#plastic recycling events

[bitesizedgummie]

WHAT happened to my emoji button WHY is it widget

[reasonsforhope]

"For generations, the people of Erakor village in the Pacific nation of Vanuatu would pass their time swimming in the local lagoon. Ken Andrew, a local chief, remembers diving in its depths when he was a child, chasing the fish that spawned in its turquoise waters.

That was decades ago. Now 52, Andrew has noticed a more pernicious entity invading the lagoon: plastic.

“The plastic would form a small island inside the lagoon, it was so thick,” Andrew says. “We used fishing nets to pull some of the trash out, but we didn’t know how to get rid of it all. We couldn’t conquer it, there was just too much.”

While residents were struggling to empty Vanuatu’s waters of plastic, the country’s politicians were considering another solution. Could they stop the waste directly at the source?

Small island nations like Vanuatu face a series of unique challenges when it comes to plastic pollution. Many rely on imported goods to sustain their populations, and receive tonnes of plastic packaging every day as a result. Ocean currents pull plastic waste from around the world into Pacific waters, which eventually end up on the shores of its islands.

Few Pacific island governments have adequate recycling or waste management facilities on their narrow strips of land, so rubbish is often burned or left to wash up in rivers or lagoons like the one in Erakor. It is estimated that Pacific countries generate 1kg of waste per person a day, 40% higher than the global average.

In an attempt to drastically limit the amount of waste generated in Vanuatu, in 2018 the government became one of the first in the world to outlaw the sale and distribution of certain single-use plastics – including a world-first ban on plastic straws.

In the six years since, the results have been impressive. Thin, plastic shopping bags are hardly ever seen, with most shoppers carrying reusable bags at their local market or grocery store. At festivals and outdoor events, food is more often served wrapped in banana leaves instead of polystyrene takeaway boxes. Now-banned items used to make up 35% of Vanuatu’s waste, but now make up less than 2%.

Pictured: Pandanus leaves are now used instead of plastic bags at markets, but supply of the crop can be affected by storms and cyclones, vendors say.

The plastic islands that once choked Erakor lagoon are also shrinking.

“Since they started the ban, you can see the lagoon has become cleaner,” says Andrew.

It is a massive victory for a small island nation made up of just over 300,000 people across 83 islands...

In 2020, a second phase of the policy added seven more items to the list of forbidden plastics, which now covers cutlery, single-use plates and artificial flowers.

“It’s quite difficult to enforce because of the very low capacity of the department of environment,” Regenvanu says. “So we try to work with the municipal authorities and customs and other people as well.”

Compromises had to be made, though. Fishers are still allowed to use plastic to wrap and transport their produce. Plastic bottles are also permitted, even though they often litter coastlines and rivers.

Secondary industries have now developed to provide sustainable alternatives to the banned items. On the island of Pentecost, communities have started replacing plastic planter pots with biodegradable ones made from native pandanus leaves. Mama’s Laef, a social enterprise that began selling fabric sanitary napkins before the ban, has since expanded its range to reusable nappies and bags.

“We came up with these ideas to reduce the amount of plastic in Vanuatu,” says the owner Jack Kalsrap. “We’re a small island state, so we know that pollution can really overwhelm us more than in other, bigger countries.” ...

Willy Sylverio, a coordinator of the Erakor Bridge Youth Association, is trying to find ways to recycle the litter his team regularly dredges up from the lagoon.

“The majority of the plastic waste now comes from noodle packaging or rice packaging, or biscuit packets,” Sylverio says. He hopes the plastic ban will one day include all packaging that covers imported goods. “Banning all plastic is a great idea, because it blocks the main road through which our environment is polluted.”

The Vanuatu government plans to expand the plastic ban to include disposable nappies, and says it will also introduce a plastic bottle deposit scheme this year to help recycle the remaining plastic waste in the country."

-via The Guardian, June 20, 2024

[bullet-prooflove]

Pears: Carmen "Carmy" Berzatto x Reader

Tagging: @kmc1989 @wabi-sabi1090 @lostinwonderland314 @turtle-cant-communicate @fallout-girl219

Prequel to:

Bubble

Crazy, Stupid, Fucked Up World (NSFW)

Ironically the hellhole that’s stealing Carmen’s fucking soul is the place he falls in love with you. He’s been trying to source cheap organic produce for The Beef ever since he came back to Chicago and he’d found this eco-friendly little urban farm not too far away from the restaurant that’s willing to sell him their seasonal overflow for  next to nothing. It’s a win win because you deplore wastage and he needs the discount.

When you arrive at the back door with his order he has no fucking clue why you’re here because it’s late Christmas Eve and everyone else in the world is sending time with their families. Instead you’re standing in front of him, bundled up in a navy blue hat with a pompom with a matching scarf over your white quilted jacket.

“Christ, get in here.” He says tugging you inside because it’s minus who the fuck knows outside and he’s terrified you’ll freeze to death. “Why the fuck are you out in this? You should be tucked up somewhere warm with your family.”

“Because you asked me to asshole.” You reply, tugging off your hat so that your hair falls loose across your rosy features. “You called me up at stupid o'clock because you wanted pears for some seasonal shit you were trying out.”

“Shit.” He says, taking the box from you, because honestly he thought he dreamt that but now he realises he had another dissociative episode. They’ve starting to happen more and more recently since Mikey’s death. He wakes up and he finds himself doing weird shit, cooking plastic, re-organising the tins in his cupboard so they all face backwards, sorting his recycling into colours.

“Now we’ve ascertained why I’m here.” You say, stripping the gloves from your hands and tucking them into the pockets of your coat. “What are you doing here?”

“Christmas isn’t…” He hesitates because he’s thrown back into that last event, the one where Mikey was still alive, clutching that fork and his mother drove a car through the house. He doesn’t know how to explain something like that to you, someone who’s family isn’t as fucked up and dysfunctional as his is.

“I get it.” You say, your hand coming to rest on his arm and he finds himself staring down at it as your thumb traces lightly over the tattoo that’s etched onto his skin. “Christmas isn’t a great time for me either.”

He can’t remember the last time that someone touched him like this, with such care, such gentleness. Richie’s always clapping a hand on his shoulder, shifting him out of the way but it never feels like this. It doesn’t ignite something in his veins the way that yours does, it doesn’t sent a rush of heat flooding through his system.

“You wanna stay?” He asks you, tilting his head up to meet your gaze. “I’m about to make hot pear cider.”

You have such beautiful eyes, he’s never really noticed until now despite the fact he’s been in your company a handful of times. It’s a brilliant, rich hue that leaves him completely captivated as the edges of your mouth tip up into a smile. His heart palpitates in this chest because that smile, it makes something blossom inside of him, something that Carmen has never felt before in his entire life.

“That depends.” You say, your thumb trailing over the scar that resides alongside his tattoo. “Are you going to feed me too?”

“I’d cook you anything you damn well want.” He finds himself telling you before he captures himself, his cheeks flushing at the boldness of his words.

“Surprise me.” You say and he surprises you both by leaning and kissing you instead.

Your lips feel soft underneath his mouth, he can taste the strawberry lip balm, feel the press of your body against his as your fingers thread through his hair drawing him closer. He moans at the sensation because it’s been such a long time since he’s touched another human being like this and you, you make it feel like his entire body is on fire, like he’s burning from the inside out.

“Fuck, I’m sorry…” He says as he tries to pull away because he shouldn’t have done that, he knows he shouldn’t.

Your hands grip the fabric of his chef’s jacket, pulling him back towards you and he complies because this sensation he has, he wants to chase it, he wants to see where it goes, to hurtle head first into it.

“Don’t be.” You murmur, your fingertips ghosting along his cheek with a tenderness he doesn’t deserve. “We should do it again Carmy.”

Love Carmy? Don’t miss any of his stories by joining the taglist here.

Like My Work? - Why Not Buy Me A Coffee

[sevs-corner]

Cont Idea on: Tf 141: Mafia AU!

(Brain rotting rn so lets get it out of my system)

So I realized how this may be similar to like a gang au but I wanted it to be more fancy with the crew (Tf 141) literally treating you as their unofficial-official sugar baby.

Walk with me in my insanity real quick— I can just imagine the unconditional love and care they’d give you and you being unable to say ‘no’ because, at first, all the things they give are things that you need like:

- clothes (branded btw) for the winter, or for any cold occasion because they notice how you rotate through the same apparels and are worried how you might shiver to death. They swear that they could hear your teeth chattering from the cashier despite the warmth the bakery exudes from the kitchen. Price, on more than one occasion, had willingly gave you his scarf (he brings extras in his cars once he started noticing it and gradually became a habit) and he could just melt at seeing you all snuggled up in his clothes.

- pots for your plants (you grow your own vegetables from veggie scraps). Gaz, when he dropped you off at your apartment one time, noticed how you used recycled stuff around your very dingy- yet homey- apartment. Right at the kitchen, where the one other window was present in your apartment (the other one was by your bed), he saw by the sill how you used plastic bottles for your tiny plants and how you used your old veggie scraps, making him want to provide for you even more— but he settles for something simple for now, and then gradually build up to that when you grow more comfy and closer together. <33

- fairy lights to decorate your room with (because they know you study + work late in the night) and Ghost notices this sometimes from how your bags seem so deep. While simultaneously working a day job, you admittedly said that you were also working to get an online degree for the arts, so you could help out Nonna and Nonno’s (italian for grandma and grandpa respectively) business and make it more popular.

( Notice how they grew more downbad with that admission hehe)

- Ghost knows your stubborn and hard working, and don’t usually bend or compromise on important things like that- so instead of forcing you to rest or leaving you be, he decided to give you lights to create a better ambiance for your mini desk workspace. “Hurts the eyes less,” he says as he handed you two boxes of it after your shift. He knows your constantly works in fluorescent lights and knows how that tires the eyes more (from experience), so he thinks this would help you both in studying and for sleeping. (Secretly hoping you’d think of him whenever you gaze at it.)

- surprisingly, Soap would give you bluetooth earphones, knowing how you would work and study with them in every opportunity that you can. Working on slow days, he first noticed you would look around at the front and back before whipping out from your pocket a phone that was wrapped with the earphone’s cord, a bright smile on your face as he sees you bop your head to the beats as you worked to clean or count money or help around at the front of the house. Though, he also notice how mixed up and messy you get in it, seeing you cuss under your breath makes him chuckle but also think of how he could fix that in his own little way. Luckily he had a “spare for his mate but he didn’t wan’ it,” he says to you after an event held at the bakery. It wasn’t like he was waiting for the moment he could catch you alone to see your eyes sparkle just for him only 🫢

Overtime you got used to their gift giving that by the time they were doing all these grandiose stuff for you, it was hard to say- “no,” and deny them from how puppied-look they get. You knew that Simon or Gaz barely gave you things (they’re more of a spend-quality time of love) so you had no choice but to accept (but also to see their grins and how they would snuggle you and pepper your face with soft kisses) As for Price and Soap, you knew they would be huffy and pouty so you decided to avoid that entirely when Gaz accidentally confessed one time that — because you put him into an irritable mood, he kind of skipped the interrogation part with a prisoner (betrayed them lol) and went straight to… execution.

Yeah… it wasn’t a pretty sight. Alternatively, their genuine laughs and smiles were so of course you’d prefer that! (And they too as well~)

OK THATS IT FOR NOW ADDING MORE LATER🫶

[covid-safer-hotties]

Hi! Sorry if this is a dumb question, but what do you know about reusable covid-safe masks? I've never stopped wearing the fabric masks, but I'd like to step up my protection. I'm also just worried about all the trash single-use masks will produce -- I want to be environmentally responsible too -- but a lot of mask resources don't seem to specify much on reusability/washability. I'd be really grateful for anything you can send my way.

First off, reusable filters don't offer enough protection. You need at least n95 rated material, and washing it breaks it down and removes its electrostatic charge, rendering it less protective. There's no 100% earthy-crunchy green way to give yourself adequate covid protection. What elastomeric masks do, however, is reduce the amount of waste in reducing filter size. This also brings the cost of filters down in most cases. Some companies exist that recycle masks too, but I only have links Canadian examples and I don't know where you are.

There's a lot of elastomeric masks out there. 3M has over 3 dozen n95 or p100 models to choose from. There's even forced-air options if you wanna go for the absolute best protection, but in all but the highest risk and research covid scenarios, it's major overkill.

Because I don't know you or your measurements, I can't tell you what mask will 100% fit you. Personally, my everyday wear is a big-nose model Flo Mask, and for high risk scenarios, I break out my MSA Advantage 300. There's dozens of models and levels of protection out there ranging from full face, forced air respirators to the thong-like B99 B2 that only barely covers my mouth and nose. The zero covid reddit might be a great place to ask people for recommendations based upon your concerns with fitting an elastomeric to your specific face type: low/high bridge, shallow/chubby cheeks, and chin size all impact which elastomeric is likely to get and keep a good seal in use. You might have to buy 2 or 3 before you find *the one* is a problem you may encounter, but of all the elastomerics I've seen, Flo Mask has the best general fit and would be a good starting point.

Basically, even disposable masks will prevent you using even more resources and plastics and such by keeping you healthy and out of the hospital. Someone who uses and throws away 2 or 4 masks every couple weeks (depending on your specific needs, could be a little more if you like sweat at work a lot or something) is far less impact than a ICU stay for covid. Also, you could help prevent covid *and* offset everyone's mask waste by eliminating Taylor Swift since she flies two private jets to all her events which spread more covid than any other superspreader event. (For legal reasons, I am joking)

[deliciouskeys]

Cozy Corner Domaystic prompt #24: OCD

Homelander, Billy Butcher. Gen coparenting. Or gen as far as we know. AO3 link.

Art by @maxkennedy24 . Commission them! 😊 They’ve put up with some bizarre requests from me, including this one.

Butcher hears cursing under his breath before the vacuum powers on. Somehow he doubts this supe cunt has vacuumed a day in his life before he got a roommate he never asked for.

The New York City Family Court awarded Butcher joint custody of Ryan after a DNA test. Homelander is still appealing the ruling, and cited Butcher’s apartment as ‘completely uninhabitable for a child’ in the course of his complaint. He probably didn’t expect Butcher to shrug and say he’d move in if that’s what Homelander really wanted. And he probably didn’t foresee Butcher getting the chance to make his life miserable by refusing to move into a neighboring Vought apartment, and Stan Edgar authorizing all of it with a sadistic twinkle in his eye because he seems to have it out for his top product.

Homelander is so mortified by the turn of events that he won’t even call in housekeeping on the days when Butcher stays there. He doesn’t want anyone witnessing this, apparently.

Butcher takes another drag of his cigarette and taps it to have ash fall on the floor.

“CAN YOU JUST-“ Homelander explodes but then catches himself and bites his tongue.

“Just what,” Butcher asks rhetorically, not looking up from his phone.

“Nothing. I was going to ask you to get your ass off the couch and clean up your mess. Ryan’s coming back up here soon from his lessons. I thought maybe you’d feel at least a smidgen ashamed of all this.” Homelander points at the open, not-all-finished-off beer bottles on the floor.

“Lucky for me this apartment comes with maid service.” Butcher chuckles as Homelander sighs and lifts up the entire couch to vacuum under it more easily.

“I know you don’t live in a pigsty like this,” he laments. “So I don’t know what you’re trying to prove right now.”

“Oh so you think my apartment is cleaner than yours? Did I hear you correctly?”

“Shut up,” Homelander mutters, but still puts the couch down gingerly, because he doesn’t want to fuck up his shiny lacquered floor.

“It ain’t healthy to get so OCD about minor things.”

“It’s hardly OCD not to want your child tripping over beer bottles and inhaling cigarette fumes!” Homelander mutters as he gathers all the beer bottles, throws them in the recycling bin he’s had to acquire, then thinks better of it and drags the bin outside into the hallway.

“Yeah, that plastic bin don’t really fit in with the rest of the decor in here.”

“More like I don’t want Ryan smelling beer in this apartment.”

Homelander stands there with his arms crossed, waiting for his gaze to be met, but Butcher pointedly pretends not to notice him.

“If I could get rid of things just because they don’t fit with the decor, you’d be the first to go,” Homelander mutters angrily, but then he evidently hears Ryan taking the elevator up and his face instantly transforms into a much happier, tense mask before he whirls around and opens the door to greet him.

[meraki-yao]

Transcription and Translation of Taylor's Little Red Book Livestream (9th December 2023, to the best of my ability)

Q: Question A: Answer

Side Banters:

H: Host T: Taylor Anything in brackets: me or additional elaboration

Q: Asking him to share his experience of city walking in Shanghai earlier today

A: They went to Yu Garden which Taylor said was incredible, and he tried 糖葫蘆 Tanghulu, a traditional Chinese sweet which is candied Chinese Hawthorn

Q: How was the past few days for him and where did he go

A: He's been in China for four nights now (He came by himself btw) First night he stayed at the J Hotel which is the third tallest building in the world and the tallest hotel in the world. After that, he went to 濮院 (the venue for the GQ event) for two nights and it was incredible

Q: How's his jetlag?

A: It's hitting right now 😂 He's been drinking a lot of tea and getting better

Q: What led him to choose to become an actor instead of a competitive swimmer

A: That was an easy choice, he swan for 10 years and then decided he didn't want to swim in college, and then decided he didn't want to be a doctor (his brother's a doctor) and maybe disappointed his parents (H: No way!) It was a hard decision but he decided to move to LA and pursue acting (H: and you made it!)

Q: How is he enjoying being an actor?

A: It's tough, ups and downs. It's kind of like swimming, it's an individual activity, but you also get to collaborate with the community, which is fun.

Q: What are his favourite three movies and why?

A: The Matrix, Fight Club and Interstellar, he likes movie with a twist

Q: What type of music does he like

A: Deep House, Tropical House, Reggaeton

And then the host taught him a couple of Chinese phrases

Q: What sparked his interest in fashion

A: His dad bought him a subscription to GQ when he was younger which started his interest in fashion, and then he started watching fashion-related movies (like Brad Pitt in Allied) which further cultivated that interest. Maybe in the future, he'll try out characters like that

Q: Did he meet any friends in the GQ event?

A: He met Li Xian who he met in Italy earlier, otherwise met a lot of new people.

Q: Why is he passionate about being eco-friendly when it comes to fashion?

A: It was inspired initially by his mom. They lived in the countryside with horses, cows, and fields away from the city, and he has seven siblings (he's the sixth oldest/ third youngest) so there are a lot of hand-me-downs and not a lot of new things, so the family kept on using the same things. He gained a deeper awareness of the issue in recent years.

Q: Talk a bit about fashion sustainability

A: A lot of fast fashion material and clothes are thrown out really soon and disposed of really quickly (despite still being in good shape) but a lot of clothing material, especially synthetic fabric can't be recycled, so it's just like throwing out plastic. Actually, a lot of clothes can keep being reused and styled. He's had the inner shirt he's currently wearing for four years.

Q: Any future plans?

A: He has a film project early next year and there are other things he's excited about but can't talk about yet

Q: Is he going to Shanghai Disneyland?

A: He wants to but he doesn't have time

H: You don't even need to go to Disney you look like a Disney character already! (Damn right!!!)

Q: What food have you had in China so far?

A: Don't get him started on the subject of food 😂 He's had a Shanghainese Lunch today and a Cantonese (YAY) lunch yesterday, and he's looking for some spicy food for tomorrow. Also, he had a really crazy allergic reaction and his lips got giant (???). He needs to be careful with food.

T: I see talk about RWRB, what do you want to know? I'll give some secret intel

(me: YESSSSSSSSSS FINALLY)

RWRB questions speedrun:

Q: sequel?

A: ... He doesn't know. He says he thinks Casey has to write another book for that.

Q: Deleted scenes?

A: They're deleted for a reason (DUDE)

Q: BTS?

A: He says he has some on his phone and he would show us but he doesn't have his phone right now, he might post it later (PLEASE DO)

H: He's leaving after three days

T: (reading off comments) Come visit Hong Kong next time? Yeah! (me, who lives in Hong Kong: AHHHHHHHHHH)

Q: Do you know any Chinese nicknames of yours?

A: 忒樂. (tei le, or "Tay"-le) meaning too happy (I made a list of the boys' Chinese nicknames here)

Annddd... That's it! The live was pretty short, like 20 minutes? He ended it by picking up the phone and showing the audience the Shanghai city view himself (I was too busy typing to get a screenshot)

All transcription or interpretation mistakes are mine

[guttergirlcore]

East Coast Baby I (JJ Maybank x reader)

WARNINGS // NON-CON, DUB-CON, violence, possessive behavior, stalking, alcohol use, jealousy, manipulation, toxicity, gaslighting, Topper jump-scare, non-canon ages, pogue!reader, she/her reader, mentions of familial trauma

MINORS DNI --> READ RESPONSIBLY

Synopsis // Running from a trauma-addled past, you arrive in OBX to find some peace. Shortly after, a series of strange events ensue, drawing your circle smaller and smaller, eventually driving you into the arms of one JJ Maybank. What you hadn't realized, however, is how difficult it would be to escape the one person you never thought you'd have to run from.

divider by @firefly-graphics​

Word count: ​2.6k

~

Everything was still so unfamiliar.

Even though you had been in Outer Banks for an entire month, you still felt like a stranger. You had visited your aunt’s house on The Cut a handful of times in your life, but now that this was your living situation for the foreseeable future, things looked truly bleak.

Still, not nearly as bleak as it would be if you had stayed back on the mainland.

It wasn’t that you didn’t like your aunt, or that the general scenery was anything short of spectacular because neither was true. For one, it was that your aunt was hardly home enough to get to know her, being as she was working two jobs just to keep the lights on.

Two, from what few interactions you had with anyone else, you could say with definitive proof that the people on this island suck.

Topper Thornton and his group of lackeys, for instance. Only yesterday, you were making your way back to The Cut with a gallon of paint in hand. Even combined, you and your aunt didn’t have enough money to get you a car, and you hadn’t gotten around to looking for a bicycle yet, so on foot was the only option.

You heard the crunch of tires on gravel behind you and looked over to see an obscenely large black truck slowing beside you. A truck like this one could’ve easily covered your aunt’s bills for months. Out of the passenger side window leaned a boy with an entitled smirk on his face.

“You’re new. I’m Topper. That’s Rafe, and that’s Kelce.” The boy said, throwing his thumb toward the driver of said truck and another boy in the backseat.

“What’s your name, darlin’“ the one named Rafe drawled from the driver’s side. 

“Not interested.” You replied back, quickly turning and walking forward. You were kind of lonely on this island, sure, but were you really going to find friendship in these three frat posers? Not likely.

The truck lurched forward another two feet or so.

“Aw, now is that any way to talk to a couple of guys just trying to offer you a ride?” Topper asked. Sententious judgment laced his tone as he added, “Back to... The Cut from what I can tell.” he turned to share a laugh with Rafe and Kelce.

You had dealt with entitled assholes like these three your entire life, even before you came to The Cut, so it pained you none to let them know precisely what you were thinking at the moment.

“And you and your goons live where? Figure 8, the land of the incorrigible and morally corrupt? Fuck off, thanks.”

Topper’s face twisted into an ugly grimace as Rafe pulled off, clearly done with their fun. Before being rid of them though, Topper chucked a crumpled plastic water bottle from the passenger side window, tossing you a middle finger as the truck disappeared into the distance.

“Littering prick,” you muttered as you continued on, picking up the trash to recycle later.

~

You had just been contemplating your imminent evacuation from the OBX at home when a knock on your front door startled you.

You made your way to the front of the house and pulled open the door, only to be greeted by a different blond boy standing on your porch.

“Uh, hi. Can I help you?” you asked.

“Oh, uh... Miss Laura?” the blond scratched at the back of his head, a confused expression on his face.

“Miss Laura’s niece, actually. You are?”

“Oh! I’m JJ. Your aunt’s letting me mow the yard,” the boy, now identified as JJ, informed you, gesturing to the old push-mower propped up against the oak in the front yard.

“Sorry, she must’ve forgotten to let me know,” you added. “Um, if you need anything, let me know, I guess?”

JJ nodded curtly and turned on his heel, headed for the mower as you closed the door. You felt a little awkward with a stranger hanging out in your yard, but you sent a quick text to your aunt that JJ was here. Her response came a few seconds later:

“K. Left money on table 4 him. Tell him thx”

Sure enough, there was a twenty on the kitchen table next to a note that read “MAKE FRIENDS :)” So even your aunt, who you’ve had all of five conversations with, noticed your loner tendencies. Awesome. You grabbed the bill and headed outside.

JJ was already pushing the mower around when you walked up to him.

“Here’s the money for the, uh, mowing.” you gestured.

JJ quirked a blond eyebrow. “How do you know I’m not gonna take it and run?”

“Intuition. Besides, it’s a small island- and while I might not know where you live, I’m betting Laura does.”

JJ let out a good-natured laugh as he took the bill and shoved it into the pocket of his cargo shorts. “So, does Miss Laura’s niece have a name?”

You hadn’t realized you failed to introduce yourself to him earlier. “Oh, I’m y/n. Sorry, I don’t get many visitors. Sort of bad at introductions.”

“You’re new around here, yeah?” he asked.

“Guilty,” you shrugged. “I’ve been here about a month and haven’t really gotten around to the whole friend thing yet.”

“Do you want to get around to the whole ‘friend thing?’“ JJ asked. “Me and my friends- we’re having a kegger tonight. You should come along.”

“That sounds nice but I don’t have a ride, and I’m kind of still getting the lay of the land, you know?”

“Ride with me. I’ll pick you up at 6. Cool with you?” he asked.

In truth, you weren’t Little Miss Social Butterfly, but if you had to encounter another one of your aunt’s attempts to break you out of your proverbial shell, you might actually die. And what the hell? This party might be a nice break from the monotony of life on The Cut as it had been thus far. Besides, JJ was cute. Like, really cute. If all the people here looked half as good, you doubted you’d find the OBX quite so tragic.

“What the hell. I could use a night out.” You smiled at the blond.

"Alright then," JJ smiled back. "I guess I should get back to-" he gestured to the mower beneath his closed fists.

"Oh! Right, yeah. I'll leave you to it."

As you walked back inside, you went right to your room to find an outfit for tonight's activities. Just as the deliberation process was fully underway, a figure rounded the side of the house just near your window.

The sun glinted off of JJ's golden skin, his now-shirtless torso glistening in a sheen of sweat. His arms strained against the weight of the mower, and you watched as a single droplet of sweat streaked a thin path down his abdomen. His shorts hung lowly on his hips, and it made you take a quick intake of breath.

Just as you were about to rip your gaze away from the scene, JJ's blue eyes connected with yours. He smirked full and unabashedly. Feeling the heat immediately rise to your face in embarrassment, you ducked down beneath your window.

Great. That's just great. Already making a stellar impression on the locals.

The sound of the mower steadily receded and after a few more moments, you peaked your head back up, only to be greeted with a startling knock at your window.

You shrieked, holding a hand to your heart as you tried to steady your breathing. You pushed the window up.

"Sorry, sorry!" The now shirt-clad JJ laughed. "You're kind of jumpy, huh." He stated rather than asked.

"Not usually," you laughed pitifully.

"Mowing's done and I'm headed out, but I'll see you tonight, yeah?" The blond asked.

"Yeah. I'll be there." You smiled.

"Alright, see you tonight." He said, grinning wide.

You slid the window closed after the boy walked off, pressing your warm forehead against the cool glass.

OBX may end up being eventful after all.

As you finished the last-minute touches on your eye makeup, Aunt Laura softly pushed open your bedroom door.

“I’m headed out again, kiddo,” she smiled tiredly, dressed in her server apron for the casino on Figure 8. 

“Lock up when you leave, okay? There’s a spare key under the plant on the porch. And try to have some fun for me.” She added with a genuine smile.

“I will, thanks, Aunt Laura.” You stood to hug her tightly before she departed.

Although Laura wasn't around much, she had done more for you in a month than your parents had managed in your whole life.

From your experience, genuine love like what she offered to you was rare, without which, you were sure you'd be out on your ass again.

You watched her headlights pull out of the front yard and down the street, just as it was replaced with the single round headlight of a motorbike. JJ nudged the kickstand down and pulled off his helmet, shaking out his blond hair in the setting light.

You ran to your room, grabbing your bag off the door knob. Unsurprisingly, you felt a little jittery to meet so many people at once but excited nonetheless.

“Hey!” You met JJ at the door, his fist raised in an anticipatory knock. His eyes traveled over your frame, taking in the casual, albeit skimpy, outfit you’d chosen for the occasion. At least you’d be cool in this summer heat wave.

“H- Hey,” JJ stuttered out, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. “You ready? I mean- you look ready! You look great, that’s what I meant.” 

You laugh and nod, “Yeah, I’m ready.”

You trail behind JJ to his bike and he turns to you to offer a helmet.

“One helmet,” he says.

“Oh, no, I don’t want to take your only one!”

“Y/n, really, take it.” He took your hand and placed it on the helmet. Relenting, you slid the hard plastic over your head. Before you could react, JJ’s ring-clad fingers were working the buckle underneath your chin. Your eyes met his blue ones and he flashed you a smile before flipping down the dark visor over your eyes. He climbed on the bike, beckoning you over. 

“You ever rode on a bike before?” he asked.

You flipped the visor back up. “No! Where- How do I...?” You practically shouted, your hearing muffled by the padded helmet.

“Here,” JJ chuckled, pointing to where you should position your legs behind him. As soon as you were settled in, he nudged up the kickstand and revved the engine.

“Now, just hold onto me,” he said. You could hear the smirk in his voice as the two of you pulled off in pursuit of what JJ called “The Boneyard-” the beach this kegger was supposed to be held on.

The Boneyard was actually so beautiful.

The two of you arrived just as the sun was setting, casting warm streaks of golden light across the sand and assortment of driftwood. 

From what you could tell, the party was already in full swing. The beach was filled with people clustered around popping bonfires or standing in groups, all with red solo cups in hand. Music blared as your eyes grazed over the beach, connecting with a group of three stoney-faced boys- Topper, Rafe, and Kelce.

So their supposed hatred of Pogues doesn’t extend to free beer. Got it.

You rolled your eyes in their direction before JJ pulled your attention back to him and the three friends that gathered in front of the two of you.

“Hi, I’m Pope- Heyward.” Pope extended a hand out to you and you chuckled a bit as you shook it. 

“Old school. I like it,” you laughed freely now.

“This is John B., and that’s Kiara,” JJ added.

The taller boy next to Pope raised his hand in a half salute, half wave.

“Hi. Nice to meet you all.” You remembered your first interaction with JJ this morning and added, “I’m y/n. New here.”

“That’s pretty obvious,” Kiara added. “Call me Kie.”

“Thanks,” you said. “It’ll be nice to have some friends this side of the island. I’ve already seemed to make some enemies out of the locals.” You gestured towards the still-staring Topper, Rafe, and Kelce, though now they were joined by a pretty blonde girl. 

“Ugh! They’re the actual worst. Just stick with us and you’ll be alright.” Kie said, rolling her eyes.

“Technically, if you want to avoid Rafe, Topper, and Kelce, we’re probably not the best friend group to stick around. They kind of have it out for us too.” Pope shrugged and JJ shoved him on the shoulder.

“Shut up, dude. She’ll be fine,” JJ laughed as John B. filled a cup for you from the keg.

~

The five of you sat laughing by the bonfire. A cold gust of wind had you shivering and JJ noticed.

“You cold?” He asked, already taking off his flannel.

“A little, yeah,” you smiled as he draped the fabric over your shoulders, putting your arms through one at a time.

“Subtle, dude,” Pope laughed from across the fire.

“I’ll show you subtle, come here!” JJ shouted as he and Pope barreled off in a faux wresting match.

Kie shook her head and resumed her conversation with John B. about climate change and its impact on coastal environments, which gave you some time to zone out.

You nuzzled your face into the flannel, JJ’s body heat and scent engulfing you. Kie glanced over at you and signaled to John B. He got the hint and the two stood and walked a few feet away to refill their already full solo cups.

Just as you were starting to settle into your inner brain babble, a tall figure approached.

“First time you’ve been without your guard dogs all night,” Rafe Cameron chuckled humorlessly. 

You looked around for JJ or Pope, but they were nowhere to be found.

“You know, you really shouldn’t hang with the Pogues. They’re sort of the wrong crowd,” Rafe began.

“Rafe, I am really not interested in entertaining your bigoted elitist bullshit, okay? I’m perfectly capable of making my own decisions of who I do and don’t hang out with. You don’t even know me.” You scooted further down the piece of driftwood you two were sitting on, but Rafe followed close behind.

“Hey, you don’t want my advice, that’s fine. You’ll see soon enough.”

Your eyes connected with JJ’s across the beach at the same time Rafe’s did. In what was obviously a calculated move on his part, Rafe’s ringed hand reached over to rest on your exposed knee. 

Before you even had time to react, JJ was on Rafe, dragging him back by the collar of his shirt toward the water’s edge. Shouts erupted from around you as you stood to see the commotion. 

At the shore, JJ and Rafe splashed in the shallows, tossing each other this way and that. JJ landed punch after punch to Rafe’s face, Rafe landing punches in JJ’s sides. You rushed to the boys, shoving past body after body.

You desperately clawed at Rafe’s arm in a feeble attempt to pull him off of JJ, but as he prepared to land another punch, his arm swung back and connected harshly with your jaw.

You fell back onto the hard sand, the muffled shouts, curses, and cheers blooming like fireworks around you.

The last thing you heard before total darkness invaded your vision was the deafening pop of two shots.

~series masterlist~

[mamamittens]

Spooktober 2024 Event!

Running from 9/22/2024 to 9/30/2024 is my Spooktober Event!

A Halloween Party!

Which if you've been on the lookout, you'll have been given a spoiler for very recently!

It’ll be a lot like my Shake Date Event, actually.

Here’s how it’s going to work!

You, or if I’ve done it for you before, an OC, are going to a Halloween party! And you’ve been given a ride with a character (or two!). Maybe you dressed up, or maybe they did, but you find that there’s a candy bucket (or something close) waiting for you in the car. A little treat for coming out with them—how sweet!

This means I will only write your OC if I have done so before!

(Those of you who have already sent in an ask with new OCs, I'll get to you if I haven't already. New OC asks from this point on will be deleted. Handling someone's baby for the first time in a mass event is stressful).

You are to send me an ask in my ask box who was dressed up (they’ll be the ‘monster’ they’re dressed as), what candy bucket you’ve got, and what was in it! As for personal descriptions, you’re to tell me what you want me to know! I don’t know what you look like, after all. So let me know if you prefer a particular style of dress, your basic details, and something you want to have attention drawn to. Whether that’s your serious personality, or freckles! This is easier for OCs, as I’ll already have a frame of reference.

When doing the candy, feel free to have it be ‘given’ to someone specific if you want them to have that in particular. It’s nice to share, after all!

If you’re +18, you can drink at the party with your partner. Keep in mind the ‘costumes’ when asking for shots and who’s ordering them!

Costume – Monster

Vampire

Werewolf

Ghost

Demon

Serial killer

Undead

Scarecrows

Reaper

Boogeyman

Witch/Wizard

Naga (Snake person)

Drider (Spider person)

Mermaid

Angel

Alien (Specify the type if you’d like, whether that’s ‘The Thing’ or otherwise. If not, it’s dealer’s choice.)

Evil scientist

Hitman

Siren

Cult

Priest

Fae

Relationship – Chocolate Bars

Milk Chocolate - Meet cute

Cherry Chocolate - Rivals->lovers

White Chocolate – Friends ->lovers

Dark Chocolate - Predator/prey

Caramel Chocolate - Coworkers

Mint chocolate chip - Strangers

Kisses - Fling

Pop rock chocolate - Childhood friends

Chocolate covered nuts - One sided crush

Chocolate Orange -Yandere

Raspberry Chocolate – Platonic (For non-romance/sex)

Setting – Candy holder

Wooden Basket - Cabin in the woods

Leftover Bucket - Abandoned building (context may change exact type)

Recycled Milk Jug - ‘Normal town’

Prop Bucket - Dreamscape

Fuzzy Bucket - Home alone

Paper Bag - Countryside

Pumpkin Bucket - Actual normal town, urban fantasy/supernatural -esque setting

Plastic Bag – Workplace

Metal Bucket – Space

Striped bucket – Abandoned/Isolated lighthouse

Woven bucket – The Woods, such as a national park.

Salt treated wood bucket- The Ocean/On a Ship

Additional tropes

Smarties - Final Girl/Boy

Gummy Pack - Cursed artifact

Jolly Rancher - Stormy Night

Sour Patch - Summoning Evil

Tootsie Roll - Sacrificial offer

Ring Pop - Arranged Marriage

Fun Dip - Cosmic horror

Swedish Fish - Secretly the Monster/double life

Air Heads - Forbidden romance

Nerds - The Prophecy™

Twizzlers - Soul Mates

Blow Pop – Injury

Chewing gum – Hypnosis

Toffee – Urban exploration

Taffy – Reincarnated soul

Malts – Mysterious neighbor

Fireball – Stalker

Cotton Candy – Life debt

NSFW options below

BE WARNED: If you don’t have your age (at least a +18, I don’t need exact age, down to minute) in your bio or somewhere easily visible on your blog, I will just delete your ask. You must also have your character of choice (or characters) be +18 for this option.

I also will not be breaking any previous boundaries in concern towards the smut. So rest assured, there will be no coprophilia, water play, whatever fancy word for vomit there is, tickle play, age play, real people fiction, non con, or underage relationships. Requests to the contrary will, at best, be politely ignored.

This is not up for debate.

Smut

Black Rose - Breeding Kink

Butterball - Knotting

Cement Mixer – Pregnancy

Big Bang - Eggs

White Russian – Creampie/Cum play

Hot Damn – Praise kink

Mind Eraser – Degradation

Afterburner – Choking/breathplay

Jell-o shot – Edging

Pineapple Upside Down Cake – Oral

Alice in Wonderland – Size Kink

Motor Oil – Marking

Kamikaze – Temperature play (Served hot or cold for temp preferences)

Jager Bomb – Rough Sex (Extra strong is hate sex)

Green Tea shot – Soft Sex

Pink Schnapps – Dom/Sub (The person receiving this shot will be designated the ‘Sub’)

Black Jack – Restraints

Brain Hemorrhage - Overstimulation

Gladiator – Public Sex

Sangrita – Blood play

Apocalypse Now – Medical play (functions as the BD/SM shot)

B-52 – Toys/Objects (Also functions as the BD/SM shot, exact details contingent on other selections)

Jellybean – Anal (functions as the BD/SM shot, if the ‘giver’ is a human AFAB, a toy or strap is assumed. Ask for ‘Mini Jellybean’ for anal play but not full anal. Regarding AMAB characters, anal may be assumed regardless of this shot not being ordered)

I know there’s a word limit for an ask, so feel free to be a bit dry if you have to. If I REALLY have to, I can always ask for clarification through DMs, but I’d like to avoid it if possible. To that end, have your dms open so that I can actually ask. If I can’t get clarification and the ask is impossible to complete without it, I may just delete it.

Driest example possible:

“I, X (AFAB, Masc), go with Shanks (Vampire). I prefer casual dress, I have short blond hair, I’m a professional athlete (weights) but a bit chubby for off season, tan, and dark eyes. There’s a paper bag with Chocolate nuts that I give to him, with Jolly ranchers, sour patch, and tootsie rolls. He drinks a sangrita and we share Jager bomb, gladiator, brain hemmorrage, and cement mixers.”

It doesn’t have to be super detailed if you prefer to be straight forward to keep it within the word count. And it could also be very detailed if you’d like to play with it a little! As long as it’s clear, I don’t mind at all!

In relation to characters dramatically taller than what is realistic, I may tweak their height to something less… daunting without having to be asked. So, someone like Katakuri from One Piece may not be 16+ feet in a normal, ‘mostly human’ setting.

Other than that, I look forward to seeing what ya’ll come up with and hope it makes for a spooky good fun time for everyone!

[ardent-heretic]

For four weeks I have been without a recycle can. It a 90 gallon can and it is filled 75% most weeks.

I ordered a new one and they kept saying next week. I called 3 times.

Last week I politely said,”This is a Mickey Mouse Bullshit Event. You are a waste management company and you have no garbage cans? Next week(today) marks one month. If I don’t have a can I will drive there and dump all my plastic and cardboard in your lobby for you to figure out what to do with it.”

They promised me a new can would arrive today.

Guess who just showed up?

It took me 5 trips to get all the backlog cardboard out of my Family Room(stored it there cuz it was next to the garage door)

Today feels like a holiday. I need to celebrate.

[katiajewelbox]

Halloween Countdown Day 7

Eco-Friendly Halloween Home Decor

Welcome to my haunted cottage of Halloween cheer! Every year as the spookiest day draws near, my Mom and I resurrect our collection of vintage and handcrafted Halloween decorations to turn our home into a Halloween wonderland.

This vintage and handcrafted decor is the opposite of the environmental horror that Halloween has mutated into in the UK. Recent reports featured in the The Times and The Sunday Times newspaper and other news sources reveal that Halloween is the biggest single use plastic holiday or event in the UK. The monstrous amount of plastic waste comes from cheaply made single use plastic decorations, tacky costumes thrown away after one use, and litter from wrapped sweets.

What can you do to combat this true Halloween horror? I suggest taking inspiration from our home decor and traditions. Some of our Halloween decorations are over 30 years old and still looking ghoulishly good since they are carefully stored year after year.

Our Halloween decor is mostly made of paper or fabric which gives it a softer, cosier appearance than plastic decorations. Store bought and handcrafted Halloween cards from years past are incorporated into the decor to add more visual appeal. Our paper crafts are easy to store since they're flat and if they become too damaged they are easily recycled. Homegrown pumpkins and winter squash are not just for looks, they are all fully edible gourmet fruits that last all winter. Papier mache Jack o Lanterns generate less waste than flimsy plastic pumpkins and are more artistic. If you don't have a compost bin natural, carving pumpkins can also generate a lot of waste since they usually aren't eaten after use. Impressive and creative Halloween costumes can be assembled from clothing in your wardrobe and accessories rather than buying polyester disposable costumes.

I hope this post "scares" you into celebrating a more eco friendly Halloween!

#halloween2024 #halloweentraditions #Halloween #halloweencountdown #HalloweenParty #halloweendecor #halloweendecorations #ecofriendly #reducereuserecycle

[ahedderick]

Recycle

Not to go into too much background detail, quite a few of you already know it, but my family had been cleaning up the Situation at my late father's farm for years, even before he passed away. Our beloved [hmph] county has limited recycling options. In fact, for "chemical waste" there is only ONE DAY every TWO YEARS that you can drop off things you want to get rid of responsibly. Bearing in mind that, in a rural area, just taking a jug of ??whatever?? and dumping it somewhere is 1) wrong but 2) absolutely guaranteed to go unnoticed and unpunished.

We don't want to do that! We want it properly and safely recycled. But what we have, after investigating all eleven buildings on the farm where junk was stashed, is an enormous quantity of jugs, containers, buckets, and decomposing paper bags of. stuff. Old agricultural stuff, mainly, but also machinist/metal-working stuff. Most of it unlabeled, or with labels too old and worn to be read. The large glass jug of concentrated sulfuric acid was an anomaly in that it was clearly labeled in in a proper container (glass wine jug, but hey, glass is glass)

We had quite a lot of this already gathered up in October of 2019 (ha! The good old days! so quaint!). However, that October we were also planning and preparing to be a temporary wedding venue; my brother and SIL were getting married the next weekend and that had to be a priority over recycling.

October 2021 rolled around, but my husband and I were both a little distracted and, honestly, we just forgot about it. There's almost NO advertisement of this event, by the way. We were aggravated, but there was nothing to do but stockpile all that damned chemical waste for another two years.

Yesterday my husband very c-a-r-e-f-u-l-l-y loaded the bed of his pickup truck with all this . . . mess. Buckets, bottles, plastic, glass, cardboard, bags. It FILLED the 8-foot bed of the pickup. And this morning, early, he very c-a-r-e-f-u-l-l-y drove off to the county fairgrounds, to turn it all in. It will be quite a large relief to all of us to have this done with.

Damn, Dad. How DID you make SUCH a mess of this farm. How?!!!

[These are old pix from January 2021]

[greenlifeinsights]

10 Easy Ways to Start Your Sustainable Journey Today

Introduction:

Embarking on a sustainable journey doesn't require a complete overhaul of your lifestyle. In fact, small, mindful steps can lead to significant positive changes for both you and the environment. If you're new to sustainability or looking for simple ways to make a difference, you're in the right place. In this post, we'll explore ten easy steps you can take right now to kickstart your sustainable living journey.

1. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle:

The classic mantra holds true. Start by properly recycling items like paper, glass, and plastics. Before tossing something out, consider if it can be repurposed or upcycled. Reducing waste begins with conscious choices.

2. Conserve Energy:

Switch off lights and unplug devices when not in use. Opt for energy-efficient LED bulbs and appliances. Even adjusting your thermostat by a degree or two can make a difference.

3. Ditch Single-Use Plastics:

Invest in reusable shopping bags, water bottles, and coffee cups. Say goodbye to disposable utensils and straws. These small changes can significantly reduce plastic waste.

4. Choose Sustainable Transportation:

Whenever possible, opt for walking, biking, or using public transportation. Consider carpooling or investing in an electric or hybrid vehicle if it aligns with your needs.

5. Support Local and Sustainable Food:

Frequent local farmers' markets, and choose seasonal, locally sourced produce. Reducing food miles and supporting sustainable farming practices benefit both you and the planet.

6. Unplug and Disconnect:

Set aside tech-free time to reduce screen time and energy consumption. Encourage family or friends to join you in reconnecting with nature and each other.

7. Practice Mindful Consumption:

Before making a purchase, ask yourself if it's a necessity. Invest in high-quality, durable items that will last. Choose brands with a commitment to sustainability.

8. Compost Your Kitchen Waste:

Turn food scraps and yard waste into nutrient-rich compost for your garden. It's a fantastic way to reduce landfill waste and enrich your soil naturally.

9. Educate Yourself and Others:

Stay informed about environmental issues and solutions. Share your knowledge with friends and family to inspire collective action.

10. Get Involved Locally:

Engage with local environmental groups and community initiatives. Participate in clean-up events, tree planting, or sustainability workshops. Your active involvement can create positive change at the grassroots level.

Conclusion:

Remember, sustainability is a journey, not a destination. Each step you take, no matter how small, contributes to a brighter, greener future. So, start today, and together, we can make a meaningful impact. Stay tuned for more insights and tips on sustainable living from GreenLife Insights!

[sheltiechicago]

Incredible Pavilion Designs for Osaka Expo 2025

Switzerland

The Swiss Pavilion's central theme is nature—and our ability as humans to coexist with it. Designed by Manuel Herz Architekten, it features spheres that emerge from flowers and plants. Keeping with this theme, the entire structure will be reused after the event. The plastic cladding from the spheres will be transformed into furniture, and the steel structure will also be recycled.

[nordic-language-love]

25 Things That Surprised Me as a Brit Living in Japan

1) Shops and supermarkets change their stock regularly. One day you buy ice cream, and when you go back three days later to get some more, it’s gone and there’s no evidence they ever sold it. No “sorry this is sold out”, no empty space where it was.

2) So much single-use plastic. Cookies, cakes, fruits and vegetables etc are individually wrapped, or wrapped in packs of two. To be fair though, Japan is much better at recycling all this plastic. Which leads me nicely on to...

3) PET bottles go in one recycling bin, the plastic labels and bottle tops go in a different one. You can’t just put them in together.

4) Multipack crisps are not a thing. Or if they are, I’m yet to find them. I’m used to getting 24-bag multipacks and adding crisps to my lunchbox, taking them with me in case of sudden hungries and using them to get me by between meals. Here you only really get crisps in sharing-size bags, and there’s much less variety. (Although you can buy chocolate-coated crisps, which sound like a cardinal sin but are pretty tasty)

5) There are lots of varieties of plain yoghurt. There’s not a lot of variety of flavoured yoghurt, especially when it comes to large pots. In the UK I can get strawberry, strawberry wholegrain, raspberry, blueberry, mango & passionfruit, mango & apple, mango & vanilla, vanilla, coconut, lemon curd and so much more in 500g pots. Here I’ve found vanilla, honey and blueberry in 350g pots.

6) Even in the winter when the snowstorms came, there were many non-coniferous trees that remained green. I cannot begin to explain how jarring the sight of such vibrant greenery amongst white snow is when you’re used to winter being a sea of brown and grey.

7) Cars actually stop to let you cross the road. Even if they’re turning into a side-road or at a junction, they stop for you to cross, holding up traffic. In the UK, you would annoy a lot of drivers if you started crossing a junction they were turning into.

8) Squat toilets. They’re not just a thing; they’re a commonplace thing and almost every public toilet seems to have at least one. I’ve never seen anyone opt to use one (apparently it’s easier for pregnant women though)

9) When the emergency services are called, they really show up. My neighbour left her keys in her door, someone called the police, two of them waited for her to return home. That same neighbour accidentally used a dish that wasn’t heat-resistant in the microwave and while there was no fire, there was a bit of smoke. Three fire trucks showed up, as well as police. Not a chance anything like that would happen in the UK.

10) You’re not supposed to thank the cashier after buying something; you’re supposed to just bow and leave. I cannot do this; I am culturally conditioned to thank cashiers and find myself doing it anyway.

11) 99% of (non-sliding) doors open outwards. In the UK, the opposite is true. I assume this is because, in the event of an earthquake causing structural damage, it’s much easier to barge your way out of a door when it opens outwards. In the UK, we’re more worried about people breaking in, and so doors open inwards such that we can barricade them (or so I’m told).

12) There are differences between some fruits and vegetables here. Cucumbers are tiny green wrinkled things that look like alien fingers. Radishes are enormous white monstrosities. Spinach is rarely baby leaf. Pumpkins are green. Sweet potatoes are white inside.

13) There’s not much in the way of caramel or salted caramel, but strawberry-flavoured things (especially chocolate) is very common (as is macha flavour). Things that are caramel flavour are more like burnt toffee flavour.

14) People wear coats when it’s 25ºC outside because apparently that’s not warm for them.

15) Convenience stores have printers that you’re welcome to use any time. You have to pay, of course, but for A4 paper it’s 10 yen per black and white page or 50 yen per coloured page, which is basically nothing. You can also print out things on A3, B4 and B5 paper, as well as photographs and postcards.

16) The stairwell for blocks of flats is typically outside, and then you walk along a walkway outside to get to the door. You don’t typically go into a block of flats. The opposite is true in the UK: you have to go into the building (which is typically locked, so you have to buzz the flat of the person you’re visiting and they’ll open it electronically for you from their flat) and then go up the stairs inside.

17) Bread is not sold with the end slices. It’s also usually sold in loaves of 6-8 slices, all of which are thick-cut and much sweeter than English bread. Typically only white bread is available.

18) Vending machines crop up everywhere in the seemingly most random places. I stg if Erebor were in Japan in the years of Smaug, it would have a well-stocked and fully functioning vending machine.

19) There’s no such thing as pepsi max, although there is pepsi zero. Typically you can’t get pepsi zero from the convenience store (although you can get coke zero) and have to go to the supermarket, but it costs like half the price of coke zero if you can be bothered to make the journey.

20) There are cars/vans with megaphones that just drive around advertising things. One time one passed us by and I asked my friend what the deal was and he said “oh, it’s advertising gas”. They’re also used in election campaigns. I’m still confused by these things.

21) Exposing your bare shoulders is a no-no. Even when it’s 35ºC with 90% humidity, people wear tops with sleeves that cover their shoulders (some even wear long sleeves to stop them from getting a tan). It’s okay if you’re going out on the town, but not as everyday wear.

22) “Milk” and “butter” are flavours. Personally, I think it’s redundant to describe cream as “milk-flavoured” or cake as “butter flavoured”, but it would seem Japanese people disagree.

23) Cash is still used everywhere. I pay my bills at the convenience store in cash.

24) Prices of produce are REALLY volatile. One day you pay 88 yen for a tomato. The next day that same tomato - now slightly mankier thanks to being a day older - is 198 yen. Two days later tomatoes are 98 yen. The next week they’re 128 yen.

25) Shoes off! In the classroom, at the doctor’s, at the office etc, shoes come off at the door and you change into provided slippers. This is now so deeply ingrained in me that I feel uncomfortable when my UK friends send me pictures/videos and they’re wearing shoes inside.

[premiumflowers]

The Rise of Sustainable Floristry

As awareness of environmental issues grows, so too does the demand for sustainable practices in various industries. Floristry, long known for its beauty and symbolism, is not exempt from this shift toward eco-consciousness. Sustainable floristry is quickly gaining momentum, transforming how flowers are grown, packaged, and delivered. This movement is not only about reducing waste but also about embracing a more holistic approach to the way flowers are sourced, handled, and enjoyed.

The core of sustainable floristry lies in the ethical sourcing of flowers. Growers are increasingly adopting organic and biodynamic farming practices, avoiding harmful pesticides and fertilizers that can pollute the environment. In addition, more florists are prioritizing locally grown flowers, which help reduce carbon footprints caused by long-distance transportation. The focus is on seasonal blooms, which are better suited to the environment and require fewer resources to grow, further aligning with eco-friendly principles.

Packaging is another significant area where florists are making strides. The industry has long relied on plastic wrapping, which contributes to landfill waste. Now, many florists are opting for biodegradable, recyclable, or reusable materials, reducing their environmental impact. Additionally, the use of sustainable floral foam, which has traditionally been a staple in floral arrangements, is being phased out in favor of greener alternatives that don’t harm the planet.

Even the way flowers are disposed of is being reconsidered. Composting, donating to hospitals, or even repurposing arrangements for other events are just a few ways florists are extending the life of their blooms and reducing waste. Many are also opting for potted plants, which have a longer lifespan and can be enjoyed for years, adding an extra layer of sustainability.

The rise of sustainable floristry is more than just a passing trend. It is a testament to the growing desire for beauty that doesn’t come at the cost of the planet. As consumers become more conscious of their environmental footprint, they are seeking out florists who align with their values. This shift represents a broader movement toward a more sustainable future, where flowers continue to bring joy while also preserving the earth for future generations.

In conclusion, sustainable floristry is transforming the floral industry in profound ways, from sourcing practices to packaging and beyond. By making more conscious choices, florists are not only contributing to a healthier planet but also paving the way for future generations to enjoy the beauty of flowers in a more responsible and eco-friendly manner. As the demand for sustainability continues to rise, florists who embrace these practices will undoubtedly be at the forefront of this green revolution.