Industrial emissions are responsible for producing most greenhouse gases and particulate
emissions that are harmful to our health and our planet. The business world has an increasing demand for innovative solutions to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions in order to ensure human’s continued ability to live and thrive. A growing number of
companies are dedicated to the research and development of carbon-capturing and carbon-recycling
technology, which has already been adopted by airlines, home care companies, fragrance companies
and now textile production.
A biotech startup company has partnered with a sportswear brand to create the world’s first yarn
and fabric made from waste gas captured from industrial emissions. Waste gas emitted from a steel
mill is captured and reused to produce ethanol, which is later converted to polyester. The carbonrecycling technology is similar to that of a brewery; but instead of using sugars and yeast to make
beer, industrial emissions are converted by bacteria to fuels and chemicals.
The company’s goal is to help more businesses become “Carbon Smart” to achieve their climate
change goals around carbon reduction, by radically change how they source, utilize and dispose of
carbon.
By capturing and upcycling industrial carbon emissions to make yarn, the finished garments not
only have a lower carbon footprint, but also ensure lower levels of community pollution.
Recycling carbon emissions is key to the circular economy, which will keep fossil carbon in the
ground ─ reducing the use of fossil fuels and pollution when used to make value-added products
such as polyester. In other words, the technology promotes circularity by keeping carbon in the
material cycle.
This kind of waste-gas-based polyester not only has the same appearance but also the same
properties and functionality of virgin polyester. Moreover, once the waste-gas-based textiles reach
the end of their useful life, they can be gasified and fermented without taxing the environment.
【題組】47. What does the phrase “taxing the environment” in the final paragraph mean?
(A) Causing burden to the environment.
(B) Charging extra fees.
(C) Making adaptations to the environment.
(D) Increasing tax revenues.
(E) Reducing industrial exhaust.