Many cities and towns have laws that require people to recycle paper and plastics. Now some state and local governments have passed laws that require citizens to recycle their food waste as well. California and Vermont have statewide laws about recycling food waste that apply to businesses and homes. The process of recycling food waste and turning it into usable soil is called composting (堆制肥料).
Food waste that can be composted includes fruit and vegetable peels, coffee grounds, tea bags, and eggshells. Garden waste such as stems and leaves can also be composted. Meat, fish, and dairy food waste cannot be recycled.
According to environmental groups, composting reduces the amount of trash going into landfills, and composted waste holds a wide range of nutrients (营养物). When compost is added to the soil in gardens and fields, it helps crops grow.
Reducing the amount of waste that goes into landfills is one reason why cities and states are passing food-waste recycling laws. “Our landfills are far from enough for the creation of new ones is shrinking.” Renee Crowley, a project manager at the Lower East Side Ecology Center in New York City, told TFK.
Officials in Seattle, Washington, say that food waste makes up 30% of the trash going into landfills, and they are looking to reduce that percentage. That city has a law requiring people to recycle food waste. It is banned from all garbage. There is a fine (罚款) for people who put it into regular garbage.
Those who are against food-recycling laws say that the composting process is costly. In addition, it can be difficult for people who live in apartments to store their waste because they don’t have access to outside storage bins. Patti Ferguson from Orange County, California, told her local newspaper that she thought an indoor container containing food waste would get smelly.
1. What do we know about composting from the text?A.Leaves can’t be reused. | B.Not all food waste can be composted. |
C.It is cheap to compost food waste. | D.It is usually processed in empty landfills. |
A.Benefits of recycling food waste. | B.Ways of keeping nutrients in the soil. |
C.Ways of reducing the amount of trash. | D.Examples of different useful nutrients. |
A.acceptable | B.shameful | C.required | D.illegal |
A.Thankful. | B.Negative. | C.Uncaring. | D.Supportive. |
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【推荐1】An impressive invention made by a 17-year-old teenager, called Anna Du, is helping to clean up small pieces of plastic from the ocean.
While walking along her local beaches in Massachusetts, the young student began collecting waste plastic bags and bottles. But what she noticed was a large number of tiny pieces of plastic or microplastics that were impossible to pick up. At just 12 years old, Du set out to solve the problem. After testing a few prototypes(原型)in her backyard, she invented a remotely operated vehicle that uses the infrared camera(红外摄像机)to detect microplastics on the ocean floor. More recently, Du has also created a simulation(模拟)model that uses artificial intelligence to predict where microplastics are located.
Du’s robot invention has earned her awards at top science fairs in the US, and she’s now a nationally recognized advocate for microplastic awareness and pollution prevention. “When I first started doing science fairs, I had no idea that a young girl without lots of money and just a little advanced engineering knowledge could make a difference in the world. I’ve learned that I truly love working on a problem that’s so much larger than me,” Du said.
Du has also released a new book to help spread the word not only about the dangers of microplastics but also about the ways to relieve the problem. Titled Microplastics &Me, the book follows Du’s own story of how she went from worrying about the environment to designing award-winning solutions. Writing for kids her own age, the young girl alerts her readers to the threat of microplastic pollution and urges them to care about the environment. The book hopes to encourage young students to get into science, technology, engineering and math(STEM)subjects and to inspire a new generation of inventors and engineers. What’s more, Du has even raised more than $7,000 to distribute the book free to kids and libraries in high-need communities.
1. What inspired Du to make the invention?A.There was too much rubbish along the beaches. | B.The plastics were too small to collect by hand. |
C.The sea was polluted seriously. | D.She was interested in AI. |
A.She has a spirit of challenge. | B.She is too poor to make a difference. |
C.She doesn’t study hard in engineering. | D.She wins international recognition. |
A.Innovation. | B.Voice. | C.Culture. | D.Art. |
A.To inspire readers to share their stories. |
B.To raise the awareness of microplastics pollution. |
C.To encourage high schools to offer STEM subjects. |
D.To collect money for kids in high-need communities. |
【推荐2】You don’t have to be a superhero to help the environment. Even small, simple actions can add up to big changes. People around the world, including kids, can work to help the earth at any time. Here are two stories about how kids are protecting the planet. Let them inspire you!
Raising Her Voice
Mari, 10, lives in Flint, Michigan. Since 2014, Flint residents have been without clean drinking water. That is when the water became polluted with lead (铅). As a result of lead poisoning, children in Flint have suffered from health problems.
“We knew that the water wasn’t good,” Mari said, “but we had no idea how bad it was and that it was making us sick.” Mari has worked hard to spread the awareness of Flint’s water crisis by organizing fundraisers (筹款人) and other events. In 2016, she inspired the president Barack Obama to visit her hometown. “Never let anyone tell you that your voice doesn’t matter,” Mari says. “It may not always be easy, but you will find adults who support you and want to hear what you have to say.”
Ryan Recycles
At the age of 3, Ryan Hickman began an activity to clean up the environment — one can and bottle at a time. That was in 2012, when Ryan went with his dad to a recycling center near his home in California; the experience motivated Ryan. The next day, he began collecting recyclables from neighbors. Soon, Ryan’s Recycling Company was born. “Recycling keeps bottles and cans out of the ocean,” Ryan, now 8, said, “so animals don’t get sick from them and die.”
So far, Ryan has helped customers recycle 320,000 plastic and glass bottles and aluminum (铝) cans. He has also donated nearly $6,000 to the Pacific Marine Mammal Center.
1. How is the text mainly developed?A.By analyzing causes. |
B.By making comparisons. |
C.By following the order of time. |
D.By providing different examples. |
A.To show Mari’s effort paid off. |
B.To prove Obama was very kind. |
C.To explain Obama was Mari’s friend. |
D.To show Mari’s hometown was beautiful. |
A.His love for sea life. |
B.His desire to make money. |
C.His visit to a recycling center. |
D.His parents’ effective education. |
A.Kid Heroes for the Planet |
B.How to Protect Our Planet |
C.Go Ahead with Your Dream |
D.Becoming An Environmental Volunteer |
【推荐3】The mangrove tree might not look very impressive, but it is an essential part of our ecosystem. However, more than half of the mangrove forests have been destroyed in the past century. Several World Heritage Sites have been listed largely because of their mangrove ecosystems. Among them are the Sundarbans across India and Bangladesh, the Everglades National Park in the US, and the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.
Being a World Heritage Site requires for the mangroves to be protected. However, one country in Asia has gone further by having a five-year program to protect and conserve all their mangroves. They even have a mangrove museum and observe World Mangrove Day. This country is Sri Lanka. Why are mangrove trees so important to Sri Lanka and to other countries where mangroves grow?
The mangrove tree grows along coastal saltwater shorelines. They have adapted to the harsh coastal weather and have deep roots. This means that they are strong and cannot be easily removed. In countries where natural disasters such as tsunamis and cyclones occur, the forests provide protection. The villages in Sri Lanka with full mangrove forests have suffered less damage when hit by these natural disasters. The reason is that the mangroves break up the force and strength of the waves.
The mangroves also quickly absorb carbon dioxide and send oxygen into the atmosphere. This makes them an important part of the fight against climate change. They absorb far more carbon dioxide than other types of forest, and store it in their structure and even in the soil. This is important as carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is believed to be a cause of detrimental changes in the weather, such as global warming.
The strong roots also provide protection for young fish as they grow. With the oceans around the world being overfished, it is important to maintain the ecological balance in the oceans. For Sri Lanka, one of the threats to the mangrove forests is the shrimp farms being set up. To build saltwater ponds for the shrimps, the mangroves are cut down. This has resulted in fewer fish surviving among the mangrove roots and fewer fish being caught by the fishermen. The local fishing communities noticed that they were losing money and it made them aware of how important the mangroves were. They are now helping to conserve the forests.
Sri Lanka is showing that a nation can preserve all of its mangroves. The conservation model they have can be used by other countries. It might take many years of planning, but the benefits of saving mangroves definitely outweigh the costs.
1. What do we know about the mangrove trees from the passage?A.They are mainly grown in Australia. |
B.They can prevent young fish from growing. |
C.They have been damaged by natural disasters. |
D.They are less impressive but important to the ecosystem. |
A.A world mangrove festival has been founded. |
B.Saltwater ponds for the shrimps have been set up. |
C.A 5-year mangroves protecting program has been started. |
D.More mangroves along the coastal areas have been grown. |
A.The mangroves can keep the ecological balance in the oceans. |
B.The mangroves are essential for fighting against climate change. |
C.The mangroves have deep roots and hold the soil in place firmly. |
D.The mangroves can break up the force and strength of the waves. |
A.Positive. | B.Negative. | C.Doubtful. | D.Unclear. |
【推荐1】A teenager of 17 walks into a corner store and grabs a Coca-Cola, but the cashier refuses to sell it to him because he is underage. That rule is expected to soon become reality in parts of Mexico, as lawmakers in several states push legislation (立法)to keep junk food away from children. know it can sound a bit difficult but we have to take action now," says Lopez, a lawmaker in Oaxaca's Congress.
More than 70,000 Mexicans have died from COVID-19, the world's fourth-highest recorded death toll, tracked by Johns Hopkins University. 89% of those who died in Mexico had an underlying medical condition such as obesity, diabetes (糖尿病),high blood pressure and heart problems. That has led to a new urgency to change diets so that the younger generation doesn't suffer those illnesses.
The critics, however, say the leaders are using preexisting health conditions in COVID-19 patients to distract from a weak government response to the virus outbreak. Yet few people would deny that the country consumes large amounts of sugar-sweetened drinks and processed snacks with little nutrition --- or that Mexico has a major weight problem.
Oaxaca's governor approved the state's junk food prohibition last week. Legislators still have to complete the legal systems, and punishment could include fines and even jail. Lopez says legislators from all over the country have called her for advice. Many other states are debating a junk food ban. However, a nationwide law would not be easy. "There are powerful commercial interests that least want it to happen, but we must prioritize the well-being of our children," Lopez says.
1. What is Lopez 's attitude towards the junk food?A.Negative. | B.Neutral. |
C.Positive. | D.Indifferent. |
A.Keep distance. | B.Avoid illnesses. |
C.Break away. | D.Shift attention. |
A.Selling children junk food has been banned nationwide in Mexico. |
B.Most Mexicans who died of COVID-19 had other health problems. |
C.The younger generation doesn't suffer any weight problems. |
D.People who break the prohibition in Oaxaca will only be warned. |
A.Teenagers. | B.Legislators. |
C.Soft drink companies. | D.State governors. |
【推荐2】Some places in the world have strange laws. It's important for you to know about them before going there.
Whoever likes to chew gum (口香糖) may have to leave Singapore. The government really wants to keep the city clean and will fine you for chewing gum.
Before you leave for the United Arab Emirates, you'd better make sure you aren’t visiting during Ramadan (斋月). During that time you aren’t allowed to eat or drink in public. Tourists have been fined up to $275 for drinking in public.
In Thailand it's against the law to drive a car or motorcycle without a shirt on, no matter how hot it is. Punishments are different in different areas and can include warnings and tickets costing about $10. No joke--the local police will stop you.
Studies in Denmark have shown that cars with their headlights on are more noticeable by other drivers than those with their headlights off. Drivers there are required to leave their headlights on even during the day, or they may face a fine up to $100.
Make sure you know about these laws before your next trip. Better safe than sorry.
1. What is mainly talked about in the text?A.How to make your trip around the world safe. |
B.Why there are strange laws in the world. |
C.Interesting places you can go to around the world. |
D.Some strange laws you should know about for your trip. |
A.you should wear your shirt even though it's hot |
B.the police will play a joke on you |
C.the police will give you tickets costing about $10 |
D.you should always keep your headlights on |
A.In Thailand it's against the law to drive a car or motorcycle with a shirt on. |
B.The Singaporean government cares a lot about its environment. |
C.Tourists in the United Arab Emirates shouldn't eat in public. |
D.You can turn your headlights off in daytime in Denmark. |
【推荐3】Known as a “living fossil”, the Chinese sturgeon(中华鲟)is a very precious species. It is believed to have lived alongside the dinosaurs more than 140 million years ago. Although dinosaurs are long since gone, the Chinese sturgeon still exists. However, the species has been listed as ‘‘Critically Endangered’’ on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species.
On May 14,Shanghai legislators(立法机构)passed a new law protecting the Chinese sturgeon, emphasizing “regional cooperation”, according to China Daily. “This is the first local legislation in the country to protect one endangered fish,” said Ding Wei, director of the legislative affairs committee of the Shanghai Municipal People’s Congress.
Taken effect on June 6, the regulation urges cooperation in law enforcement(实施), scientific research and rescue of the species between Shanghai and other provinces and regions in the Yangtze River basin, according to People’s Daily.
The need for collaborative efforts is due to the living habitat of the Chinese sturgeon. As an anadromous(溯河产卵的)species, it mainly lives in the Yangtze River and depends on the Vangtze estuary(河口)for migration.
The protection of the Chinese sturgeon is urgent. China began the artificial breeding and release of the fish in 1984. However, very few of the fanned fish have survived in the wild, the number of which is less than 1000, according to a report by the Shanghai Observer.
Whether this species can be preserved depends on the natural population. “If the natural population is not well protected, the Chinese sturgeon is in danger of extinction.” Li Furong, vice chairperson of the Agricultural and Rural Affairs Committee of Shanghai Municipal People’s Congress, said in the report.
Since Jan 1 of this year, a 10-year fishing ban on key areas of the Yangtze River basin has been issued, covering 332 nature reserves, which includes Shanghai’s Chinese sturgeon nature reserve.
1. What is the new law passed on May 14 in Shanghai about?A.Forbidding fishing in the area. |
B.Protecting the Chinese sturgeon. |
C.Increasing the reproduction of the Chinese sturgeon. |
D.Listing the Chinese sturgeon as an endangered species. |
A.It mainly lives in the waters of Shanghai. |
B.Artificial breeding technology costs too much. |
C.Farmed fish multiplies quickly. |
D.Saving the species depends on protecting their natural population. |
A.immediate | B.joint | C.urgent | D.further |
A.The Chinese Sturgeon: Living Fossil |
B.Artificial Breeding: Future of the Chinese Sturgeon |
C.A New Law for a Fish |
D.Call for Conservation of the Chinese Sturgeon |
【推荐1】Some people can't wait for the lovely colors, cooler weather, and cozy sweaters of autumn. In fact, fall is Americans' favorite time, but for a minority of others, the transition from summer creates worry, fear and worse. According to Carrie Landin, a psychologist from the University of Colorado Health Integrative Medicine Center, a significant number of people actually experience autumn anxiety.
For some people, stress is triggered (触发) by environmental factors: Decreases in daylight cause chemical changes in the brain. "Less daylight leads to lower levels of chemicals like serotonin and dopamine that control our emotions," says Kimberly Asner-self, associate professor at Touro Colleges` School of Health Sciences. "As these chemicals drop, the body responds by increasing levels of cortisol. the hormone released in situations where we face threat." The result can be an increased anxiety, difficulty sleeping and depression.
But it's not just increasing darkness that can trigger these symptoms. For people who feel this way every year, some of the reaction is mental. "When we know there's the potential for stress ahead we tend to anticipate the problems, feeling anxious before they even happen," Landin says.
The fall features more than its fair share of impending (迫在眉睫) events: back to school at the beginning of the season and family get-togethers toward the end. Mayra Mendez, a psychologist from Providence Saint Johns Health Center, suggests identifying your personal triggers and making a plan to manage them before they feel overwhelming. For instance, if you're concerned about family issues and holiday parties, decide in advance that it's perfectly OK to say no to some of them. If fall's stricter work and school schedules make you anxious, plan regular breaks and vacations to look forward to.
Finally, you should also find ways to embrace the present moment. Remember: while autumn may throw you a few tricks, there are plenty of treats to be found too.
1. What may be the cause of autumn anxiety?A.Cooler weather. | B.Less daylight. |
C.Sleep difficulties. | D.Vacation plans. |
A.potential stress can be predictable | B.stress can be triggered by chemicals |
C.depression is related to family issues | D.anxiety can be caused by mental factors |
A.Manageable. | B.Overwhelming. |
C.Troublesome. | D.Beneficial. |
A.Seasonal Anxiety | B.Tricks or Treats |
C.The Autumn Blues | D.Characteristics of Fall |
【推荐2】It’s true that quite a few most respected scientific authorities have confirmed that the world is becoming hotter and hotter. There’s also strong evidence that humans are contributing to the warming. Countless recent reports have proved the same thing. For instance, a 2010 summary about the climate science by the Royal Society noted that: The global warming over the last half-century has been caused mainly by human activity.
You may not believe that humans could change the planet’s climate, but the basic science is well understood. Each year, billions of tons of greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere because of human activity. As has been known for years, these gases hold heat that would otherwise escape to space, wrapping the planet in an invisible blanket.
Of course, the earth’s climate has always been changing due to “natural” factors such as volcanic eruption or changes in solar, or cycles concerning the Earth’s going around the sun. According to the scientific research, however, the warming observed by now matches the pattern of warming we would expect from a build-up of greenhouse gas in the atmosphere — not the warming we would expect from other possible causes.
Even if scientists did discover another reasonable explanation for the warming recorded so far, that would give birth to a difficult question. As Robert Henson puts it: “If some newly discovered factor is to blame for the climate change, then why aren’t carbon dioxide and the other greenhouse gases producing the warming that basic physics tells us they should be?”
The only way to prove with 100% certainty that humans are responsible for global warming would be to run an experiment with two identical Earths — one with human influence and one without. That obviously isn’t possible, and so most scientists are careful not to state human influence as an absolute certainty.
1. The text is developed by ________.A.giving typical examples |
B.following the order of space |
C.comparing and finding differences |
D.analyzing a theory and arguing it |
A.volcanic eruption |
B.floods arid droughts |
C.changes in solar |
D.cycles concerning the Earth’s going around the sun |
A.exactly the same | B.totally different |
C.extremely important | D.partly independent |
A.Are Humans Definitely Causing Global Warming? |
B.Are All the Scientists Really Scientific? |
C.Where Is Global Warming Leading Us to? |
D.What’s the Relation of Global Warming and Greenhouse Gases? |
【推荐3】Hardware in general, and smartphones in particular, have become a huge environmental and health problem in the Global South’s landfill sites (垃圾填埋场).
Electronic waste (e-waste) currently takes up 5 percent of all global waste, and it is set to increase rapidly as more of us own more than one smartphone, laptop and power bank. They end up in places like Agbogbloshie on the outskirts (郊区) of Ghana’s capital, Accra. It is the biggest e-waste dump in the world, where 10,000 informal workers walk through tons of abandoned goods as part of an informal recycling process. They risk their health searching for the precious metals that are found in abandoned smartphones.
But Agbogbloshie legally should not exist. The Basel Convention, a 1989 treaty, aims to prevent developed nations from unauthorized dumping of e-waste in less developed countries. The e-waste industry, however, circumvents regulation by exporting e-waste labelled as “secondhand goods” to poor countries like Ghana, knowing full well that it is heading for a landfill site.
A recent report found Agbogbloshie contained some of the most dangerous chemicals. This is not surprising: smart phones contain chemicals like mercury, lead and even arsenic. Reportedly, one egg from a free-range chicken in Agbogbloshie contained a certain chemical which can cause cancer and damage the immune system at a level that’s about 220 times greater than a limit set by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Most worryingly, these poisonous chemicals are free to pollute the broader soil and water system. This should concern us all, since some of Ghana’s top exports are cocoa and nuts.
Some governments have started to take responsibility for their consumers’ waste. For example Germany has started a project that includes a sustainable recycling system at Agbogbloshie, along with a health clinic for workers. However, governments cannot solve the problem alone, as there is an almost limitless consumer demand for hardware, especially when governments’ green policies are focused on issues like climate change.
Only the manufacturers can fix this. A more economically sustainable and politically possible solution is through encouraging hardware manufacturers to make the repair, reuse and recycling of hardware profitable, or at least cost-neutral.
1. What can we infer from Paragraph 2?A.Electronic waste requires more landfill sites. |
B.Electronic waste is too complex to get fully recycled. |
C.Electronic products need to be improved immediately. |
D.Electronic waste can be a serious problem. |
A.Relaxes. | B.Abolishes. | C.Avoids. | D.Tightens. |
A.The violation of EFSA’s standards. |
B.The threat of polluted food worldwide. |
C.The lack of diversity in Ghana’s exports. |
D.The damage to chicken’s immune system. |
A.Letting governments take on the main responsibility. |
B.Reducing customers’ demands for electronic products. |
C.Governments adjusting their green policies about e-waste. |
D.Manufacturers’ developing a sustainable hardware economy. |
【推荐1】A remarkable variety of insects live on this planet. More species of insects exist than all other animal species together. Insects have survived on earth for more than 300 million years,and may possess the ability to survive for millions more.
Insects can be found almost everywhere—on the highest mountains and on the bottom of rushing streams, in the cold South Pole and in bubbling hot springs. They dig through the ground, jump and sing in the trees, and run and dance in the air. They come in many different colors and various shapes. Insects are extremely useful to humans, pollinating (授粉) our crops as well as flowers in meadows, forests, deserts and other areas. But ticks and some insects, such as mosquitoes and fleas, can transmit disease.
There are many reasons why insects are so successful at surviving. Their amazing ability to adapt permits them to live in extreme ranges of temperatures and environments. The one place they have not yet been found to any major extent is in the open oceans. Insects can survive on a wide range of natural and artificial foods—paint, pepper, glue, books, grain, cotton, other insects, plants and animals. Because they are small, they can hide in tiny spaces.
A strong, hard but flexible shell covers their soft organs and is resistant to chemicals, water and physical impact. Their wings give them the option of flying away from dangerous situations or toward food or mates. Also, insects have an enormous reproductive capacity: An African ant queen can lay as many as 43,000 eggs a day.
Another reason for their success is the strategy of protective color. An insect may be right before our eyes, but nearly invisible because it is cleverly disguised like a green leaf, lump of brown soil, gray lichen (青苔), a seed or some other natural object. Some insects use bright, bold colors to send warning signals that they taste bad, sting or are poisonous. Others have wing patterns that look like the eyes of a huge predator, confusing their enemies. Some insects also imitate bitter-tasting insects; hungry enemies are fooled into avoiding them.
1. Insects protect themselves from chemicals by ______.A.hiding in tiny spaces | B.flying away when necessary |
C.having a strong shell | D.changing colors or shapes |
A.avoid being discovered | B.frighten away their enemies |
C.send warning signals | D.look bitter-tasting |
A.how insects survive in different places | B.why insects can survive so successfully |
C.what insects can do to the environment | D.where insects can be found in quantity |
【推荐2】Parents who have books in the home increase the level of education their children will attain(获得), whether rich or poor, according to a 20-year study led by Mariah Evans.
For years, educators have thought the strongest predictor(预示物) of attaining high levels of education was having parents who were highly educated. But, the study showed that the difference between being raised in a bookless home compared to being raised in a home with a 500-book library has as great an effect on the level of education a child will attain as the difference between having parents who are barely literate (有文化的) and having parents who have a university education.
Being a sociologist, Evans was particularly interested to find that children of less-educated parents benefit the most from having books in the home. What kinds of investments should we make to help these kids get ahead? The results of this study indicate that getting some books into their homes is an inexpensive way that we can help these children succeed. Evans said, “Even a little bit goes a long way. Having as few as 20 books in the home still has a significant impact on motivating a child to a higher level of education, and the more books you add, the greater benefit the children get.”
The researchers were struck by the strong effect having books in the home had on children's educational attainment even above and beyond such factors as education level of the parents, the father's occupation or the economic level of the country.
Having books in the home is twice as important as the father's education level, and more important than whether a child was brought up in a developing country or a developed country. Surprisingly, the difference in educational attainment for children born in a developed country and children born in a developing country was just 2 years, less than two-thirds of the effect that having 500 or more books in the home had on children.
1. In the past educators held a point of view that ______ .A.children whose family had a library would possibly attain high levels of education |
B.children who were born in poor families studied harder than those in rich families |
C.children whose parents are highly educated would attain high levels of education |
D.parents’ level of education had nothing to do with their children’s levels of education |
A.Making somebody want to do something. |
B.Helping somebody to finish something |
C.Making somebody pretend to do something. |
D.Preventing somebody from achieving something. |
A.The economic level of the country. | B.The father’s occupation. |
C.Education levels of parents. | D.Having books in the home. |
【推荐3】Plastic garbage is one of the world’s biggest environmental headaches. Some plastic items like water bottles and shopping bags can last for hundreds of years after being thrown away, with all this plastic rubbish disrupting ecosystems and disturbing the habitats of wildlife.
There have been several projects to help control plastic production, but researchers may have found a natural way to get rid of the products.
Waxworms, which are confusingly classed as caterpillars(毛毛虫), are the honey bee’s worst nightmares, as they lay their eggs inside their hives(蜂巢). Amateur beekeeper Federica Bertocchini decided to use plastic bags to protect the hives, however she was dumbfounded when she discover the insects were able to eat holes into the sides of the bags.
The beekeeper’s surprising findings sparked a study. Bertocchini, from the Spanish National Research Council, teamed up with scientists from Cambridge University to perform some tests.
When the team put about one hundred waxworms into a standard UK plastic shopping bag, they began feasting. After about 12 hours they’d eaten roughly 92 milligrams of the bag.
In all, this isn’t huge amount, but it’s a lot faster than other natural ways. Last year, researchers found a specific type of bacteria( 细 菌 )could eat plastic, but at a rate of 0. 13 milligrams a day, making this is a massive jump in the search for a natural way to dispose(处理) plastic.
The team is still not 100 percent sure how the worms do what they do, but they’re heralding this as an important first step to get rid of pollution.
Luckily, while that team works out the answer, plastic manufacturers have found a way to make their products much more environmentally friendly. There are three types of environmentally friendly plastics: bioplastics(which are made from corn starch), biodegradable plastics(which break down quicker) and recycled plastic.
Hopefully with these new products, we will get closer to a society that is less harmful to the environment.
1. Why is plastic garbage a huge environmental headache?A.Because some plastic bottles can stay on the street for many years. |
B.Because this kind of rubbish will do great damage to the environment for years. |
C.Because more and more plastic bags will make the environment look dull and ugly. |
D.Because the plastic rubbish will make the wild life get worse than before. |
A.Shocked. | B.Frightened. | C.Embarrassed. | D.Uncomfortable. |
A.They make the plastic into honey. |
B.They help scientist develop new plastic. |
C.They eat the plastic in an environmentally friendly way. |
D.They work with some plastic factories to deal with plastic faster. |
A.The author is optimistic about the environment. |
B.There will be more plastic products. |
C.The waxworms will play a major role in the future. |
D.No one is 100 percent sure what the future will be like. |