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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
Nigeria depends heavily on money from its oil exports. But businesswoman Ifedolapo Runsewe has identified another local resource that brings in money: used car tires.
Last year, Runsewe set up the Freetown Waste Management Recycle factory in Ibadan, a city in southwest Nigeria. Workers there turn old tires into material used for paving1 bricks, floors and other goods that are in high demand in the country.
"Creating something new from something that will otherwise be lying somewhere as waste was part of the motivation," Runsewe told Reuters.
Waste removal systems are poor in Nigeria. In villages, towns and cities, large amounts of waste are a common sight. People often burn the waste at night because safer removal methods are not available. Tires are often found among the waste.
The Freetown factory depends on people who collect old tires from areas where waste is left. They are paid 70 to 100 naira, or 17 to 24 cents, for each tire.
Some tires are also supplied directly by automobile2 repairmen like Akeem Rasaq. He told Reuters he is happy to have found a place where he can make some money from old tires.
Freetown started operations with just four employees. The factory now has 128 workers. So far, more than 100,000 tires have been recycled into everything from speed bumps4 to soft paving for playgrounds.
Houssam Azem is the founder5 of the Lagos Jet Ski Riders Club. He bought paving bricks from Freetown for a children's play area. "It is important to support anybody that recycles in our country," he said.
Azem added: "Taking tires... and turning them into what children can play on, I think it is a win-win for everybody."
Words in This Story
paving brick - n. a brick slightly larger than building brick used in the construction of pavement surface
motivation – n. a motivating force, stimulus6, or influence; drive
speed bump3 – n. a low raised ridge7 across a road or parking lot that causes people to drive more slowly
win-win – adj. providing a good result for everyone involved
1 paving | |
n.块石面路v.铺( pave的现在分词 );为…铺平道路 | |
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2 automobile | |
n.汽车,机动车 | |
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3 bump | |
v.(against,into)碰,颠簸;n.碰撞,隆起物 | |
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4 bumps | |
碰撞( bump的名词复数 ); 肿块; 轻微撞车事故; 隆起物 | |
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5 Founder | |
n.创始者,缔造者 | |
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6 stimulus | |
n.刺激,刺激物,促进因素,引起兴奋的事物 | |
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7 ridge | |
n.山脊;鼻梁;分水岭 | |
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