美国国家公共电台 NPR--Have you made your New Year's climate resolution yet?

Have you made your New Year's climate resolution yet?

Transcript¹

Many people are focusing on how to reduce their carbon footprint for next year — such as taking one less flight or eating less meat. We have advice on how to set climate resolutions for 2023.

A MART?NEZ, HOST:

As 2022 winds down, many of us are considering our New Year's resolutions. And some of those resolutions may be focused on how to reduce your carbon footprint. So for some advice on how to set climate resolutions and maybe try to keep them, we've asked Julia Simon on. She recently joined NPR's climate team to report on solutions to climate change. Julia, first off, welcome.

JULIA SIMON, BYLINE²: Thanks, A. Good to be here.

MART?NEZ: All right, Julia, what is a climate resolution?

SIMON: So a climate resolution is something that will reduce emissions⁴ that I make. So for 2023, I'm going to take less flights. I am going to eat less meat and reduce my carbon footprint.

MART?NEZ: All right. Got it. So how much, though, of an impact can I have, little old me? I mean, is it possible for me to move the needle on this?

SIMON: Yes. Obviously, governments and corporations have a huge role to play in reducing their emissions. But our actions as individuals matter. Companies make decisions based on consumer demand. And if I take action, that can inspire my family and friends to take action, too.

MART?NEZ: All right. Set us up here, Julia. What's a good New Year's resolution to start off with?

SIMON: Two words - food waste. Up to 40% of food gets wasted in the U.S. And wasted food in a landfill releases methane⁵, which is this really potent⁶, planet-heating gas. So one New Year's resolution is to use the food we buy. For marine⁷ biologist and climate policy adviser⁸ Ayana Johnson, she starts in the back of her refrigerator.

AYANA JOHNSON: There's those vegetables in the back that, like, don't get enough love. So can you freeze them? Can you be more realistic about how many you're going to eat before they go bad and not buy them?

SIMON: She says buy fruits and vegetables bit by bit so they don't go bad. And if you go out to eat, you know, take the leftovers⁹ home.

JOHNSON: Really, like, you're not sacrificing anything. If anything, you're sacrificing the guilt¹⁰ that's associated with wasting food. And I think we could all use a little less guilt.

SIMON: Food waste - it accounts for up to 10% of all emissions globally. So this is a really good resolution to start with.

MART?NEZ: That's food, though. What about a resolution for reducing emissions from the ways we get around?

SIMON: So if you're someone who flies a lot, this year, try reducing your air travel. Flying makes up about 2% of emissions, which doesn't sound like a lot. But if that was a country, it would be one of the top 10 emitters. Now, some airlines will say you can have the option to buy carbon credits to offset¹¹ your flight's emission³. But experts will tell you that there's no reliable way of knowing if those offsets¹² are really working.

MART?NEZ: Julia, what if I want to do more? What advice do you have for someone who maybe wants to have a longer-term - a stretch climate resolution?

SIMON: So for a stretch climate resolution, you can try getting into energy policy. That might sound hard, but I have an easy way to do it, which is get in touch with your public utility regulator. These are the people that regulate the companies that give us power. And in the U.S., almost 60% of our power still comes from fossil fuels. These regulators can help power companies transition off of coal or off of gas. There are public meetings where you can call in or show up and share where you'd like to see your energy come from. This resolution could have a long-term impact beyond 2023.

MART?NEZ: All right. That's Julia Simon. She covers climate solutions for NPR. Julia, thanks.

MART?NEZ: Thanks, A. Happy New Year.

(SOUNDBITE OF ELIE BENZIMRA'S "RECONSTRUCTION")

1 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。

2 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。

3 emission   

n.发出物，散发物；发出，散发

参考例句：

• Rigorous measures will be taken to reduce the total pollutant emission.采取严格有力措施，降低污染物排放总量。
• Finally,the way to effectively control particulate emission is pointed out.最后，指出有效降低颗粒排放的方向。

4 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

5 methane   

n.甲烷，沼气

参考例句：

• The blast was caused by pockets of methane gas that ignited.爆炸是由数袋甲烷气体着火引起的。
• Methane may have extraterrestrial significance.甲烷具有星际意义。

6 potent   

adj.强有力的，有权势的；有效力的

参考例句：

• The medicine had a potent effect on your disease.这药物对你的病疗效很大。
• We must account of his potent influence.我们必须考虑他的强有力的影响。

7 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。

8 adviser   

n.劝告者，顾问

参考例句：

• They employed me as an adviser.他们聘请我当顾问。
• Our department has engaged a foreign teacher as phonetic adviser.我们系已经聘请了一位外籍老师作为语音顾问。

9 leftovers   

n.剩余物，残留物，剩菜

参考例句：

• He can do miracles with a few kitchen leftovers.他能用厨房里几样剩饭做出一顿美餐。
• She made supper from leftovers she had thrown together.她用吃剩的食物拼凑成一顿晚饭。

10 guilt   

n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责

参考例句：

• She tried to cover up her guilt by lying.她企图用谎言掩饰自己的罪行。
• Don't lay a guilt trip on your child about schoolwork.别因为功课责备孩子而使他觉得很内疚。

11 offset   

n.分支，补偿；v.抵消，补偿

参考例句：

• Their wage increases would be offset by higher prices.他们增加的工资会被物价上涨所抵消。
• He put up his prices to offset the increased cost of materials.他提高了售价以补偿材料成本的增加。

12 offsets   

n.开端( offset的名词复数 )；出发v.抵消( offset的第三人称单数 )；补偿；（为了比较的目的而）把…并列（或并置）；为（管道等）装支管

参考例句：

• The following paragraphs deal with intra-source offsets and the so-called \"bubble\" concept. 下面讨论污染源内部的补偿和所谓的“泡泡”概念。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• The preceding paragraphs were concerned with inter-source offsets. 前文牵涉到污染源之间的补偿。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法