Natural Awakenings Twin Cities June 2023

global briefs
Microplastics Released by Tea Bags
Most mesh tea bags are made of 20 to 30 percent plastic,
which can release microplastics and nanoplastics, causing
harmful effects for both human health and the environment.
In a study published in the journal Environmental
Science & Technology, researchers found that one standard
tea bag made with plastic released 11.6 billion microplastics
and 3.1 billion nanoplastics into a cup of tea. The
particles in the tea matched the nylon and polyethylene
terephthalate in the original tea bag.
Safer alternatives include steeping loose teas with a
stainless steel or silicone tea strainer, or purchasing tea
from brands that offer plastic-free teabags. Organic teas
jatupronAdobeStock.com
may still have plastic in the tea bag, as the packaging is
not overseen by organic-certifying organizations.
Open Letter to
Pause AI Experiments
A group of leading
technology executives,
researchers,
academics
and others from
around the world
have signed
an open letter
prepared by the
Future of Life Institute
calling for a
six-month pause
on large, human-competitive
artificial intelligence (AI) experiments. As of March 31, more
than 1,800 CEOs and 1,500 professors had signed the letter.
“AI labs are locked in an out-of-control race to develop
and deploy ever more powerful digital minds that no one—
not even their creators—can understand, predict or reliably
control,” the letter contends. The authors are concerned
that “AI systems are now becoming human-competitive at
general tasks.”
While AI systems grow more powerful, there is no natural
law or barrier to technical progress. The letter’s authors
and signers are asking all AI labs to pause the training
of powerful AI systems so that safety protocols can be
implemented to ensure the effects of these systems will be
positive and the risks manageable. According to the letter,
“If such a pause cannot be enacted quickly, governments
should step in and institute a moratorium.”
Individuals can view and sign the letter at Tinyurl.com/
AImoratorium.
lazaalaexa/ShutterStock.com
Plastic Rocks Found on
Remote Brazilian Island
Brazilian researchers have discovered rocks formed
from plastic debris in the permanently preserved area of
Trindade Island, approximately 680 miles off the coast
of Brazil. The island is a remote refuge for green turtles,
which come by the thousands every year to lay their eggs.
The only human inhabitants of the island are members of
the Brazilian navy.
The team of researchers ran chemical tests on the
rocks, called plasticglomerates, and determined that
they were formed when fishing nets were dragged by the
current and accumulated on the beach. It is believed that
the nets melt when the temperature rises and they become
embedded with the sedimentary granules and other
debris on the beach.
erome LABOUYRIEShutterStock.com
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