Photo Credit: 阿爾特斯 @ Wikimedia Commons

Breathing: Better than the Alternative

For those of us who share generally positive feelings about breathing air, the last few weeks have been exasperating. The warning flags in our air quality apps flipped from green to yellow—and then from yellow to red—all over the country, and we were again reminded that it’s time to get off our butts and do something. 

The air quality app on my phone offered a few familiar tips: use public transportation, eat less meat, recycle, turn off the lights. Well, sure. But we have to recognize that individual lifestyle choices have a negligible impact on the nation’s air quality. Believing that we’re saving the planet by taking the bus or skipping a burger is a self-serving fantasy when over 90% of Taiwan’s energy is generated by burning oil, gas, and coal. 

Real progress is brought about when individuals, regardless of the particular ways they live their lives, come together to demand measurable change. Joining or donating to advocacy groups that are working to transition the country to clean power, fight the worst environmental offenders, and hold the government accountable for enacting and enforcing progressive environmental policies will have a far greater impact than anything we do on our own.

Translation

空污問題：呼吸比不呼吸好

對於我們這些認為呼吸空氣是件再正常不過之事的人而言，上個星期真的令人為之氣結。APP 上的全國空氣品質之警告旗一下子從綠色轉成黃色－接著又從黃色轉到紅色，而我們則再一次被提醒該是開始採取行動的時候了。 

我手機上的空氣品質 APP 提供了幾個熟悉的小撇步：搭乘公共交通工具、少吃肉、做回收、隨手關燈。嗯，理當如此。不過我們必須明白個人生活方式的選擇對整個國家的空氣品質影響微乎其微。在台灣有超過 90% 的電力是經由燃燒油、天然氣和煤所產生的同時，相信只要我們搭公車或少吃一個漢堡就能拯救地球只是一廂情願的幻想。 

真正要有所改善應該是需要人們－不論他們各別的生活方式如何－聚集在一起要求做出重大的改變。參加或捐錢給督促國家應改用乾淨能源、與最糟的環境破壞者對抗並強力要求政府負起訂定及施行進步之環保政策的團體會比我們各別的作為產生更深遠的影響。 

WORD BANK

alternative [ɔlˋtɝnətɪv] 【形】兩者（或若干）中擇一的；非此即彼的
positive [ˋpɑzətɪv] 【形】確信的、真實的、實際的

exasperating [ɪgˋzæspə͵retɪŋ] 【形】使人惱怒的、氣死人的
flip [flɪp] 【動】翻轉、快速翻動、擲（硬幣）、輕拋
negligible [ˋnɛglɪdʒəb!] 【形】無關緊要的、微不足道的
impact [ɪmˋpækt] 【名】衝擊、影響
self-serving【形】自私的、自我的
measurable [ˋmɛʒərəb!] 【形】重大的、重要的
advocacy [ˈædvǝkǝsɪ] 【名】擁護、提倡
transition [trænˈzɪʃǝn] 【動】轉變
accountable [ǝˈkaʊntǝbḷ] 【形】應負責任的
enact [ɪnˈækt] 【動】制訂
enforce [ɪnˈfors] 【動】施行