評論
打印
3. Indoor pollution
室內污染
So you think that by staying at home you are safe from all the terrible kinds of pollution present outdoors, such as in or near factories, roads, and garbage dumps?
你是否認為待在家里就可以擺脫戶外那些像是工廠、馬路及垃圾場附近種種可怕的污染？
Do you think that by staying in your office you are breathing cleaner, safer air than when you go outside for lunch or are on the way back home from work?
你是否以為待在辦公室內，你所呼吸的空氣就比你外出吃午餐或下班回家路上來得干凈、安全呢？
Think again.
再仔細想想吧。
Recent research done at the University of Texas has shown that staying indoors may actually be more harmful to one's health than being outdoors even in smoggy cities.
最近德州大學所做的研究顯示，即使是在煙霧彌漫的城市里，待在室內可能比待在戶外對個人健康的危害更大。
Apparently, we are safe neither at home nor in the business office.
顯而易見，我們在家里或辦公室內都不安全。
We use water in both places, but the above-mentioned research shows that chemicals added to our local water supply to kill harmful bacteria can have unwanted side effects.
我們在這兩個地方都會用水，但上面提到的研究指出，為殺死細菌而添加在我們地區用水中的化學藥劑會帶來不良的副作用。
These chemicals can cause potential harm through drinking and in seemingly harmless activities as cleaning one's house.
這些化學藥劑會經由飲用以及清掃屋子等看似無害的活動而引起潛在的危害。
These additives are released from water by daily actions like water running out of faucets, spraying from garden hoses, or splashing in dishwashers and washing machines.
經由水龍頭流出、從花園水管噴出或是在洗碗機和洗衣機內濺起水花等日常動作，這些添加物從水中被釋放出來。
As the water is agitated, these chemicals are released into the air and then breathed in.
當水被攪動時，就會將這些化學物質釋放到空氣中然后被人體吸入。
Once inside our bodies, they start to affect our health adversely.
一旦進入體內，這些化學物質便開始對我們的健康產生不利的影響。
Does this mean we should stop bathing?
這是不是說我們就應該停止洗澡呢？
No, say the scientists, but we should put all pollution into perspective.
科學家們說不必，但我們應該要洞察所有的污染。
Activities at home such as the burning of propane, coal, cooking oil, or even candles and incense release carbon monoxide and particulates such as soot which have been proven as harmful to health as working or living near high-density traffic.
居家活動如燃燒瓦斯、煤碳、食用油或甚至蠟燭和香，所產生的一氧化碳和像煙灰之類的微塵已被證實對健康的危害不下于在高密度交通流量區附近工作或居住所造成的危害。
New rugs, bedding, and even clothing give off that "new smell," which is a sure sign of chemicals.
新地毯、床罩甚至新衣服散發出來的那“新味道”無疑是化學物質的一種跡象。
In the office, newly applied paint, newly purchased telephones and other telecommunications equipment, and computers and their peripherals release polluting chemicals, too.
在辦公室里，新刷的油漆、新買的電話和其它通訊裝備、計算機及其外圍設備也釋放出污染性的化學物質。
As offices and homes often have inadequate ventilation, these chemicals can build up to become health nuisances.
由于辦公室和住家往往通風不良，這些化學物質會愈積愈多進而成為危害健康的物質。
Their toxic effects are only now being slowly recognized.
它們有害的影響如今才慢慢被注意到。
These facts suggest that, at a minimum, proper airing of newly purchased goods with an obvious chemical smell is a wise precaution.
就這些事實看來，對于新買而有明顯化學味道的東西，最少要有適當的空調是明智的預防措施。
Home and office windows should be opened during good weather to allow a flushing of stale air.
天氣好的時候，家里和辦公室的窗戶應該打開，讓污濁的空氣能流通出去，
Even one's car needs to be ventilated as well as the garage.
即使是車子和車庫也需要通風。
We need further research to understand better other potential health hazards, too.
我們還需要進一步的研究以便更加了解其它潛在的健康危險。
For example, the effect of overcrowding of schools (carbon dioxide build-up) , factory work environments (an endless list of potentially dangerous substances) , and even home heating and cooling (the furnace and air conditioner may be our enemies, not our friends) have only recently started to come to light.
例如，學校過于擁擠（形成二氧化碳累積）、工廠工作環境（數不完的潛在危險物質），甚至家庭的冷暖空調(暖爐和冷氣機可能是我們的敵人，而不是朋友)等所造成的影響直到最近才開始被發現。
Until we understand the effects of our new technological environment better, we can only hope that "there is no place like home."
直到我們更了解新科技環境所造成的影響之前，我們只能期盼“世上沒有一處像家一樣”（原意為“世上只有家好”）。
