如何减少超细纤维污染

如何减少超细纤维污染

The issue of plastic pollution in our environment has become a huge problem, and quickly. In the past few decades, our use of all types of plastics has skyrocketed — especially single-use disposables, which 40 percent of plastics are. And in that short time, plastics feel like they've become entrenched in our culture. I know know even though I try pretty hard, I still end up using a lot more than I want to. Even worse? Many of us are polluting with plastics despite our best intentions, just by washing our clothes.

塑料污染问题在我们的环境中已经成为一个巨大的问题，而且速度很快。在过去的几十年里，我们对各种塑料的使用突飞猛进——尤其是一次性塑料，占塑料总量的40%。在这么短的时间里，塑料似乎已经在我们的文化中根深蒂固了。我知道，尽管我很努力，但最终还是用了比我想要的多得多的东西。更糟糕的是，尽管我们的初衷是好的，但我们中的许多人仅仅通过洗衣服就已经在用塑料制造污染。

It's incredibly frustrating to think that the ve

Maybe you've heard about microplastic pollution. Every time we wash synthetic fabrics like polyester, which is just a yarn made from plastic, very small pieces break off and flow down the drain into our local waterways. No, water-treatment plants can't catch all the pieces. And the older the fabrics, the more fibers they shed in the wash, so those of us who keep our clothes for decades to save both money and resources, are actually the biggest offenders when it comes to microplastic shedding.

也许你听说过微塑料污染。每次我们洗合成纤维织物，比如涤纶，它是由塑料制成的纱线，非常小的碎片会脱落并流入我们当地的下水道。不，水处理工厂不可能捕捉到所有的碎片。而且面料越旧，它们在洗涤过程中脱落的纤维越多，所以我们这些为了省钱和节约资源而把衣服保存几十年的人，实际上是微塑料脱落的罪魁祸首。

No, it doesn't matter what kind of polyester, nylon, or combo-synthetic fabric you use, this microfiber shedding in the washing machine happens whether you buy a fleece or yoga pants made with virgin materials or made from recycled bottles.

不，不管你用的是哪种涤纶、尼龙还是合成纤维，不管你买的是羊毛还是瑜伽裤，还是用回收的瓶子，洗衣机里的超细纤维都会脱落。

But you can also tackle this issue personally by making some simple changes in what you buy and your laundry routine:

但是你也可以通过一些简单的改变来解决这个问题:

Wash your clothes less frequently: Plenty of us throw our clothes into the laundry even when they're not really dirty, to avoid putting them away. This is a waste of water resources (and energy, if they're dried in the dryer). But it also contributes to microfiber pollution every time you wash. So if you wash less, fewer fibers get loose. So wear that fleece a few more times before tossing it into the wash, or wear a cotton undershirt beneath your polyester tops or dresses, so you can simply wash the undershirt and not the whole dress or blouse each time you wear them.

减少洗衣服的频率:我们很多人为了避免衣服扔掉，即使它们不是很脏也会扔进洗衣房。这是浪费水资源(和能源，如果他们在烘干机中烘干)。但它也会造成你每次洗澡时的超细纤维污染。所以如果你洗得少，就会有更少的纤维脱落。所以在把羊毛扔进洗衣机之前多穿几次，或者在你的涤纶上衣或连衣裙下面穿一件棉质汗衫，这样你就可以简单地把汗衫洗一洗，而不是每次穿的所有衣服。

Wear only natural fibers: Choosing only 100 percent natural-fiber clothing like wool, alpaca, cashmere, cotton, linen and silk is one way to avoid sending microplastics into the environment, since when these materials are washed, the fibers they lose are biodegradable. I've actually gone this route over the last few years; I haven't actively thrown away good clothing, but when it's come time to replace a jacket, I have gotten a boiled-wool sweater instead. I find natural fibers to be much more comfortable against my skin and less stinky too, when it comes to workout wear, meaning I need to wash them less.

只穿天然纤维:选用羊毛、羊驼绒、羊绒、棉、麻、丝等100%天然纤维服装，是避免将微塑料送入环境的一种方法，因为当这些材料被洗涤时，它们失去的纤维是可生物降解的。过去几年我已经这样做了;我没有主动扔掉好衣服，但是当它到来的时候我换了件夹克，换了一件毛线毛衫.我发现天然纤维对我的皮肤更舒服，而且在锻炼时也不那么臭，当穿着它锻炼时，意味着我不需要洗太多次。

Use a fiber-collecting device in your washing machine: There are a few out there, like the Guppyfriend, which collects microfibers inside a bag. You can then scoop them out and toss them in the trash, where at least they won't work their way into the water supply. There's also the Cora Ball, which might be easier to use, since it collects whatever microfibers loosen in a whole load of wash. Besides, you might not know exactly what clothes are even made from if labels wear off over time.

在你的洗衣机里使用一个纤维收集装置:有一些在外面，像Guppyfriend，它收集袋子里的超细纤维。然后你可以把它们捞出来，扔进垃圾桶，至少它们不会进入供水系统。还有一种是Cora球，它可能更容易使用，因为它能收集在大量洗涤过程中松开的任何微纤维。此外，如果衣服上的标签随着时间的流逝而磨损，你甚至可能不知道衣服到底是用什么做的。

There's no simple solution to our plastics problem, whether we're talking microfibers or single-use plastics or the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Dealing with any of it will require time, money, ingenuity, individual behavior change and — toughest of all — getting large companies to change their business models. Because right now, the capitalist structure that we all live within requires constant growth for every company, and the faster the growth, the better. So, the more plastic we use, the more stuff we consume, the better for financial bottom lines — even if it's worse for our health and the health of the planet.

我们的塑料问题没有简单的解决办法，无论是微纤维还是一次性塑料还是大太平洋垃圾带。处理这些问题需要时间、金钱、创造力、个人行为的改变，最困难的是让大公司改变他们的商业模式。因为现在，我们所处的资本主义结构要求每个公司持续增长，增长越快越好。所以，我们使用的塑料越多，我们消费的东西就越多，对财务底线也越好--即使这对我们的健康和地球的健康都是不利的。