Look, let’s be honest-there’s no such thing as a “green” vacation. You’ll leave a carbon footprint, no matter what.
Is it a B Corp?
B Corps are businesses that meet a strict set of standards by the nonprofit B Lab. They include requirements for governance, workers, customers, community and the environment.
Does the company have any other environmental certifications?
Third-party certifications from Green Key, LEED and WELL can be signs that a travel company means business about the environment. Transportation companies may also offer verified certifications from organizations like Terrapass or the Gold Standard Foundation.
If the company claims to be green, don’t just take its word for it. Listen to what it says. If you see nothing but models on its Instagram channel or ads for online discounts on its site, perhaps it’s a shade of fake green. “A company’s social media strategy is generally a reflection of its current ethos and goals,” explained Julia Carter, founder of Craft Travel.
How deep is its commitment to the environment?
| A．But your trip can be green-ish. |
| B．What’s the company saying to everyone? |
| C．How can we find a reliable company online? |
| D．Don’t trust anything the company says to the public. |
| E．These certifications aren’t a guarantee the company is green. |
| F．Look for reliable reports on sustainability from a travel company. |
| G．You can search the directory of these forward-looking companies online. |
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Patrick and Rachel Hugens have biked around the world. The Hugenses, who live in Boise when not on their bikes, are 25 months into their latest round-the-world adventure, scheduled to end in March. They've visited 36 countries on this tour, touching Europe, Africa, Asia and South America. “Traveling by bike is the greatest freedom," Rachel said via email. “You can see people's daily lives and can communicate with them.”
Rachel warns, “Cycle touring can become addictive.” Bike tourism is on the rise in the United States and around the world, according to the Adventure Cycling Association. The U. S. Bicycle Route System has grown 66 percent in the past two years and now has a presence in 24 states, including Idaho, and the District of Columbia.
Dennis Swift，secretary of the Southwest Idaho Mountain Biking Association, rode across the U.S. last year- from Seattle to Salem, Mass. Six people started the tour and three finished, riding 52 out of 56 days. They averaged about 60 miles per riding day. Swift also rode through the Basque Country with a group of Boise cyclists last year. He's planning to participate in a Virginia bike tour this year. “When you get older, your health is most important,” he said. “My mom had Alzheimer's disease. They say what's good for health is good for the brain, so riding is one thing to be first in my life.”
This is the third time that the couple have quit their jobs to tour. Rachel is a nurse; Patrick is an architect. Both regained their former jobs when they returned home in 2000 and 2007. They're uncertain what will happen this time. They've given themselves a chance to save extra money by going to work by bike and avoiding some bills that are basic for most ( cell phones, cable TV).“Traveling changes your view of money and what it can do for you,” Rachel said. “We've met some cyclists traveling long term. They have many reasons to spend wisely.”
“The fellow cyclists we meet mostly come from Britain, Germany, Spain, Holland, Australia or New Zealand," Rachel said, “It is so nice to see that people all over the world are friendly and welcoming.”
1. How many countries have the Hugenses visited on their latest tour? (不多于2个单词)2. Why does Dennis Swift ride bikes? (不多于2个单词)
3. How do the Hugenses save extra money for their bike tours? (不多于10个单词)
4. What is the passage mainly about? (不多于3个单词)
【推荐2】Many travelers often ignore small places in Europe, but there are some hidden ones that offer impressive architecture and natural scenery. Here are four places in Europe that are worth a visit.
Eguisheim, France
If you want to see a perfect French village, go to Eguisheim. It has beautiful half-timbered (露明木架的) houses, stone streets and churches in the Middle Ages. You can also visit a lovely Christmas market in December. Be sure to check out the Chapelle Saint-Léon IX. which has painted ceilings and colorful windows with scenes from Alsace.
Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland
Lauterbrunnen is a beautiful town with wooden houses and small village churches. But its towering rocks, high mountains, and some of the tallest waterfalls really stand out in Europe. And please don’t forget this fun fact that J. R. R. Tolkien was ever inspired by Lauterbrunnen when he was writing about the Rivendell valley in The Lord of the Rings.
Český Krumlov, Czech Republic
If you dislike the crowds, enter Český Krumlov, an incredibly pretty town. This charming town in the South Bohemia region has red-roofed houses, attractive fountains in the squares, and a well-known castle where you can have a view of the Vltava River. And you can explore the town in less than half-an-hour walk.
Guimarāes, Portugal
Afonso Henriques, the country’s first king, was born in Guimarāes. The city center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has great examples of Portuguese architecture with beautiful tiles (瓷砖) from 600 years ago. Even though Guimarāes is a bit bigger than the other places on this list, it still has a charming feel with small shops and open areas.
1. What is Eguisheim special about?| A．Tiled buildings. | B．High mountains, |
| C．Half-timbered houses. | D．Red-roofed churches. |
| A．An artist. | B．An architect. |
| C．A businessman.. | D．A writer. |
| A．Eguisheim. | B．Lauterbrunnen. |
| C．Český Krumlov. | D．Guimarāes. |
【推荐3】Enjoy the family-friendly adventure at Dino Park in Myrtle Beach! This exciting museum gives guests the chance to come face-to-face with life-sized dinos! These beasts have a vast history that will spark imagination and allow visitors of all ages to enjoy educational fun.
During your self-guided adventure through Dino Park, you will be treated to up-close views at dazzling animatronics(电子动画) of your favorite scaly dinosaurs. There are more than 20 life-sized dinosaurs to discover. Along the way, you will be able to learn about some awesome dino facts and get your fill of prehistoric fun!
Additionally, visitors will be able to enjoy CGI footage that gives a glimpse into the lives of the dinos. It is the perfect way to learn all about the dinosaurs through interesting facts and hands-on activities. Throughout the museum are various facts about the dinosaurs displayed on informative and colorful posters.
Dino Park activities
Dino Explore Pit: The kids will have a blast diving into the Dino Explore Pit! This ball pit features 100,000 balls offering tons of room to bounce around. It is a fun attraction for all ages to enjoy.
Dig a Dino Fossil: Become a real-life archaeologist as you put your digging skills to the test! Look out for some awesome fossils as you search for the next greatest dinosaur discovery.
Ride a Tyrannosaurus: This fun animatronic ride is perfect for kids who want to experience some thrilling fun! Climb aboard for an action-packed ride that you won’t soon forget.
Play Area: Kids will enjoy burning off some extra energy at the playground area. The playground features dino-themed puzzle floors, bright pictures on the walls, and play equipment featuring a slide and dinosaurs they can climb on.
So, whether you are a longtime dinosaur lover or want to bring the kids to see some moving dino park exhibits, you are sure to have a great time here!
1. At Dino Park, visitors ________.| A．can feel the joy of prehistoric times |
| B．will be taught animatronics face to face |
| C．will be able to find the perfect way to see CGI film |
| D．can participate in hands-on poster making activities |
| A．Dino Explore Pit. | B．Dig a Dino Fossil. |
| C．Ride a Tyrannosaurus. | D．Play Area. |
| A．To introduce a variety of life-sized dinosaurs. |
| B．To recommend a museum with educational fun. |
| C．To compare the different activities at the Dino Park. |
| D．To provide archaeologists with some clues about dinosaurs. |
【推荐1】A starving polar bear seen hunting for food in a major industrial city in northern Siberia has been captured and will be transported to a wildlife park for treatment, according to local reports.
Photos showed the female animal trudging across a busy road with muddy paws, digging through rubble and trash and lying down from apparent exhaustion on the ground.
Experts believe the animal, initially thought to have wandered hundreds of miles from its natural habitat in the Arctic, instead may have been taken as a baby polar and raised in enclosed places by traders, according to the Siberian Times.
The experts explained that it is typically not females but males that migrate long distances, and said this polar bear was too clean to have made such a travel, the newspaper reported. They told the newspaper it's possible that poachers released the animal to avoid being caught and punished. Polar bear poaching has been banned in Russia for more than 60 years. Still, it has been estimated that as many as 200 of them are killed each year in the Far East region.
As the Washington post's Isaac Stanley-Becker reported, polar bears “are classified as a vulnerable species because of the 'ongoing and potential loss of their sea ice habitat resulting from climate change, according to the World Wildlife Fund”.
1. What does the underlined word “enclosed" mean in paragraph 3?| A．Fenced | B．Chained | C．Diverged | D．Guaranteed |
| A．Because this polar bear is too exhausted. | B．Because this polar bear is a male. |
| C．Because this polar bear has no family. | D．Because this polar bear looks clean. |
| A．baby polar bears | B．female polar bears | C．male polar bears | D．strong polar bears |
| A．Because they have white fur. |
| B．Because their sea ice habitat is disappearing. |
| C．Because they are not cut enough. |
| D．Because they are often captured by poachers and pelt traders. |
【推荐2】Once considered an optional lifestyle choice, recycling has become a commonplace activity in most areas. One type of recycling, called downcycling, involves re-purposing a material into a new product of lesser quality.
Downcycling is also known as downstream recycling. It is most common in terms of industrial materials. These products lose their value as they are recycled, which limits their capacity for new use.
Giving products a new life is considered a good way to reuse materials and avoid waste. Once downcycled to their full capacity, however, these materials are eventually so degraded that they cannot be reused further. Since downcycled products are considered of lower quality than their original form, they cannot be used in remaking their original product.
Items available for downcycling often require additional chemicals, energy, and other treatments in order to transform them into something usable. Durable plastic products in particular require much additional treatment. Trash bins, tables, and chairs are also considered materials with a high energy cost to recycle.
When a product reaches a code seven, it is considered no longer recyclable.
| A．It can include varying grades of plastic, paper products, and other materials. |
| B．Their recycled form is typically both weaker and cheaper than their original one. |
| C．They may not be used to contain food-grade items again upon being downcycled. |
| D．Products are provided with codes to determine their grades and whether or not they may be recycled. |
| E．This usually occurs when a substance is blended with other substances, such as different types of plastic with various recycling codes. |
【推荐3】Remember the 100 mile diet. That was so in 2007. English environmental activist Rosalind Readhead is doing something much tougher: a One Tonne Diet, where she gets her personal carbon footprint (碳足迹) from everything she does down to less than one tonne of carbon per year. Currently, the average American has a footprint of 28 tonnes, and the average UK citizen 15 tonnes. Her project inspires many people, and unavoidably, it’s questioned. “It’s virtually unattainable for an individual in the developed world to even get down to a threetonne lifestyle anytime soon,” says Eric, another enviromental activist.
“The aim is to attempt to live on one tonne of carbon per year from September 2019. I record everything that I consume in a journal. This includes food, drink, transport, entertainment, data, showers, heating etc” Readhead writes on her website. “Interestingly, this lowcarbon diet is also lowcalorie and less costly. I save money unexpectedly, and become healthier for avoiding highcalorie foods that could make us overweight easily, such as, a large cheeseburger, with a footprint of 2.5 kg CO2e”.
Much of her data comes from Professor Mike BernersLee’s book How Bad Are Bananas?: The Carbon Footprint of Everything. In the introduction, BernersLee says he has had firsthand experience of a ten tonne diet, and hopes the book motivates others to aim for that. So what is the point of such an exercise? BernersLee notes that “our impacts used to be local and visible. Today they are not”. Living his ten tonne diet makes them visible and comprehensible.
A onetonne lifestyle is a tough experiment, but we could all do better by thinking about how we live, by having a sense of scale and understanding the sources of our own footprints, and maybe even trying to achieve BernersLee’s tentonne lifestyle. Tell what is important and work our way down the list. Otherwise, read Rosalind Readhead’s posts and feel really guilty!
1. What does Eric think of Readhead’s onetonne lifestyle?| A．Impractical. | B．Inspiring. |
| C．Popular. | D．Useless. |
| A．Losing weight. | B．Cutting daily expenses. |
| C．Saving time. | D．Reducing her footprint. |
| A．To provide people with data on carbon footprints. |
| B．To share his experience of a ten tonne diet. |
| C．To encourage people to try a lowcarbon lifestyle. |
| D．To tell people how to calculate their footprint. |
| A．Go after the serious stuff first. |
| B．Read Readhead’s posts again. |
| C．Follow BernersLee’s example. |
| D．Get down to a onetonne lifestyle. |
