 |
|
|
|||||
When you pop a piece of gum in your mouth, you might be hoping to freshen your breath, relieve some stress, or just get a bit of flavor. But you could also be getting thousands of microplastics released with every piece you chew. Thats because most chewing gum itself is made of plastic; gum bases often use synthetic polymers like polyvinyl acetate, a plastic used in adhesives; or styrene-butadiene, a type of plastic rubber used in tires and shoe soles. Plastic is already everywhere: our bottled water, our soil, even our air. Microplastics can leach into our bodies through all those things, as well as through foods kept or heated up in plastic packaging. But with gum, the exposure is more direct. Here, the food is the plastic, says Sanjay Mohanty, an engineering professor at UCLA. Mohanty is lead investigator on the pilot study that looked at how microplastics from gum can get into our saliva. He conducted the study with Lisa Lowe, a PhD student in his lab, who is presenting their findings at the spring meeting of the American Chemical Society this week. Mohanty has been studying microplastics for years; hes done research on how wind can blow microplastics from fertilizers through the air, and how childrens playgrounds can contain more microplastics than other areas of urban parks. Lowe, who grew up in Hawaii and has seen the devastating effects of pollution firsthand, came up with the idea to actually quantify the plastic impact of gum. The topic even surprised some of her classmates. People dont really know that gum is plastic, she says. It’s just not something that we think about because it’s like food, so we wouldn’t expect it. The researchers looked at both synthetic and natural gums, picking five brands of each that are the most readily, commercially available. Lowe herself was the tester: she would rinse her mouth (and take that sample, to see the level of microplastics in her saliva from the start), and then chew a piece of gum for four minutes, spitting out saliva samples every 30 seconds, before a final rinse. On average, they found that every gram of gum would release 100 microplastics, though some pieces released as many as 600. Most pieces of gum are between 2 and 6 grams, so that means a large piece could release as many as 3,000 microplastics. By some estimates, Americans average one to three pieces a day, but looking at a conservative amount, if someone chewed 160 to 180 small sticks of gum a year, the researchers estimated that could lead to them ingesting 30,000 microplastics. Before starting the study, Lowe anticipated that the natural gums would have fewer microplasticsbut really they released similar amounts. Its not clear where exactly those plastics are coming from, though; Lowe said it could potentially be from the manufacturing process. Their study was also limited in terms of exactly which microplastics they could identify in the saliva: They only looked for pieces of plastic bigger than 20 microns, which are visible under a microscope. That means they didnt look for nanoplasticsparticles smaller than 200 nanometers (a human hair, for contrast, is about 80,000 nanometers wide). Previous research has already found that one bottle of water could contain hundreds of thousands of nanoplastics. There could be many, many more plastics [released by chewing gum] that are too small to be visible in our sensor, Mohanty says. Lowe also tested chewing the pieces for longer, collecting samples of more than 20 minutes, to see how microplastics were released over time. Most of the microplastics were released within the first two minutes of chewing. After 8 minutes, 94% of the plastic particles collected during the tests had been released. If youre looking to reduce your microplastic exposure but arent quite ready to give up gum, Lowe says this indicates that you could try chewing one piece for longer, rather than starting a fresh piece. Theres not yet a lot of scientific research on how microplastics affect our health, but there are indications that they’re harming our bodies. We know its not something natural, Mohanty says. The reserchers hope their study helps people become more aware of another form of microplastic exposure. When you eat chewing gum, you think you are getting the flavor. You are also getting some plastic with it, he says. And Lowe also hopes this gets people thinking about how they dispose of their chewed-up gum as well. It is a source of plastic, she says, so it should be disposed of properly.
Category:
E-Commerce
Showing enthusiasm in a job interview can be the make-or-break factor in getting that position. In fact, nearly 47% of hiring managers say a candidates keen interest in the job is the most important factor in determining whether they get the new role. Enthusiastic candidates are more likely to fit in, stay longer, and do great work. So, here are five ways to project excitement about the role throughout the job interview process: 1. ARRIVE EARLY First, show up 1015 minutes early for your interview. An early arrival demonstrates enthusiasm, shows respect for the interviewer, and helps you gather your thoughts so that you will come across as poised and prepared. Coming early has other benefits, too. For an in-person meeting, arriving early gives you time to get settled, use the washroom, and go over your notes. (Just make sure you don’t arrive too early, as the interviewer may not be ready for you.) If the interview is virtual, these 15 minutes will allow you to check your technology, your lighting, and your background. 2. PRAISE THE COMPANY When speaking to the hiring manager, share two or three things you love about their company. Do your research and write out your talking points. You might say, I appreciate the way employees are encouraged to collaborate. Or I value your hybrid work policy. It makes sense and its what I am used to. Or you might say, I admire the leadership of this company. . . . I heard your CEO speak at a recent conference and he was inspiring. You might even ask the interviewer, what attracted you to this firm? This will give her a chance to speak about the company, and you an opportunity to reinforce something positive. 3. GET FIRED UP ABOUT THE JOB Another important thing to share is why you would love to have the job. Dont wait for the hiring manager to ask you why you are applying. Instead, have a script ready with the reasons you are excited about the position. It could be the leadership role you have been searching for, or the fact that it will draw on your expertise in AI. Whatever turns you on should be written out in advance and delivered as part of your interview narrative. Get these points out right away. Share with the interviewer how important you understand the position is in the larger scheme of things. You might say I know the critical role this position plays in the department and in the companys communications with key audiences. Asking smart questions about the role is still another way to show enthusiasm in a job interview. You might say, This is a newly created position. How were its responsibilities handled before? Or you might ask Why has this position been created? Questions like this show that you take the job and its role very seriously. 4. USE POSITIVE LANGUAGE Throughout your conversation, make sure to be positive with your language. During your preparation, make a list of words and expressions that convey your enthusiasm for the role and show how well your qualifications fit the position. Use them in the interview. Your list might include, I love the fact that this company is leading the industry. Or I like the scope of the job. Or I know this team has an excellent reputation. Here are other possible expressions: I believe that I have the qualities and experience you are looking for, I feel this is the perfect next step in my career. Avoid negative or hesitant language, such as Im wondering, or I think, or I guess, or Im not sure. And avoid filler expressions like um, ah, and other nonstarters like thats a good question. Your role is to answer questions, not evaluate them. 5. SHOW OPEN BODY LANGUAGE Convey enthusiasm in a job interview with open body language. The physical signals you give can matter as much as what you say. During the conversation your face should have a warm, animated expression, but dont overdo it. When you are talking or when the interviewer responds to what you’ve said, hold your eye contact. Sit with an upright posture. Keep your shoulders back and your chin up. Slouching suggests a lack of enthusiasm. Having great posture displays confidence, and that’s the image you want to portray during the discussion with your potential employer. Keep your arms open, and gesture with your full arms, not with smaller hand gestures. And never fold your armsdoing so will look like you are arming yourself (literally), and that comes across as defensive.
Category:
E-Commerce
Influencers, how many late payments are you waiting on? Odds are, more than one. Influencer marketing is a booming $10 billion industry, but for creators, inconsistent cash flow remains a major pain point. Brand budgets shift, campaign timelines change, and payments can take months to land. For many influencers who rely on brand deals as their main source of income, financial instability is the norm. According to the Wall Street Journal, fewer than 13% of online influencers earned more than $100,000 last yearwhile nearly half made $15,000 or less. A fintech startup called Alchemy wants to change that. Founded by Isaac Wagschal, the company has launched a $100 million fund to provide creators with upfront payments based on projected future income. Since January, Alchemy has already distributed millions. Growing as a creator takes time, money, and the right opportunities landing in your inbox. But unpredictable income is one of the biggest obstacles to scaling. Some months bring multiple sponsorships; others are completely dry. And while traditional financial institutions are slowly warming to the creator economy, access to capital remains limitedespecially for creators still building their brands. (If youve ever tried asking a bank for a loan as a freelancer, you get it.) Alchemys approach is different. It looks at an influencers full income streambrand deals, Patreon, AdSense, and morethen uses the past six months of earnings to project the next six. Based on that, Alchemy prepurchases a portion of the creators expected revenue, providing a lump-sum payment upfront. A flat fee, typically around 1.15 times the amount advanced, is added. Say a creator is projected to earn $100,000 in the next six months. Alchemy might advance $30,000 by purchasing 30% of that income. When the full $100,000 eventually comes inwhether it takes six months or a yearAlchemy collects its 30%, plus a $4,500 fee. Theres no loan, no interest, and no fixed repayment schedule. If a creator underperforms, Alchemy takes the hit. To streamline the process, Alchemy is partnering with top creator agencies, managers, and influencer platforms to embed its financial tools directly into brand deal workflows. The goal: make upfront payments the industry norm. “The creator economy is booming, yet too many influencers are stuck waiting months for sponsorships and delayed payments to clear,” Wagschal said in a press release. “Creators should have financial access that matches the speed of the digital world.”
Category:
E-Commerce
All news |
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||