#green bins for waste collection

[hireskipbinadelaide-blog]

Simple Tips to Help In Green Waste Removal

Garbage generation and waste collection, waste management, etc., are everyday activities that we all have a little bit of idea of. However, we often miss the fact that rubbish removal companies categorise the waste into different parts, and one of the most talked about categories is green waste. People have significantly less idea of what this green waste is, and hence, we have come up with this post discussing this relatively new category and what is done as a part of green waste management.

What Defines Green Waste?

The name signifies that green waste is mainly a combination of plants, trees and other flora. But this is not the end of the definition, as several things are added to this category by companies offering rubbish removal services and waste removal services in Adelaide. Green waste can include everything biodegradable, like tree branches, grass padding, flowers, weeds, etc. Apart from this, food scraps and fruits falling in the category of composting waste are also included in this category by rubbish removal companies.

This garbage is dumped in the green bin, and if you see this bin, it means that it has all the green waste dumped.

How To Dispose Green Waste Safely?

Experts from waste removal Adelaide companies recommend five different methods for safe rubbish removal and disposal of green waste.

Green Waste Bin

This is a classic option available for green rubbish removal, and it can store the green waste and be emptied when full. According to waste management companies, this is the most consistent form of green waste removal, but it also has some downsides. This size limit is the first limitation, followed by the fact that they are completely ineffective in bigger projects.

Verge Waste Collection

Some city councils and local authorities run this waste collection campaign annually. It is an excellent opportunity to dispose of green waste successfully. You can use it as a reliable and consistent option for rubbish removal services and waste removal in Adelaide.

Shredding Up the Green Waste

Another awe-inspiring idea is shedding the green waste to make space between branches, leaves, etc. However, this method is used with green bins, as they are very reliable for waste clearing and collection.

Incineration

Another advantageous but not-so-recommended method is burning green waste or green waste incineration. It is recommended to check with the local authorities before using this method. For those who prefer a clear conscience, the best idea is to continue shredding green waste and using green bins for waste collection.

Lastly, skip bins are always available for waste removal and green waste collection in Adelaide. Several companies offer economical skip bins of different sizes, and you can rent them as an ideal waste disposal method.

[goldenjerry02]

rubbish removal Liverpool:

"Liverpool's Man and Van Service" is a trusted name in rubbish removal in Liverpool, offering top-notch services to both residential and commercial clients. With a commitment to cleanliness and environmental responsibility, this company excels in efficiently disposing of waste while minimizing its impact on the planet. Their professional team is equipped with the right tools and knowledge to handle various types of rubbish, from household clutter to construction debris. Liverpool's Man and Van Service prioritizes customer satisfaction, ensuring prompt and hassle-free rubbish removal solutions. When you choose them, you can rest assured that your rubbish will be disposed of responsibly, contributing to a cleaner and greener Liverpool.

[reasonsforhope]

The new 'compost obligatoire' rules came into force on 1 January 2024. Here's what they entail.

As of 1 January 2024, organic waste recycling is mandatory in France under new 'compost obligatoire' rules.

With support from the government’s Green Fund, municipalities must provide residents with ways to sort bio-waste, which includes food scraps, vegetable peels, expired food and garden waste.

Households and businesses are required to dispose of organic matter either in a dedicated small bin for home collection or at a municipal collection point. Previously, only those who generated over five tonnes of organic waste per year were required to separate it.

The waste will then be turned into biogas or compost to replace chemical fertilisers. Alternatively, it can be composted at home.

The obligation is currently on local authorities to provide an easy means for households to compost or separate organic waste.

While facilities are rolled out, there will not be fines imposed for non-compliance. It is yet to be seen whether stricter rules will be imposed in future. 

One-third of household waste is bio-waste

Organic waste from food and gardens accounts for almost one-third of household waste. When it is mixed with other rubbish, it typically ends up in landfills or incinerators, where it produces heat-trapping greenhouse gases like methane and CO2.

Food waste is responsible for about 16 per cent of the total emissions from the EU food system, according to the European Commission. Globally, food loss and waste generates around 8 per cent of all human-caused emissions annually, the UN says.

It can also contaminate packaging destined for recycling like paper, plastic and glass.

In 2018, only 34 per cent of the EU’s total bio-waste was collected, leaving 40 million tonnes of potential soil nutrients to be discarded, according to NGO Zero Waste Europe.

In France, an estimated 82 kg of compostable waste per person is thrown away each year.

Is bio-waste separation mandatory in other European countries?

Under the EU’s Waste Framework Directive, bio-waste collection is being encouraged this year, but it stops short of setting mandatory targets.

In many European countries, organic waste separation has already been implemented at the municipal level.

Milan in Italy has been running a residential food waste collection programme since 2014. Households were given dedicated bins and compostable bags to kick off the scheme.

Elsewhere, taxes or bans on incinerating bio-waste have encouraged similar schemes, with separate bins and home composting widespread in Austria, the Netherlands and Belgium.

The UK announced plans to roll out separate food waste collection in 2023. It remains voluntary for households in England, but is more strictly enforced in Wales and for business owners.

How to sort your bio-waste

Ideally, all waste - including organic matter - should be kept to a minimum.

This can be achieved through careful meal planning. Consuming, freezing or preserving food before it expires along with using every part of an ingredient also help to reduce waste. Some food waste can even be repurposed into animal feed.

Any food waste that cannot be saved or repurposed should be either composted or separated for collection. This includes uneaten food scraps, baked goods, dairy products, eggshells, fruit and vegetables and their peels, mouldy food, pet food, raw and cooked meat and fish, bones, tea and coffee grounds.

Liquids, non-food products and packaging should not be placed in bio-waste bins.

-via EuroNews.Green, January 2, 2024

[becausegoodheroesdeservekidneys]

Hi, what do you think about this news?

BBC News - Climate: NFU Cymru opts out of farming scheme over tree planting

Interesting, isn't it?

Here's the thing: it is a fact that we need more trees than we currently have, that Wales is under-forested, and that decades of inaction mean we now have to make big changes fast rather than incremental changes safely. Given that the Welsh Government is actively trying to base modern Welsh identity on environmentalism (we are the only country in the entire world with dedicated sustainability legislation in the form of the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act, and we're third in the world for recycling rates), it was inevitable that they were going to seize the bull by the horns, so to speak, and set a strict target.

In fact, they have past form for this - there's a reason we're third in the world for recycling. I am simplifying this massively and going to make any lawyers reading this wince, but the way EU legislation works is that the member states agree something should be legislated for, the EU makes a directive, and then the member states each interpret and apply that directive how they want into their own laws (sorry lawyers). In the case of recycling, the EU member states collectively decided we needed to get serious about diversion from landfill in 2008 with the Waste Framework Directive, and then the UK chose how to go about that.

But, waste management is a devolved area. So Wales, Scotland, NI and England all got to implement it themselves how they wanted to. England didn't set any specific targets; it was more like "endeavour to be recycling 50% of waste across the country by X year." But the Welsh Government went "Right, lads, here's the targets: 58% by 2015/16, 64% by 2020, and zero waste by 2050. We'll let you pick the recycling bag colours."

(In Swansea it's green for paper, cardboard, metal and glass, pink for plastic, white for garden waste, and you get a special dark green bin for food waste with a locking lid to keep the seagulls out.)

But that meant Welsh councils had to actually move on it, with the result that we smashed those targets. We're now aiming for 70% recycling by 2025, and zero waste might be brought forward to 2030, because the government likes the model of "Shoot for the moon and land among the stars."

So like. It has worked, in the past.

BUT, the problem with setting arbitrary targets like that is that it doesn't always work, and what happens to people who get caught in the gears, so to speak?

In this case, this is a subsidy scheme. It's still in consultation, but if it goes ahead, farmers get money from the public purse for doing something "for the public good" - they need to tree plant 10% of their land, and manage another 10% as wildlife habitat. Currently, this is true for every farm, regardless of its nature. 20% of productive land removed, and you'll be paid to do so.

But, will that work for every farm? No. No it won't. The smaller your set up, the more that 20% is going to bite into profits that the subsidies won't compensate; and what if you only have productive land? A flatish farm, somewhere in Powys, used for crops rather than livestock? 20% of that is very, very different to 20% of an upland sheep farm with sections that are almost impassable and very difficult to round up the sheep from anyway, where you can simply fence off and plant up the slopes to create ffridd and woodlands. It's a one size fits few policy. I fully believe the government saying plenty of farmers are all for it - this will work for many. But for many others, it's simply not financially viable.

But what I find REALLY interesting about that article, actually, is the way the farmers are framing their objections:

(NFU Cymru) president Aled Jones said farmers were prepared to integrate more trees into farming systems - from "shelterbelts, streamside corridors to field corners". "But we will not take our productive land out of food production for tree-planting," he said.

SHELTERBELTS. That is the Pontbren effect. Pontbren taught us that farmer-led environmental schemes work, and provide additional unexpected benefits including in revenue (it was designed to simply allow the sheep to stay out year round, but the flood control and soil conservation that came with it brought their own benefits - silvopasture, how I love thee.) Now it's there as proof-of-concept, farmers want a piece of that action. They want to be more environmentally sound. But, those trees have to serve an economic purpose, not a solely environmental one; otherwise, it's not going to work for farmers.

And it's very frustrating that the Welsh Government have forgotten that crucial lesson in trying to implement this. But then, as I say, it's true that we need big changes now, and are running out of time for the soft incremental changes. I just think the two could have been married better.

[zuffer-weird-girl]

Babe I hope your doing well can I request Kai and Angel in bed with their clothes all over the floor after doing their sexy things Angel wakes up and Angel gets hungry so thinking Kai lives alone she gets his iconic jacket with just her bra and underwear and goes to the kitchen to make breakfast as she’s making breakfast chrono comes to make coffee and he’s surprised about a random female in the yakuza house as both of them are asking each other questions Kai walks in still sleepy grabs Angel by her waste and pulls her towards him as he kisses her cheek until he notices chrono is there too

I don't know if reader is just obvious or just ignored all the bodyguards but oh well is funny-

The morning came and you could only groan at the feeling of the sunshine blinding lights hitted you directly on your eyesight.

Keeping your complain at bay you sat up carefully while rubbing your face a bit... exhaustion still clearly present as a certain pain on your legs made its appearance.

When you were about to question why you were with that pain you froze at the bed shifting the slightest bit... turning your head to your side you watched the man who made love to you last night completely out like a light despite the time of the morning.

His usual covered lips were now in display, slightly parted as now at then some very quiet snore escaped him... a mess of a brown hair all around the pillow and his golden eyes now closed in total peace on his slumber...

You smiled and carefully pulled the covers up to his naked shoulders... fully knowing that asides from a pair of black boxers he wore nothing. A sight you could admire all day if it wasn't for the sudden rumble of your stomach.

Brushing his bangs away a bit to kiss his forehead, a action it would prompted your boyfriend to scowl if he was awake, you carefully slipped out of bed... hoping and praying that he wouldn't wake up just yet since you wanted him to rest a bit longer.

Looking at all the clothes on the floor you mentally cringed at only imagining Kai's reaction to it as you started to collect to put all of them on the wash bin that was on his bathroom.

While doing that you spotted his iconic green purple feathered jacket, the past item you were suppose to put to wash later, as you holded at arm's length only to snort at your boyfriend's awfully choice of clothing.... he usually wore things so pretty but this jacket of his was a true exception.

Despite your thoughts, you couldn't help but to bring the jacket close to you.. inhaling the natural scent of your partner made you smile instantly.

Another rumble of your stomach interrupted once again your actions and you didn't even think before putting the jacket on and leaving the bedroom.

It was tough to discover where the hell was a kitchen on that house... it was so big it was quite was hard to believe that Kai lived alone on this place.

"Finally..." You breathed in relief at finding the kitchen and you immediately get to work to make one of your favorite things to eat for breakfast.

While you were about to start, after finally a managing to finding the ingredients, you yelped at the sound of something breaking behind you and you almost screamed at the sigh of a total white haired stranger staring at you with wide Grey eyes.

"Who the fuck are you?!" The male almost screamed before he gasped and looked away from you when you turned over to him, blushing crimson red.

... oh shit you were only wearing Kai's jacket and your underwear...

You quickly zipped the jacket to hide your body with a blush as well.

"Who am I?! Who are you?! I'm calling the cops!" You exclaimed as the male covered his eyes the best he could with his hands.

"Cops? You are inside a yakuza house, practically trespassing and basically almost naked and your first thought is calling the cops on someone that lives here?!"

"Wait, you live here?" You asked in astonished while the guy finally could look at you but still with red cheeks.

"I do, how did you even get in without the security spotting you and.... where the fuck did you got that?" He pointed at the jacket you were wearing.

"I... oh come on don't judge a woman for stealing her boyfriend's clothes!" You huffed and the guy only widened his eyes more.

"Boyfriend?"

"Yeah! I thought he lived alone here! I didn't even thought he would have a roommate considering how he is!"

"Roommate...? Wait, hold on, so you're telling me that you got in without a trouble because you-" before he could finish his question a yawn interrupted him and both of you were turning heads at the man who just casually walked in to stand by your side to give your cheek a kiss like there wasn't anyone else in the room.

He merely blinked the sleep out of his eyes before boticing what you were wearing before scoffing, a dust oubj covering his pale face as he nuzzle his nose on the top of your hair.

"Thief... what are you even doing out of bed..?" He mumbled as his hands lowered a bit before groaning when you pushed them away "What?"

"Kai.." You almost growled too while pointing with your eyes at the astonished white haired dude that looked like he was about to faint.

When Chisaki finally looked up his sleepy golden eyes widened and he immediately pulled you to stay behind him.

"GET OUT OF HERE NOW! AVERT YOUR EYES THIS INSTANT YOU SCUMBAG!"

" WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING OVERHAUL?!"

.

.

"I thought that when you told me and the old man you were dating it was just bluff for him to get off your back in my defense." The man, now you knew as Kurono, mumbled as Kai glared daggers at him while you couldn't help but snort.

"I should take your eyes out for looking at her." He growled, a dark area manifesting around him and Chrono visibly flinched before his eyes widened at you placing a gently hand on Chisaki's shoulder.

"Now it wasn't his fault, you didn't told me you lived with other people." He watched in amusement that instead of getting yourself overhauled by your actions and words, you only received a click of the young man's tongue as he crossed his arms over his chest with the tip of his ears burning red.

"... I already like you. Kurono Hari." He bowed in respect as you laughed while your boyfriend only glared even more at his subordinate.

[babyjakes]

ever green, evermore | 2. the little garden fairy.

〈 disclaimer: this blog posts content not suitable for individuals under the age of 18. minors are strictly prohibited from viewing, sharing, or interacting with this blog. for more information on this blog's commitment to protecting minors, read our full statement here. 〉

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summary | loving husbands jake and ari had always believed they were all each other could ever want or need. but one unusual summer, when their world is turned upside-down by an uncanny girl from down the street, they find that having someone to love, nurture, and care for together is the missing piece that finally completes their perfect family and lives.

characters | caretaker!jake jensen, daddy!ari levinson, wrenley beauchamp (original character)

warnings | mentions/depictions of domestic and sexual violence, mental health themes: anxiety/panic disorders, trauma and post-traumatic-stress, eating disorders (restrictive subtype), therapeutic methods and tools: exposure, age regression.

As soon as his rugged boots hit the pale gravel of the driveway, something stirred within Jake. Lifting his head up to look around, his eyes were immediately drawn to the lush bunches of green and petals filling the rows of wooden boxes before him; furrowing his brow, the man paused in confusion. “Ari?”

Closing the driver’s side door behind him, the older, larger man walked over to stand at Jake’s side. “Yeah- you okay, honey?” Ari asked, his eyes following the blonde’s gaze to look over the garden. “Oh right- I was gonna tell you, I think someone’s been stopping by to tend to the garden.”

“Oh?” Jake asked as he approached the collection of plants, his hesitancy stemming more from amazement than anything else. Carefully eyeing the row closest to him, which happened to be one of his favorites: his bright yellow tulips, Ari’s suspicions were immediately confirmed for him. “You’re right; someone’s definitely been in here. Unless you were the one who got rid of all the weeds.” Considering the fact that he’d been gone for four and a half weeks, Jake normally would’ve expected to return to a decent amount of new prickly growth. But looking over all the boxes as he walked slowly along the rows, he couldn’t find a single stem that was out of place; whoever had done the job was more diligent than even he would have been. 

“No, wasn’t me- but here they are,” Ari responded, now standing over by the waste bin at the end of the workbench. Walking over to join him, Jake’s eyes widened at the sight waiting in the black garbage bag. The weeds, plentiful in number, sat tied together with some sort of string in neat little bundles at the bottom of the bin; clearly, their removal had been no accident. “Whoever it was, I think they were watering too. Some days I’d come out and the soil would already be damp, even in the middle of the afternoon.”

“Fascinating,” Jake whispered, turning back to look over the plants once more. “They look… greener than I remember.” Pushing his glasses up on the bridge of his nose, the man’s expression once again turned to a look of bewilderment. He was stumped. He couldn’t think of anyone who might do such a thing. The couple’s closest neighbors were well down the road, over a large hill, and he hadn’t ever talked much with any of them. In fact, most of them he hadn’t met at all. “You didn’t see anyone?” 

“Nope, and I tried to check a few times a day. I was curious. Maybe it was a magical little garden fairy,” the brunette teased lightly, reaching out to rub the younger man’s shoulder. Turning to face him, Jake’s pensiveness melted away as he smirked playfully at the thought. “I should probably head in and start on dinner, don’t wanna be sitting down to eat too late,” Ari murmured, planting a kiss on his husband’s forehead. “You gonna stay out here for a bit?”

“No, I’ll come in and help you,” Jake decided, rubbing the back of his neck as he sighed. “I’m gonna wait ‘til tomorrow to figure this out. Right now I just wanna get inside, get some food in my stomach, maybe curl up with you on the couch-”

“Mm, that sounds good to me, sweetheart,” Ari hummed, his lips lingering against Jake’s forehead as he wrapped his arms around his smaller frame, pulling him in close. “Missed you so much, handsome, ‘m so glad you’re back.”

“Missed you more,” Jake breathed into his shoulder, soaking in the warmth of his familiar embrace.

At breakfast the next morning, as Ari stood between the sink and the island counter in the home’s large U-shaped kitchen and pulled freshly washed dishes out of the dishwasher, Jake sat with his usual cup of coffee at the dining table, his eyes focused on long runs of code and fragmented data typed out in one of his countless tech manuals. “That one any good?” the brunette asked as he wiped another glass clean with the white cloth in his hand before reaching up to store it away in the overhead cabinets. 

“Yeah, better plot than the last one,” Jake joked as he scribbled a few illegible notes in the margin before flipping the page, the eraser of the pencil mindlessly finding its way between the man’s rosy lips. 

“Honey,” Ari warned with a chuckle, causing the blonde to immediately remove the already half-chewed nub from his mouth. The older man never seemed to miss a thing when it came to watching over his partner. By now, he knew all of his little quirks, and though Jake would have been a little embarrassed to admit it, Ari’s constant attentiveness and borderline overprotectiveness did give him a nice feeling of security. He loved feeling cared for, which was something his husband did very well. “You want some real food? I can cook you up some eggs before I get started in the office.” 

“No, that’s okay,” Jake declined casually as he took a sip from his burgundy mug, the lead of his pencil falling back down to meet the white of the page as he jotted more notes. “Think I’m gonna bake some muffins this morning, I’ve been craving something sweet. We got any fruit in the fridge?”

“Fresh box of blueberries from the farmer’s market,” Ari replied with a grin as he kicked up the dishwasher door to close it, hanging the towel over the bar of the handle. “You want me to take the stuff out for you?”

“Sure, thanks,” Jake agreed gratefully as his eyes skimmed line after line of the random letters and numbers through the thick frames of his glasses. “This stuff rots the brain, I swear,” he mumbled.

“Yeah, I can imagine,” Ari murmured as he began pulling ingredients from the cupboards, placing them out on the counter next to the sink. “Baking’ll be a good break for your head. You just got back yesterday, bud. Hate to see you diving back in already.”

“It’s fine,” Jake tried to assure him, more than anything just wanting to get to the end of the section so he could have a nice place to pause and close the book.

“Hey, have you thought any more about the garden?” Ari asked curiously as he looked over at the blonde, lips curling up in an affectionate smile as he noticed the familiar look of concentration settled into his features. Ari loved everything about Jake; he could sit and watch him do his work for hours. There were so many little things he did that the doctor just found so precious, so endearing. Ari didn’t know many people as smart as himself, but Jake had to be one of the few exceptions. And it was a different kind of smart, one which the older man found so fascinating. In his eyes, Jake had the most beautiful brain on earth, so vast and full of information; it never failed to amaze and impress him. 

“Yeah- muffins are part of the plan,” Jake revealed as his eyes shifted from the left page to the right, earning a questioning look from Ari. “I’m gonna spend my day in the kitchen; that way, I can keep an eye on out front. If I finish up these last few paragraphs, I’ll be caught up on work through the end of the week. Gonna hang out in here, maybe crank up some tunes- you know, get the groove goin’.”

“Mhm, I see,” Ari nodded with another smile as he finished gathering everything his husband would need for the muffins. After looking over the pile on the counter, the man made his way over to the kitchen table to stand at Jake’s side, wrapping his arms around the blonde’s head and leaning down to plant a kiss in his hair. “That sounds like a good plan, my love. I’ll try to finish work early today so I can come join you; we can cook up a nice dinner together. How’s that sound?”

“That sounds perfect, honey. Thank you,” Jake breathed as he turned to wrap his arms around his lover’s waist, taking a moment to rub his face lovingly against the soft cotton of the man’s shirt. “You let me know if you need somethin’, okay? I’ll be around all day, not doing much. If I can bring you coffee or a snack or anything, just holler.”

“I will, sugar. You take such good care’a me,” Ari hummed, giving the top of his head one more kiss before letting go. “And you come and tell me if you spot anything, alright? I’m curious to see just who this little garden fairy is.”

And though he waited patiently and hoped, that first Monday home went by without a single stir through the window. As did the next day, and even another. Jake did his best to keep himself busy, pulling out the old record player he and Ari kept stored in the hall closet along with the cardboard box that stored their combined vinyl collection. Grooving along to all of his old favorites, he passed the time with various activities: baking, reading, tinkering around with his tech gadgets- by the time Thursday came around, he even resorted to giving the kitchen a full, thorough cleaning, though Ari had just done a deep clean the week before. He wasn’t sure what was taking the mystery gardener so long; he couldn’t imagine how they would’ve found out about his return, or that they would even know he was the owner of the garden to begin with. 

By the time Friday morning came, the man’s hopes were dwindling. But even still, after pouring his usual cup of coffee, he once again settled down in his seat at the kitchen table, flipping open his laptop with a soft groan as he wasn’t exactly looking forward to logging back into his work browser. 

Taking the first sip from his mug, Jake’s face scrunched up as he choked lightly on the unusually bitter taste of the brew. “Needs cream,” he mumbled to himself, rising from his chair with the mug in his hand. And just as he made his way over to the refrigerator to retrieve the carton, he saw it through the large double windows behind the sink: by the roses, pale yellow watering can in hand, stood a small creature, a girl- and as he watched in amazement, Jake honestly thought could have been imagining her entirely by the way she almost seemed to shimmer in the sunlight. She was just as his husband had suggested: like a magical being from a storybook. “Little garden fairy,” Jake hummed to himself in awe as he continued to observe the young girl; aside from her lack of glittering wings, everything about her matched the title. Her small, delicate frame, the petite features of her soft face. Her flowing locks of sand dollar hair, caressed by the golden light of the morning. Her white sundress blowing gently in the breeze, the garment’s simple look and color giving off an air of complete innocence. Her silver ballet flats with long ribbons laced up around her calves- she can’t be real, Jake thought to himself as he stood, frozen, still trying to process what was right before his eyes. Though even after blinking a few times to clear his vision, there she remained, in all her wonder and beauty. 

Keeping his movements slow to avoid gaining her attention through the window, Jake took a step back, swallowing down a lump in his throat. He was nervous; he didn’t know what exactly to expect, but this was far off from whatever he had been imagining. Dumping his coffee down the drain, he placed the mug at the bottom of the sink, trying to plan out his next moves wisely. He wanted to go alert Ari, but he was worried the girl could disappear at any moment, and then he would’ve lost his chance. “I have to go say hi,” he finally told himself, turning to leave the kitchen. “I have to thank her for taking care of things while I was away.”

Though he was certain she couldn’t see him as he passed through the living room towards the front door, Jake still made an effort to keep quiet as he slipped on his shoes before heading out into the mild morning air, keeping his footing light against the beige gravel of the walkway. Just as she came into view from behind the edge of the house’s navy blue siding, the man halted, taking another few moments to just observe undetected. 

The girl now stood at the other end of the rows of boxes, her steady hands carefully sprinkling water over the last of the daffodils from the watering can. Jake didn’t recognize it as one of theirs, bringing him to the conclusion that she must’ve brought it herself. A glint of metal caught the man’s eye as he watched; eyes trailing over, he discovered an unfamiliar bike stationed by the foot of the driveway, just past the entrance to the garden. It was a unique looking bike, ivory in color, with two rear wheels that held a large basket between them. She must live nearby, Jake thought to himself as he turned his attention back to the girl who was still at work, humming softly to herself as she gazed down lovingly at the plants below her.

Gathering his courage, Jake decided to finally make his presence known, taking another step forward before clearing his throat. “Hey…” he began, trying to shake the nerves from his voice. “So you’re the one who’s been takin’ care’a things around here, huh? I’m glad I finally get to meet you,” he greeted with a friendly smile, though it quickly turned to a look of great concern at the girl’s reaction. 

As soon as she heard the man’s voice, she jumped, her watering can flying out of her hands as she let out a gasp. When her wide eyes landed on him, Jake was startled to see that they quickly filled with tears, a frightened whimper sounding from the poor girl as she cowered back instinctively. Cornered, bumping up against the shaded racks of flower boxes behind her, she could do nothing but fall to her knees, her bottom lip wobbling feverishly as she shook like a leaf under the stranger’s gaze. 

“Oh, oh hey-” Jake stumbled, extending a hand out as an offering of peace. The girl only shrunk back from the motion, tears beginning to flood her cheeks as her chest rose and fell sporadically with uneven breaths. Frowning, the man took a few careful steps forward, trying to lower himself a little to avoid towering over her. “Hey, I’m sorry- I didn’t mean to startle you.” Big eyes blinking quickly, she couldn’t manage any words. All she could do was struggle for air; recognizing her inability to speak, Jake softened his voice. “Hey, it’s alright. You wanna take some deep breaths with me?” he offered, his sensitive response to the panicked girl coming much more naturally than one might’ve expected. The truth was, though, that he was actually an expert at this. “It’s alright,” he murmured again, starting the grounding exercise just like he always did, “you’re alright. Let’s go slow- here, in… and out…”

“In… and out…” Jake had spoken the same words years ago to a similar cowering figure- that of his beloved little sister Claire, who he had grown up helping care for. She had developed a severe anxiety disorder early on in life from an incident at school, making her prone to episodes of debilitating fear that looked a lot like what was playing out before Jake’s very eyes there in the garden. Though he had been a growing boy himself, often times he was the only person who could manage to calm his sister down; with his gentle tone and demeanor, he was a natural at soothing her unwieldy mind. And though he knew nothing about this girl who was now sobbing quietly before him, something inside of Jake told him that his years of practice growing up might come in handy as he tried to de-escalate the situation at hand. “In… and out, you’re okay- it’s okay, sweetheart. There’s no need to cry, nothing to cry about here.”

Little hands clutched in fists over her chest, the girl let out a weak whimper, lips trembling as she tried to form words, though at first all she could manage was a jumbled mess of incoherent syllables. “I-I… I’m… I…” Raising his brow, Jake’s expression softened further at the first sound of her voice. “I… I’m so sorry,” she finally managed after a few more shaky breaths, more tears bursting from her pale blue eyes; now able to get a closer look, Jake could see that they were quite the unique shade of silver, almost giving off the tiniest bit of lavender in the mid-morning sun. She had just about the cutest features decorating her delicate face, soft patches of freckles dotting all over her little button nose, and pale pink lips that glittered faintly from what looked to be a light layer of gloss. Rosy cheeks flushed from her tears, the girl rubbed at her eyes, her bottom lip puffing out unthinkingly as she peered up warily at the man before her.

“Hey- it’s okay, no need to apologize,” Jake told her soothingly as he slowly took another few steps in her direction, not failing to notice the way she once again shrunk back from his approach. Bending down to sit a safe few feet away from the stranger, he cleared his throat, his eyes struggling to catch her gaze as she glanced around nervously. “Remember to keep breathing,” he said softly, his gentle reminder seeming to provide at least a little comfort to the girl as she gave him a small nod. “I’m sorry for frightening you,” Jake apologized again, his voice swelling with sincerity, “I didn’t mean to- oh sweetie, you’re alright,” he continued to hum his comforting words as his heart couldn’t help but break at the sight of the poor thing still trembling. “I was just so excited to finally meet you- I’ve been wanting to thank you for all the work you’ve done in the garden,” he tried to explain. “I was away for a few weeks; usually when I come back, the place is in need of some serious TLC. But thanks to you, things are thriving now more than ever. You’ve got a real green thumb on you,” he told her with a warm smile, trying to convey just how appreciative he was.

Blinking a few times at the man’s words, the girl nodded again hesitantly, almost seeming doubtful that Jake would really be thanking her for her service. “Oh, I… of c-course, sir,” she stumbled a bit more over her words. With the urge to almost lean in just to hear her better, Jake realized this little garden fairy already had him wrapped around her finger; there was just something about her voice, so sweet and mild, that did him in. “I-I’m sorry for coming in and… and messing with things without asking for permission. I just… I wasn’t sure if anyone was here to take care of it,” she rambled nervously. 

Shaking his head reassuringly, Jake promised her, “That’s okay, believe me. You’ve been such a big help. You’re welcome here any time.”

Eyes growing a little wider as the rest of her tears finally subsided, the girl’s voice grew slightly in amazement as she asked, “Really? Oh, th-thank you so much, sir. That’s so kind of you- I’ve always dreamed of having a big garden just like this, but I’ve got no room for it at home.”

“Well, I would never turn down an extra pair of hands around here,” Jake chuckled softly, “especially ones as skilled as yours. I’m Jake, by the way. I don’t think I caught your name.” 

“It’s n-nice to meet you, Mr. Jake,” the girl greeted with the softest of smiles, her eyes shining with a pleasant sense of friendliness. “I’m Wrenley- you can call me Wren. I live just down the road from here, over the big hill,” she told him, nodding in the direction that the road followed. 

“Wren” Jake repeated the name back to her, a certain fondness evident in his voice as he returned her smile. “The pleasure’s all mine. Here, can I help you up?” he asked, extending his hand out as he spoke.

With just the smallest hint of a wince, Wren hesitated, eyes drooping warily at the offer. Picking up on her uncertainty, Jake softened his voice once more. “Here, let me back up a bit,” he suggested as he retracted his hand and scooted back a few steps, rising to his feet. Carefully standing after him, the girl only came up to his shoulders as they faced each other; she was quite a tiny little thing, and as he continued to look at her, a question began to rise out of Jake before he even realized he was speaking. “How old are you, Wren?” 

Cheeks reddening, her small voice replied, “Twenty, sir. I’ll be twenty-one in the fall.”

“I see,” Jake nodded, not sure how much more he could ask without coming across as nosy. “Are you in school, then? Or do you work?” Though they lived out in the countryside, there was a chance that she went into one of the nearby towns to attend college or work a job. The closest was a short drive away, convenient for things like buying groceries and seeing a doctor every once and a while. 

“I-I’m taking university courses online,” Wren explained. “I’m very lucky; my boyfriend makes enough to let me focus on my studies instead of working. What about you, sir?”

Not wanting to go too deep into his occupation, Jake simply said, “I work for the government. Tech stuff, nothing special. Sometimes I get to take trips to help out the higher-ups. You live with your boyfriend, then?” The girl nodded. “That’s nice. I live here with my husband, Ari. You should meet him, sometime. He’s been just as impressed with your gardening work as I have.” At the mention of meeting another stranger, it was unmistakable that Wren began to tremble slightly once more; expression softening sympathetically, Jake reassured her, “Only when you’re ready, of course.”

Nodding gratefully, Wren seemed to pause, opening her mouth as if she was getting ready to say something. But when no words came out, she simply deflated a little, apologizing, “I-I’m sorry, sir. I… I don’t know how to explain, I…” Listening intently, Jake nodded, patiently waiting for her to continue. “I’m… I just have a hard time with… with people. I get so nervous and…” Words trailing off, she lowered her head slightly. 

“Hey,” Jake smiled softly, trying to give the flighty girl a reassuring look, “that’s okay, sweetheart. You know, I actually have a sister who’s a little bit like you. She has a hard time with people too; sometimes she gets really overwhelmed and needs to do some breathing to calm down.” A look of recognition appeared on Wren’s face at the man’s words, followed by a bit of relief as she nodded knowingly. “So I understand, and I’m always happy to help if things are getting to be too much. You don’t have to be sorry for that; I know it’s out of your control.”

“Th-thank you, sir,” Wren breathed, her shaking dying down a bit as she admitted, “it’s nice to meet someone who... you know, who gets it. When I… when I got scared earlier, I… no one’s ever reacted that way before. You’re very kind, sir. Your sister is lucky to have you.” Hearing the underlying sadness in her voice, Jake’s heart broke a little bit for the girl. It sounded like maybe she had been treated less kindly by others in the past, which he just hated to imagine. 

“There’s no need to thank me, sweet thing. You’re safe with me, okay?” he assured her, and one thing was certain: he really meant it. Though he had only just met her, Jake already knew that she was a special girl, and all he wanted was to be someone to her like he was to Claire, someone who could help when she needed it. He just hoped she’d let him.

← last chapter | series masterlist | next chapter →

[notwiselybuttoowell]

The hair that drops in clumps on the floors of some salons in Kiel, a port city in northern Germany, is swept up to be turned into fabrics that filter oil from water. Parents who want to buy their children cloth nappies instead of disposable ones can apply for grants of up to €200 from the local authorities. At the city’s biggest festival last year, the organisers got rid of single-use cutlery and replaced it with a deposit system.

Germany is famed as a world leader in recycling – and Kiel, as I found out during a visit this summer, has some of the most weird and workable plans in the country to deal with its trash. It is the first German city to be declared “zero waste” by the environmental campaign group Zero Waste Europe. The certificate does not mean it has already stopped throwing things away – far from it – but rather that it has a concrete plan for how to do better.

“It’s one step in the right direction,” says Bettina Aust – a Green party politician who was elected president of Kiel city council in June – over a glass of juice made from apples that had been saved from landing in a supermarket bin. “You have to keep thinking further … You cannot stay still.”

Germany has a complicated relationship with waste. Despite its status as a world leader in recycling, Europe’s biggest economy is also one of its dirtiest. In 2021, the average German generated 646kg of waste, while the average EU citizen generated 530kg. Only in four EU countries – Austria, Luxembourg, Denmark and Belgium – did people throw away more.

Dino Klösen, a manager at Kiel’s waste management company ABK, says trends in the country’s consumption can be seen in its bins. Paper recycling bins that would have once been full of newspapers are now bursting with cardboard from delivery packages. “The weight of paper waste has dropped but the volume keeps rising from online shopping,” he says.

Awash with waste, cities like Kiel are exploring ways to throw away less and recycle more of what it does chuck. The city council has announced projects ranging from a ban on single-use items in public institutions, to installing more public drinking fountains, to teaching schoolchildren about waste. It is also encouraging people to make simple changes to their behaviour such as using solid bars of soap instead of buying plastic bottles of the stuff.

Other proposals are more systemic. The city is trialling a “pay as you throw” system where people are charged only for the rubbish they throw in the mixed waste bin. A report from the European Environment Agency last year found only about 30% of Germany is covered by such a scheme, even though areas that were covered saw an average drop in mixed waste of 25%.

“General waste is the most expensive form of rubbish there is,” says Klösen. “We are trying to motivate citizens to throw less waste in the bin by making them pay less for doing so.”

Even though waste-cutting efforts like Kiel’s are fairly novel in Germany, recycling is firmly rooted in the culture. In 2021, Germans collected more than two-thirds of their municipal solid waste to be repurposed – more than any other country in Europe. They burned most of the rest for energy, and dumped just 1% in landfills (the EU average is 16%).

[trivialbob]

This is a pleasant time of year.

Leaves have started to fall. That feature of nature I could easily live without. However, it gets me outside and moving. Collecting the leaves brings me satisfaction. Seeing the green grass appear again... ahhhhhh.

Of course tomorrow afternoon little evidence of my work will remain.

It's mostly a Wednesday routine. Trash and yard waste collection here is on Thursdays. The day before I get out my Toro Super Recycler Muncher Shredder mower. I mulch and collect leaves in the mower's bag, then fill the large plastic yard waste container to the brim.

If I skip no more than one or two Wednesdays each fall I can get a full season's worth of leaves in that container before weekly service ceases for winter. It gives me joy if I don't end up putting excess leaves in those heavy paper bags we have to use nowadays. (You have to buy those things!)

Today's yard work is now done. The mower has been cleaned of dust. The big bin is down at the curb. My step count is up. The hot shower I'll soon take will feel well deserved, much nicer than a "just getting ready for office work" shower.

Not coincidentally, this is also the beginning of the Wednesday evening martini--eventually changing to Manhattan--season

[mylanguagesblogger]

Waste separation has become an inseparable part of German culture. German households carefully sort rubbish into different categories of bins. Here are some basic categories and colours to consider if you want to dispose your daily garbage in Germany: The blue bin is for paper and cardboard “Altpapier”. This includes items like newspapers, magazines and clean cardboard packaging. The brown bin is the organic waste bin “Biomüll” where kitchen scraps, garden waste and compostable materials are collected. These items can be composted and used as valuable fertilizer. Separate white, red and green containers are for glass „Altglas“. The container colors match the colours of the glass. The yellow bin is for plastic items like plastic bottles, yoghurt cups and plastic packaging. The black/grey bin is for the residual waste “Restmüll”. If there is no suitable recycling bin for your waste, then it is likely that it goes to the black or grey bin. Please be aware that there are designated points to collect electronic waste. Did you know that if your pizza packaging is very dirty and greasy, you would throw it into the black bin instead of the blue bin.

[hireskipbinadelaide-blog]

What To Place And What Not In Three Types Of Skip Bins?

Those about to hire skip bins for the first time have some questions. The top question is what to put and what not in these skip bins. We have developed a guide to help people understand clearly what to place and what not to put in different types of skip bins.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF SKIP BINS FOR DIFFERENT WASTE TYPES

When looking to hire a skip bin in Adelaide, one must understand that different types of skip bins are available for different waste types. It is not possible for any company to accept all kinds of waste disposal in one type of skip bins, as in that case segregation will be impossible or very time consuming.

A BREAKDOWN OF DIFFERENT SKIP BIN WASTE TYPES

The skip bin hired by you can be used for different purposes, but you will have to consider the type of skip bin hired by you. Depending on the type, you can decide what to put in that skip bin.

WHAT CAN YOU PUT IN A GENERAL WASTE BIN?

•       Cardboard is a common waste type

•       Household waste

•       Clothes, paper, cardboard, bedding, towels, kitchenware, bathroom accessories, duvets, cushions

•       Light commercial waste

•       Office furniture like desks, desk tidies, chairs, stationery

•       Furniture and appliances

•       Cupboards, lounges, washing machines, cots, beds, fridges, chairs, sofas

•       Wood, flooring, wallpaper

•       Light green waste

•       Shrubs, grass, foliage, leaves, twigs

WHAT CAN BE DUMPED IN THE GREEN WASTE SKIP BIN HIRED BY YOU?

Palm trunks are not allowed, and when you hire skip bins for green waste, remember they are ideal for garden renovations and building projects that involve cutting plants and bringing down trees.

GREEN WASTE SKIP BINS ARE SUITABLE FOR THE FOLLOWING –

•       Light green waste

•       Shrubs, foliage, grass clippings, leaves, twigs

•       Small branches, leaves and palm fronds

•       Woodchip and bark

•       Tree trunks

•       Untreated timber

WHAT CANNOT GO IN A GREEN WASTE BIN?

•       Hard heavy materials

•       Bricks, sand, concrete, tiles, clay, stones

•       Large tree trunks

•       Trunks

•       Palm tree trunks and large tree roots

Hazardous materials like asbestos, insulation, food, wet paint, empty chemical cans and containers, liquid pesticides, etc., should not be placed in these green skip bins hired by you.

WHAT TO PLACE IN CONCRETE OR BRICK SKIP BINS IN ADELAIDE?

The good thing about concrete is that it can be recycled and hence, you will have to hire skip bins in Adelaide differently for concrete and brick garbage. They are ideal for building projects and renovations and here is a list of items that can be placed in them.

WHAT CAN GO IN A CONCRETE/BRICK WASTE BIN?

•       Bricks and bricks and mortar

•       Concrete no bigger than 600×600

•       Roof tiles

•       Floor tiles

•       Pebbles

•       Rocks

•       Stones

WHAT CANNOT GO IN A CONCRETE/BRICK WASTE BIN?

•       General, green or excavation waste

•       Soil or turf

•       Palm trees and fronds

•       Sand, soil and dirt is strictly prohibited

•       Hazardous materials that must not be placed in this bin include:

•       Asbestos, insulation, food, wet paint, empty chemical containers, liquids, or putrescible

[ask-drflask]

Subject_log_01.exe

==============================

Subject 01: Waste bin (prefers to be called Trashy)

Subject 01's way of speech is quite crude, and often uses unnecessary profanity. Despite this she does make an effort to talk to those around her.

The subject is also very protective of the items in the bin part of her body. She does not let anyone touch or move said items. I find this behavior strange, the items have little to no value. I was able to examine the contents while Subject 01 was asleep.

The items are as follows:

* An old glass soda bottle

* An empty granola bar wrapper

* A pair of chopsticks

* A plastic green gemstone

* A broken pair of scissors

* A few paperclips, buttons, and eraser caps

Subject 01 does not seem to posses any special abilities. She was also born without arms.

This log will be updated as more data is collected.

==============================

End log

[pure-electric]

In honor of the Lunar New Year, I’ve come up with a few solarpunk-related resolutions. I want to make the commitment to living a more sustainable lifestyle overall, but I feel like it’ll help if I set out specific resolutions to stick to as well.

1. Only buy one item of new clothing per month (excluding necessities such as shoes when they wear out, underthings etc). I’ve found that I often use the excuse of “well, it was at a thrift store and would’ve been gotten rid of anyways”, but this has led to an unnecessary and wasteful accumulation of clothing. Instead, I’m committing to only wearing the clothing I have or making new clothing by hand. The one-new-item per month is there because I collect vintage clothing, and my partner loves to visit thrift shops… in other words, in case of emergency!

2. Produce/gather more of my own food. Right now I have a small indoor apartment garden producing herbs and the occasional tomato, but I’m hoping that I get a community garden plot this year. Even if I don’t, I’d like to expand my home garden setup and perhaps produce, say, all of the leafy greens my household consumes. I also want to forage way more— I think feeding myself from the environment not only improves my knowledge of the bioregion I live in, it also provides a necessary reminder that industrial agriculture isn’t the only way for humans to eat.

3. Produce less waste. My partner and I have made great strides in reducing the amount of food waste we produce (getting much better about eating leftovers and only buying what we need), but we still produce a lot of food packaging waste (side note: it’s crazy how much food comes packaged non-optionally in plastic, even non-processed foods!). This year I plan to reduce waste by shopping at farmer’s markets, stores with bulk bins and simply buying less overall.

Happy Year of the Rabbit, everybody!!

[nvrcmplt]

"Smells like you have had enough wine and liquor for the both of us," the warden jokes as he stands before the other, the two having bumped into one another up on the surface.

A strange occasion, the warden's hand occupied by a bag of food he had been collecting, another rising to grasp onto Einri's chin. It's dark, it's evening, who is to pay attention to the duke's nightly affairs as he stands before Einri, thumb trailing up the dark and gold lines travling up the surface of his chip, up to the bottom of his lip. At the edge of said lip, Wriothesley cants his head, a curious hm let out; "never realized that there's gold in your tattoos."

Prying, silvery gaze then abruptly shifts up to meet Einri's own eyes, the duke guiding him a little closer, though not close enough for further contact to establish. "If you sober up, maybe I'll share my food with you at my office. "

Merry and swaying, the tunes of the taverns fresh in his mind, on his lips - tongue abuzz with flavours he couldn't describe to others with just how much he mixed and gulped with fingers in pockets, wallets and flirty-promises to steal watch, pearl and more. Heavy with good nights thievery, he wasn't stupid enough to completely let the drink get to his head. He tried to dally in the fresh air - sway and hum that merry tune, only to fall upon the shadow of a man he wasn't so used to seeing without bars in front of his vision!

"Ahoy!" Laughter was bright, yet subdued for the two of them. The cobble grounds under his boots not the best at keeping him upright with how much his shoe-toe gets stuck under a lifted brick. This time though he needn't be walking - just swaying as if he was. A habit to keep a rhythm, even as his lashes flutter with blackened hairs brushing over flushed cheeks. A shimmer of his sea-blues and wild greens, attention to their gaze on his face. That glower - ah, he didn't shy away from letting his teeth scrap his bottom lip, the inaudible pop of it freeing itself with a lasting smirk was all that was given in return to Wrio's words.

"You got it, handsome." A flutter of his lashes, a shimmer of that golden hue as his vision beneath the headband ignited just a touch. Energy was always a wonderful way to rinse his senses, to rid of the fluids in his guts, but it was at a price. After all, to purge alcohol… you had to get rid of it. Thus - a hand was quick to push Wrio's chest, whether fingers slithered un shirt for a moments brush of flesh was for Einri to dream about as he turned aside - the nearest bin shoved open and his guts heaving out the delicious remnants of a bountiful night. Wrenching the last of it, pure liquid, which wasn't the best idea for a drinking night - the shorter male stood upright and inhaled deep.

Rolling his shoulders and stepping back with a sway and back of his hand to his chin to wipe aside drool moreso than vomit. "Waste of a good coin that, but for you… worth it." Fingers dip into his shirt, removing a pouch of herbs that have the strongest scent of mint - tossing a wad of them into his teeth to chew with ease. The next thing was his forever-filled waterskin on his hip just below his kidney. That was swung around to be chugged on, the mint leaf spat into the bin and replaced by another bundle to really freshen up the best he could without brush and paste. Worked well in the wilds.

"… Sober enuff, I say." Not at all, but at least he won't digest any more into his system as he stepped forward and wobbled with a laugh before reaching out to snag onto Wrio's jacket's sleeve. "Lead tha'way, cap'in! If ya fas' enough, can see jus' how far my tatts go down with ya own hands before I sleep... unless ya into tha'."

[johnquinnhughes]

 Metal Head - Eddie Munson x F!Reader

A/N: hellllloooo. I’m back with another Eddie fic ❤️‍🔥 this one is a little easier to digest, could be considered a fix-it fic. Basically just a bunch of fluff that includes Eddie and reader spending the day together, and ends with them getting septum piercings <3 this is just a cute idea i had. could be gender-neutral if you ignore the part where eddie refers to reader as a ”beautiful lady” but im tagging this as f!reader just to be safe. there is a brief mention of needles and blood toward the end so proceed with caution!!

It was a hot summer’s day. Too hot, in your opinion. Definitely too hot to waste the day away in Eddie’s trailer. The two of you had gotten up early that morning to spend the day in the next town over. Some of Eddie’s friends had been raving about a new record shop that had just opened there, and when Eddie had asked you to go check it out with him, with those gorgeous, puppy dog eyes, you just couldn’t say no. 

“Holy shit, no way!” Eddie exclaimed, eyeing  a copy of Ratt’s “Invasion Of Your Privacy”. He excitedly examined the front and back cover. “Babe, check this out! Look what I found!”

“Very cool, baby,” you said, grinning as you walked over to where he was rummaging through the bins. You wrapped an arm around his waist, his coming to wrap around your shoulders. 

“Oh, this one has ‘You’re in Love’ on it. Nice,” you remarked, leaning up to kiss the underside of his jaw. 

Eddie hummed in contentment. “Find anything you want, angel? Pick something out, my treat. Uncle Wayne gave me fifty bucks for fixing his truck.”

“Oh, wow. I had no idea I was dating a rich man,” you teased, strolling alongside Eddie as he continued to look through the vinyl.

“Hm, surprise,” Eddie replied, his lips curling up into a small smile. 

The rest of the afternoon was consumed by getting ice cream at a cute little mom and pop ice cream parlor, and browsing some of the shops. By the time the sun had started to set, Eddie was more than happy with his collection of records he had picked up, as well as a few new patches for his jacket you agreed to sew on for him. 

“Did you have a good day, bub?” You asked as you started your drive back to Hawkins, tired and more than ready to climb into bed with the beautiful boy beside you. 

Eddie grinned, taking your intertwined hands and kissing the back of yours. “I did. Thank you for hanging out with me today, gorgeous.”

“Of course,” you said, smiling back at him, “I loved seeing you so happy.”

“I’m always happy when I’m with you,” Eddie replied, his pale cheeks surely darker. 

“softy,” you teased, giving his hand a squeeze. Eddie chuckled.

Your exhausted eyes gazed out the window, watching the last bits of the town trickle down. As you stopped at a red light, the neon lights of a tattoo shop caught your attention. 

Your eyes drifted over to your boyfriend. He was wearing a Metallica muscle tee, the ink on his skin on full display. You bit your lip. 

“Eddie, Can we stop there?” You asked, pointing at the shop. 

Eddie’s eyebrows furrowed with confusion. “You want to get a tattoo?” He asked.

“A-actually, I was thinking about.. a piercing,” you said. 

You’d wanted your septum pierced for a while now. Septum piercings were pretty rare, not many people were bold enough to get them in fear of “looking like a bull”, but you thought they were cute. A few of Eddie’s friends had them, and you’d seen a few people at his gigs that had it done as well. Now, you were here, sitting at a stop light directly across from a tattoo shop.. it was a sign from the universe. 

“Oh,” Eddie said, smirking, obviously having a certain piercing in mind for you. 

You rolled your eyes. “The light is green, Eddie,” you said with a grin. “I was thinking about getting my septum pierced.”

“Oh, hell yeah,” Eddie said, carefully maneuvering his way into the parking lot, “I’ll do it, too.”

“Wait, really?” You gushed. You’d also always secretly thought Eddie would look even hotter with a nose piercing of some kind. The thought made you lightheaded. 

“‘Course,” he said, “I think it’ll look so metal.”

You smiled, “Way metal,” you agreed, “Literally.”

“..huh?” 

“Nevermind,” you said, shaking your head with a laugh, “Come on, they’re probably closing soon.”

You and Eddie walked hand in hand into the tattoo shop. Inside the salon, several tattoo artists were busily working away, the buzzing of the tattoo machines mixing with the heavy metal music playing over the stereo. 

“How can we help ya?” A bald man covered in tattoos asked. 

“This beautiful lady wants a septum piercing,” Eddie announced proudly, gesturing to you, “And so do I.”

“Sweet. I’ll just need to see some I.D.’s.”

You both handed over your i.d.’s, the man giving you some paperwork to fill out. 

“You nervous?” Eddie asked lowly. 

“A little. Mostly excited. What about you?” 

“Terrified,” Eddie replied, stuffing a giggle. 

“Really?” You asked, shocked, “But you have tattoos?”

“Yeah, but… it’s different.”

“It’s okay, baby,” you cooed, teasing him, “I’ll hold your hand.”

“Shut up,” Eddie scoffed, nudging you playfully. 

Once you had filled out your forms, it was time for the piercings.

“Who’s going first?” The man asked, looking between you and Eddie.

“She is,” Eddie barked without hesitation, pushing you forward. 

You looked at Eddie, wide eyed. “I guess I am,” you said.

You sat down on the folding table, kicking your feet as you watched the man prepare to do the piercing. 

“Are you ready?” The piercer asked you, walking toward where you sat, needle in hand. 

You looked at Eddie, who offered you a small smile. 

Taking a deep breath, you nodded. “I’m ready.”

On the count of three, the piercer shoved the needle through the thin skin of your septum. You felt a sharp pinch, but it was nothing unbearable. 

You felt as the man fumbled to screw the ball onto your jewelry, wiping away the little bit of blood with a q-tip. 

“All done,” he said, stepping away from you, a proud grin on his face. “Take a look!”

You hopped down from the table, walking over to the floor length mirror beside his station. You beamed at the sight of the shiny piece of surgical steel now adorning your nose. 

“You look so hot, baby,” Eddie said. It seemed as if he was more excited than you were. “Do you like it?”

“I love it,” you replied, fixated on your reflection. You sighed, turning to look at Eddie. “Your turn, big boy.”

“Oh, god,” Eddie said, “I don’t know..”

“C’mon, Ed,” you encouraged, taking both of his hands in yours, “You can do it. I know you can. It’s not that bad.” 

Eddie gulped, nodding. “Okay. I can do this. It’s not that bad.”

You stroked his hair lovingly once before Eddie stood up and walked over to the table, sitting down, his body visibly trembling. He looked over at you. 

“You got this,” you whispered. 

Once the man was ready, he turned to Eddie, “I’m ready when you are.”

“Baby,” Eddie spoke up, his eyes soft, “Can… Can you hold my hand, please?”

You smiled, heart melting. “Of course, Ed.”

You walked over to where he was sitting, squeezing his hand. Again, the piercer counted to three, shoving the needle through and popping the ring into the fresh piercing. 

“That was it?” Eddie asked, causing you and the piercer to laugh. 

“That was it. You did so good, baby,” you said. 

Eddie walked over to the mirror. “Holy shit,” he exclaimed, “That’s so metal!”

Once the piercer had explained the aftercare to you, you paid him, leaving the shop with a pep in your step that only a new piercing can bring. 

“It looks sooo good, Ed,” you swooned, gently massaging the back of his neck as you sat in the van. 

“Yeah, you think so?” He asked, blushing. 

“I know so,” you smiled. 

Eddie leaned in to kiss you, perhaps a bit too eagerly, the tips of your noses bumping and causing the two of you to wince in pain.  

“Geez,” Eddie reeled, scrunching his nose, “I hope that part doesn’t last too long.”

“Worth it though, right?” You asked, eyes glazed over with love for the man in front of you. 

“Totally worth it,” Eddie agreed, kissing you again. 

[scumtrout]

Cursed aspects of UK houses:

Boilers installed in bedrooms.

Low walls/fences between back gardens so you can always see your neighbours.

NO walls/fences between back gardens, because your life is so boring that you need to greatly increase the chances of a boundary dispute just to feel alive.

Weird communal yards at the back of terrace houses while actual gardens belonging to said houses are randomly spread out over a plot of land and you have to pass through the communal yard to get to your own personal garden. Probably made more sense when people just used their gardens for vegetables.

Communal parking, so that at least one neighbour will get territorial and Make It Weird.

Due to buildings being converted into HMOs, a lot of places have roughly one parking spot for every 4 residents. (This is hyperbole, but not by that much.)

Oh You Have A Blocked Drain? Well You Can Only Access It From Your Neighbours Land, You Sausage.

Live in one area and you get weekly waste collection feat. a huge fuck off green recycling bin that would easily accommodate an adult male. Live 20 miles away and you only get bi-weekly waste collection, with just the mingiest little plastic box for recycling, because your local council doesn't love you. Your area will smell interesting during summer.

I don't know if this is mainly a Stoke thing or if other cities have them but there's are an awful lot of terrace houses with sketchy alleyways down the backs of them, making it very handy if you want to dump an old mattress or a TV.

[cleanwaterchronicles]

Don’t toss that pumpkin in the trash: Seven ways to use your pumpkin after Halloween instead of putting it in a landfill

Every year, Americans throw away over 1 billion pounds of pumpkins destined for landfills where they decompose and generate methane gas that contributes to climate change. Michigan produces 79 million pounds of pumpkins every year, ranking fourth in the nation.

Instead of tossing your whole or jack-o’-lantern pumpkins in the trash, consider these alternatives to use them in a more sustainable way.

Here are seven ways to get more use out of your pumpkins/pumpkin parts:

Bake it and make pumpkin puree to use in baking, cooking, or yummy smoothies!

Make roasted pumpkin seeds.

Donate pumpkins to feed animals. Check with local municipalities, farms, and zoos to see if they can use your pumpkins to feed their animals. 

Drop-off pumpkins and jack-o’- lanterns at community collection sites that will compost them. Check with area municipalities and universities for special Halloween-related drop-off sites. Also, check EGLE’s recycling directory that lists locations that take food scraps. (Just type " food scraps" into the field where it says, "What are you looking to recycle?" Before taking your jack-o'-lantern there, be sure to verify the location’s collection details and policies.)

Find a commercial food waste collection service that will pick up pumpkins and other food scraps from your home for composting. Food waste collector My Green Michigan was recently highlighted in an EGLE video.

Make it a tasty snack for wildlife by just letting it be in your garden or a wooded area in your yard.

EGLE Compost Program Coordinator Aaron Hiday encourages Michiganders to compost their pumpkins if they have the space. “You can mix your pumpkins with your fall leaves in a bin to create compost that will help nourish your own soil next spring,” he says. EGLE’s handy guide, Home Composting: Reap a Heap of Benefits, provides helpful information, and more composting tips are highlighted in this EGLE video.

To learn more about composting, visit Michigan.gov/EGLECompost. To learn more about food recovery, visit Michigan.gov/FoodWaste. 

Source: EGLE Newsroom