發送電子郵件也會產生碳足跡麼？

You might not realise it, but sending even a short email has an impact on the environment.
你可能沒有意識到，即使是發送一封小小的郵件也會對環境產生影響。

Scientists estimate that an email adds about four grams (0.14 ounces) of carbon dioxide equivalent into the atmosphere.
科學家估計，發送一封郵件相當於向大氣中排放約4克的二氧化碳。

That means that hitting 'send' on 65 mails is equal to driving an average-sized car a 0.6 miles (1km).
這意味着，發送65封郵件所產生的二氧化碳相當於一輛普通大小的汽車行駛1公里產生的二氧化碳。

This is according to a McAfee study the 'Carbon Footprint of Spam', which also found each time you copy someone else, another six grams of CO2 is added.
據邁克菲（一款殺毒軟件）“垃圾郵件的碳足跡”研究發現，每次轉發郵件同樣也會增加6克的二氧化碳。

A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases produced to directly and indirectly support human activities, usually expressed in equivalent tons of carbon dioxide.
碳足跡是人類活動直接或間接地向大氣中排放溫室氣體的總量，通常也用同等數量的二氧化碳的噸數來表示。

The average person sends and receives 125 emails every day.
每人平均每天收發125封郵件。

When sending emails, greenhouse gases are produced in running the computer, server and routers, and when when the equipment was manufactured.
發送郵件時，電腦、服務器、路由器的運行會產生溫室氣體，同時製造這些設備時也會產生二氧化碳。

Receiving a spam message, even if you do not open it, has an environmental impact of 0.3 gCO2.
收到一條垃圾信息，即使你沒有打開，大氣中也會增加0.3克二氧化碳。

The global carbon footprint from spam annually is equivalent to the greenhouse gases pumped out by 3.1 million passenger cars using two billion gallons of gasoline in a year.
每年全球垃圾郵件的碳排放量相當於310萬輛客車每年消耗20億加侖的汽油所排出的二氧化碳。

Sending emails is just one activity on a long list of seemingly harmless everyday actions contribute to emissions of CO2.
發送郵件只是人類日常生活中看似無害卻會排放二氧化碳的衆多行爲中的一項。

For example, typing in a non-essential Google inquiry on an energy-efficient laptop leaves a footprint of 0.2 gCO2e. On an old desktop computer, it is 4.5 gCO2e.
例如，用節能筆記本在谷歌上搜索一般的問題會產生0.2克的二氧化碳，而用老式電腦則會產生4.5克二氧化碳。

Sending a text message isn't a less harmful method of communication either, as it comes at a cost of about 0.014 gCO2e.
發送短信同樣會對環境產生影響，因爲會產生約0.014克二氧化碳。

A trip to the grocery store also leaves behind a large print as well.
去一趟小賣部也會產生大量碳足跡。

Plastic grocery bags each have a carbon footprint of 10 gCO2e, but the paper ones are even worse at 40 gCO2e each.
製造小賣部的一個塑料袋會產生10克二氧化碳當量，而每個紙質袋子二氧化碳當量則高達40克。

Store-bought bottled water has nearly 1,150 times the emissions attached to it than a glass poured from the tap.
店裏買瓶裝水比用玻璃瓶從水龍頭接水產生的碳排放量高1150倍。

A one-pint size bottle is responsible for 160 gCO2e compared to 0.14 gCO2e for tap water.
1品脫的瓶裝水要消耗160克二氧化碳當量，而等量的自來水只會產生0.14克二氧化碳當量。

A large cappuccino comes with a footprint of 235 gCO2e, partly because of the emissions from raising the cow which produced the milk.
一杯大杯的卡布奇諾咖啡的碳排量爲235克。（因爲其中加入的奶來自養殖的奶牛，而養殖奶牛也會產生二氧化碳。）

For a cup of home-made black tea or coffee for which just enough water was boiled, the figure is 21 gCO2e.
自制一杯紅茶或者咖啡需要的開水，會產生21克的二氧化碳。

With the holiday season here, gift giving can contribute greatly to the release of CO2.
假日裏，送禮也會產生大量的二氧化碳。

Splurging on $100 of clothes each month will set you back 0.5 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year.
每月花費100美元（約638元人民幣）購買衣服，每年將產生0.5噸的二氧化碳。

Throw in a $1,000 furniture purchase once a year and you're up to almost a ton.
每年花費1000美元（約6380元人民幣）購買傢俱，所產生的二氧化碳多達一噸。

And of course, the bigger the TV, the bigger the cost in greenhouse-gas emissions.
毋庸置疑，電視屏幕越大，產生的溫室氣體就越多。

Watching two hours of tube on a 24-inch plasma screen pumps out 440 gCO2e, which is about the same as driving a car for 1.6 km.
24英寸等離子屏播放兩個小時所產生的二氧化碳達440克，相當於一輛汽車開1.6千米所產生的二氧化碳。

The footprint is 68 gCO2e and 176 gCO2e respectively for two hours watched on a 15- or a 32-inch LCD screen.
15英寸和32英寸的液晶顯示器播放兩個小時，所產生的二氧化碳分別爲68克和176克。

A mile of cycling fueled by a meal of bananas would be responsible for 65 gCO2e, compared to 260 gCO2e for a mile powered by cheeseburgers.
食用香蕉和食用芝士漢堡後騎行1英里所產生的二氧化碳當量分別是65克和260克。

Vocabulary

plasma: 等離子