Class Presentation: Microplastics — Where Does Our Plastic Go?

Okay, everyone, eyes to the front, please.

好了，各位，請看前面。

Maya is presenting her science project today!

今天 Maya 要發表她的自然科專題！

Um, thanks, Ms. Lopez. Okay... here goes.

呃，謝謝 Lopez 老師。好……我開始囉。

So, today I'm going to talk about microplastics.

那麼，今天我要講的是塑膠微粒。

Let me start with this plastic bottle.

我先從這個塑膠瓶說起。

We only use it for ten minutes, right?

我們只用它10分鐘，對吧？

But it can stay around for hundreds of years.

但它可能會存在好幾百年。

It doesn't really disappear. It just breaks into smaller pieces.

它並不會真的消失，只是碎成更小的碎片。

Pieces smaller than five millimeters are called microplastics.

小於5毫米的碎片，就叫做塑膠微粒。

Now, look at this jar of sand from our local beach.

現在，大家看看這罐沙子，是從我們這邊的海灘帶來的。

It looks clean, doesn't it?

看起來很乾淨，對吧？

Well, I found tiny blue and white bits in it!

可是，我在裡面發現了藍色和白色的小碎片！

Wait, seriously? That's from our beach?

等等，真的假的？那是我們這邊的海灘？

Yep! I collected it myself last weekend.

對！是我上週末自己去裝的。

So, where does all this plastic go?

那麼，這些塑膠都跑去哪裡了呢？

Some of it washes into rivers and then the ocean.

有一部分會被沖進河裡，然後流進大海。

Sadly, fish and other sea animals eat it by mistake.

可惜的是，魚和其他海洋動物會誤吃下去。

And scientists have even found them in our drinking water.

科學家甚至在我們的飲用水裡也發現了它們。

Hmm, can I ask something?

嗯，我可以問個問題嗎？

If it's everywhere already, is recycling pointless?

如果它已經到處都是了，那回收還有意義嗎？

Good question! No, it's not pointless at all.

好問題！不，一點也不是沒意義。

Actually, only about nine percent of plastic ever gets recycled.

其實，只有大約9%的塑膠曾被回收。

So recycling helps, but using less plastic helps more.

所以回收有幫助，但少用塑膠更有幫助。

Huh, that low? I had no idea.

啊，這麼低？我完全不知道。

So, here's the good news!

好，接下來是好消息！

Bring a reusable bottle, like this one.

帶一個可以重複使用的水壺，就像這個。

Say no to plastic straws and bags.

對塑膠吸管和塑膠袋說不。

And if you do use plastic, recycle it properly.

如果真的要用塑膠，就好好回收。

Small changes really add up. Thank you!

小小的改變累積起來就很可觀。謝謝大家！

Wow, great job, Maya!

哇，講得太棒了，Maya！

Bringing the jar of sand was such a smart idea.

帶那罐沙子來真是個聰明的點子。

Next time, just slow down a little at the start.

下次開頭的時候稍微放慢一點就好。

Ha, I will. I was so nervous!

哈，我會的。我剛剛好緊張喔！