#plastics

From the article:

Fish gills may inspire an unexpected solution to one of our biggest sources of microplastics. According to researchers at Germany’s University of Bonn, taking a cue from the animals’ filtration systems might help remove the vast majority of harmful plastic particulates from washing machine wastewater. Microplastics are a huge problem. At this point, they can be found both inside our bodies as well as some of the Earth’s most remote locations. Aside from taking thousands of years to decompose, the particles are increasingly linked to a wide array of health issues.

Erotically entwined with her vacuum cleaner which envelopes her like a snake. Better homes and gardens. July 1956.

because you have people saying real and scary things that need action now, like "majority Black and working-class communities are being poisoned by petrochemical plants in their own backyards" and "microplastics are in placentas and breast milk and our blood" and "so much plastic waste in the world comes from plastic textiles"

and in the next shot there'll be some tiktok personality in the CVS skincare aisle who sounds like he's two seconds away from recommending you use beef tallow instead of sunscreen

or the host having the test couples use natural-bristle toothbrushes (PLEASE do not do this; they grow bacteria much, much more easily than plastic bristles. plastic bristles are a medical thing)

to me, as someone who does try to live a reduced-plastic life to the best of my ability, this is the line I often see in circles fighting against unnecessary plastic dominance: trying to acknowledge the risk and push back against Plastic Everything without going off the deep end and disregarding areas where it may still be necessary (or believing fearmongering over real science- which is often scary enough)

warnings: fluff, reader being overly cute with G

regina george x reader

wc: 549

acts of kindness were just one of your many love languages. and with regina it came on full force.

she hadn't expected any of the softness you'd shown her. the constant soft touches, the whispered words when nobody else was paying attention, the teasing glances across rooms.

and she definitely hadn't expected the flowers.

the first time you'd given them to her was on your first date. you showed up at the hidden coffee shop with a beautiful bouquet and a cute handwritten note that said "you're beautiful".

you watched regina blush, a real smile blooming on her face.

the next time was after she'd texted you about having a bad argument with her dad. she didn't give much away, just that she was really pissed. but you showed up to her house with another bouquet of flowers, and that same reserved smile she gave you bloomed on her face.

so that's how it continued. you'd get her flowers randomly, some days just a random one you picked from the grass, and some being ones you went to the shop to get.

each time regina had that same beautiful grin, rosy cheeks, and the same question, "why?"

you never had an answer, always a shrug. it felt normal to give a girl who hid so much of herself from everyone else, something that could crack those walls in an instant.

you didn't know regina would come to really need those flowers in her hardest moments, though.

she hadn't been talkative that day which was somewhat rare. regina didn't yap, but she always had an opinion.

you noticed the silence immediately. but when pressed, her answers were brief, guarded even. "i had a fight with my mom. it's fine".

it wasn't fine though, and you knew it. so when the day ended, and you sent her home with a kiss and a promise to call her before the day ended, you went to the one place you knew.

the flower shop.

you picked out the usual pink bouquet, with a few extra white roses added in. something simple, but something that had always silently meant so much to her.

knocking on her front door felt more nerve-racking than it had the first time you'd ever been over. this felt so important. like you had to do this one thing right just to see a little bit of her smile.

the door opened after 30 seconds, and there stood your girl. hair thrown up into a messy bun, makeup off, but still yours.

you spoke first, "flowers for my girl".

for what felt like 5 minutes, she stared at your outstretched hands. the flowers that had become the norm, but now held so much weight.

and for the first time ever, regina george broke.

fast hot tears streamed down her face, as her lips trembled. into your body she leaned, her arms moving to wrap tightly around your waist. you didn't say anything as you held her back. words weren't necessary when the one you loved finally let the world stop holding her back.

when her tears slowed, and her breathing evened out, you were still there. holding those flowers, kissing her forehead, soothing brushes of your fingers against her back.

"i've got you" you whispered.

and she believed you.