying me, which is ethically wrong.

    Because I oppose this practice, I block these scripts,

    and that often means that I don't see advertisements

    either.<br />

    There's a small annoyance to this (but I don't mind that): Some websites require some scripts to

    operate at all; therefore I have to manually pick for these websites what

    scripts to allow and which to block. The fact that these websites are

    erroneously built (i.e. they can't work without client code scripts)

    is annoying, but I don't really care that much: For some websites, that's worth it.

    For others, I don't bother and I don't read what's on them.<br />

    However, as a practical advantage, blocking so many scripts means my browsing

    is much better (which partly offsets the speed deficit caused by using Tor):

    A lot of websites load within a second for me, whereas with

    unblocked tracking, it takes easily 5-10 seconds before some webpages are

    fully loaded in. Additionally, the page gets sprinkled with ugly bars,

    elements pop in randomly and shift the page layout in grotesque ways,

    (a)social media buttons left and right, and often a popup regarding their

    use of cookies, which blocks what I want to do in the first place. What a

    terrible state of affairs!<br />

    If you think the increase in speed, security, and safety while browsing is

    totally worth clicking "Allow this script" every once in a while, then I

    urge you to install NoScript as well, and activate "Block scripts globally".

    It will make your browsing a lot better in almost every way.{% endblocktrans %}

</p>

<h4 id="free-software">{% trans "Free software" %}</h4>

<p>

    {% blocktrans %}I am a very strong supporter of the free/libre software

    movement and organizations that battle to preserve our computing freedom,

    which I regard as a human right. I go out of my

    way to find replacements for any proprietary software, and have a high

    tolerance for practical ease of use I'm willing to sacrifice.<br />

    Very seldom, I use Windows (often in an emulated environment) for some

    programs that I need to 

    run for my university courses, as annoying and terrible I might find that.<br />

    I also voluntarily help people move from using proprietary software to free

    software. I feel responsible for doing so, because I'm an informatician, and

    not many people understand these subjects well.

    If you want to try it (on your own), you can find a lot of GNU/Linux distros on the

    internet that are pretty easy for novice free/libre software users. You can

    also install them alongside an existing operating system, giving you the

    chance to make an easy transition to computing freedom (which I admit, is

    difficult when you're not used to it). For your freedom's sake, I implore

    you to give it a shot too.{% endblocktrans %}

</p>

<h4 id="culture">{% trans "Cultural works" %}</h4>

<p>

    {% blocktrans %}Although I avoid proprietary software, I take a mild

    approach to proprietary video games. This is because games

    serve a cultural/entertainment purpose, not a general/functional

    purpose. They're a form of art, so to speak. That's a fundamental

    difference from other types of software, and that reflects in how I

    experience the (lack of) freedom in games.

    I do draw the line with

    <a href="https://www.gnu.org/proprietary/malware-games.html" target="_blank">games that

    are distributed with malware</a>, most often taking the form of

    <a

    href="https://www.defectivebydesign.org/what_is_drm_digital_restrictions_management"

    target="_blank">DRM</a>.

    <br />

    However, I still think that games also ought to be free software, because

    that would also make them free cultural works.

    Proprietary games can get

    lost because of technical changes (ranging from instruction set architecture

    to a specific high-level library), making them unplayable as time goes on.

        {% endblocktrans %}

{% comment %}

<h3>{% trans "Wrapping it up // Contacting me" %}</h3>

<p>

    {% blocktrans %}I hope you liked what I wrote! The pleasure was all mine,

    dear reader =D<br />

    If you want to talk with me about anything, suggest stuff, have a laugh, say

    something nice, exchange virtual hugs, or

    anything else, I've got a couple of ways you can connect to me:

    {% endblocktrans %}

</p>

<ul class="browser-default">

    <li>{% blocktrans %}<b>Mail</b>:

        This is the most direct and reliable way to reach me (of all public

        ways). If you want to get to me through

        good ol' email, you can always 

        <a class="{{ mdac }}-text text-accent-4" href="mailto:contact_me@maartenv.be">contact_me@maartenv.be</a>.

        {% endblocktrans %}

        {% comment %}

        I have a PGP key for encryption purposes, you can download it

        <a class="{{ mdac }}-text text-accent-4"

            href="/media/main/pubkey.acm">here</a>.

    </li>

    <!--<li>

        {% blocktrans %}<b>

        <a class="{{ mdac }}-text text-accent-4" href="https://tox.chat">Tox</a>

        </b> offers its users decentralized and encrypted live chat, on a

        multitude of platforms, and is so simple, you don't even need a

        phone number or an email address or that jazz to "identify"

        yourself, which makes it awesome if you want to stay anonymous.

        Despite its young age, it's already pretty stable and fast on p2p

        connections. If you want a quick chat with me, add me using

        my Tox ID: <br />

        955F4DA92BD174FEB985D57F5283DEA0DCEE757B32E1EBFFF4F13A932D60B07884E12009E019<br />

        You can also simply scan 

        <a class="{{ mdac }}-text text-accent-4" href="/media/main/tox.png">the QR code</a>,

        maybe that's easier =P

        {% endblocktrans %}

    </li>-->

    <li>{% blocktrans %}<b>Other ways</b> to connect to me are 

        limited/reserved to a specific public. You'll probably know it when it's

        not listed here =P{% endblocktrans %}</li>

</ul>

{% endcomment %}

</div>

</div>

{% endblock main %}

{% load i18n %}

{% load static %}

{% get_language_info for LANGUAGE_CODE as lang %}

{% block title %}{% trans "Activism" %}{% endblock title %}

{% block description %}{% blocktrans %}For the greater good. Find out about some interesting things to better the world as we all know and love it.{% endblocktrans %}

{% endblock description %}

{% block main %}

<section class="emphasis">

<h3 id="ĉirkaǔ">{% trans "Activism?" %}</h3>

<p>{% blocktrans %}You see, the world gets better all the time. Mostly, this is

    thanks to people who believe in something, and actively strive to better the

    world. They come in all sizes and types, but they're collectively named "activists".

    Now, I know that most people reading this don't think about themselves as

    being an activist; most likely you're studying, or working a career, taking

    care of friends and/or family. You don't have time for activism. At best,

    you might donate to a cause you believe in, or buy a sticker. Maybe even

    just because it's a small tax writeoff.{% endblocktrans %}

</p>

<p>

    {% blocktrans %}And you know what? <strong>That's perfectly fine.</strong>

        This page is not to tell you about how you're not doing <em>enough</em>

        or why it would matter more than what you're currently doing. There are

        enough other people that profess that already, and I personally don't

        think it helps activism a lot. Besides, lots of people already do things

        because they assume it helps. Look at recycling, blood donations, organ

        transplants (especially altruistic donations), child adoption, and so on.

        I know it's not often regarded as activism, but I do want to look at it

        in different ways than the stereotypical spreading of pamphlets and

        asking for signatures on market squares.{% endblocktrans %}

</p>

<p>

    {% blocktrans %}That's why I made this page for activism: I think a lot of

        people really want to make a change, but don't see it as viable for their

        life. Or they're not sure what to do. Here, I present a list of causes

        and activities I believe can make the world a better place for everyone.

        It's also important to remember that nobody can do everything, plenty of

        valid reasons why that's the case. Maybe you think that organic farming

        is better for the environment, but you still buy non-organic food because

        you can't afford the higher price. But that doesn't mean that partaking

        in activism is hypocritical by default (which is a reasoning that somebody actually

        used in a discussion about activism with me). On this page, you find causes

        I believe in, that you can donate to, or small things you can do in your

        daily life that help that. You won't find the general calls to action here

        like "You should vote" and "Recycle as much as possible",

        I assume most people already see those often enough. I target more specific and

        fewer mentioned points. For some things, I propose certain replacements

        to "ease" taking on an cause without disrupting your life radically.

        (Like vegetarianism; it's a good thing, really, but replacing ⅓ of most

        people's daily diets is too radical for most people to do anyway.)

        I hope it allows you to partake more in activism.{% endblocktrans %}

</p>

<p>

	{% blocktrans %}I want to end this with a nice citation,

		<a href="https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Frederick_Douglass#West_India_Emancipation_.281857.29"

		   target="_blank">accredited to Frederick Douglass</a>:{% endblocktrans %}

	<blockquote>{% blocktrans %}If there is no struggle, there is no progress.

		Those who profess to favor freedom, and yet depreciate agitation,

		are men who want crops without plowing up the ground.

		They want rain without thunder and lightning. They want the ocean

		without the awful roar of its many waters. This struggle may be a

		moral one; or it may be a physical one; or it may be both moral and

		physical; but it must be a struggle. Power concedes nothing without

		a demand. It never did and it never will.{% endblocktrans %}</blockquote>

</p>

</section>

<section>

<h3 id="procreation">{% trans "Urgent: Do NOT procreate" %}</h3>

<p>

    {% blocktrans %}I know this sounds pretty radical, but

        allow me to explain in detail. I'm sure you'll understand.<br />

        The scientific consensus is clear: Humans are the main cause of the

        climate mayhem, period. Collectively, we are ruining the planet's ecosphere.

        It's also clear that there's a direct correlation between the earth's

        temperature, and the amount of humans that are on it:

        <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:World-Population-1800-2100.svg"

		   target="_blank">This graph</a>

        shows the rise of the global population, and

        <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Major_greenhouse_gas_trends.png"

		   target="_blank">these graphs</a>

        show the increase of greenhouse gases during that same timespan.{% endblocktrans %}

</p>

<p>

    {% blocktrans %}I'm not the first one to state that having no children is the

best thing you can do:

        <a href="http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/aa7541/pdf"

		   target="_blank">A study</a>

        calculated that living a <em>completely</em> car-free life reduces your carbon footprint by 2.4 tonnes of CO₂(-equivalent emissions) per year,

        while having just one <strong>(just one!) fewer child reduces it by 58.6 tonnes of CO₂. Per. Year.</strong>

        It goes without saying that having one fewer child is <em>way</em> easier than living without a car for the

        rest of your life.<br />

        You can see why it strikes me as very odd that lots of people are calling for

        small solutions like electrical cars, or a vegetarian diet, while

        at the same time omitting what might be the easiest and most effective

        solution to make a truly great impact on the world. Sure, the other things

        help, but not nearly as much as having no/fewer children.{% endblocktrans %}

<p>

    {% blocktrans %}From that (again: scientifically proven) point, the inference is thus:

        Every ecological problem caused by humans gets larger and more destructing

        with every new human. The easiest and best solution to this problem, is to do as

        I do, and have no children. By not creating more humans, you are saving the planet

        from probably 4-10 people in the following decades.{% endblocktrans %}

</p>

<p>

    {% blocktrans %}Having no children allowed me to study whatever I want,

        and might be the biggest contribution to planet Earth I'll ever make. At the same time,

        I've seen a member of my family give up a possible job as police inspector because she

        got pregnant. These are just personal anecdotes, but I doubt I'd have to look very

        far for other examples where somebody had to stash per dreams because of an oncoming child.

        (If that person even gets to see that child very much: My parents got divorced, which

        is not only bad for the children of said parents, but in my case, my father

        didn't get to see me very often when I was a minor.)

    {% endblocktrans %}

</p>

<p>

	{% blocktrans %}Some people suggest that not the amount of people living is

	the problem, but that the way they live is bad. So solving the climate

	mayhem can also happen with a more sustainable lifestyle.<br />

	Let's ignore the fact that saying seven billion people is "not too

	much" is (at least) remarkable. First, for a lot of people, a more

	"sustainable" lifestyle is simply too hard to accomplish. The more

	people there are, the less resources are available for everyone. Lowering

	the population directly implies that everyone's lifestyle becomes

	automatically more sustainable, and requires practically no difficult

	intervention.<br />

	Also, this statement prepositions that there's enough resources for

	everyone. This is ignorant; if everyone lived in a decent way, we'd need

	at least 2.5 Earths just to keep up. Currently, the disgusting way

	people in third world countries have to live can't even offset a way of

	living humanely.<br />

	Finally, the climate mayhem has already started, and its consequences are

	already happening. Even assuming that 7 billion people is not too much,

	getting them all to live sustainable will take way longer than simply

	reducing the population, and we can't afford any delay.<br />

	Oh, and before I forget: Having no children and a sustainable lifestyle

	are not mutually exclusive. We can (and must) do both.{% endblocktrans %}

</p>

<p>

{% blocktrans %}Some people tout the economy as a reason why this is a bad

	suggestion.<br />

	First, simply making this statement implies that economical progress is an

    argument that's worth

	taking into consideration with the current direction we're heading, which is

	one where the economy will be the least of our problems.<br />

	Secondly, many economists say that a constant growth is economically

	necessary, and since the economy grows with more people, reducing the birth

	rate is bad. This argument dismisses discussion out of hand ("It goes

	against our current system, therefore this will be bad"). It also assumes

	that we should always work towards "economic growth", which could work if

	the planet would also grow infinitely. Since it doesn't, economic growth is

	finitely bound, and since

	<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_Overshoot_Day" target="_blank">

		we're currenty using more of the Earth than it can possibly

		replenish</a>, we've exceeded that limit. Thus, our current economic

	situation is incompatible with the planet we all live on. One of the two

	must change, and we're stuck on Earth, so the economy must change.<br />

	While we're on the subject of economics:

	A reduction in the world population has also secondary economical benefits:

	It's easier for a government to pay for healthcare and education if there are fewer

	students/patients to pay for in the first place. These funds can then easily be divested

    to paying pensions for the elderly, or other problems that need funding.

    Also, jobs that have struggle with constant shortage of workforce (like school teachers)

    will see this problem gradually disappear.

    Of course, global heating already puts economies across the planet

in jeopardy because of all the problems it causes, that then need fixing. It

also causes so-called climate refugees, who also need to be granted asylum, and

all the costs that come with it.{% endblocktrans %}

</p>

<p>

    {% blocktrans %}Governments ought to teach children in school about this matter,

    and spread information about (working) anticonception measures. An increase in

    abortion rights will also help, and is also beneficial to the rights of women, another

	important problem. It goes without saying that I am pro abortion rights.<br />

	Of course, many of these measures directly contradict religious teachings

	(including the thought that women must give birth as much as possible,

	<a href="https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2018/01/05/vlaams-belang-wil-dat-vlamingen-meer-kinderen-krijgen---nieuwkom/" target="_blank">

	ideas that are also often espoused by extremist groups, like

    Vlaams-Belachelijk and AfD<!--Albernheit für Deutschland?--></a>),