Refactor: discontinue building for python 3.8

- 3.8 is on end of life as of today

.github/workflows/release.yml

@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ jobs:
           - macos-15
           - windows-latest
           - windows-2019
-        python-version: ${{ fromJSON(vars.PYTHON_VERSIONS)}}
+        python-version: ["3.9", "3.10", "3.11", "3.12"]
         include:
           - os: "ubuntu-latest"
             artifact: loopprojectfile-wheels-ubuntu-latest
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ jobs:
         with:
           python-version: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
           allow-prereleases: true
-          
+
       - name: Upgrade pip 
         run: |
           python -m pip install --upgrade pip
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ jobs:
         - macos-15
         - windows-latest
         - windows-2019
-        python-version: ${{ fromJSON(vars.PYTHON_VERSIONS)}}
+        python-version: ["3.9", "3.10", "3.11", "3.12"]
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       - uses: conda-incubator/setup-miniconda@v3
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ jobs:
           - windows-latest
           - windows-2019
 
-        python-version: ${{ fromJSON(vars.PYTHON_VERSIONS)}}
+        python-version: ["3.9", "3.10", "3.11", "3.12"]
     steps:
       - uses: conda-incubator/setup-miniconda@v3
         with:
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Activate Conda environment
         shell: bash -l {0}
         run: |
-          conda activate ./conda-env
+          conda activate ./${{ runner.os }}-conda-${{ matrix.python-version }}
 
       - name: Conda build
         env:
@@ -311,7 +311,7 @@ jobs:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
         os: ["ubuntu-latest"]
-        python-version: ${{ fromJSON(vars.PYTHON_VERSIONS)}}
+        python-version: ["3.9", "3.10", "3.11", "3.12"]
     if: ${{ needs.release-please.outputs.release_created }}
     steps:
       - uses: actions/download-artifact@v4