Plastic Bag Ban, and Vintage Locomotives

News Bites

B*News Bites 文字檔 (國中) ________________________________ Hey you guys, it's time for an all-new episode of News Bites. I'm Jacob Ingram. And I'm Nancy Sun. In today's news: The Ministry of Environment is planning to start a trial ban on free plastic bags, and Vietnam's vintage 1960s steam locomotives are back on the rails! And for today's Tasty Tidbit: The origin of the plastic bag. Stay tuned for more on those stories. ________________________________ 環境部七月開始試辦 禁止提供免費塑膠袋 Ministry of Environment to Trial Ban on Free Plastic Bags Plastic pollution is so serious nowadays. Plastic waste can be found almost anywhere: High up in the mountains, deep in the forests, and even thousands of meters underwater in the ocean. 塑膠汙染很嚴重，到處都看得到：不管是在高山上，或是在森林深處，或是在海洋中都能看到塑膠垃圾。 Authorities around the world are working hard to solve the problem. Taiwan officials have also decided to take things up a notch (更進一步). Since 2002, the government began introducing policies (政策) to reduce the use of plastic bags. Then in 2018, the free plastic bag ban was extended to 14 types of businesses, including convenient stores and government agencies. Over the past two decades, the annual use of plastic bags has been reduced by about 50%. 過去二十年來，人們每年使用的塑膠袋已經減少了一半。 But the government isn't stopping there. The Ministry of Environment wants to introduce charges (收費) for plastic bags at night markets. That basically means vendors (攤販) at designated (指定的) night markets will no longer be allowed to offer free plastic bags. The ban doesn't include plastic bags containing food. That's good news for me! It means I won't have to pay extra for 鹽水雞！ If everything goes well, the trial (試辦的日期) will start in July and go on until the end of the year. Taipei's Ningxia Night Market (寧夏夜市) might be selected as the first night market for the trial. Over the years, the night market has been striving (致力於) to become more eco-friendly. Almost all the vendors have replaced disposable tableware (拋棄式餐具) with reusable ones (重複使用餐具). The Ministry said Ningxia Night Market's vendors and customers should be more accepting of the plastic bag ban. Let's wait and see how it goes! ________________________________ 越南六零年代的蒸汽火車回來了 Vietnam's Vintage 1960s Steam Locomotives Are Back on the Rails Have you ever gone on a train journey? Train rides can be luxurious (豪華) and enjoyable. Some trains even have sleeping bunks for long overnight trips. There are many train journeys that offer views so breathtaking that many people put them on their bucket list (願望清單). For example, the Glacier Express in Switzerland offers amazing views of the Alps (阿爾卑斯山). And the 40-hour Beijing-to-Lhasa Express transports its passengers from the neon lights of urban China to snow-capped mountains and endless blue skies of Tibet (西藏). A train journey in Vietnam might be catching the attention of train and history enthusiasts (喜愛歷史的人). The country has revamped (改造) a pair of vintage steam locomotives (古董蒸汽火車頭) from the 1960s. The two locomotives are the last working steam trains in Vietnam. They date back to when Vietnam was still a French colony (法國殖民地). During the last few years, the trains have been restored using original parts. The people working on them were also the last remaining steam engineers working for the national railway system. Each train will be fitted with two retro-styled (復古風格) passenger carriages, a kitchen car and a baggage carriage (行李車廂). The luxurious interiors are furnished to reflect the French Colonial era with mahogany (紅木) tables and chairs, gold accents (裝飾) and decorative tiles. The carriages are also equipped with large windows to allow views of passing landscapes. Train staff also dress in 1960s clothing, providing passengers with an immersive experience. 火車上的員工也會穿上六零年代的服裝，帶給乘客身歷其境的體驗。 The trains will travel between the central city of Da Nang and the former royal capital Hue. So if you're looking for a retro experience during your next trip to Vietnam, this might be something to check out! ________________________________ So, in today's News Bites: The Ministry of Environment will start a trial ban on free plastic bags in July. This is because plastic pollution is a big problem, with plastic found everywhere, even in the ocean. Taiwan has been reducing plastic bag use since 2002, cutting it by 50% in twenty years. Officials are eyeing Taipei's Ningxia Night Market for a trial run banning free plastic bags. ________________________________ And… Vietnam has brought back vintage 1960s steam locomotives for a unique train journey. These are the last working steam trains in Vietnam, restored with original parts and operated by the last steam engineers. The trains feature luxurious, French Colonial-style interiors with mahogany furniture and large windows for scenic views. They will run between Da Nang and Hue, offering a retro experience for passengers. ________________________________ And for today's Tasty Tidbit, here's a fun fact about the origins of the plastic bag: Did you know it was actually invented to save the planet? Swedish engineer Sten Gustaf Thulin invented the plastic bag in 1959 as an alternative (替代) to paper bags. Plastic bags are more durable (耐用) than paper bags, and can be cleaned and re-used. The inventor's son said his dad always carried a folded plastic bag in his pocket whenever he went out, in case he needed to do some shopping. Isn't it ironic (諷刺) that something originally meant to be environmentally friendly turned out to cause a bigger problem? Next time you think of throwing away a plastic bag, consider reusing it instead. ________________________________ And that's it for today's episode of News Bites! If you have a fun fact, a joke or interesting news story you'd like to share with us, record your message and send us your Tasty Tidbit to [e-mail], and you might hear it at the end of an episode. We'll see you next time for an exciting new episode of News Bites!