pbs高端访谈:旧金山有望成为"零废物"城市

 　　HARI SREENIVASAN: Now a story about trash.

　　As the nation produces more and more, one city is trying to eliminate all of it.

　　NewsHour correspondent Spencer Michels reports.

　　SPENCER MICHELS: Each year, Americans throw away about 250 million tons of garbage. That's roughly four pounds per person per day.

　　You can find all manner of trash in a landfill, old bent¹ music stands, plastic bags, and a lot of items that could have been recycled, like bottles and cardboard. Beyond the obvious blight² they cause, landfills create environmental damage and emit harmful greenhouse gases. They are monuments to waste.

　　Those concerns have prompted San Francisco and a handful of other cities to aim for a once-unthinkable goal, zero waste.

　　In 2009, San Francisco became the first city in the country to require that residents and businesses alike separate from their trash compostable items, like food scraps³, and recyclable goods, like paper, metals, and plastic, into separate bins⁵.

　　And that has led to a big reduction in the amount of garbage headed to the landfill, according to San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee.

　　MAYOR ED LEE, San Francisco: We're proud of the 80 percent diversion rate, the highest in the country, certainly of any city in North America.

　　SPENCER MICHELS: Lee likes to talk garbage. He touts⁶ the fact that the city's recycling and composting law has helped the city keep 80 percent of its waste out of landfills. The national recycling average is just 35 percent. But Lee wants the city to go even further.

　　ED LEE: All of us, as part of our culture of living here in the Bay Area, have appreciated the goals of our environment and climate change and doing everything that we can.

　　And I think the 80 percent, we're not going to be satisfied with that, Spencer. We want 100 percent zero waste. This is where we're going.

　　SPENCER MICHELS: Is that possible?

　　ED LEE: I think it is. It is possible.

　　SPENCER MICHELS: What do you do with a plastic bag? You can't recycle that.

　　ED LEE: Well, we have banned plastic bags in the city.

　　San Francisco residents Sven Eberlein and Debra Baida think it's possible, too. They are avid⁷ recyclers and composters, so much so that they produce almost no trash. Baida lists what goes into the compost bin⁴.

　　DEBRA BAIDA, San Francisco resident: We put the wrappers from our butter. We put any meat or packaged -- that kind of packaged paper food, soiled food wrappings like that, tissues, Q-tips, paper napkins, which we don't have in our home. If those come in, those go there. Soiled paper plates, milk cartons.

　　SVEN EBERLEIN, San Francisco resident: I go and travel somewhere, and I'm, you know, I have, like, eat an apple and where's the compost? You know, and I have to throw it in the trash, and it just doesn't feel quite right, you know.

　　SPENCER MICHELS: But not all San Franciscans are as enthusiastic as Eberlein and Baida. Those who refuse to sort their garbage can face fines ranging from $100 to $1,000.

　　WOMAN: So, we're just in the neighborhood trying to educate people on composting and recycling and answer any questions that you may have.

　　SPENCER MICHELS: Teams of workers from the city are knocking on doors of residents who, unbeknownst to them, have had their garbage cans inspected by auditors⁸ early in the morning. On the evening we followed along, outreach workers were visiting homes which had put items in the wrong bins.

　　WOMAN: We have noticed that there's been a lot of confusion about what goes in what bin, and so I'm here to offer any answers to any questions you may have.

　　WOMAN: I think we're pretty good with recycling. I guess, could you give me a rundown on what goes in composting?

　　WOMAN: If it was once alive and it's soil or food, then it is compostable.

　　WOMAN: OK.

　　SPENCER MICHELS: So far, only warnings have been given out. No fines have been imposed yet. And city officials say the move toward zero waste is catching⁹ on.

　　San Francisco's 80-year-old private garbage company, which recently invented a new name for itself, Recology, has been investing in recycling and composting facilities, and trying to change San Franciscans' perceptions of their garbage.

　　NARRATOR: Where some see garbage, Recology sees opportunity. Working together, we have helped make San Francisco America's greenest city.

　　MIKE SANGIACOMO, Recology: The biggest remaining fraction after we began recycling of the San Francisco waste stream was food waste.

　　SPENCER MICHELS: CEO and president Mike Sangiacomo took us on a tour of Recology's sprawling¹⁰ 22-acre composting facility northeast of San Francisco.

　　MIKE SANGIACOMO: In terms of food waste composting, this is as good as it gets. We're creating a product that can be used on the soil to replenish¹¹ nutrients¹² that growing food crops take out of the soil.

　　SPENCER MICHELS: Food scraps and yard clippings brought here, some 400 tons a day, are turned into rich compost that is now being used by vineyards in Napa and Sonoma. In the rest of the nation, where composting is a rarity, 97 percent of food waste is disposed of in landfills, and that causes environmental problems, according to regional EPA director Jared Blumenfeld.

　　JARED BLUMENFELD, Environmental Protection Agency: About half the food we buy from the supermarket ends up going into the landfill. That's unacceptable.

　　The stuff that rots and smells produces methane¹³, which is a very, very potent¹⁴ greenhouse gas. And even if there's a cover on the top of just soil and stuff, that goes into the atmosphere and is really contributing in a large way to climate change issues.

　　SPENCER MICHELS: Beyond the environmental benefits of moving toward zero waste, Recology and city officials point to another perk¹⁵: jobs.

　　At Recology's massive recycling center, which has been inundated¹⁶ the weeks after the holidays, 186 jobs have been created over the past 10 years.

　　Most of the sorting is done here by hand. Workers separate plastics, cardboard, cans and bottles, so they can be packaged and shipped to recycled material markets, mostly in Asia.

　　SPENCER MICHELS: For all the ballyhoo over San Francisco's recycling and composting programs, there are some skeptics. Some San Franciscans say that city officials haven't verified the rosy¹⁷ statistics.

　　QUENTIN KOPP, former California legislator: It's a myth. It's a bogus figure.

　　SPENCER MICHELS: Quentin Kopp, a former state and city senator, took part in an unsuccessful ballot¹⁸ effort last year to open the city's garbage contract to a competitive bidding process.

　　Kopp says Recology is inflating¹⁹ their recycling figures so they can boast that they are leading the nation.

　　QUENTIN KOPP: Yes, it is a good idea to recycle. It's also a good idea to be honest to the public about how much of the refuse and garbage in San Francisco is actually being recycled.

　　Nobody knows, except probably this company knows. They falsify the quantity. They falsify the type of material.

　　And it's part of a bogus scheme to inflate²⁰ the amount of recycling done. And City Hall goes along with it, because it makes the politicians at City Hall look good.

　　SPENCER MICHELS: How do you know that 80 percent figure is accurate? Do you check it?

　　ED LEE: Yes, Spencer, we actually do. In fact, not only does our Department of the Environment go out and do audits²¹. We actually have auditors that go out there and make sure that we're all in compliance²² with the way we measure it, and using the state standards and the state process to do it.

　　SPENCER MICHELS: So there's no doubt in your mind that the 80 percent is real?

　　ED LEE: Oh, no doubt at all, no doubt at all in my mind.

　　SPENCER MICHELS: Whatever the actual number is, recycling and composting don't come free.

　　Recology's Mike Sangiacomo:

　　MIKE SANGIACOMO: All of the services we provide are paid for by the customers whose material we're taking away.

　　SPENCER MICHELS: Are they paying more in rates because of all this recycling and composting than they would otherwise?

　　MIKE SANGIACOMO: I would bet they're paying a little more. But if you compare rates in the Bay Area, San Francisco vs. other communities, we're right in the middle of the pack. And we're doing a lot more recycling than any of the other communities.

　　SPENCER MICHELS: Residents currently pay about $28 a month for their trash bins. Recycling and composting bins are free.

　　But last month, Recology requested a rate increase, and for the first time wants to charge for composting and recycling bins, something the company says is necessary as the city moves toward eliminating its trash by 2020.

　　HARI SREENIVASAN: Spencer reflects on his trashy assignment, the moves by his city to reduce waste, and the financial factors at play behind the scenes. His blog is on our website.

1 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

2 blight   

n.枯萎病；造成破坏的因素；vt.破坏，摧残

参考例句：

• The apple crop was wiped out by blight.枯萎病使苹果全无收成。
• There is a blight on all his efforts.他的一切努力都遭到挫折。

3 scraps   

油渣

参考例句：

• Don't litter up the floor with scraps of paper. 不要在地板上乱扔纸屑。
• A patchwork quilt is a good way of using up scraps of material. 做杂拼花布棉被是利用零碎布料的好办法。

4 bin   

n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件

参考例句：

• He emptied several bags of rice into a bin.他把几袋米倒进大箱里。
• He threw the empty bottles in the bin.他把空瓶子扔进垃圾箱。

5 bins   

n.大储藏箱( bin的名词复数 )；宽口箱（如面包箱，垃圾箱等）v.扔掉，丢弃( bin的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Garbage from all sources was deposited in bins on trolleys. 来自各方的垃圾是装在手推车上的垃圾箱里的。 来自辞典例句
• Would you be pleased at the prospect of its being on sale in dump bins? 对于它将被陈列在倾销箱中抛售这件事，你能欣然接受吗？ 来自辞典例句

6 touts   

n.招徕( tout的名词复数 )；（音乐会、体育比赛等的）卖高价票的人；侦查者；探听赛马的情报v.兜售( tout的第三人称单数 )；招揽；侦查；探听赛马情报

参考例句：

• Many vouchers are returned for cash, allowing touts and middle men to make a healthy margin. 许多月饼券都被兑换成现金，这让券贩子和中间商赚取了不蜚的利润。 来自互联网
• Spotting prey, the customary crowd of hustlers and touts swarmed around, jostling for my business. 照例有大群的拉客黄牛在寻觅猎物，他们争相过来抢我的生意。 来自互联网

7 avid   

adj.热心的；贪婪的；渴望的；劲头十足的

参考例句：

• He is rich,but he is still avid of more money.他很富有,但他还想贪图更多的钱。
• She was avid for praise from her coach.那女孩渴望得到教练的称赞。

8 auditors   

n.审计员，稽核员( auditor的名词复数 )；（大学课程的）旁听生

参考例句：

• The company has been in litigation with its previous auditors for a full year. 那家公司与前任审计员已打了整整一年的官司。
• a meeting to discuss the annual accounts and the auditors' report thereon 讨论年度报表及其审计报告的会议

9 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

10 sprawling   

adj.蔓生的，不规则地伸展的v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的现在分词 )；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着）

参考例句：

• He was sprawling in an armchair in front of the TV. 他伸开手脚坐在电视机前的一张扶手椅上。
• a modern sprawling town 一座杂乱无序拓展的现代城镇

11 replenish   

vt.补充；(把…)装满；(再)填满

参考例句：

• I always replenish my food supply before it is depleted.我总是在我的食物吃完之前加以补充。
• We have to import an extra 4 million tons of wheat to replenish our reserves.我们不得不额外进口四百万吨小麦以补充我们的储备。

12 nutrients   

n.（食品或化学品）营养物，营养品( nutrient的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a lack of essential nutrients 基本营养的缺乏
• Nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream. 营养素被吸收进血液。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 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。

14 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。

15 perk   

n.额外津贴；赏钱；小费；

参考例句：

• His perks include a car provided by the firm.他的额外津贴包括公司提供的一辆汽车。
• And the money is,of course,a perk.当然钱是额外津贴。

16 inundated   

v.淹没( inundate的过去式和过去分词 )；（洪水般地）涌来；充满；给予或交予（太多事物）使难以应付

参考例句：

• We have been inundated with offers of help. 主动援助多得使我们应接不暇。
• We have been inundated with every bit of information imaginable. 凡是想得到的各种各样的信息潮水般地向我们涌来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 rosy   

adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的

参考例句：

• She got a new job and her life looks rosy.她找到一份新工作，生活看上去很美好。
• She always takes a rosy view of life.她总是对生活持乐观态度。

18 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

19 inflating   

v.使充气（于轮胎、气球等）( inflate的现在分词 )；（使）膨胀；（使）通货膨胀；物价上涨

参考例句：

• I felt myself inflating slowly with rage, like a tyre. 我感到自己体内的怒气正慢慢膨胀，像一只轮胎那样。 来自互联网
• Many are already overheating, with prices rising and asset bubbles inflating. 随着物价日益上涨、资产泡沫膨胀，很多新兴国家经济已经过热。 来自互联网

20 inflate   

vt.使膨胀，使骄傲，抬高（物价）

参考例句：

• The buyers bid against each other and often inflate the prices they pay.买主们竞相投标，往往人为地提高价钱。
• Stuart jumped into the sea and inflated the liferaft.斯图尔特跳到海里给救生艇充气。

21 audits   

n.审计，查账( audit的名词复数 )v.审计，查账( audit的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Requires that use of all bond funds is subject to independent audits. 需要使用的所有债券基金是受独立审计。 来自互联网
• Support the locations during customer-visits, audits and quality-improvement programs. 支持客户参观，稽核和提高品质等项目。 来自互联网

22 compliance   

n.顺从；服从；附和；屈从

参考例句：

• I was surprised by his compliance with these terms.我对他竟然依从了这些条件而感到吃惊。
• She gave up the idea in compliance with his desire.她顺从他的愿望而放弃自己的主意。