Sept 19, 2019
Neil:
Welcome back, Feifei! Good holiday?
Feifei:
The best, Neil! We flew to Mexico, then up to California, and then drove all the way across the States from LA to New York.
Neil:
Incredible! All in one week?
Feifei:
Yes. It's just that…
Neil:
What?
Feifei:
I can't help thinking... all that travelling can't be great for the environment.
Neil:
I know. You must have a pretty big carbon footprint right now.
Feifei:
Enormous.
Neil:
Let's take a moment to explain this phrase "carbon footprint". Then plan what to do about it.
Feifei:
好的,我們藉機來了解一下什麼是 "carbon footprint" 碳足跡。眾所周知,二氧化碳 "carbon dioxide" 是一種導致氣候變化的氣體 — a gas that contributes to climate change.
Neil:
And your "carbon footprint" is the amount of carbon dioxide you produce through your activities — things like how much electricity you use…
Feifei:
How much oil and gas you use…
Neil:
What you eat is another factor. And of course your trips by car, plane and so on.
Feifei:
總的來說,"carbon footprint" 指的就是一個人在各類日常活動過程中所引起的溫室氣體排放的集合。比如,日常用電、用油、用氣,或是搭乘交通運輸出行過程中所產生的碳耗量。碳耗量越多,碳足跡就越大。If you take a lot of flights, then you have a large carbon footprint! Like me.
Neil:
And me. And the people in these examples.
I used the air conditioning non-stop all summer. My carbon footprint must be huge.
Martina has the highest carbon footprint of all her colleagues. She drives everywhere, flies every weekend, and eats nothing but red meat.
I downloaded an app to calculate my carbon footprint. The results are pretty shocking.
Feifei:
這裡是 BBC英語教學的 「地道英語」 節目。上面,我們給大家舉例講解了對 "carbon footprint" 碳足跡的定義。And Neil, I have a plan. It's time to reduce my footprint.
Neil:
Great. That's the verb we normally use: reduce. We talk about reducing our carbon footprint, by changing the way we live. So, what's the plan?
Feifei:
我打算開始騎自行車來上班。冬天也要少開暖氣。我還買了這雙鞋……
Neil:
Great. But, shoes?
Feifei:
They're made of recycled plastic. Fantastic, aren't they?
Neil:
Well, that's one way to reduce your footprint!
Feifei:
I even brought you a pair — a little present from my trip to LA.
Neil:
You're so kind. I can wear them when I'm in Tokyo this weekend. Paris next week. Oh, and Iceland tomorrow. Only kidding!
Feifei:
Yes, I want to hear your plan to reduce your carbon footprint, Neil!
Neil:
Bye.
Feifei:
Bye!
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