故事段落
▄ 環保小事還不夠 ▄ 改變的三個關鍵 ▄ 一起當改革者 ▄
【環保小事還不夠】
- Ever since I learned where our stuff really comes from – and how this system is trashing people and the planet(1) – I’ve been trying to figure out how we can change it.自從我了解「東西的故事」,和這整個系統是如此傷害人類和地球之後(1),就一直在思考該怎麼做改變。
- I’ve read a lot of these: 100 Ways to Save the Planet Without Leaving Your House, 50 SimpleThings You Can do to Save the Earth, The Little Green Book of Shopping.(2)我找了很多這種書來讀:《不出門也能救地球的100種方法》、《救地球的50件小事》、《綠色購物指南》(2)。
- I thought they might have the answers, but their tips all start here – with buying better stuff(3) – and they all end here – with recycling(4) all that stuff when I’m done with it.我以為它們有我想要的答案,但這些書強調的都是「去買更好的東西」(3),最後「回收所有不再使用的東西」(4)。
- But when it comes to making change, this story of “going green” – even though we see it everywhere – has some serious shortcomings.(5)如果要做到真正的改變,這種人人會講的「環保生活」卻大有問題(5)。
- It says that if I become a smarter shopper, and tell my friends to do the same, I’ve done my part. And if I don’t buy all this green stuff, then it’s my fault that the planet’s being destroyed.書裡說只要當個聰明的消費者,而且拉親朋好友一起來,就算盡一己之力了。但如果我沒有買這些綠色產品,地球環境被破壞就是我的錯。
- Wait a minute. My fault? I didn’t choose to put toxic products(6) on the shelves or to allow slave labor in factories around the world.(7) I didn’t choose to fill stores with electronics that can’t be repaired and have to be thrown away(8). I didn’t choose a world in which some people can afford to live green, leaving the rest of us to be irresponsible planet wreckers!等等,我的錯?我並沒有選擇讓有毒的產品上架(6),也沒有允許全球工廠虐待勞工(7)。我沒有選擇要店家賣的電子產品都不能修理只能淘汰(8),也沒有選擇只讓某些人有能力負擔環保生活,而其他人必須不負責任地破壞地球!
- Of course when we do shop we should buy the least toxic and most fair products we can(9), but it’s not bad shoppers – here – who are the source of the problem, it’s bad policies(10) and bad business practices(11) – here. And that’s why the solutions we really need are not for sale at the supermarket.當然,一定要買東西的時候,應該盡量選擇無毒和公平的產品(9)。但重點不是「不好的消費者」而是「不好的政策(10)和企業行為(11)」。這正是為什麼我們該做的不只是買更好的東西。
- If we actually want to change the world, we can’t talk only about consumers voting with our dollars(12). Real change happens when citizens(13) come together to demand rules that work.如果我們真的想要改變這個世界,就不能只要消費者「用鈔票投票」(12)。真正的改變需要公民團結起來(13)要求可行的遊戲規則。
- Look, it is important to try to live green. As Gandhi said, “be the change.(14)” Living our values in small ways shows ourselves and others we care. So it is a great place to start.But it’s a terrible place to stop.環保生活的確很重要。就像甘地說的「成為改變」(14)。從生活中實踐我們的理念,能展現我們有多在乎,所以這是個好的開始,但絕對不能停在這裡。
- After all, would we even know who Gandhi was if he just sewed his own clothes and then sat back waiting for the British to leave India?(15)如果甘地只是在家裡縫衣服,坐等英國人離開印度(15),我們還會知道甘地是誰嗎?
- So how do we make big change?所以,到底該如何創造出大的改變?
- To answer that question, I went back and looked at Gandhi(16), the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa(17), the U.S. Civil Rights Movement(18), and the environmental victories here in the 1970s(19). They didn’t just nag people to perfect their day-to-day choices. They changed the rules of the game.為了找到答案,我回顧了甘地的故事(16)、南非的反種族隔離運動(17)、美國的民權運動(18),以及1970年代成功的環保運動(19)。他們當時可不只是叨唸著要大家為日常生活做出完美選擇,而是改變了遊戲規則。
故事段落
▄ 環保小事還不夠 ▄ 改變的三個關鍵 ▄ 一起當改革者 ▄
【改變的三個關鍵】
- It turns out, there are three things you find whenever people get together and actually change the world.我發現不管在什麼時代,有三件事情結合人們的力量並真正改變了世界。
- First, they share a big idea(20) for how things could be better. Not just a little better for a few people, a whole lot better for everyone. And they don’t just tinker around the edges; they go right to the heart of the problem, even when it means changing systems that don’t want to be changed. And that can be scary!首先,提出一個偉大的理想(20),不只讓少數人好過一點,而是讓所有人都好過很多。他們不只隔靴搔癢,而是直搗問題的核心,即使必須改變難以撼動的既有系統。這可能是一件很危險的事。
- Hey, millions of us already share a big idea for how things can be better. Instead of this dinosaur economy that focuses only on corporate profits – we want a new economy(21) that puts safe products(22), happy people(23), and a healthy planet(24) first. Duh, isn’t that what an economy should be for?
- 其實很多人已經提出世界該如何改變的偉大理想。我們不要只照顧企業利益的恐龍經濟,而要把產品安全(22)、人的幸福感(23)和環境健康(24)放在第一位的新經濟(21)。嘿,這不正是經濟應有的目的嗎?
- Trying to live eco-perfectly in today’s system is like trying to swim upstream, when the current is pushing us all the other way. But by changing what our economy prioritizes(25), we can change the current so that the right thing becomes the easiest thing to do.在現有系統裡要過完全環保的生活就像是逆游而上,世界主流推著我們倒退。但只要改變經濟優先順序(25)就可以扭轉現況,讓對的事變成最簡單可行的事。
- Second, the millions of ordinary people who made these extraordinary changes didn’t try to do it alone. They didn’t just say, “I will be more responsible.” They said, “We will work together until the problem is solved.”(26)第二,數百萬促成偉大改變的平凡人並沒有孤軍奮戰。他們不只說「我會更負起責任」而是說「我們會彼此合作直到解決問題」。
- Today it’s easier than ever to work together. Can you imagine how hard it was to get a message across India in 1930? We can do it now in less than a second.現在比以往都更容易團結合作。你可以想像在1930年要把消息傳遍印度有多難嗎?我們現在只要一秒鐘就可以做到。
- And finally, these movements succeeded in creating change because they took their big idea, and their commitment to work together, and then they took action.最後,這些運動會成功,除了因為有偉大理想和並肩作戰的決心,還有真正採取行動。
- Did you know that when Martin Luther King junior organized his march on Washington, less than a quarter of Americans supported him?(27) But that was enough to make change – because those supporters took action – they did stuff.你知道當金恩博士在華盛頓組織遊行時,只有不到25%的美國人支持他嗎(27)?但這樣已經足夠促成改變,因為這些支持者有真正的行動和實踐。
- Today 74% of Americans support tougher laws on toxic chemicals(28). 83% want clean energy laws.(29) 85% think corporations should have less influence in government.(30)現在有74%的美國人支持加強管制有毒化學物(28),83%希望有乾淨能源法(29),85%認為企業對政府的影響力不該那麼大(30)。
- We’ve got the big idea and the commitment. We just haven’t turned it all into massive action yet. And this is our only missing piece. So let’s do it.(31)我們已經有了偉大理想和決心,只欠投入實際的行動而已。既然如此,那就一起來做吧!
故事段落
▄ 環保小事還不夠 ▄ 改變的三個關鍵 ▄ 一起當改革者 ▄
【一起當改革者】
- Making real change takes all kinds of citizens – not just protestors. When you realize what you’re good at and what you like to do, plugging in doesn’t seem so hard. Whatever you have to offer, a better future needs it.真正的改變需要各種公民投入,而非只有抗爭運動者。如果你有任何專長或興趣,貢獻一己之力並不難。無論你可以提供什麼幫助,美好未來都需要你。
- So ask yourself, “What kind of change maker am I?” We need investigators, communicators, builders, resisters, nurturers, and networkers.所以,問問自己「我是哪一種改革者?」我們需要研究調查人員,溝通協調者,建設人員,反抗人士,教育照護人員、網絡串聯者。
- At StoryofStuff.org, you can explore these types of change makers and find your first, or your next, step to take action.從StoryofStuff.org網頁上,可以找到改革者分類的資訊,定位你的角色,然後採取行動吧。
- Being an engaged citizen starts with voting.(32) That’s one of those basic things that everyone’s just gotta do. But it gets way more exciting – and fun(33) – when we put our unique skills and interests to work alongside thousands of others.成為活躍公民的第一步是去投票(32)。這是所有人都應該做的基本功。但一切遠比投票更刺激有趣(33),尤其是當大家一起發揮自己獨一無二的才能和興趣時。
- I know that changing a whole economic system is a huge challenge. It’s not easy to see a clear path from where we are today to where we need to go. And there’s no ten simple things we can do without leaving our couches!我知道要改變整個經濟體系很困難。當下要找出一條明確通往理想未來的道路也不容易。而且根本沒有什麼「坐在沙發上就能改變世界的10件小事」!
- But the path didn’t start out clear to all these guys either. Doctor King said, “Faith is taking the first step even though you don’t see the whole staircase.”但對這些前輩來說,該走的路也不是一開始就明確。金恩博士曾說「信念就是儘管你看不到整個樓梯,仍然踏出第一步。」
- So, they worked hard to get organized, practiced the small acts that built their citizen muscles and kept their focus on their big idea – and when the time was right, they were ready.所以他們努力讓事情更有組織,透過各種實踐加強公民力量,一心一意朝向偉大理想。等時機到來,他們也已經準備好了。
- It’s time for us to get ready too – ready to make change and write the next chapter in the story of stuff.現在輪到我們來做萬全的準備了。準備進行改變,寫下「東西的故事」的新一頁。