Maryland is expected to become the first state of the USA to ban foam (泡沫橡胶)food packaging, takeout containers and cups The new proposed law passed both of the state's legislative bodies (立法机关)this week with enough votes to override a potential rejection signed by Gov. Larry Hogan, who has not publicly signaled whether he supported the law or not. The law would become the latest in a growing effort worldwide to ban kinds of single-use plastic products, due to their impacts on the environment.

With the statewide previous ban effort, Maryland's two counties, Prince George and Montgomery, had already banned foam packaging. Del. Brooke Lierman, who introduced similar legislation last year and in 2017, says changing public opinion helped her third attempt succeed.

“I think we have reached a danger point,” she says. “People are seeing how common single-use plastics are, and that they are not recyclable and never going away. People are beginning to understand the importance of living more sustainably. "

The new law would ban foam food packaging for products packaged in-state, including restaurants, cafes, food trucks, and grocery stores. The final version of the bill includes exceptions, such as meat. The ban would go into force on July 1, 2020 and would carry fines of   $ 250.

The legislation was opposed by the Maryland Retailers Association, which warned that outlawing foam packaging could hurt small businesses by higher costs. Foam packaging remains popular among restaurants and the food industry because it is lightweight, inexpensive, and keeps food and drinks hot.

Foam food containers have been banned in cities or counties in 11 states, including Seattle, Portland, Washington D. C. , San Francisco, and numerous other cities in California. A ban in New York City took effect at the beginning of this year after a long legal battle ended last summer.

There is nothing worse than fumbling around in your pocket trying to find some small change to pay for a newspaper or a coffee. So it's good to know that new technology is making cash -bank notes and coins – a thing of the past, turning us into a cashless society.

Today, many of us already use credit and debit cards for financial transactions（交易） so there's no need to carry around hard currency. And now it's possible to make contactless payments using tap-and-go cards which are regular bankcards but with a built-in chip and antenna（天线）. The card reader sends out a radio frequency and, when you bring the card close to the reader, the antenna picks up the signal to make the payment.

Paying this way or spending on ' plastic' – an informal name for a credit card – can put you at risk of fraud. Criminals try to steal cards, or the information on them, to make purchases online or in shops. However, contactless payment is capped——in the UK the limit is £30. And, if someone does go on a spending spree with your card, your bank covers you against the loss – something that wouldn't happen if your banknotes were stolen. Also, the introduction of chip and pin technology has led to a drop in fraud and has even been helping businesses by cutting the time people spend at tills in shops.

But, if getting your bankcard out seems like too much trouble, there's now a solution using wearable tech——that's clothing and accessories that include computer and electronic technologies. Kenneth Cukier, economist and technology expert, says "this is intended for people who are incredibly lazy who don't want to take their card out of their wallet, or use their phone, or use their watch. People are going to be making more purchases more of the time – particularly for small-valued goods."

And, although our mobile phones are another way of making payments, BBC reporter Kate Russell says that when this is inconvenient you can use the fingo—pay system which "reads the unique maps of veins under the surface of your finger." The trick is remembering which finger you registered with. What do you prefer to use when you buy something?

Authorities have moved to tighten oversight of the rapidly expanding semi-prepared food industry, ironing out definitions of precooked dishes and rolling out rules on the use of additives in the sector to ensure food safety. Restaurants are also being encouraged to identify dishes on their menus that include semi-prepared ingredients, a move that experts say will help customers make informed decisions.

The reforms, led by the State Administration for Market Regulation, which oversees product quality and consumer rights, were outlined in a circular issued on Thursday by six government agencies.

Share (股票) prices of companies involved in the semi prepared food sector fell by an average of 2 percent on the A-share market on Monday because of the strengthened oversight Industry insiders said the rules were the first to clarify the definition of semi-prepared food and set out safety and quality standards for the multibillion yuan industry.

China has more than 70, 000 companies making food items that have undergone some preparation but are not fully cooked or ready to eat, according to Xinhua News Agency. Their output value topped 500 billion yuan ($69.4 million) last year and is on track to surpass 1 trillion yuan in a few years, it said.

The new rules differentiate between semi-prepared food-also known as prepackaged meals — and other food items, such as instant noodles, frozen dumplings and salads. They say semi-prepared food must be a dish that can be consumed after simple preparations such as heating or boiling.

Experts said makers of frozen foods such as dumplings and hamburgers will no longer be regarded as being semi-prepared food businesses, and will be unable to ignore regulations in their own sector or enjoy preferential policies tailor-made for semi-prepared food makers. They said the generalization of the concept of semi prepared food had previously created regulatory difficulties.