#100% in regards to the need for needing to up our game with air hygiene. our standards for air quality in public spaces need to be higher

[i-still-mask-because]

I still mask because one covid infection affected me (23yo) and my family for half a year and because I believe that we need to completely overhaul our air hygiene concept for public spaces so that everyone can be safe especially people with pre-existing conditions - not just from covid but anything that comes after too

😷

[technicolordeams]

So some things happened this past week since I wrote my last entry and I'm rethinking my stance on leaving or not. I was able to talk to the one girl who is befriending me and my pastor had a long talk about what makes me me and what I struggle with. I followed what my therapist told me to be which was to be more assertive. I felt very awkward and scared to do it but if I didn't, I'd end up right back where I was feeling anger and abandonment. So for now, I'm still on hold on what to choose to do.

But a couple other things popped up. Not too big but unsettling. My mind just blanked on one of them so I'll just type about the one that's stuck out the most to me right now since it happened literally within the past hour.

So obviously I have problems eating enough to keep my weight stable, let alone gain any without a LOT of work. I've been struggling with it since my gallbladder decided to take a shit on me and demand to be removed which happened on my birthday. During that time I started getting suicidal again and I hadn't dealt with those intense emotions regarding it in several years. But since December it decided to rear it's ugly head and bite into me as hard as it could ever since. It's been 8 months now with very little improvement. And during that time span my health has tanked. I developed breathing problems after my surgery which was horrific enough as it was (imagine not being fully awake but aware that you are out of control of your body and unable to utilize your coping techniques. Just like having a massive panic attack like seizure feeling but you are barely able to be aware of anything besides the viceral fear and blackness because I couldn't wake up. Just... Out of control. And you have no idea how long you were in that state before the nurse could sort of pull you out of it and even communicate more than like two words and slowly peek my eyes open a fraction. Yeah, that's what happened. I had major fear over that for at least a month. Sleeping was hard enough from the surgery and adding in that... Yeah no.) Anyways, since that started up and obviously after surgery it's hard to eat and stuff like that normally. But after the surgery I was (am) having breathing problems. I would have endless coughing fits that would even hit me and make me unable to take a full breath without coughing horribly whatever air I could get right back out. It also made me almost throw up several times (which is my biggest phobia that triggered my eating disorder to go out of control and send me into hospital stays and feeding tube hell). So at least I lost 10lbs since the surgery or even before that. I creep closer to 15lbs though most likely. I haven't been keeping track of it very much because of how much distress I've been dealing with. And I've been dealing with A LOT. Things I wonder if I will be able to get up from without more intense medical help that I probably can't get because of covid.

I've gone through several tests to see why I'm having coughing fits and every answer is that they don't see anything wrong. Well, the ENT appointment I went to the day before I went to see the pulmonary doctor really screwed me over tbh. The ENT doctor gave me steroids that day that I took that same night and told me that the pulls wouldn't affect the asthma test they were going to perform next day. It did. So I had to wait like two months before I could go back and be re-tested. But then covid hit and those practices have been closed ever since. So I can't get an accurate reading on what's going on. They did spot that I had some breathing abnormalities but because of the steroids, they couldn't say for sure. Mind you I had to literally book these doctor appointments and tell my dad you have to take me to these because he didn't think it was that important. Which has pretty much been like everything doctor related that has come up this past year. Just had to put my foot down and tell him I NEED to go to these and I'll be going whether you agree with me or not. Which adds to the distressed feeling and like I'm overreacting and being too paranoid or some shit. Also because I couldn't get actually tested for asthma properly, my regular doctor had to prescribe me with an inhaler but insurance won't help because I have not been diagnosed with it. So I had to cough up (almost literally) over a $100 for medicine that we don't know is right for me or not or whatever.. so that's like $60 every two months? Idk. Which is a lot considering I have a bunch of other bills to pay which includes when I got my wisdom teeth removed (ALL FIVEEE because I'm that extra) which cost $3,000. I have to pay my mom back for another at least year? I don't even know anymore at this point.

I've also been dealing with vision blackouts recently where I almost pass out when I get up here and there. My blood pressure tanked and went to like 70/52 and pulse all over the place. That's better now at least. Chronic fatigue, dehydration, can't sleep very well... Etc. Vitamin D and B12 are on the lower side of the normal range and my body isn't producing enough carbon dioxide.

Now along with all of this bag of shit, I have lost every friend I thought I had and the feeling that I can call anyone friend anymore. I am terrified of calling anyone a friend now because I am afraid that if I let someone in, I will be taken advantage of and lied to like I have in almost every type of relationship I've had since I was little. I am afraid of speaking because I am afraid what I say will offend or upset or whatever someone when all I do is mean well (usually unless you're an asshat). It has made me regress back to my childhood where I couldn't trust anyone and I had nobody except for a penpal on the east coast to keep me company through msn messenger, emails, or rarely phone calls. She was the only one I could call my best friend for a long time and the only one I could open up to about things and the only one who tried to consistently cheer me up when I was hospitalized at 16 by spamming me with emails. I will forever love her and no matter how far we've drifted apart over the years, I will still love her and respond to her as quickly as possible if she ever needed me again. But if we never talk again I'm okay with it. We were there for each other during really bad times in out lives and I like to think we kept each other somewhat sane. She has done more for me than I could ever ask anyone and I'll always be grateful to have "met" her.

But since all of the shit happened with my ex friends... I don't feel safe to get very close to anyone or open up to anyone. Even the girl who defended me and stuff when I was being bullied and manipulated hardly speaks to me now. I wouldn't want to talk to me very much either if all I had to talk about were extremely negative and talk about dying. I can hardly go to my parents about things. I am home alone with just my puppy that likes to get into mischief about 80% of the day. Hardly interact with people online. Usually I just now watch YouTube videos about what's going on with people. I find very little satisfaction playing video games or anything honestly. I have lost art, something that I loved dearly and way too much. I cannot go out most often due to my health. I am stuck at home. I can hardly go outside too. It's too hot (sometimes heat can trigger flashbacks), I found out I'm allergic to grass, and last week I broke out in hives from God knows what so I can't go outside even more. I was put on steroids again for 6 days which causes your immune system to weaken so it won't produce histamines that causes the INSANE itch because every topical and oral medicine OTC would barely help at all. All I do each day is very basic hygiene, sleep when I can, eat as much as I can, and try and relax while taking care of my puppy.

Only two good things has come from all of this: one, I can finally work with a trauma therapist. Hopefully she can help me. Two... Ah I forgot what the second one was actually. Maybe being able to talk to my psychiatrist more frequently? Not sure. I'm very tired right now again lol.

All I know is that I feel very much alone and there's nothing I can do about it. The world outside is extremely dangerous and I am trapped inside my mind too frequently. And there is no extra help I can get.

So all of this led up to my main grievance for today- so far at least lol long ass story to tell just to explain what I'm upset about. My mom earlier asked me if she could give me advice. I told her it depends on what it's about. But she said it anyways. Told me to check my weight each week. She knows I'm not in the most stable state of mind and she knows that me checking my weight constantly can cause a panic attack of it goes down. (thankfully it hasn't really in a month. Only reason why I know is because I had to go to my doctor's twice the past month) I told my dad what she said and he just told me to say okay and leave it at that.

I know I don't want to go back to the state I was in in 2017. I don't want to go through that hell again. Even if I did want to, there'd be way more restrictions with the threat of covid ravaging our place and infecting everyone there. When I pass the eating disorder clinic that I was forced in when I was 16, there is literally nobody there. Maybe a couple cars but they obviously are not treating kids right now. I may be wrong but it would be very dangerous. I know over at the ERC I went to in 2017 is extremely limiting any visitors from coming. The apartments when you graduate to living in temporarily while you go to just a day program only allow maybe two people to stay there at a time and instead of walking to the van pickup spot, they pick you up at your apartment. Psychiatric wards here, or at least one of them that my therapist and I talked about going to, is still slightly operational, but it's over Zoom. So you literally can't get very good support. If you fall off the deep end while at a meeting nothing can be done to help you right there and then if you run away from the meeting.

My psychiatrist told me that if I do feel that I'm in grave danger (I think the trauma therapist I met also said the same) was to go to the ER. But I am afraid to go to the ER and then be turned away quickly and also take a chance that I might catch Covid while there, not to mention the price... And since my parents are essential workers, any one of us could come down with it at any time or be a carrier without knowing. So I'm isolated from people in real life and I don't feel safe talking to anyone online as well. Even if I had someone who wanted to talk to me to begin with that isn't some creepy horny guy wanting pixel sex... I can't think of anyone who I could potentially talk to about anything in my life... I'm just so lost and afraid of both the virtual and real world... Who can I turn to besides my therapist, psychiatrist, or maybe parents depending on what is bothering me, and of course God? I'm told I need a support system. But I can only talk to the doctors so much and my parents aren't very good at being compassionate... I have no one.

I also think about how badly I want to be hospitalized for a little while just so I can get fluids and rest and proper care but that most likely will only happen unless suicide was a big risk.

I am utterly alone...

If anyone reads this long post to the end, you're a crazy human being. xD Going to stop rambling now and put the dishes away and put the pup away for his nap and try and get one in myself.

[juniperpublishersajop]

Polymer Engineering - Developing or Improving Plastic Products- Are Plastics Boon or Bane?

Abstract

Plastics have advantages and disadvantages in properties like every other material section i.e. wood, metals, aluminum, ceramics. A boon is the high flexibility with plastics to create each desired property for each single application. But this is exactly also the bane. The result are the 5 Billon tons of plastic worldwide everywhere on earth. The diversity of plastic solutions is enormous. This makes reuse of it almost impossible. Compared with no economic value of used plastic the significance for Consumers and companies is almost zero. We need a common strength to solve this problem. And we need true facts from scientists and experts to help consumers make the wright decision under technical, economical, ecological and social aspects. This is shown in detail using a plastic tote bag versus a fiber tote bag.

Keywords: Polymer Engineering; Plastic Products; Advantages and Disadvantages; Boon and Bane of Plastics

Introduction

The “polymer” expertise in interaction with technological knowledge on raw materials, polymer materials, machine and process technology, processing, manufacturing technology and quality, tool and surface technology, construction and simulation, use, repair and recycling, cycles and disposal, Life Cycle Engineering (LCE) and Further training leads to qualified “polymer engineering” and is part of polymer science [1,2]. The specialists working in plastics technology also have enormous competitive advantages and behave sustainably through the application of the engineering concept to innovations in their products and in the quality of their work from a variety of particularly forward-looking aspects (-> economy, component optimization, resource conservation, environmental compatibility, etc.). It should be noted at this point that specialist expertise within plastics technology is basically a reflection of our quality of life and thus our prosperity. This will certainly continue to be the case in future, provided that we are “qualified” and highly responsible when it comes to plastics!

Present situation

From today’s perspective and also in the future, plastics from the following, exemplary selected areas of life will no longer be imaginable.

a. Energy saving through lightweight construction (low density) with moving masses (cars, aircrafts, robots, satellites, rockets)

b. Electrical insulation (including electrical cables, electric motors)

c. Thermal insulation for buildings (foams)

d. Improved shelf life and hygiene of food (packaging)

e. Product protection / resource conservation through shock absorption (packaging)

f. Maximum mobility through rubber tires (traffic)

g. Seat belts in vehicles (shock absorption)

h. Electronic components (mass production)

i. Leisure experiences (skiing, climbing, hiking, ball games, bicycles, water sports, tennis, etc.)

j. Clothing, textiles (comfort, durability)

k. crop yields in agriculture (covers, nets, fences, irrigation, silage)

l. medical healing (bandages, syringes, tubes, plasters, implants etc.)

And for all applications of plastics, these are usually inexpensive.

It should also be noted that due to their extremely high number of variants (materials made to measure for every application), plastics have, besides outstanding advantages (see above) as the boon side, also serious disadvantages (i.e.-> recycling problems) as the bane side.

For about 30 years we have been experiencing how plastics are gradually becoming discredited by public opinion due to “conspicuous” environmental events. These include (selection):

a. Fine dust pollution (microplastics) due to tire abrasion, sports fields with artificial turf,

b. Nanoparticles from cosmetics, fibers from clothing parts lead to plastic in the world’s oceans, in the ground and in the air. Polymer particles (plastic primary particles) migrate through food intake in humans and animals

c. Recycling quotas and circular economy up to ban on disposable products in more and more countries worldwide

d. Consumer health as a result of emissions from packaging and insulation materials as well as floor coverings in the construction industry and much more. Think on PVC soft for example.

e. Reduced moisture absorption of arable soils due to mixed decomposition products made of PE from cover foils etc. over the years.

f. Emissions of additives in plastics (fogging) in new cars, home mobiles, textiles, household machines, departments (floors, furniture), buildings (Inside and outside: foams, surface protections), and so on.

Basically, it has to be demanded that the highest priority must be to generate an accurate factual awareness among consumers through honest, open education. Recognized undesirable developments and misalignments are to be named with clear and understandable names. It is just as important, however, to demonstrate and appreciate the indispensable, environmentally friendly, life-saving, and beautifying consequences of plastic applications.

Plastics are made-to-measure materials, and, from today’s perspective, it is precisely this advantage that is increasingly becoming a major disadvantage with the current possibilities with regard to recycling and reuse (closed loop economy). However, this may change in the future. So “plastic waste”, provided chemical recycling processes (catalytic cracking, etc.) further developed so that in the future the plastic itself will become a source of raw materials again, will receive a completely new appreciation Using solar energy, it is fundamentally possible to achieve a carbon-neutral, climate-friendly life cycle assessment! With glass, metal, ceramics, wood, the situation is similar with regard to a circular economy. Quantitatively smaller, unmixed material flows are significantly larger in number with plastics. With high-strength, alloy steel sheets for car bodies, there is the same problem of pure recycling in the second and subsequent life of a component that is subjected to comparable loads, such as in e.g. PVC window frames. For metals, the need for metals with lower properties is huge worldwide. Similar to thermoplastics, they can be melted and re-alloyed and finally used as normal steel, here, for example, structural steel. With 30-year-old PVC window frame formulations, this is also possible to a limited extent, but the volume flows that can be achieved are much lower at the same time significantly higher logistics costs. Additive developments over the decades also prevent their use after 20 years. a. Without plastics, there would only be mobility based on wood, metal and ceramics (no rubber tires).

b. Without plastics, natural fibers for clothing would not be sufficient for all of humanity or the cultivated areas would be too scarce.

c. Without plastics, we used the oil for heating and transport even faster (plastics reduce resource consumption).

d. Without plastics, there would be no electrical devices, no electrical motors and electronic components

e. Without plastics we would have no surface protection (corrosion)

f. Without plastics, medical technology and hygiene would have been up to 100 years ago.

g. And without plastics there would be no space and aviation technology.

It is also correct, however, that the approximately 9 billion tons of plastics that have been extrapolated since 1950 (2 million t pa) up to 2020 including (approx. 420 million t pa) have a destructive impact on the world’s oceans and that animals and plants suffer from it [3]. This last point is something to be deepened.

The chemical industry produces plastics from (only) 4% of the oil that is extracted annually. 45% each of oil flows into heating + cooling and traffic, another 4% into pharmaceutical products. These usual percentages of mass falsify the picture. Due to the low density of plastics (0.1 g / cm3 for foams up to 2.0 for glass fiber reinforced composites) on average around 1.2 g / cm3), their volumes are much larger. This is the only way to explain that landfills are overflowing, the landscape is polluted, and the oceans are full of discarded plastic products because 15 large rivers (4 of them in Europe) flush tons of waste into the oceans. Although it is people, some unscrupulously criminal, who dispose of plastics carelessly, the manufacturing industry and the legislature - here at the international level-would have been wise to take sustainable countermeasures decades ago. Immediate action and implementation of the measures are imperative here. According to a study by Geyer R, et al. [3], University of California (2017), 6.3 billion tons of plastic were generated by 2015. 600 million tons were processed into recycled materials at short notice and 800 million tons were incinerated. 4.9 billion tons are still in use or accumulate in landfills, in the countryside and in the seas. According to R. Geyer, around 34 billion tons of plastic will be produced until 2050. The plastic flood has to increase.

Life Cycle Engineering

If, on the one hand, the media make a very important contribution to uncovering all kinds of environmental crimes, the same breath is always used for a factual, serious presentation of the relationships waived. An unfounded uncertainty among consumers, often based on general statements, is created. Using the example of , the emotional wrong assessment of the population on the “culprit” plastic can be refuted. Holistic balancing and life cycle engineering are sophisticated methodological tools that are executed correctly and provide good support for decision making. They are misguided when carried out in a biased and incomplete or / and methodically improper manner. For example, the numbers in (Table 1) show that an ftb is more environmentally, technically, and economically disadvantageous than a ptb for some criteria (Figure 1).

The following incident must also be mentioned

In a bill by the German Federal Environment Ministry on November 6, 2019, Minister Svenja Schulze said in the Bundestag: “Plastic bags are the epitome of wasting resources. They are made from crude oil and are often only used for a few minutes. ” Anyone who violates the law can be fined up to € 100,000. Here, as in the example below, the question really arises “Where is the proportionality based on facts and where is common sense?”. The EU prohibits disposable drinking straws of a certain diameter range in 2019. Tecnaro company, Ilfeld, Germany has been supplying the straw market with 100% biopolymers that are quickly biodegradable since 2019. Unfortunately, the latter are no longer allowed because the EU administration apparently forgot to allow biopolymers.

Conclusion

Plastics have material advantages and disadvantages. A tailor-made material can usually be produced based on practical requirements. From today’s perspective, the question of the disposal option is often disadvantageous. If plastic is to be used sensibly and sustainably in our world, it is the task of the specialists (chemists, physicists, engineers, business economists, educators, buyers and sellers) to deal with it professionally and competently from the perspective of society. It does not help the consumer and our earth to be told, that moldable thermoplastic plastics are recyclable economically but only if they are collected separately in plastic groups. The consumer, who has to deal responsibly with the available resources, also hold an outstanding position. However, this requires the truthful information required. As this unfortunately does not take place, as the state of our living environment shows worldwide, it is the task of the experts, together with national and international legislators, to provide prompt solutions to prevent the environmental problem from worsening and to introduce improvements.

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