New Face Masks. 9.12.2020

 I still use the home made, pleated masks that I have been making.  They are not a perfect fit on the sides.  Also, the sewing machine has some challenges with the multiple layers of the folded pleats, and sometimes skips stitches.  It probably doesn't help that I added a light, nonwoven interfacing as a liner, and the inside fabric is cotton kitchen towel, which some studies showed to be very good as a viral filter.

This pattern is quite different.  The fit is much better.  I made one that had ripstop pants fabric as the outer layer. The mask looked great, very professional, but it wasn't breathable, which is a problem.   I made these new masks with batik cotton quilting fabric outer layer, light interfacing liner, and kitchen towel inner layer.  This filters smoke very well, and is breathable but probably the upper limit to how thick I can breath through comfortably.  This makes a good mask for both wildfire apocalypse and coronavirus apocalypse.  I'm not sure about plagues of locusts, frogs, or zombies. 

I'm having a difficult time loading photos.  I'm using Ipad.  If they don't work out, I'll need to edit later. (Edited 9.15.2020)

The materials - this was some batik fabric that I bought to make a shirt.  There was some extra.  The NY Times article that I read stated that cotton batik fabric is the best, along with "tea towel" which is kitchen towel.  Later articles state a nonwoven filler is helpful, so I added a nonwoven interfacing.

I cut to the downloaded pattern from the link above.  I ironed the interfacing onto the inside aspect of the batik fabric, before cutting.

I followed the article instructions, pretty much to a T.  It was very straight-forward.  I used two food bag twist ties to make the metal nose strip, which is sewn inside the mask before final assembly.  I also used polyester shoestring for ties, cutting to fit and sealing the cut ends with a butane lighter, so they don't fray.

This mask has an excellent fit.  It seals much better at the sides, compared to the pleated masks that I was making.  Those mask pleats were also difficult to sew, whereas this mask doesn't have pleats, so no problem.

The inside of the mask, showing the tea towel fabric.  That is quite comfortable.  I think these masks filter out a lot of the smoke particles in the current Pacific NW worst-air-quality-in-the-world situation due to wildfires.  I feel much less short of breath and lung tightness when wearing this mask outside, compared to not wearing it.

 

Fire and Smoke Season. 9.12.2020

The Pacific Northwest is becoming less amenable to the old ways of the temperate, evergreen rainforest, and more inclined to be chaparral.   There is probably no sense in denying that, even if we mourn the lush, beautiful forests and humane climate.  Just as a person goes through stages of life, that can't be reversed, so is this region and much of the planet.  This change should not be news to anyone - as a species, in many cultures, continents, faiths, and economies, humanity has made this choice.  The information has been out there for a generation.  So we need to adapt to what we have created.

The fir trees, spruces, pines, can't survive this dry climate.  They turn into tinder, and burn explosively across the vast forests.  This is also not new, although it's much more extensive now and the effects and dangers are much greater.

I'm all for trying to stop the human contribution to climate change.  I re-purpose, up-cycle, repair, restore, reduce, and try to be thoughtful about my decisions.  I am also realistic regarding the futility of one caring person's effort, like a poppy seed in the cosmos.  I still do it, but I know - the corporations, the populists, the teeming developing mega-nations - they won't change. 

So we also have to thoughtfully adapt.  You really can't intelligently live in a forest fire zone, and have a house nestled among  towering fir trees, no matter how pretty and cozy it is. That will become a spreader event for wildfires.   You can't have evergreen "landscape cushions" up against the house.  Or directly under fir or pine trees (I have a couple like this.  They will be cut down soon).  When it comes time to plant new trees, it's important to look into whether they are potential torches, or possibly fire retardant.  It's also important to evaluate the water needs of what you plant.

There is no perfection.    One can only evolve, be thoughtful, and continue trying.

A list of fire resistant landscape plants.  

I think, in general, conifers are fire promoting.  Some eucalyptus are as will, but I'm not sure about others.  Deciduous trees are less so, although if they have died with leaves on the tree, or under the tree, yes, they will burn too.

A list of fire hazard plants.  This is from Marin, so a little different climate but with similarities to what we are becoming in the Pacific NW.  

A much longer list from Ashland.  Fire resistant plants.

I had the most likely to burn trees removed earlier this year, but I can't tell neighbors what to do.  Theirs are clearly a wildfire risk.  There are a few shrubs to remove if the current wildfires don't come and do it for us.

The view now.  I-phone does not pick up all of the yellow color.  Everything looks jaundiced.  The county health department says, stay inside.  Fortunately we have what we need.  I have a bug-out bag in the car, with emergency supplies, meds, and very few, small sentimental items.