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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
The holiday season is a time for celebrating with friends and family.
假日季节是与朋友和家人一起庆祝的时候。
It is often called the "giving season" because during the holidays people give gifts and have celebrations.
它通常被称为“赠送季节”，因为在节日期间，人们会赠送礼物并举行庆祝活动。
They also decorate their homes.
他们也装饰自己的家。
Unfortunately, this can all lead to a lot of waste.
不幸的是，这一切都可能会产生大量垃圾。
And some parts of the holidays create a lot of waste -- for example, holiday cards, decorations, the tree, entertaining, and gift wrap.
节日的某些部分会造成很多垃圾，比如，节日贺卡、装饰品、圣诞树、娱乐和礼品包装。
Gift wrap is the special paper used for wrapping gifts.
礼品包装纸指的是用来包装礼物的特殊纸张。
However, there are ways to reduce the amount of waste you create.
然而，有一些方法可以降低你产生的垃圾量。
Experts recently gave some ideas to the Associated Press.
专家们最近向美联社提供了一些想法。
One of those experts is Liz Vaccariello.
莉兹·瓦卡里洛是其中一位专家。
She is the editor in chief of Real Simple, a home and lifestyle magazine and website.
她是家居和生活方式杂志和网站Real Simple的主编。
Vaccariello says this year is a great year to think about using products that can be recycled when celebrating the holidays.
瓦卡里洛说，今年在庆祝节日时非常适合考虑使用可回收利用的产品。
She said, "It is a great way to feel good as you enter the giving season."
她说：“当你进入‘赠送季节’时，这是一种让你感觉良好的好方法。”
Another expert is Melissa Ozawa.
另一位专家是梅丽莎·小泽。
She is an editor at Martha Stewart Living and suggests thinking carefully about what you buy.
她是《玛莎·斯图尔特生活》杂志的一名编辑，她建议买东西时要仔细考虑。
Ozawa says that now more than ever we should be asking ourselves: Do I really want this? Will I use it? And how will it affect the planet1?
小泽说，现在我们比以往任何时候都更应该问自己：我真的需要这个吗？我会用它吗？它将会对地球产生怎样的影响？
The concerns about paper waste has caused many people to look at other choices for wrapping a present.
由于担心纸张垃圾，许多人开始考虑其他包装礼物的选择。
You can use reusable bags for gifts.
你可以用可重复使用的袋子来装礼物。
Vaccariello recommends keeping gift bags and other decorations that you receive.
瓦卡里洛建议保留你收到的礼物包装袋和其他装饰品。
You can reuse them the next time you give a gift.
你可以在下次送礼物时重复使用它们。
You can buy from companies that make environmentally-friendly gift wrap.
你可以从生产环保礼品包装的公司购买。
Some companies make recyclable wrapping paper and do not use materials that are not recyclable.
一些公司生产可回收的包装纸，不使用不可回收的材料。
You can also wrap gifts in old maps, pages from magazines, and art paper.
你也可以用旧地图、杂志页和美术纸包装礼物。
The person receiving the gift could use the wrapping for something else.
收到礼物的人可以把包装用在他处。
Ozawa says she likes the Japanese tradition of furoshiki.
小泽说，她喜欢日本传统的风吕敷。
This is where gifts are wrapped in cloth.
风吕敷是用来包礼物的包袱布。
The pretty and strong wrapping cloths can be used for other things, instead of just thrown away.
这种漂亮又结实的包装布可以用在他处，而不是直接扔掉。
You could also wrap a gift in a colorful scarf or tablecloth2.
你也可以用色彩鲜艳的围巾或桌布包装礼物。
This makes the wrapping cloth part of the gift itself.
这使得包装布成为礼物的一部分。
Instead of decorating a gift with something plastic, you can use something natural such as pine cones3, rosemary, or other evergreen4.
你可以用松果、迷迭香或其他常绿植物来装饰礼物，而不是用塑料。
For many people, sending holiday cards is a tradition.
对许多人来说，寄节日贺卡是一种传统。
However, now many people use digital, or electronic cards.
然而，现在很多人使用数字卡，即电子卡。
Vaccariello says that people are much more accepting of electronic holiday cards.
瓦卡里洛说，人们更容易接受电子节日贺卡。
"There are so many digital options now," she adds, "and people get just as much joy out of it."
“现在有如此多的数字选择，”她补充道，“人们也从中获得了同样多的快乐。”
Those who want to send traditional cards might choose ones printed on recyclable paper.
那些想寄传统贺卡的人可以选择用可回收纸张印制的贺卡。
For decorating the home, experts again say think of reusing and recycling.
对于房屋的装饰，专家们再次表示，可以考虑重复使用和回收利用。
Natural greenery can be used to make a room beautiful and smell nice!
天然的绿色植物可以使房间变漂亮，闻起来也很不错！
One expert suggests using old holiday cards as decorations.
一位专家建议使用旧的节日贺卡作为装饰品。
If you use holidays lights and they are old, experts suggest using newer energy-saving types of lights.
如果你使用的节日灯是旧的，专家建议你使用较新的节能灯。
If people want a Christmas tree, the question is often fake5 or real?
如果人们想要一棵圣诞树，问题往往是用假的还是真的？
"The greener choice would be buying a real Christmas tree from a local farm," says Ozawa.
小泽说：“更环保的选择是从当地农场买一棵真正的圣诞树。”
"The trees are grown for the purpose of being cut, and new ones are typically replanted every year. So," she says, "the cycle continues."
“种植这些树的目的是被砍伐，通常每年都会重新种植新的树木。所以，” 她说，“循环还在继续。”
She explains that buying local means that it did not use much fuel to get to you.
她解释说，在当地购买意味着不需要消耗太多燃料就能达到目的。
Ozawa adds that in the United States many cities and towns pick up trees after the holidays and process them into a useable product, like small wood pieces for the garden.
小泽还说，在美国，许多城镇在节后捡起树木，将它们加工成可使用的产品，比如用于花园的小木块。
This means the tree is not adding to a landfill.
这意味着这棵树不会被扔到垃圾填埋场。
"And," she says, "you can't beat the smell of a fresh-cut tree."
“而且，”她说，“新砍的树的味道是无与伦比的。”
However, if you do buy a fake tree, she says plan to use it for many years.
然而，如果你买了一棵假树，她说，打算使用很多年。
And she says to consider the materials it is made from.
她说要考虑它的制作材料。
Ozawa suggests asking, "Is it made with recycled materials? Or can it be recycled?"
小泽建议问一问：“它是用回收材料制成的吗？或它可以回收吗？”
When having a celebration avoid single-use plastics.
举行庆祝活动时，避免使用一次性塑料制品。
Use more environmentally-friendly options, like regular plates and cups.
使用更环保的选择，比如普通的盘子和杯子。
If single-use seems unavoidable, choose ones that are made from things like bamboo or sugar cane6, says Vaccariello.
瓦卡里洛说，如果一次性产品似乎是不可避免的，那就选择用竹子或甘蔗等材料制成的。
And, she adds, donate your unused food to an organization that helps those in need.
还有，她补充说，把你未用过的食物捐给一个帮助那些需要帮助的人的组织。
收听单词发音 |
1
planet
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| n.行星 | |
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2
tablecloth
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| n.桌布，台布 | |
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3
cones
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| n.（人眼）圆锥细胞；圆锥体( cone的名词复数 )；球果；圆锥形东西；（盛冰淇淋的）锥形蛋卷筒 | |
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4
evergreen
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| n.常青树；adj.四季常青的 | |
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5
fake
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| vt.伪造，造假，假装；n.假货，赝品 | |
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6
cane
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| n.手杖，细长的茎，藤条；v.以杖击，以藤编制的 | |
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