VOA标准英语2009-Chip Giller Promotes Eco-Awareness On-line

Faiza Elmasry | Washington, DC 27 November 2009
 

 

Welcome to American Profiles, VOA's weekly look at Americans who are making a positive difference in the world. Our spotlight¹ this week is on Chip Giller, an environmental advocate who created Grist.org, an on-line media platform for delivering independent environmental content free of charge to new audiences. Giller is one of the winners of the 2009 Heinz Awards, which recognize outstanding individuals for their contributions to society. This year, the awards commemorate² the late Senator John Heinz's long-standing commitment to the environment by bestowing³ $100,000 awards to 10 individuals whose achievements have helped bring about a cleaner, greener and more sustainable planet.

A Tiny e-Newsletter Morphs Into a Popular Web Site

Grist.org began just 10 years ago as a digital newsletter sent to 100 e-mail addresses. You might say interest has picked up considerably⁴ since then.

"We're reaching about a million people a month through our web site" Chip Giller says. "Through media partnerships⁵, we're reaching many millions more per month."

Over the past decade, Chip Giller has turned his eco-site into a unique media model, delivering serious environmental news and views in a way that makes big issues like climate change relevant to people's daily lives.

"So it's not just a topic that policy makers⁶ and decision makers think about, but also regular people," he says. "We did a whole series on poverty and the environment because very often it's the most disadvantaged who are the most at risk from environmental pollution. So we sent out reporters to lots of different communities in the U.S. to really give a report on the ground of what's going on in these communities. And now these communities' voices get more attention."

A Forum⁷ for Young People and Old Folks

In addition to material gathered by its own reporters, Grist.org compiles environmental articles from other news agencies. It also allows readers to become contributors. They can tell their own stories through comments, blogs and photos. That, Giller says, is what engages young people.

"We're reaching people in their 20s and 30s," he says. "That's the gen[eration] 'X' and gen[eration] 'Y' folks. When I began Grist, I began it as a response to a trend that concerned me. Here in the United States, the membership rolls of the larger environmental groups you might think of, like Sierra Club or Natural Resources Defense⁸ Council - they are doing amazing work - but the average age of a member has really crept up to about age 60 or above. I saw a need to really repopulate this movement with the younger folks."

But those older folks, Giller says, have also been an important part of Grist. The site has become an activist⁹ forum, not just a source of news.

"We also have a number of people like Al Gore¹⁰, or Carol Browner [Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate], or journalists like Bill Moyers," he says. "They are reading our work also and learning from it. They often come to us to connect with this younger audience that we're reaching."

Ask Umbra

Umbra Fisk has the answer to whatever environmental dilemma¹¹ readers have
Whatever environmental problem readers might be facing, a solution is usually just a click away on Grist.org, Giller says.  He points, for example, to an an offbeat¹² advice column at Grist.org called "Ask Umbra."

"Umbra Fisk answers all manner of green questions from our audience members - serious ones like, 'How do I reduce my climate foot prints?' to maybe less important things, but still fun, like, 'Can I recycle a beer bottle with a lime wedge stuck in it?' And I'm here to report that you can recycle a beer bottle with a lime wedge stuck in it," Giller explains. "But what's interesting about that character [Umbra Fisk] is that it led to a book that we produced with lots of different forms of environmental advice.

Giller's Baby Sitter and Role Model:

For someone as passionate¹³ about journalism¹⁴ and the environment as Chip Giller is, Grist is a dream come true.  He credits the renowned¹⁵ American environmentalist, Bill McKibben, for inspiring his passion and success.

"I was lucky enough, or maybe it's just a funny coincidence," Giller recalls, "that an early babysitter of mine growing up in Massachusetts was a fellow named Bill McKibben, who is one of the foremost environmental writers in the U.S. I feel that I was almost learning about global warming from day one. He set a wonderful model for me, for a career that joined these two passions."

On the personal level, Giller is leading an environmentally friendly life. His family has only one car, which runs on biodiesel, and they grow some of their own food. Giller encourages everyone to try to make similar environmentally-friendly choices.

"When you're making a big purchasing decision, like a car or an appliance, that's when to take environmental considerations in mind... get an incredibly efficient washing machine, or efficient water heater," he says. "Then, when you go to vote, when you're thinking about selecting public officials, keep the environment in mind as well.

Chip Giller believes the worldwide green movement is gaining momentum¹⁶ and changing politics, economics and culture -- and he says he is excited that he, and Grist.org, are playing a part in that change.

1 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

2 commemorate   

vt.纪念，庆祝

参考例句：

• This building was built to commemorate the Fire of London.这栋大楼是为纪念“伦敦大火”而兴建的。
• We commemorate the founding of our nation with a public holiday.我们放假一日以庆祝国庆。

3 bestowing   

砖窑中砖堆上层已烧透的砖

参考例句：

• Apollo, you see, is bestowing the razor on the Triptolemus of our craft. 你瞧，阿波罗正在把剃刀赠给我们这项手艺的特里泼托勒默斯。
• What thanks do we not owe to Heaven for thus bestowing tranquillity, health and competence! 我们要谢谢上苍，赐我们的安乐、健康和饱暖。

4 considerably   

adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上

参考例句：

• The economic situation has changed considerably.经济形势已发生了相当大的变化。
• The gap has narrowed considerably.分歧大大缩小了。

5 partnerships   

n.伙伴关系( partnership的名词复数 )；合伙人身份；合作关系

参考例句：

• Partnerships suffer another major disadvantage: decision-making is shared. 合伙企业的另一主要缺点是决定要由大家来作。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• It involved selling off limited partnerships. 它涉及到售出有限的合伙权。 来自辞典例句

6 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

8 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

9 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

10 gore   

n.凝血，血污；v.（动物）用角撞伤，用牙刺破；缝以补裆；顶

参考例句：

• The fox lay dying in a pool of gore.狐狸倒在血泊中奄奄一息。
• Carruthers had been gored by a rhinoceros.卡拉瑟斯被犀牛顶伤了。

11 dilemma   

n.困境，进退两难的局面

参考例句：

• I am on the horns of a dilemma about the matter.这件事使我进退两难。
• He was thrown into a dilemma.他陷入困境。

12 offbeat   

adj.不平常的，离奇的

参考例句：

• She adores old,offbeat antiques.她非常喜欢那些稀奇古怪的老古董。
• His style is offbeat but highly creative.他的风格很不寻常但非常有创造力。

13 passionate   

adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的

参考例句：

• He is said to be the most passionate man.据说他是最有激情的人。
• He is very passionate about the project.他对那个项目非常热心。

14 journalism   

n.新闻工作，报业

参考例句：

• He's a teacher but he does some journalism on the side.他是教师，可还兼职做一些新闻工作。
• He had an aptitude for journalism.他有从事新闻工作的才能。

15 renowned   

adj.著名的，有名望的，声誉鹊起的

参考例句：

• He is one of the world's renowned writers.他是世界上知名的作家之一。
• She is renowned for her advocacy of human rights.她以提倡人权而闻名。

16 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。