Environmental problem with toilet paper

題材文章詞數資源與環境341 難度 ★★★體裁建議用時說明文6′

海詞積累

1.pulp n.紙漿

2.flush v.用水沖走

3.ingredient n.原料；要素

4.sustainability n.持續性；永續性

Having access to soft toilet paper is one of those modern conveniences that make life in the 21st century that much easier.But did you know that using this luxury could be doing more damage to the environment than driving a large,gas-guzzling SUV?This is destroying forests and impacting climate change in a significant way.

A new report from the Natural Resources Defense Council and Stand.earth titled The Issue with Tissue said that many toilet paper manufacturers like Procter&Gamble use woodpulpfrom Canadian forests and zero-recycled contentwhen making theirat-home toilet paper.

“Most Americans probably do not know that the toilet paper theyflushaway comes from ancient forests,but clear-cutting those forests is costing the planet a great deal,”Anthony Swift,director of the NRDC's Canada Project,said in a news release.

Companies use differentingredientsto make tissue products,but the typical main ingredient is paper pulp.It can come from a variety of sources.However,the most common source of paper pulp by far is wood,also known as virgin fiber，because it has never been used in another product.Virgin fiber is“environ-mentally destructive” according to the NRDC.Making toilet paper from 100 percent virgin fiber “generates three times as much carbon as products made from other types of pulp”according to the report.

The NRDC and Stand.earth report gave“sustainability-based scores” for different athome toilet paper brands. The report concluded thatwhen itcomesto using sustainable components,Procter&Gamble was the worst paper company in the US.P&G has yet to comment on the report.

A Georgia-Pacific spokesperson said that the company does use recovered fiber in addition to virgin wood,and a Kimberly-Clark spokesperson said the company's goal is to cut the virgin pulp content in its products in half by 2025.It offers ecofriendly toilet paper made from 100 percent recycled paper as well as no added inks,dyes or scents.This company also donates 50 percent of profits to help improve environmental health and build toilets in developing countries.

Reading Check

1.What does the underlined word“This”in paragraph 1 mean?

A.Driving a large,gas-guzzling SUV. B.Owning this luxury products.

C.Using soft toilet paper. D.Cutting trees.

2.What's the author's purpose of writing the text?

A.To appeal to citizens to use less toilet paper.

B.To show the environmental problems of toilet paper.

C.To explain different ingredients to make tissue products.

D.To introduce different ways of different toilet paper brands.

Language Study

介紹“各種各樣的”的多種表達

1.a variety of

It can come from a variety of sources.它可以來自多種資源。

2.all kinds of

His family suffered all kinds of hardships during the war.他家在戰爭期間受盡了苦難。

3.of all description

These are considered delicacies in many of the larger cities of South America,such as Rio,and are sold in shops of all description.在南美洲的許多大城市，比如里約熱內盧，這被視為美味料理，并且在大眾商店中廣為販售。

4.of all kinds

They make compost out of all kinds of waste.他們用各種廢料制造堆肥。