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Uganda, Colombia Find Alternative to Plastic Waste

People around the world use disposable plastic containers for water, food and other content because of their practicality and light weight. But if not discarded properly, these plastics can litter populated areas, pollute water systems and create environmental damage. Plastic waste is a real problem in many poor countries. An African and a South American country have turned the menace into an advantage.

The water drainage system in Uganda's capital, Kampala, is providing a livelihood for hundreds of people who collect carelessly thrown away trash.

David Kibande manages about 10 workers who collect up to 10 tons of plastic waste a week, and sell it for the equivalent of about seven U.S. cents per kilogram. Kibande said the people he supervises would otherwise be jobless. Now, they make a living while helping to clean up the city.

More than half of the trash in Uganda's capital is left uncollected by understaffed and underfunded municipal services. Much of it ends up in drainage channels, natural water courses, streets and undeveloped plots. Environment authorities say that about 600 tons of plastic are discarded in Kampala every day.

Private companies, such as the Plastic Recycling Institute (PRI), run by South African beverage company SABMiller, have stepped in to help reduce the waste by employing people to collect plastic waste for recycling. The Kampala plant recycles 650 kilograms of plastic per hour and more than 3 million kilograms annually, which means that much less ends up in Uganda's environment.

"I would say it's working. If… there were no recycling plants that means all the plastics we are collecting right now would be in the rivers and streets,” said Jean-Baptiste Bitamazire, a PRI plant manager.

The plastics are sorted, washed and processed for the manufacturing of other plastic products, including floor tiles and roof slates.

A continent away, a private initiative called "Organizmo" is teaching students how to mix plastic bottles with sand, clay and straw to build sustainable homes in central Colombia.

"If we can understand how we discard and consume and incorporate that into the cycles that surround us, that can lead to certain practices of recycling, reuse, of knowledge of the land," said Ana Maria Gutierrez, director and founder of Organizmo.

Students from Colombia and other countries learn how to use waste and natural material to build "green" farm houses, which include rain water treatment systems and composting toilets.

Lucia Cano, an architect from Spain, said she came to learn how to include care of the environment in her profession.

"Forty percent of carbon emissions come from construction, of construction all over the world. So if we architects want to build, we must consider potential harm to our generations, and that we could destroy Mother Nature," said Cano.

Environmentalists often point out that conserving Nature and its resources need not be expensive. Mostly, it just takes initiative and persistence to develop good habits.

 

词汇解析

episode

难度：3星常用词汇，属常用6000词

英汉解释

n.一段情节；片段；轶事；插曲

参考例句

用作名词 (n.)

One of the funniest episodes in the book occurs in chapter 6.

书中最有趣的情节是在第6章。

The episode of this film sounds good.

这部电影的插曲很好听。

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terrific

难度：3星常用词汇，属常用6000词

英汉解释

adj.可怕的；极好的；非常的；危险的

参考例句

用作形容词 (adj.)

The ceiling came down with a terrific crash.

随着一声可怕的巨响，天花板塌了下来。

He is driving at a terrific speed.

他以极快的速度驾驶。

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funeral

难度：3星常用词汇，属常用6000词

英汉解释

adj.葬礼(的)

n.葬礼

参考例句

用作形容词 (adj.)

Their cars headed the funeral procession.

他们的车队在葬礼队伍的最前面。

用作名词 (n.)

They held a state funeral in honour of the statesman.

他们为这位政治家举行了国葬。

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resident

难度：3星常用词汇，属常用6000词

英汉解释

n.居民；住客；住院医生

adj.居住的

参考例句

用作名词 (n.)

The residents of the town are proud of its new library.

该镇的居民都为镇上新建的图书馆感到自豪。

用作形容词 (adj.)

This dove was resident with us all the year round.

这只鸽子一年到头居住在这里和我们为伴。

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ministry

难度：3星常用词汇，属常用6000词

英汉解释

n.(政府的)部；内阁；(全体)牧师

参考例句

用作名词 (n.)

The army, navy and airforce are all controlled by the Ministry of Defense.

陆海空军皆由国防部控制。

He felt no vocation for the ministry.

他不以为做牧师是自己的天职。

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faith

难度：4星核心词汇，属常用3000词

英汉解释

n.信仰；信念；信任

参考例句

用作名词 (n.)

Christians profess their faith when they say the Creed.

基督教徒在念信经时就表明了他们的宗教信仰。

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volunteer

难度：4星核心词汇，属常用3000词

英汉解释

n.志愿者；(自行生长的)植物

v.(自愿)做

参考例句

用作名词 (n.)

He enlisted as a volunteer in the army.

他以志愿兵从军。

用作动词 (v.)

Many people volunteer to work on the farms.

许多人自动到农场劳动。

 

 

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