VOALearningEnglish2011.10.13---Seeking Cleaner and Greener Electronics

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VOALearningEnglish2011.10.13---Seeking Cleaner and Greener Electronics
Seeking Cleaner and Greener Electronics
This is the VOA Special English Technology Report, from http://voaspecialenglish.com | http://facebook.com/voalearningenglish

Technology experts, government officials, policy makers and engineers recently met in Italy. They gathered in Rome for the first Green Standards Week conference. Italy's Ministry of Economic Development and the International Telecommunications Union organized the conference. The event called attention to the need for information and communication technologies to fight climate change and to build greener, more environmentally friendly economies. In recent years, the world has changed because so many people now use computers, mobile phones and other kinds of electronic devices. But the increasing use of information and communication technologies, also known as ICTs, also has led to more pollution, especially greenhouse gas emissions. This is mostly because of the energy used to manufacture, transport and operate such equipment. Still, many experts say ICTs offer the best chance for reducing greenhouse gases. The Global Information Society Watch reported last year that ICTs could help to cut total production of greenhouse gases by as much as fifteen percent by twenty twenty. Alan Finlay is with the Association for Progressive Communications. He also helped to prepare the GISWatch report. He says the effect of using ICTs to build cleaner environments is far more powerful than their harmful effects. "When you're look at greening with ITs, you're looking at the impact of ICTs on the environment but also what ICTs can be used in order to improve the impact of other industries on the environment. And I think the overwhelming consensus is that you can't throw the baby out with the bath water."Mr. Finlay says the GISWatch report and events like the ITU's Green Standards Week are meant to look at the ICT industry as a whole. "To our mind you can't really divorce issues like e-waste -- which you see the massive negative consequences in Asia for instance, and direct impact on poor people's lives and well-being -- from the equation. So, both need to be looked at the same time." The ITU says a main goal of the conference was to set clear policies for measuring and improving the ICT industry's effect on the environment. Another goal was to note the importance of green ICT standards and values. For VOA Special English, I'm Alex Villarreal.

(Adapted from a radio program broadcast 05Sep2011)

尋求更清潔和綠色電子產品
這是美國之音特別英語科技報告，從 http://voaspecialenglish.com | http://facebook.com/voalearningenglish

技術專家，政府官員，決策者和工程師最近在意大利舉行。他們聚集在羅馬的第一個綠色標準週會議。意大利的經濟發展和國際電訊聯盟部組織的會議。事件呼籲重視信息和通信技術的需要，應對氣候變化和建立更環保，更環保的經濟。近年來，世界已經改變，因為現在這麼多的人使用電腦，手機及其他電子設備的各種。但又稱作為信息和通信技術，信息和通信技術越來越多地使用，也導致更多的污染，特別是溫室氣體排放。這主要是因為用於製造，運輸和經營等設備的能源。儘管如此，許多專家說，信息通信技術提供了最好的機會，減少溫室氣體排放。全球信息社會觀察報導，去年，信息通信技術可以幫助減少高達百分之十五，第二十第二十溫室氣體的總生產。阿蘭芬萊與進步通訊協會。他還幫助準備 GISWatch報告。他說，利用信息和通信技術建立清潔環境的影響遠遠超過其有害影響是強大的。 “當你看看與綠化，你正在尋找在信息和通信技術對環境的影響，但也什麼樣的信息通信技術可以使用，以提高對環境的影響等行業。我認為，壓倒一切的共識，你不能拋出的嬰兒與洗澡水。“芬利說，像國際電聯的綠色標準週 GISWatch報告和事件是作為一個整體來看待ICT行業。 “我們認為你不能像電子廢物真的離婚的問題 - 你看到在亞洲龐大的消極後果，例如，對貧困人口的生活和福祉直接影響 - 從方程，所以都需要要研究在同一時間。“國際電聯說，一個會議的主要目標是明確的政策，為測量和提高ICT行業對環境的影響。另一個目標是要注意綠色 ICT的標準和價值觀念的重要性。美國之音特別英語，我亞歷克斯比利亞雷亞爾。

（從一個電台節目中播出05Sep2011改編）