眾所周知，塑膠污染對環境有很大的危害，但使用塑膠製品一定是件壞事嗎？舉個例子：生產一個塑膠袋所消耗的自然資源以及運輸它所產生的碳排放其實比生產和運輸一個棉布袋所消耗的資源、產生的碳排放要少很多。如果可以重複使用這個塑膠袋，而不是用過一兩次後便將其丟棄，那麼這個塑膠袋對環境的危害並不一定比其它材質的袋子大。本文討論塑膠製品是否也有益處。
字彙：plastic pollution 塑膠污染
Cotton or plastic: which kind of bag is better for the environment? Many of us would naturally say that the cotton bag is best, but that might only be true if you use that bag thousands of times. Surprised? Keep listening and we’ll explain.
There is no doubt that plastic is damaging for the environment in many ways. Producing it can cause toxins to be released into the atmosphere. It’s used in great quantities and often disposed of after a single use, meaning even more then needs to be produced. Thrown-away plastic can sit in landfill sites for centuries, or alternatively can contaminate the sea causing harm to wildlife and breaking down into polluting microplastics.
Because of these factors, many people are looking for ways to reduce their plastic use. However, the picture is not straightforward. Let’s return to our cotton bag. It’s certainly more biodegradable than plastic, but this might be where the advantages end. The industrial production of cotton requires far more energy, along with water and pesticides. As the bags are heavier, transporting them will lead to higher carbon emissions. An article from Columbia University suggests that cotton shopping bags need to be used over 7,000 times before they are more sustainable than plastic ones.
It’s not just about shopping bags. Lightweight plastic components in cars and planes help reduce fuel use and emissions. If we didn’t use so much plastic in clothing and footwear, the amount of land, water and chemicals that would be needed to produce enough natural textiles and leather would be enormous. Researchers have been looking to see if carbon could be sequestered during the production of plastics, reducing the amount in the atmosphere.
One other characteristic of plastic might actually be the key to this issue. The fact that plastic lasts for centuries is what causes much of the environmental harm, but it also means it can be used to make items that can be re-used again and again. The problem is that we often don’t. Plastic can cause serious harm to the environment, and efforts to throw less of it away can reduce this. Re-using it more could be one way to achieve this.
字彙表
environment 自然環境
toxin 毒素
atmosphere 大氣
dispose of 扔掉，處理
thrown-away 丟棄的
landfill 垃圾填埋場
contaminate 污染，毒害
microplastic 微塑膠
biodegradable 可降解的
carbon emission 碳排放
sustainable 可持續的，不破壞環境的
plastic components 塑膠零件
textile 紡織物
sequester 封存
harm 危害
測驗與練習
1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。
1. What can be given off when plastics are produced?
2. True or False? Plastic deposited in landfill sites will quickly rot away.
3. According to the article, in what way are cotton bags better than plastic bags?
4. What benefit of plastic for vehicle production is mentioned in the article?
5. How could sequestering carbon during the plastic production process be beneficial?
2. 選擇意思恰當的單字或片語來完成下列句子。
1. _______ are dangerous chemicals.
Textiles Toxins Landfills Atmospheres
2. Too many people _______ plastic after using it once.
dispose of sequester landfill thrown-away
3. The climate is getting warmer due to carbon dioxide in the _______.
landfill toxins textile atmosphere
4. Re-using plastic makes it more _______.
environmental sustainable contaminated textile
5. Plastic waste is hard to deal with because it is not _______.
thrown-away landfill biodegradable environmental
答案
1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。
1. What can be given off when plastics are produced?
The article says that toxins can be released into the atmosphere.
2. True or False? Plastic deposited in landfill sites will quickly rot away.
False. Plastic can sit in landfill sites for centuries.
3. According to the article, in what way are cotton bags better than plastic bags?
Cotton bags are more biodegradable than plastic bags.
4. What benefit of plastic for vehicle production is mentioned in the article.
Plastic components are lightweight so they help reduce car fuel use and emissions.
5. How could sequestering carbon during the plastic production process be beneficial?
Sequestering carbon during the plastic production process can remove carbon from the atmosphere.
2. 選擇意思恰當的單字或片語來完成下列句子。
1. Toxins are dangerous chemicals.
2. Too many people dispose of plastic after using it once.
3. The climate is getting warmer due to carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
4. Re-using plastic makes it more sustainable.
5. Plastic waste is hard to deal with because it is not biodegradable.
