An Answer in a Teacup
As in many other countries, people in India are concerned about the problem of plastic waste.
After all, the country produces 5.6 billion kilograms of it every year.
The system for managing plastic waste needs improvement
because a lot of plastic ends up as trash on land and in waterways such as the Ganges River.
In response, the Indian government planned to introduce a ban on plastic items
that could only be used once.
( 21 ), though, the government was forced to change its plans
because of the condition of the economy and worries about an increase in unemployment.
Nevertheless, there is one kind of situation where the use of plastic has come to an end.
All 7,000 railway stations in India have replaced plastic teacups with
brown clay teacups
called kulhads.
Long before plastic cups were used in India,
people enjoyed drinking tea in these traditional cups.
The minister for railways in India ordered railway stations to ( 22 ) kulhads.
By doing so, he hopes the country will take an important step toward ending plastic waste.
There are several reasons why kulhads are better than plastic teacups.
First, after they have been thrown away,
they soon break down into substances that do not harm the environment.
Second, the clay that kulhads are made from actually improves the flavor of the tea.
Finally, using kulhads ( 23 ).
Plastic cups are made with machines, but kulhads are made by hand.
The Indian government estimates that hundreds of thousands of people will get extra work
because of this change. |
英語検定 ２級(2022年第1回No.3)