53 Reading the News 1 UNIT 5 Environmentalism 35(5($',1*7$6.6
+DYH\RXHYHUXVHGDQ\HQYLURQPHQWDOO\IULHQGO\SURGXFWV"&LUFOHWKHSURGXFWV WKDW\RXXVH
paper straw reusable water bottle tote bag wooden toothbrush biodegradable trash bag
:KLFKSURGXFWVDUHYLUDOLQ\RXUFRXQWU\"'LVFXVV\RXUDQVZHUZLWKDSDUWQHU
:KDWLVHQYLURQPHQWDOSHUIRUPDQFH"'LVFXVVZLWKDSDUWQHU 5($',1*)2&86
)RFXVRQWKHQHZVSDSHU23326,1*9,(:6
$UWLFOHV RIWHQ JLYH ERWK VLGHV RI D VWRU\ 6RPHWLPHV WKH ZULWHU RIIHUV D EDODQFHG
perspective, or argues the case for one particular side. Whichever focus they use, an
argument must be supported, either by evidence or by a quote from someone who knows
DORWDERXWWKHVXEMHFW
5HDGWKHIROORZLQJDUJXPHQWGHVFULSWRUV0DWFKHDFKDUJXPHQW±ZLWKLWV
FRXQWHUDUJXPHQWDF
5HXVDEOHWRWHEDJLV
D,WWXUQVRXWWKDWPRUHPDWHULDOVDUHXVHGWRPDNH environmentally friendly
those stuff once people buy more than necessary
'XIRHEX\V³JUHHQ´VWXIIWRVDYH
E7KHDXWKRUVD\V³7KHQRWLRQRIVKRSSLQJIRU the environment salvation turns my stomach”
 3HRSOH EX\ PRUH VWXII EHFDXVH F &RPSDUHGWRSODVWLF EDJLW XVHVPXFK PRUH
they’re environmentally friendly resources to be made
1RZVFDQWKHDUWLFOHDQGPDWFKWKHDERYHGHVFULSWRUVZLWKWKHLUSDUDJUDSKQXPEHUV LQWKHDUWLFOH BBBBBBB BBBBBBB BBBBBBB DBBBBBBB EBBBBBBB FBBBBBBB
:KLFK LV WKH EHVW GHVFULSWLRQ RI WKH DUJXPHQW LQ WKH DUWLFOH" ,V LW VOLJKWO\ ELDVHG
against environmentally responsible products, towards environmentally responsible
products or, on the whole, neutral? 54 Reading the News 1
Do ‘environmentally responsible’ Products Help The Planet?
Or Do They Just Get Us to Buy More Stuff?
By Stephanie Parker October 22, 2019
 $EEH\ 'XIRH D \HDUROG ZHE
SURGXFHU LQ 1HZ -HUVH\ FDUHV DERXW WKH
environment. On the weekends, she and
her partner go on beach hikes and pick up
trash. She buys in bulk to reduce packaging
waste and tries to recycle as much as she
can. She is also a fan of “green” products
like metal straws, tote bags and reusable
water bottles, and buys her clothes and
shoes from companies that claim to make
DGGLWLRQDO ZDVWH EHFDXVH RI WKHVH NQRFN
environmentally and socially conscious
RIIV,WZDVQ¶WRXUGLUHFWZDVWHEXWVWLOO´
SURGXFWV$QGDVPXFKDVVKHFDQ'XIRH
tries not to use disposable items in order 5
,QGHHG WKH LGHD RI EHLQJ PRUH
to reduce her contribution to our planet’s
environmentally friendly by producing more
burgeoning plastic waste problem.
stuff feels counterintuitive to some. “7KH
QRWLRQRIVKRSSLQJIRUVDOYDWLRQWXUQVP\ 2
³,W¶VEDVLFDOO\MXVW DERXWORZHULQJP\
VWRPDFK,” Richard Heede, director of the
IRRWSULQW,´'XIRHVD\V³EHFDXVH,NQRZ,
&OLPDWH $FFRXQWDELOLW\ ,QVWLWXWH ZURWH LQ
have to buy this stuff anyway.”
an email. “We cannot exorcise the climate demon by buying more stuff.” 3
Or does she? One of the big criticisms
facing the practice of conscious consumerism 6
,Q DGGLWLRQ WR UHXVDEOH VWUDZV DQRWKHU
²SXUFKDVLQJHQYLURQPHQWDOO\DQGVRFLDOO\
popular choice when it comes to green
UHVSRQVLEOHSURGXFWV ² LV ZKHWKHU LQWKH
products is the reusable tote bag, used in
name of sustainability, we sometimes end
lieu of piling one’s groceries into yet another
XS EX\LQJ HYHQ PRUH VWXII 7DNH 'XIRH¶V
ÀLPV\SODVWLFRUSDSHUVKRSSLQJEDJ,KDYHD
reusable straw. She says it’s easy to keep
GUDZHUIXOORIWKHPVRPHWKDW,ERXJKWDQG
clean and to remember to carry with her.
VRPH WKDW , JRW IRU IUHH IURP FRQIHUHQFHV
However, she admits, she also has a couple
PDJD]LQHVDQGHYHQWV7KH\IHHOOLNHDJXLOW
of other reusable straws at home.
IUHH SXUFKDVH 6XUH , WHOO P\VHOI \RX¶UH
buying a new bag, but you’re going to use 4
“We are putting more materials out into
it in the place of who knows how many
WKH ZRUOG´VD\V (PPD 5RVH &RKHQ &(2
disposable plastic bags that would have
and founder of Final Straw, a company
HQGHGXSLQDODQG¿OORUWKHRFHDQ
that sells the colorful, foldable metal straw
'XIRHFDUULHVZLWKKHU³7KHUHLVWKHLURQ\RI 7
However, a study from the Danish
buying something to reduce consumption.”
(QYLURQPHQWDO 3URWHFWLRQ $JHQF\ ORRNHG
Plus, she adds, thanks to the SUROLIHUDWLRQ
at the environmental impacts of different
RI FKHDS NQRFNR൵V of her product,
types of shopping bags and found that it
“inadvertently, we actually created a ton of
takes a lot more resources to make a tote 55 Reading the News 1
bag than a polyethylene one. One cotton
 ³,I \RX KDYH JXLOW \RX¶OO JHW VHOI
tote bag, for example, would need to be
FRQVFLRXV´6DZHVD\V³%XWLI\RXIHHOOLNH
XVHGPRUHWKDQWLPHVMXVWWRPHHWWKH
a third party is doing these things that are
environmental performance of a disposable
damaging the environment, it’s a lot easier
plastic bag. However, this calculation does
WRPRELOL]HDQGJHWSLVVHGDERXWLW´
not include the environmental impact of
WKHEDJV¶GLVSRVDO²PHDQLQJWKDWDOOWKRVH 
,Q WKLV FDVH WKH WKLUG SDUW\ LV WKH
plastic bags that are potentially kept out of
restaurant giving you a plastic straw or the
the oceans because of using a reusable tote
VXSHUPDUNHW GRXEOHEDJJLQJ \RXU JDOORQ aren’t factored in.
RI PLON %\ EX\LQJ D UHXVDEOH VWUDZ RU
carrying a tote bag, consumers can feel like 8
³7KHGHFLVLRQVDUHMXVWUHDOO\FRPSOLFDWHG´ they’re making a difference.
says Matthew Wilkins, a biologist at
Vanderbilt University who wrote an
 However, recent research from the
article IRU 6FLHQWL¿F $PHULFDQ RQ SODVWLF
8QLYHUVLW\RI$UL]RQDVD\VWKDWLWPLJKWEH
pollution and has been on podcasts
PRUH FRPSOLFDWHG WKDQ WKDW$FFRUGLQJ WR
like 99% Invisible to discuss the problem
the study, buying less actually makes people
RISODVWLFVDQGUHF\FOLQJ³%HFDXVHPD\EH
happier, whereas buying green products did
one thing uses less plastic, but it’s more
not make consumers feel better. water intensive.”
 “Reduced consumption has effects 9
1LN6DZHDQHXURVFLHQWLVWVSHFLDOL]LQJLQ
RQ LQFUHDVHG ZHOOEHLQJ DQG GHFUHDVHG
HQYLURQPHQWDOGHFLVLRQPDNLQJDW6WDQIRUG
psychological distress,” said lead author
University, says that purchasing products that
Sabrina Helm in a release about the
claim to be environmentally friendly allows
study, “but we don’t see that with JUHHQ
people to participate in environmentalism FRQVXPSWLRQ.”
without causing themselves too much 
GLVFRPIRUW&RQVLGHULQJKRZWRDFWHWKLFDOO\
,W¶V DOVR SRVVLEOH WKDW E\ GRLQJ
in an environmental context requires people
something small, you’ll feel as though
to confront the gravity and scale of the
you’ve done something for the environment
SUREOHP ² ZKLFK FDQ IHHO RYHUZKHOPLQJ
DQGQRWSXUVXHIXUWKHUDFWLRQ³(YHU\ERG\
and, according to Sawe, actually cause them
has DOLPLWHGEDQGZLGWKIRU¿JKWLQJWKH
QRW WR DFW$ PRUH SRVLWLYH H[SHULHQFH RQ
VWDWXVTXR´VD\V:LONLQV ³,IWKLVLVKRZ
the other hand, is more likely to spur action.
they’re using it, then it’s misplaced”. 56 Reading the News 1
.81'(567$1',1*7+($57,&/(
/RRNDWWKHXQGHUOLQHGSURQRXQVLQWKHVHQWHQFHVEHORZ&RQQHFWWKHSURQRXQWRWKH
word or phrase it refers to by circling the word or phrase and drawing a line between the pronoun and its referent.
D6XUH,WHOOP\VHOI\RX¶UHEX\LQJDQHZEDJEXW\RX¶UHJRLQJWRXVHLWin the place of
ZKRNQRZVKRZPDQ\GLVSRVDEOHSODVWLFEDJVWKDWZRXOGKDYHHQGHGXSLQDODQG¿OO or the ocean.
E³%XWLI\RXIHHOOLNHDWKLUGSDUW\LVGRLQJWKHVHWKLQJVWKDWDUHGDPDJLQJWKHHQYLURQ
PHQWLW¶VDORWHDVLHUWRPRELOL]HDQGJHWSLVVHGDERXWLW”
:KLFKSDUDJUDSKVLQWKHDUWLFOHFDQ\RX¿QGWKHVHIROORZLQJLGHDV"(DFKLGHD
FDQPDWFKZLWKPRUHWKDQRQHSDUDJUDSK
&RQVFLRXVFRQVXPHULVPLWVFRQVHTXHQFHV Disposable vs. Renewable
*RRGIRUWKHHQYLURQPHQW" 92&$%8/$5<:25.
)LQGSKUDVHVLQWKHDUWLFOHZKLFKKDYHWKHIROORZLQJPHDQLQJV
D%HJLQQLQJWRJURZRUGHYHORSUDSLGO\SDUD BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB
b. Opposite to reusable SDUD    BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB
F%\DFFLGHQWSDUD     BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB
G,QVWHDGRISDUD     BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB
:RUGIRUPDWLRQLVDQLPSRUWDQWIHDWXUHRI(QJOLVKYRFDEXODU\Complete the grid below. 9(5% 1281 $'-(&7,9( disposable criticism irony to confront limited
&RPSOHWHWKHH[HUFLVHVZLWKWKHFRUUHFWIRUPRIWKHZRUGVIURP([HUFLVH
DE6LQFHWKLVEDJLVDBBBBBBBBBBBBHGLWLRQRQO\DIHZZHDOWK\¿JXUHVRZQLW
F,KDYHQHYHUEHHQBBBBBBBBBBBBBVKDUSO\IRUP\MRXUQDOOLNHWKLVWLPH 57 Reading the News 1
GBBBBBBBBBBBBKLV¿QDOJUDGHZDVQRWOLNHZKDWKHWKRXJKW
e. :KLOHUHKHDUVLQJIRUKLVPXVLFSHUIRUPDQFH-D\BBBBBBBBBBBVDVDHQJIDQVVWDONLQJ
KLPMXVWWKHRWKHUGD\ (;$035(3$5$7,217$6.6
:RUGVDQGSKUDVHVH[SODQDWLRQ
Explain the following words and expressions, as used in the article. a. lowering my footprint
…………………………………………………………………………………………
b. proliferation of cheap knockoffs
………………………………………………………………………………………
c. the notion of shopping for salvation turns my stomach
………………………………………………………………………………………… d. green consumption
…………………………………………………………………………………………
e. DOLPLWHGEDQGZLGWKIRU¿JKWLQJWKHVWDWXVTXR
…………………………………………………………………………………………
&RPSUHKHQVLRQTXHVWLRQV
Read the article and answer the following questions.
a. What is one of the biggest criticisms that the practice of conscious consumerism has?
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
b. What can be understood with the example of the increase in fake products?
…………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………… c.
:K\GRHVWKHDXWKRUFRPSDUHUHXVDEOHWRWHEDJZLWKDJXLOWIUHHSXUFKDVH"
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
d. :KDWGRHV³LW´LQ³,IWKLVLVKRZWKH\¶UHXVLQJLW” refer to?
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
e. )URPZKDW6DZHVD\VLQSDUDJUDSKZKDWGRHVKHPHDQ"
…………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………… 58 Reading the News 1 ',6&866,213520376
1. What can be done to encourage people to use environmentally friendly products
ZKHQFRPLQJWRWDNHDZD\FRIIHHVKRSVRUUHVWDXUDQWV"
2. +RZIDUGR\RXDJUHHZLWKWKHVWDWHPHQW7KHUHLVQRVXFKWKLQJDVD³JUHHQ´SURGXFW" ([SODLQ\RXUDQVZHU 59 Reading the News 1 (;75$5($',1*
Why ‘Biodegradable’ Isn’t What You Think
By John Schwartz October 1, 2020 
You care about the planet, and would
like to avoid bottles and other goods made
RIVLQJOHXVHSODVWLF%XWLW¶VFRPSOLFDWHG 2
&KRRVLQJ SURGXFWV ZLWK SDFNDJLQJ
that claims to be “biodegradable” or
“compostable” might mean that they
degrade only under special conditions,
and could complicate recycling efforts,
VDLG -DVRQ /RFNOLQ WKH GLUHFWRU RI WKH
moisture, among other conditions, and it
1HZ 0DWHULDOV ,QVWLWXWH DW WKH 8QLYHUVLW\
isn’t available in many parts of the country.
RI *HRUJLD ³,W¶V WUHPHQGRXVO\ FRQIXVLQJ
:RUVH 3/$ SURGXFWV ORRN HQRXJK OLNH
QRWMXVWWRWKHFRQVXPHUEXWHYHQWRPDQ\
regular recyclable plastic bottles, which are scientists,” he said.
made from the most common plastic used
LQ UHF\FODEOH ERWWOHV NQRZQ DV 3(7 WKDW 3
Here are four examples of the kinds
they can get mixed in at the recycling plant,
of products you might see on supermarket
and can contaminate the recycling stream.
VKHOYHVRUDWWKHWDNHRXWFRXQWHU,W¶VQRWDQ
exhaustive list, but one that can give you a 7
$QG LI \RXU 3/$ WUDVK HQGV XS LQ D
sense of the issues that people face.
ODQG¿OO LW ZLOO EH WKHUH D YHU\ ORQJ WLPH
because it’s unlikely to be exposed to
&RUQEDVHGSODVWLF,WGRHVQ¶WFRPHIURP
conditions that would help it to break down.
SHWUROHXP%XWLQDODQG¿OOLWPLJKWEH MXVWDVEDG
3DSHU,W¶VZKDW¶VRQWKHLQVLGHWKDWFRXQWV 4
Food service items made from polylactic 8 Similar to the push from some
DFLG RU 3/$ LQFOXGH ERWWOHV GLVSRVDEOH
restaurants to replace plastic straws with
FXWOHU\ SODVWLF ¿OPV VRPH JURFHU\ EDJV
paper ones, paper bottles are seen as a
DQGRWKHU SURGXFWV7KH\ ORRNOLNH SODVWLF
possible option to replace plastic ones.
PDGH IURPSHWUROHXP EXW 3/$ LVXVXDOO\
%HFDXVH WKH\FDQ EH PDGH RI VXVWDLQDEOH
made from corn, though it can come from
renewable materials (from trees!), paper
other plants, including beets, cassava and
ERWWOHV DUH JHWWLQJ WKH DWWHQWLRQ RI PDMRU sugar cane.
companies. &RFD&ROD, &DUOVEHUJ DQG WKH
YRGNDPDNHU$EVROXWDUHH[SORULQJWKHLGHD 5
7KH ODEHOV RQ 3/$ SURGXFWV RIWHQ
ZLWKWKH3DSHU%RWWOH&RPSDQ\
GHVFULEH WKHP DV FRPSRVWDEOH %XW WKDW
GRHVQ¶WPHDQ \RXFDQ MXVWWKURZ WKHVWXII 9
3DSHURIFRXUVHLVUHF\FODEOH²DVORQJ
into your backyard compost pile, if you
DV LW LV MXVW SDSHU +RZHYHU SDSHUEDVHG
KDYH RQH 7R SURSHUO\ GHJUDGH WKH\ KDYH
bottles and containers tend to be made with
to be sent to commercial compost facilities.
several layers of materials other than paper,
including plastic or foil, to form barriers. One 6
7KH SURFHVV RI LQGXVWULDO FRPSRVWLQJ
SDSHU ERWWOH PDNHU¶V ZHEVLWH FDOOV 
involves high heat and precisely controlled
percent biodegradability a “goal.” 60 Reading the News 1
 Hypothetically, you could strip away
SURSHUWLHV 5HVHDUFK VXJJHVWV LW FDQ
the layers and recycle the paper, but who’s
EUHDN GRZQ LQ FRQYHQWLRQDO ODQG¿OOV ,Q actually going to do that?
ocean water, it will degrade within a few
\HDUV D IUDFWLRQ RI WKH  \HDUV WKDW LW
)LEHU/RRNVFRPSRVWDEOHEXWPD\HQG
takes standard plastic. Producing the
XSLQWKHODQG¿OODQ\ZD\
material economically, however, has been
 6RPH IDVWFDVXDO UHVWDXUDQWV XVH ERZOV a technical challenge.
designed and marketed to be compostable.
 &RYHDERWWOHGZDWHUFRPSDQ\VD\VLWLV
7KH\DUHPDGHIURPEDJDVVHD¿EHUSURGXFHG
about to bring out its product in containers
as a byproduct from sugar cane mills.
PDGHIURP3+$7KHFRPSDQ\WKDWVXSSOLHV
 Sweetgreen, for instance, put the
WKH ELRSODVWLF WR &RYH 5:'& ,QGXVWULHV
PHVVDJH LQ D ORQJWLPH VORJDQ ³1RWKLQJ
introduced drinking straws made from the
from inside Sweetgreen goes to the
material last year in Singapore, where the
ODQG¿OO´ %XW JHWWLQJ WR FXUUHQW OHYHOV RI company is based.
compostability has been a struggle for
 7KHUH LV FHUWDLQO\ D PDUNHW IRU
6ZHHWJUHHQ DQG &KLSRWOH ZKRVH SUHYLRXV
HQYLURQPHQWDOO\ IULHQGO\ JRRGV $ UHSRUW
ERZOVWXUQHGRXWWRFRQWDLQ3)$6DIDPLO\
of chemicals linked to cancer that can
E\WKHPDUNHWUHVHDUFK¿UP 0LQWHO*URXS
IRXQG WKDW  SHUFHQW RI FRQVXPHUV VDLG
remain in the environment even after the
they would pay more for water packaged in bowl has been composted.
SHUFHQWELRGHJUDGDEOHERWWOHV 
7KH\ ¿[HG WKDW SUREOHP %XW ZKLOH
 ³7KHUH LV D SODFH IRU ELRGHJUDGDEOH
your bowl may be compostable, if you
materials” as a way to cut down the sheer
don’t compost at home you have to throw
amount of mismanaged plastic waste the
it into a dedicated composting bin in the
ZRUOGLVGHDOLQJZLWKVDLG-HQQD-DPEHFN
restaurant, or use a composting service.
a professor of environmental engineering
 'RQ¶W SXW LW LQ WKH UHF\FOLQJ ELQ
DW WKH 8QLYHUVLW\ RI *HRUJLD ZKR KDV
Materials that come contaminated with food
studied the accumulation of plastics in the
JHWUHMHFWHGE\UHF\FOHUV$QGWKURZLQJWKH
ZRUOG¶V RFHDQV DQG WKH DELOLW\ RI 3+$ WR
ERZOLQWRDWUDVKFDQDWWKHRI¿FHRUDWKRPH
degrade. However, she worries about the
PHDQVLW¶VOLNHO\WRJRWRDODQG¿OODQ\ZD\
consequences of developing products that
are seemingly environmentally friendly
%DFWHULDGRWKHZRUN1H[WEHVWWKLQJ"
without planning for disposal and recycling.
“You have to think about end of life when
 3+$ RU SRO\K\GUR[\DONDQRDWH KDV
you’re designing things,” she said.
been the next big thing in biodegradability
IRU \HDUV 7KLV ELRSODVWLF ZKLFK FDQ
 8OWLPDWHO\'U-DPEHFNVDLG³WKHEHVW
be produced by bacteria, has promising
thing you can do environmentally is not
FUHDWHDQ\ZDVWHLQWKH¿UVWSODFH ([WUD5HDGLQJ7DVNV
Read the text and note down the key points of the article and share your ideas with a partner.
'LVFXVVZLWK\RXUSDUWQHU
a. How good and bad is biogradable products?
b. What can be an alternative for biogradable products?