People feel good about recycling, maybe even more so when it comes to electronics. While electronics recycling isn’t bad, making it a panacea(万能药) for the e-waste problem we currently have certainly is. Unfortunately, that’s how we think of recycling and companies are eager to jump on that trend to appear more “green”.
A case in point: Apple. In 2016, there was lots of report on Liam, a robot able to dismantle(拆解) an iPhone in just 11 seconds--- a good way to recycle 1.2 million units a year. That sounds amazing until you take into account the fact that Apple had actually sold 231 million new iPhones the year before. Actually, Liam is the perfect symbol for recycling in the field of high-tech: a drop of green water in an ocean of pollution.
According to a recent UN report, the US produces about 6.3 million tons or 14% of the world’s electronic waste. Worldwide, almost 45 million tons of electronic waste were produced in 2016. Among them, only 20% has been recycled in some shape or form. The remaining 80% made its way to a more environmentally damaging end at the landfill(垃圾清理场).
Of course, we can say it’s time to double our recycling efforts. However, the huge amount of e-waste is impossible to deal with. The UN report points out that while there is an increased focus on recycling today compared to the past, the efforts to reuse used devices simply can’t keep pace with the high consumption rates for new devices.
And in their environmental responsibilities report, Apple admits that 77% of the carbon footprint of their electronics comes from its actual use. The environmental effect of replacing a device, even if it is recycled after, remains significant.
【小题1】What’s the author concerned about according to Paragragh 1?| A．Some recycling turns out to be harmful |
| B．People have too much faith in recycling |
| C．Companies bear a high cost to be green |
| D．The e-waste problem is out of control |
| A．Few reports on the issue |
| B．Low quality of equipment |
| C．Difficult recycling progress |
| D．High demand for new electronics. |
| A．The ways to lead a green life. |
| B．The limitation of electronics recycling |
| C．The responsibilities Apple should take on |
| D．The importance of protecting the environment. |
