美国国家公共电台 NPR--The Marine Corps' Parris Island is a role model for coping with climate change

The Marine¹ Corps²' Parris Island is a role model for coping with climate change

Transcript³

Parris Island, located on the hurricane-prone, South Carolina coast is regarded as the Marine Corps installation most in peril⁴ from climate change. Now it's becoming a model for other bases in how to cope with the effects.

A MART?NEZ, HOST:

Parris Island on the marshy⁵, hurricane-prone South Carolina coast is regarded as the Marine Corps installation most in peril from climate change. Now it's becoming a model for other military bases on combating climate effects. Jay Price of member station WUNC reports from South Carolina's Lowcountry

JAY PRICE, BYLINE⁶: Scientists think a permanent solution to the rising water here isn't possible, so the question is how to keep enough of the iconic training base for new recruits above water, at least for a few more decades. Tracey Spencer, the base environmental director, stands atop one of the causeways on Parris Island that support major roads.

TRACEY SPENCER: This road is about 10 feet above sea level.

PRICE: She points across a saltwater pond to another road named Malecon Drive.

SPENCER: And Malecon is not. But whenever that road is repaved, we'll probably do the art of the small.

PRICE: The art of the small - that's a phrase they use here a lot. In this case, it means wait till the road needs repaving, and then spend a little more to raise it higher, rather than spend millions now to lift the road while the pavement is still good. One projection⁷ says low areas here could flood more than 300 times a year by 2050. Base officials don't think the water will rise that quickly, but Spencer says that they're still taking some steps.

SPENCER: Whether the model shows that it's a six-inch difference or a 16-foot difference, it doesn't matter. If we raise the road two feet, it's still a benefit to us. If we plant native plants, it's still a benefit to us.

PRICE: The art of the small is expected to play a key role in new climate resilience plans the Navy will finish next month for Parris Island and Naval⁸ Station San Diego. Meredith Berger is an assistant secretary of the Navy. She says these plans will help the Navy figure out how to craft similar ones for more than 90 other installations.

MEREDITH BERGER: So one Marine Corps base, one Navy base, but places where we have the opportunity to learn.

PRICE: The art of the small isn't new. For years, the Navy has done things like build piers⁹ higher when it's time to replace them. But Berger said Parris Island has helped institutionalize the approach.

BERGER: Finding every opportunity to make a little change that has a big impact - that is an ethos. That is an approach that everyone is taking because we need to be thinking about this at every turn.

PRICE: At Parris Island, the Navy has already taken steps like rebuilding key parts of shooting ranges higher and farther from the shore. It's also added solar panels and giant Tesla batteries to make the power grid¹⁰ more storm resistant¹¹. And it's planting new oyster¹² beds to protect the shoreline. But still...

ROB YOUNG: They will have to abandon that base and those activities at some point in the future. That's certain.

PRICE: Rob Young heads the program for the Study of Developed Shorelines at Western Carolina University. Less certain, he says, is the timeline, which depends partly on whether humans begin to slow the effects of climate change. But the fact that, eventually, Parris Island will have to close doesn't mean that has to happen any time soon.

YOUNG: I think there are places in this country that we will spend money on even for short-term solutions.

PRICE: He cites Tidewater, Va., where he grew up. It's home to a host of crucial military installations, and flooding is already a big problem there. Young says he'd never say it's pointless to spend money at places like Parris Island to slow the impacts.

YOUNG: As long as DOD and base command is really taking seriously this idea that they're not going to be there 50 years from now.

PRICE: So unless something like catastrophic hurricane damage changes the equation, the art of the small, along with some larger measures, could make sense - for at least a while longer.

For NPR News, I'm Jay Price at Parris Island, S.C.

1 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

2 corps   

n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组

参考例句：

• The medical corps were cited for bravery in combat.医疗队由于在战场上的英勇表现而受嘉奖。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

3 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

4 peril   

n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物

参考例句：

• The refugees were in peril of death from hunger.难民有饿死的危险。
• The embankment is in great peril.河堤岌岌可危。

5 marshy   

adj.沼泽的

参考例句：

• In August 1935,we began our march across the marshy grassland. 1935年8月，我们开始过草地。
• The surrounding land is low and marshy. 周围的地低洼而多沼泽。

6 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

7 projection   

n.发射，计划，突出部分

参考例句：

• Projection takes place with a minimum of awareness or conscious control.投射在最少的知觉或意识控制下发生。
• The projection of increases in number of house-holds is correct.对户数增加的推算是正确的。

8 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

9 piers   

n.水上平台( pier的名词复数 )；（常设有娱乐场所的）突堤；柱子；墙墩

参考例句：

• Most road bridges have piers rising out of the vally. 很多公路桥的桥墩是从河谷里建造起来的。 来自辞典例句
• At these piers coasters and landing-craft would be able to discharge at all states of tide. 沿岸航行的海船和登陆艇，不论潮汐如何涨落，都能在这种码头上卸载。 来自辞典例句

10 grid   

n.高压输电线路网；地图坐标方格；格栅

参考例句：

• In this application,the carrier is used to encapsulate the grid.在这种情况下，要用载体把格栅密封起来。
• Modern gauges consist of metal foil in the form of a grid.现代应变仪则由网格形式的金属片组成。

11 resistant   

adj.(to)抵抗的，有抵抗力的

参考例句：

• Many pests are resistant to the insecticide.许多害虫对这种杀虫剂有抵抗力。
• They imposed their government by force on the resistant population.他们以武力把自己的统治强加在持反抗态度的人民头上。

12 oyster   

n.牡蛎；沉默寡言的人

参考例句：

• I enjoy eating oyster; it's really delicious.我喜欢吃牡蛎，它味道真美。
• I find I fairly like eating when he finally persuades me to taste the oyster.当他最后说服我尝尝牡蛎时，我发现我相当喜欢吃。