WHO: Environmental Pollution Kills Millions of Children Every Year
世衛(wèi)組織稱環(huán)境污染每年導(dǎo)致數(shù)百萬(wàn)兒童死亡
From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report.
這里是美國(guó)之音慢速英語(yǔ)健康和生活方式報(bào)道。
Environmental pollution kills 1.7 million children under the age of five every year worldwide. This is according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO warns that child deaths will increase greatly if pollution continues to worsen.
世界衛(wèi)生組織表示,環(huán)境污染每年導(dǎo)致全球170萬(wàn)名五歲以下兒童死亡。世衛(wèi)組織警告稱,如果污染繼續(xù)惡化,兒童死亡將會(huì)大幅增加。
Dr. Margaret Chan is the WHO Director-General. In a press release statement, Chan said, "A polluted environment is a deadly one – particularly for young children."
陳馮富珍博士是世衛(wèi)組織總干事。她在一份向媒體發(fā)布的聲明中表示,“受到污染的環(huán)境具有致命性,特別是對(duì)幼兒而言。”
She explains that "their developing organs and immune systems, and smaller bodies and airways, make them especially vulnerable to dirty air and water."
她解釋說(shuō),“他們發(fā)育中的器官和免疫系統(tǒng),以及弱小的身軀和氣道,使他們特別容易受到骯臟的空氣和水的影響。”
The most common causes of death among children aged one month to five years are diarrhea, malaria and pneumonia. This is according to the WHO. The organization also says reducing environmental risks can prevent such deaths. This means providing access to safe water and sanitation, limiting exposure to dangerous chemicals, and improving waste management.
世衛(wèi)組織表示,年齡在一個(gè)月到五歲的兒童最常見(jiàn)的死因包括腹瀉、瘧疾和肺炎。該組織還表示,減少環(huán)境風(fēng)險(xiǎn)可以防止這類死亡。這意味著提供安全的飲水和衛(wèi)生設(shè)施,限制接觸危險(xiǎn)化學(xué)品,并改善廢棄物管理。
Experts say air pollution is the most dangerous
專家稱空氣污染最為危險(xiǎn)
However, of all the environmental pollutants, air pollution is being called the most dangerous.
然而,在所有環(huán)境污染物中,空氣污染被稱為最危險(xiǎn)的。
The WHO estimates that air pollution is responsible for about 6.5 million premature, or early, deaths every year. That number includes nearly 600,000 deaths of children under age five.
Most of these deaths take place in developing countries.
世衛(wèi)組織估計(jì),空氣污染每年造成了大約650萬(wàn)例的過(guò)早死亡。這一數(shù)字包括近60萬(wàn)名五歲以下兒童的死亡。
However, WHO environment and health chief Maria Neira tells VOA that air pollution is a leveler between rich and poor. Everybody, she says, needs to breathe.
然而,世衛(wèi)組織環(huán)境與健康司司長(zhǎng)瑪麗亞·尼拉(Maria Neira)對(duì)美國(guó)之音表示,空氣污染不分貧富。她說(shuō)每個(gè)人都需要呼吸。
"You can be a very rich child, your parents very rich, but living in a place, in a city, which is very polluted. Then there is very little you can do because we all need to breathe. So, even if you are rich or poor, you still need to breathe and this is very pernicious. Air pollution is everywhere."
她說(shuō),“你可能是富人家孩子,你父母很富有,但是生活在一個(gè)污染非常嚴(yán)重的城市。然后你能做的很少,因?yàn)槲覀兌夹枰粑?。因此,即使你貧或富,你仍然需要呼吸,而這是非常有害的??諝馕廴緹o(wú)處不在。”
Neira says one of the most important ways to reduce air pollution is to produce cleaner fuels for cooking and heating.
尼拉表示,減少空氣污染最重要的途徑之一就是生產(chǎn)更清潔燃料用于烹飪和采暖。
"Almost half of the world population is using dirty fuels for cooking, heating, and lighting at home. And, this is affecting very much mothers who are staying and cooking at home, but the children who are around mothers—they are exposed as well."
“世界上幾乎一半人口正在使用污染性燃料進(jìn)行烹飪、供暖和照明。而且,這極大影響了呆在家里做飯的媽媽們,也影響到了媽媽們身邊的孩子。他們都暴露在污染中。”
She says early exposure to harmful pollutants can lead to increased risk of chronic respiratory disease, asthma, heart disease, stroke and cancer later in life.
她說(shuō),早期接觸有害污染物可能會(huì)導(dǎo)致慢性呼吸系統(tǒng)疾病、哮喘、心臟病、中風(fēng)、癌癥等性命風(fēng)險(xiǎn)增加。
Cleaning up how the world cooks, heats and lights homes and other buildings is a big-picture goal. The WHO is advising government departments and industries such as construction and the health sector to work together to clean up their environment.
讓全球采用清潔能源烹飪、供暖、照明是一個(gè)大藍(lán)圖目標(biāo)。世衛(wèi)組織建議建筑和衛(wèi)生部門等政府機(jī)構(gòu)及行業(yè)共同努力清潔環(huán)境。
But what about the here and now? What can individuals do to limit our family's exposure to air pollution?
但是眼前要怎么辦呢?個(gè)人可以做些什么來(lái)限制家庭暴露于大氣污染中?
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has the following suggestions:
美國(guó)環(huán)保局有以下建議:
Avoid walking where there is a high volume of vehicle traffic.
避免在有大量交通工具的地方行走。
Equip homes with air filters and air conditioning units.
在家里配備空氣過(guò)濾器和空調(diào)機(jī)組。
Limit your time outside if you live in an area that issues warnings about air quality.
如果你居住的地方發(fā)布了空氣質(zhì)量警報(bào),那么限制在外停留時(shí)間。
Wear high-grade, rated face masks tightly to the face when air quality is poor.
當(dāng)空氣質(zhì)量不佳時(shí),戴上優(yōu)質(zhì)的、緊貼面部的標(biāo)準(zhǔn)口罩。
If you live or commute in a very polluted area, remove your clothes and wash immediately after entering your house.
如果你在空氣污染非常嚴(yán)重的地區(qū)生活或工作,進(jìn)屋后立即脫下衣服并清洗。
Some of these suggestions, however, may not work for some people -- for example:
然而其中一些建議可能不適合一些人,例如:
those living in areas troubled by high levels of pollution,
那些生活在高污染地區(qū)的人們,
those who cannot stay home from work or school,
那些無(wú)法留在家里不去上班或上學(xué)的人們,
or those who do not have money for protective equipment.
或是那些買不起防護(hù)裝備的人們。
Therefore, the WHO stresses that governments around the world need to take the lead on ensuring that children grow up in a clean environment.
因此,世衛(wèi)組織強(qiáng)調(diào),世界各國(guó)政府必須帶頭確保兒童在清潔環(huán)境中長(zhǎng)大。
And that's the Health & Lifestyle report. I'm Anna Matteo.
以上就是本期健康和生活方式報(bào)道的全部?jī)?nèi)容。我是安娜·馬特奧。
From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report.
Environmental pollution kills 1.7 million children under the age of five every year worldwide. This is according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO warns that child deaths will increase greatly if pollution continues to worsen.
Dr. Margaret Chan is the WHO Director-General. In a press release statement, Chan said, "A polluted environment is a deadly one – particularly for young children."
She explains that "their developing organs and immune systems, and smaller bodies and airways, make them especially vulnerable to dirty air and water."
The most common causes of death among children aged one month to five years are diarrhea, malaria and pneumonia. This is according to the WHO. The organization also says reducing environmental risks can prevent such deaths. This means providing access to safe water and sanitation, limiting exposure to dangerous chemicals, and improving waste management.
Experts say air pollution is the most dangerous
However, of all the environmental pollutants, air pollution is being called the most dangerous.
The WHO estimates that air pollution is responsible for about 6.5 million premature, or early, deaths every year. That number includes nearly 600,000 deaths of children under age five.
Most of these deaths take place in developing countries.
However, WHO environment and health chief Maria Neira tells VOA that air pollution is a leveler between rich and poor. Everybody, she says, needs to breathe.
"You can be a very rich child, your parents very rich, but living in a place, in a city, which is very polluted. Then there is very little you can do because we all need to breathe. So, even if you are rich or poor, you still need to breathe and this is very pernicious. Air pollution is everywhere."
Neira says one of the most important ways to reduce air pollution is to produce cleaner fuels for cooking and heating.
"Almost half of the world population is using dirty fuels for cooking, heating, and lighting at home. And, this is affecting very much mothers who are staying and cooking at home, but the children who are around mothers—they are exposed as well.”
She says early exposure to harmful pollutants can lead to increased risk of chronic respiratory disease, asthma, heart disease, stroke and cancer later in life.
Cleaning up how the world cooks, heats and lights homes and other buildings is a big-picture goal. The WHO is advising government departments and industries such as construction and the health sector to work together to clean up their environment.
But what about the here and now? What can individuals do to limit our family’s exposure to air pollution?
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has the following suggestions:
Avoid walking where there is a high volume of vehicle traffic.
Equip homes with air filters and air conditioning units.
Limit your time outside if you live in an area that issues warnings about air quality.
Wear high-grade, rated face masks tightly to the face when air quality is poor.
If you live or commute in a very polluted area, remove your clothes and wash immediately after entering your house.
Some of these suggestions, however, may not work for some people -- for example:
those living in areas troubled by high levels of pollution,
those who cannot stay home from work or school,
or those who do not have money for protective equipment.
Therefore, the WHO stresses that governments around the world need to take the lead on ensuring that children grow up in a clean environment.
And that’s the Health & Lifestyle report. I’m Anna Matteo.
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Words in This Story
vulnerable – adj. capable of being physically or emotionally wounded
access – n. a way of being able to use or get something
sanitation – n. the process of keeping places free from dirt, infection, disease, etc., by removing waste, trash and garbage, by cleaning streets, etc.
pernicious – adj. causing great harm or damage often in a way that is not easily seen or noticed
leveler – n. something that treats or affects all people the same way
here-and-now – n. the present time —used with the
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