在现代社会中，外带咖啡纸杯很常见，但这些纸杯给回收工作带来了难题。尽管原则上它们是被回收了，但目前的回收的方式意味着几乎没有纸杯可被持续循环利用。不过，一些专攻创新的群体找到了可能解决此问题的方法。本集《随身英语》带你一探究竟。

Vocabulary: problems and solutions 词汇：问题与解决办法

Millions of us grab a coffee on our way to work. And when we do, it probably comes served in a branded, disposable, cardboard coffee cup. Once the coffee is done, just pop the cup into a recycling bin and forget about it. The cup will be taken away and turned into a new one for you to use again tomorrow. The system works, right?

There’s a hitch. In the UK, we throw away an estimated 2.5 billion disposable coffee cups every year. And despite being recyclable in theory, in practice only very few of them are dealt with in a way that makes them sustainable. This makes them a bit of an obstacle. What throws a spanner in the works is the layer of polyethylene that makes the cup waterproof, and the lid, which is most often made of polystyrene. As a result, most of the cups end up in landfill.

But there are efforts underway to tackle this issue. One company, Biome Bioplastics, has come up with a fully compostable, recyclable cup that uses natural materials, such as potato starch, as waterproofing. Mr Mines, its chief executive, believes that this is the first time bioplastic has been used for disposable cups and lids that have to cope with hot liquid. And they're still fully recyclable.

Another feasible solution has been proposed by Frugalpac, who have patented a cup with a lightly-attached plastic lining. This can be easily separated during the recycling and ‘offers a more pragmatic solution' than changing our current recycling habits, says Frugalpac’s founder Martin Myerscough.

Safia Qureshi says India has provided the inspiration for her solution. She puts forward that we use returnable and reusable cups, which are tracked and collected by her company Cup Club. They will be responsible for collecting, washing and redistributing the clean cups to participating retailers.

One final example of lateral thinking comes from Cupffee. This trio from Bulgaria have combined cereals to form a cup which can be eaten once the drink is finished. It is apparently sweet and crisp, can hold a coffee for up to 40 minutes and will biodegrade within weeks.

Whether any of these innovative ideas are a perfect fit for this disposable issue, only time will tell. It’s possible that a more viable solution has yet to be ventured, though it may not be long in coming. All it may require is a little more thinking outside the box… or should that be coffee cup?

词汇表

hitch 小问题
in theory 理论上
obstacle 障碍
throw a spanner in the works 从中捣乱，打乱计划
tackle 解决，处理
issue 问题
come up with 提出、想出（主意）
feasible 行得通的，可行的
propose 提出
offer a solution 给出解决方案
pragmatic 实用的，重实效的
inspiration 灵感
put forward 提出（建议、想法等）
lateral thinking 横向思维，发散式思维
perfect fit 完美的答案
viable 可行的，可望成功的
venture 冒险去做，大胆尝试
thinking outside the box 以新的眼光看问题，跳出传统思维框架

测验与练习

1. 阅读课文并回答问题。

1. How many disposable coffee cups are thrown away in the UK each year?

2. Why are the disposable coffee cups not recycled?

3. In what way are Biome Bioplastics’ cups different?

4. Where did Safia Qureshi find inspiration for her Cup Club idea?

5. What advantages are there to Cupffee’s edible cup?

2. 请在不参考课文的情况下完成下列练习。选择一个意思合适的单词填入句子的空格处。

1. The construction has met a __________. The steel we used won’t hold the weight of the roof. We’ll need to change it. 

hitch       issue       proposed       viable

2. Thank you for coming to the meeting. I’d like to __________ an idea that I think you will like.

tackle       proposed       put forward       inspire

3. I’m sorry, but the return on the investment doesn’t cover the expenses, which means it’s not economically ______.

issue       proposed       pragmatic       viable

4. Using your belt to repair the broken handle on your bag was great __________.

offer a solution       pragmatic       lateral thinking       in theory

5. So by using the food supermarkets are throwing away to feed the homeless, we solve both problems. It’s a __________.

inspiration       feasible       perfect fit       issue

答案

1. 阅读课文并回答问题。

1. How many disposable coffee cups are thrown away in the UK each year?
In the UK, we throw away an estimated 2.5 billion disposable coffee cups every year.

2. Why are the disposable coffee cups not recycled?
What throws a spanner in the works is the layer of polyethylene that makes the cup waterproof, and the lid, which is most often made of polystyrene. As a result, most of the cups end up in landfill.

3. In what way are Biome Bioplastics’ cups different?
Biome Bioplastics has come up with a fully compostable, recyclable cup that uses natural materials, such as potato starch, as waterproofing.

4. Where did Safia Qureshi find inspiration for her Cup Club idea?
Safia Qureshi says India has provided the inspiration for her solution.

5. What advantages are there to Cupffee’s edible cup?
It is apparently sweet and crisp, can hold a coffee for up to 40 minutes and will biodegrade within week.

1. 请在不参考课文的情况下完成下列练习。选择一个意思合适的单词填入句子的空格处。

1. The construction has met a hitch. The steel we used won’t hold the weight of the roof. We’ll need to change it.

2. Thank you for coming to the meeting. I’d like to put forward an idea that I think you will like.

3. I’m sorry, but the return on the investment doesn’t cover the expenses, which means it’s not economically viable.

4. Using your belt to repair the broken handle on your bag was great lateral thinking.

5. So by using the food supermarkets are throwing away to feed the homeless, we solve both problems. It’s a perfect fit.