Free water refill points opened to cut waste 英國推行“免費續水點”以減少塑料垃圾

文字稿

到2021年，英格蘭地區每一座大城市、鄉鎮的店鋪、咖啡廳和商戶都會免費給路人提供續水服務。推行該計劃的行業機構英國水務公司（Water UK）稱，此項目每年可以減少數千萬一次性塑料瓶的使用。

You won’t go thirsty in Bradford on Avon (UK). In this Wiltshire market town, more than 20 businesses will now top up your water bottle for free. From Dean behind the till in the hardware store – to Elly in the independent supermarket. Water on tap whenever you want it.

在英國的埃文河畔佈拉福德，你是不會因為沒有水而感到口渴的。這個經常舉辦集市的小鎮位於英格蘭維爾特郡，現在，這裡的20多傢商戶都可以免費為你的水瓶續滿水。無論是在硬件商店負責收銀的迪安，還是在小型獨立超市裡工作的艾麗，隻要有需求，他們就會隨時幫你加滿水。

Gill Holling showed me how to source the free water on a mobile phone app. She signed the town up to the refill scheme which started here in the west of England and is now going nationwide, backed by some leading hotel and pub chains and water companies.

吉爾·豪琳（Gill Holling）向我展示瞭怎樣用手機應用程序來尋找免費續水站的地點。是她替這座小鎮報名參與瞭這項始於英格蘭西部而現在在全國迅速普及的續水項目，該項目由頂級酒店、酒吧連鎖企業及水務公司資助。

But the body that represents bottled water companies says lots of us still want the convenience of buying it chilled or fizzy.

但代表生產瓶裝水公司的機構稱，很多人還是希望能方便地直接購買冷卻的或起泡的瓶裝水。

Refill UK, which started in Bristol, estimates that if everyone in that city alone refilled just one bottle, once a week, it would save more than 20 million plastic bottles in a year.

始於佈裡斯托的“英國續水計劃（Refill UK）”估計，如果這座城市裡的每個人每周能續一瓶水的話，那麼每年就可以節省兩千萬個塑料瓶的使用。

1. 詞匯表

thirsty 口渴的
top up（往杯/瓶子裡）加滿（水、飲料等）
on tap 現成的，隨時可用的
source 尋找…的來源，從…獲得
nationwide 全國范圍的
chains 連鎖店
body 機構、組織、團體
convenience 便利，方便
fizzy 起泡的（飲料、水等）

2. 閱讀理解：請在讀完上文後，回答下列問題。

1. How much are the businesses in Bradford on Avon charging to refill water bottles?

2. Name one way, mentioned in the report, that can help you locate a water refill point.

3. Why might we not choose to go to a refill point to refill our water bottle?

4. True or false? 20 million plastic bottles would be needed if everyone filled one, every week in the city of Bristol.

3. 答案

1. How much are the businesses in Bradford on Avon charging to refill water bottles?
Nothing. They are refilling water bottles for free.

2. Name one way, mentioned in the report, that can help you locate a water refill point.
You can locate water refilling points using a mobile app.

3. Why might we not choose to go to a refill point to refill our water bottle?
Because we prefer the convenience and taste of having a new bottle of water.

4. True or false? 20 million plastic bottles would be needed if everyone filled one, every week in the city of Bristol.
False. 20 million plastic bottles would be saved if everyone in Bristol refilled one bottle, every week.