Microplastics
Is there really a way to fully get away from microplastics, or we can just try to limit our exposure to them? A couple days ago, I thought about the plastic water bottles I drink from. I bought a 40pk a while ago, so I could only imagine how much plastic has leeched into the water, as I've been gulping the water down. I looked at stainless steel water bottles on Amazon. I was thinking of buying some. Maybe not now at the moment(because rent will be due soon and I've already bought stuff I probably could've waited for). I did buy cotton grocery bags for my fruit I buy. I should be getting that today, so by this Friday when I go shopping, I wont be using their little bags on a roll. I got like 8 of them, all a variety of sizes. It also helps on the waste because they're reusable and those plastic bags tend to get thrown away. I feel like I'm acting like a hippie. Hahah! Eating healthier, and avoiding plastics and chemicals, making my own laundry and dish detergent. Hahah! I can say I guess they had that part right. I don't agree with "peace, love and harmony and accept everyone" because there are people who just want to do harm to you no matter what and you should always associate with the right type of people who want you to flourish.
Anyway, I also want to look into fluoride-free toothpastes. I might look into different types of toothbrushes... maybe. Idk if that's going too far, but I'll think about it, and if they're not too crazy expensive, maybe I'll give it a try.
I looked up bamboo toothbrushes and I could get a 10pk of them for like $9. That's not bad. I may do that this next time I get paid.
I'll try the best I can to avoid microplastics, without paying a ton of money to switch over, or I will maybe just do it slowly.
I've already made a lot of positive changes over the last month.
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So I wanted to write about this...
I paid to be public for a month to try out this place and see if it works for me. I'm going to admit, it does not. I understand this is more of a private diary website, and even though, being public, I get some interaction, it's not what I need. I need more of a community based diary website, sort of like what I used to to be a part of, but without those toxic type of people. I enjoyed my interactions with any people on here. There should be more people like you guys on here...
So anyway, I don't think I'm going to continue to keep my diary public after the 6th. It's been nice to see if this community is for me... but I'm going to private.
Comments (2)
Well It was nice getting to know you. But I get that it is an expense and not quite fitting your needs. I wish you luck with your health improvements!!!
Hi Kidelfox,
Very long comment ahead, sorry!
You have highlighted our biggest quandry in this entry. Actually a couple of quandries...
DearDiary.Net welcomes public diaries - and was originally set up with 2 main goals;
1/ To provide a safe space where people could share their lives with others and receive feedback (in the form of comments) about things they've written. This was designed when the internet was far less spam ridden and to some extent less toxic. Though we had our share of toxicity and I'll talk more about that in a minute. But the main idea was for people to find help and assistance with and from others going through similar experiences. A bit of a mental health oasis if you like.
2/ To provide a site whereby the news and media bs was countered by real life every day people writing about their lives from all walks of life. No hubris, no jazzy headlines to encourage readership and no politician spin doctors to tell people how they should think. Just people actually thinking out loud. This was intended to be an archive of real life we could look back on in years to come. After nearly 30 years, we have partially achieved that goal.
But, and this is the first quandry, when there aren't many public diaries (as is the case at the moment), it's hard to fulfil the community side of the site because community requires people in public. Without people in public there's less discourse and thus it feels like DearDiary.Net prefers private diaries. It's a catch 22 - as you've discovered.
The fact that public diaries require a Plus account is the second quandry. With public diaries (particularly those with no accountability, or feeling thereof) comes a potential level of toxicity. But also, years of experience taught us that with public diaries comes a level of spam that is unimaginable if the public diary is free.
Gating both of those behind a paywall is unfortunate, but necessary to maintain a relatively toxic-free and spam-free site but reduces the potential clientele.
It also means no adverts and no algorithm to satisfy. On DearDiary.Net you are not the product.
I think it will take time to build up the public audience - but it is something I would very much like to do and wish perhaps that I had better answers for how to achieve that quickly whilst keeping the spammers and toxicity at bay.
I do really appreciate you giving us a try and I definitely understand your reasons for feeling the way you do. I do hope you stick with us even as a private diary and if in the future you feel the community is growing to the point you feel it worth going public again we'll be really happy to have you back on the Latest Updates card again (and see your entries in the 'On This Day' tab too).
If there's anything I can do please let me know.
All the best,
The DD Team.