Making marathons environmentally friendly
让马拉松变得更环保
Even if you're a couch potato like me, you'll know the benefits of running - pounding the pavements, working up a sweat, burning off some calories and generally keeping fit. But if you're a real fitness junkie, the ultimate running challenge is to take part in a marathon.
只要你和我一样是个电视迷,你就会知道跑步的好处——沿着人行道跑,出一身汗,燃烧一些卡路里,保持健康。但如果你是一个真正的健身狂人,跑步的终极挑战就是参加马拉松。
It seems every major city and town around the world hosts an annual marathon, with thousands of athletes running a gruelling 42.1 kilometres. Whilst many runners' motivation is to beat their personal best and cross the finishing line without collapsing, they're also doing it for a good cause - to generate funds for charity. But like other major events, the marathon also generates a massive carbon footprint. Thousands travel - some by plane - to the location, and waste from food packaging and goody bags gets left behind by spectators and runners. For example, during the London Marathon in 2018, 47,000 plastic bottles were collected, although some were recycled.
似乎世界上的每个主要城市和城镇都会举办一年一度的马拉松比赛,成千上万的运动员参赛,全程距离是42.1公里。虽然许多跑步者的动机是超越自己的最佳状态,在不崩溃的情况下冲过终点线,但他们这样做也有一个好的出发点——为慈善事业筹集资金。但和其他重大赛事一样,马拉松也产生了巨大的碳足迹。成千上万的人——有些是坐飞机——前往现场,观众和参赛者会留下食品包装袋和糖果袋等垃圾。例如,在2018年伦敦马拉松比赛期间,现场发现了47000多个瓶装垃圾,虽然部分已经被回收。
This is becoming a big issue for cities - how to host a worthwhile event, encouraging people to exercise and help charities, whilst protecting the environment? Several cities have developed formal plans to reduce their environmental impact and promote sustainable ideas. One event in Wales, for example, introduced recycling for old running kit and ethically sourced the race t-shirts.
这对城市来说正成为一个大问题——如何在举办一个有价值的活动,鼓励人们锻炼身体并帮助慈善机构的同时保护环境?一些城市已经制定了正式的计划,以减少对环境的影响和促进可持续发展。例如,在威尔士举行的一项活动中,回收了旧的跑步装备,并合理采购了比赛t恤。
It's something that this year's London Marathon tried to tackle by reducing the number of drink stations on the running route, giving out water in paper cups and offering some drinks in edible seaweed capsules. They also trialled new bottle belts made from recycled plastic so 700 runners could carry water bottles with them during their run. London Marathon event director Hugh Brasner told the BBC: "There's a raft of initiatives we are using this year that we think will lead to some huge behavioural changes in the future."
今年的伦敦马拉松赛正试图解决这个问题。方法是减少跑步路线上的饮料供应站数量,分发纸杯装的水,并提供一些可食用海藻胶囊装的饮料。他们还试用了由回收塑料制成的新型皮带,这样700名跑步者在跑步时就可以随身携带水瓶。伦敦马拉松赛事总监休·布拉斯纳告诉BBC:“我们今年采取了一系列举措,而且我们认为这些举措将会发挥巨大的影响。”
Meanwhile, some people still think running a marathon could be our best foot forward in helping the planet. Dr Andrea Collins from Cardiff University told the BBC: "Training for a marathon makes you more sustainable in day-to-day activities. I started walking or running to work every day and shunning public transport altogether. Being environmentally friendly while training kind of sticks with you and becomes a way of life." So while you may not be the elite runner in a marathon, let's hope the event, in terms of sustainability, certainly is!
与此同时,一些人仍然认为,跑马拉松可能是我们在帮助地球方面迈出的最好的一步。卡迪夫大学的安德里亚·柯林斯博士告诉BBC:“马拉松训练让你在日常活动中更有持续性。我开始每天步行或跑步上班,完全不搭乘公共交通工具。在训练的同时保持环境友好,这会成为一种生活方式。”所以,即使你可能不是马拉松比赛中的精英选手,但我们希望,从可持续性的角度来看,这项赛事能如此!
词汇表
couch potato
“沙发土豆”,窝在沙发上看电视的人
pound the pavement
跑步
work up a sweat
出一身汗
burn off calories
燃烧脂肪
keep fit
保持健康
fitness junkie
健身狂人
marathon
马拉松
athlete
运动员
gruelling
让人筋疲力尽的
personal best
个人最好成绩
finishing line
终点线
a good cause
公益事业
carbon footprint
碳足迹
goody bag
礼品包
spectator
观众
plastic bottle
塑料瓶
sustainable
可持续的,能长期维持的
running kit
跑步行头
drink station
(马拉松比赛沿路的)饮水站
capsule
胶囊
best foot forward
迈出最好的一步
a way of life
生活方式
elite runner
精英选手