#plastic straw

[alia-atreideez]

My friend scared me while I was taking pictures of a sturgeon

[aplpaca]

On one hand plastic fiber is bad for the environment and its production should be regulated imo but also like the way most of the posts talking about the issue are framed is really tiring and doen't sit super well with me bc theyre all "these fabrics are horrible and feel bad and we should only ever use natural fibers and nothing else and in a better society polyester wouldn't exist."

but like. I'm autistic and my main sensory issues are with touch and texture. I can't wear like 98% of clothes sold in stores bc the styles and fabrics set off my sensory issues and make me feel like I have to rip my skin off and break my skull against a wall. And a solid 75-90% of what I'm actually able to wear is polyester bc of how it stretches (for reference, polyester clothing is about 50-60% of the market). Pretty much everything I can wear that's not a generic cotton t shirt is largely polyester, and I have not found any natural fibers that are wearable for me without also incorporating polyester. Like I can honestly make an argument that access to polyester clothing is an accessibility issue for me. And there's no way I'm the only person this applies to.

So like. the framing of "and it's such a shitty bad-feeling fabric" as a reason to limit its use is just. literally not true for a lot of people (even those who don't have sensory issues. If no one thought it was comfortable, it wouldn't sell, my man). and also completely irrelevant to the actually important environmental issues.

also like. With addressing the environmental issues of polyester and other synthetic fibers, it should also come with consideration of like, either finding an environmentally friendly alternative that's *actually* a valid alternative in terms of texture, stretch/behavior, and utility. or, in the absence of an alternative, finding a way to reduce the production of and reliance on polyester without making it impossible for those who can't tolerate other options to find clothing that works for them and doesn't make them feel like they're physically combusting

And "polyester bad shitty fabric and I hate it i love you linen uwu" does neither of those things (also I fucking hate you linen). like. If I could wear 100% natural fiber pants, I would. But I literally can't do that without having a meltdown. So until that issue is addressed, the "just wear natural fibers"/"we need to only use natural fibers" type of clothing sustainability campaigning unfortunately isn't accessible to me and others with similar issues

[mindblowingscience]

"Eco-friendly" paper drinking straws contain long-lasting and potentially toxic chemicals, a new study has concluded. In the first analysis of its kind in Europe, and only the second in the world, Belgian researchers tested 39 brands of straws for the group of synthetic chemicals known as poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). PFAS were found in the majority of the straws tested and were most common in those made from paper and bamboo, found the study, published in Food Additives & Contaminants. PFAS are used to make everyday products, from outdoor clothing to non-stick pans, resistant to water, heat and stains. However, they are potentially harmful to people, wildlife and the environment. They break down very slowly over time and can persist over thousands of years in the environment, a property that has led to them being known as "forever chemicals." They have been associated with a number of health problems, including lower response to vaccines, lower birth weight, thyroid disease, increased cholesterol levels, liver damage, kidney cancer and testicular cancer.

Continue Reading.

[kyonshi-8610]

ᜉᜓᜆᜁᜈ ᜀᜅ᜔ ᜎᜃᜐ᜔ ᜅ᜔ ᜂᜎᜈ᜔ ᜀᜇᜏ᜔ ᜀᜇᜏ᜔ ᜊᜓᜋᜊᜑ potaina ang lakas ng ulan araw araw bumabaha

[olliedollie1204]

I'm emotionally stable and I'm not crying thinking about zeke aaron mckinley as a metaphor for suddenly becoming disabled

[utilitycaster]

I’ve long noticed and previously commented on the odd fandom antipathy towards characters like Suvi of Worlds Beyond Number and Jonas Spahr from Midst; and simultaneously a far, far more generous approach to outright villains like Will Gallows, many of the witches, and Moc Weepe.

I’ve also commented on the favor and endless forgiveness shown villains before, and to get it out of the way, yes, a lot of this is due to horny reasons, and as someone who does not identify personally as a monsterfucker this might be part of my lack of interest. But I think it would be unwise to chalk this up entirely to people wanting to fuck the villains, and given that Suvi and Jonas are both extremely attractive as well it’s certainly not the whole picture.

Suvi and Jonas are born into and achieve positions of privilege - military/political no less - in imperial societies. They are both explicitly indoctrinated. They are not, in my opinion, brainwashed; but they are driven into who they become through competition.

I think a lot of people are really uncomfortable with characters shown to be complicit in and favored within this kind of society. I think Spahr and Suvi occupy a space that they find too close to home; too close to what they themselves are. A villain validates one’s beliefs: Weepe is ruthlessly self-interested, driven by profit, and terribly violent, and so it’s easier to be comfortable with him, ironically enough, because the story tells you he’s a bastard and you can feel good about clocking him as a bastard, and even like that this character is on a meta level telling you that you’re right in your beliefs.

Suvi and Jonas and those like them don’t permit you that validation. They participate in these harmful systems while believing it to be the right thing to do. They are also young people who grew up knowing little else, with unfathomably high expectations placed upon them. They are flawed, with no shortage of harsh edges, but they are also frequently kind and generous people who are incredibly important, as they currently are, to characters one might find more sympathetic. They are deeply human. And they are both the beneficiaries and the victims of a vast and complicated system. You cannot fit them into the box of a “stripped of choice” victim even though both have found themselves backed against a wall by their respective societies. You cannot avoid that the dissolution of their society would have devastating consequences, even if it might be right (which Midst directly explores; I suspect the Citadel might not be a thing to be dissolved). And while many people do so, one cannot in good faith and intelligent analysis treat them as nothing more than a shipping doll who needs to be programmed to become a mirror of the “correct” character of one’s choosing without ignoring who they are and what they bring to the table: a political savvy, a great deal of talent and intelligence, and a desire to embody the best parts of their respective flawed societies.

As Midst reaches its denouement, one of the core messages is that a harmful society is still one comprised of people: some upholding it, some actively furthering it, and some just living within it. While Worlds Beyond Number is nowhere near its end, Brennan Lee Mulligan’s body of work upholds a similar message; that one cannot lose sight of the personhood of people, even those involved in messy and damaging systems, and that people must be judged with that in mind. Suvi and Spahr are not cogs to be wrenched free and corrected, but characters to appreciate in their complexity. It is a shame that so many reject them in favor of those who consistently choose to do harm because it is less difficult and challenging to think in terms of Good Guy/Bad Guy.

[my-autism-adhd-blog]

Plastic Straws are Vital for Disabled People

Neurodivergent_lou

[canisalbus]

Hi there! I was looking to purchase some of your prints, but on Society6 it says that you haven't uploaded any designs even though you have it says you have 103 designs on your profile. Is this intentional? Or is something with the shop not quite working?

I pulled all my designs from the shop earlier this year when the site implemented a new policy that significantly cut into the already meager profits of artists. I'm not currently selling anything anywhere. I had planned to relocate to inprint but I haven't set it up yet.

[you-need-not-apply]

bad straws

pros and cons about straws

Plastic straws:

CONS: can never be properly recycled, last for centuries, never fully degrade, single-use, pollution, harmful to wildlife, plastic poisoning / micro plastic have a direct route to body

PROS: single use so slightly more hygienic, good for some disabled people who have issues with motor skills

Paper straws:

CONS: cant be recycled, sometimes contain plastics, emit greenhouse gas when they break down, can be bitten through by those with issues with motor skills, can go soggy fast

PROS: biodegradable, renewable, safe, hygienic and durable

Metal straws:

CONS: can conduct heat and become very hot if used with hot beverages, stiff, hygiene issues,

PROS: highly durable, can be cleaned 100% via boiling (cleaner then plastic!!) non toxic, long lasting, reusable, recyclable if broken

Silicon straws:

CONS: sometimes have a plastic taste similar to single use plastic, food can stick to them, sometimes aren't bendable,

PROS: non toxic, very easy to clean, long lasting, non plastic, reusable, safe, come in all sizes and shapes

wood/bamboo straws:

CONS: can spoil and rot, not as safe, deforestation especially if not bamboo, least hygienic, stiff, greenhouse gas when it breaks down

PROS: reusable, can break down, if bamboo it will be naturally antibacterial, so they're hygienic.

[probablyasocialecologist]

When plastic straws were banned, new alternative straws of paper, bamboo, and glass were advertised as more sustainable, eco-friendly, and healthy. Groffen’s team wanted to know if they hold up to the hype, but they found that the majority of them do not. With the exception of the stainless steel straws they tested, all of the brands they examined—which are commercially available in Belgium—contained chemicals that are harmful not only for the environment, but also for people. Known as PFAS, which stands for poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances, and dubbed forever chemicals, these compounds don’t break down under heat or sunlight and dissolve in neither water nor oil. For a few decades these PFAS were the darlings of the chemical industry, used in everything from fire-resistant cushions to water-repellant clothing and from nonstick pan coating to disposable plates. Unfortunately, what makes PFAS so durable in kitchenware and other products is also what makes it last so long in the environment. More importantly, in recent years, scientists have linked them to a gamut of damaging health effects, including thyroid disease, high cholesterol, pregnancy problems, liver damage, and several cancers. They have also been linked to adverse reproductive, developmental and immunological effects in animals. The team found PFAS to be present in 90 percent of the paper straws, 80 percent of bamboo, 75 percent of plastic, and 40 percent of glass ones.

[mousegirlheart]

everything got worse forever after they banned plastic straws

[shamebats]

[ID: "Epic handshake" meme of two muscular arms locked in a firm handshake, one with the caption "Plastic straws are the issue", the other "Synthetic leather is the issue". Where their hands are clamped together it reads "Meat-eaters not wanting to face the fact that the number 1 issue affecting animals is whether or not they get farmed & eaten and if their (and our) habitats get destroyed by fishing, farming and related industries" /end ID]

The best way to save animals (including humans) from harm, protect the environment, reduce pollution, fight back against the climate crisis & reduce plastic use is to drastically decrease the production & consumption of all animal products including fish & leather. The evidence on this is clear, while evidence supporting the notion that non-plastic straws and real hide leather are superior choices with a big enough positive impact to justify the amount of hype surrounding them is not.

"In the oceans, fishing nets, are among the most prevalent form of plastic pollution. One study published in 2018 found that 46% of the 1.8 trillion pieces of plastic estimated to be in the infamous Great Pacific Garbage Patch came from fishing nets." - BBC: Plastic or paper? The truth about drinking straws

"A significant reduction in meat consumption is essential to mitigate climate change..." - Wikipedia: Environmental impacts of animal agriculture

[sneeb-canons]

Heart really likes to chew on rubbery things (ex: pencil grips) and has a strong bite, Mind really likes to chew on soft fluffy things (ex: sweater) and has a soft bite, and Soul really likes to chew on hard crunchy things (ex: plastic) and has a medium bite

Also hms all also communicate with growling, purring, ect.

Headcanon #521

[thegoodmorningman]

If plastic was bad, why would there be so much in everyone's blood? Good Morning!!!

[euphorial-docx]

guys help, a random european on twitter is blaming a singular american that bought bottled water for the climate crisis!! guys help, the global working class has no unity!!

[darkvolt]

bridge based on old 40k cardboard terrain.