又中又英｜To float an idea

Many people and governments around the world believe it is their duty to protect the environment now that climate change has wreaked havoc in numerous countries. To wreak havoc means to cause great damage. One small and easy step to help protect the environment is through recycling and reducing garbage. But Hong Kong is unable to even do that. The failure to do something simple to help save our planet has made Hong Kong a joke locally and in places such as Singapore and Taiwan, which charge for waste collection and require recycling.

The government first floated the idea of charging for garbage disposal many years ago. To float an idea means to suggest a plan to see if people are interested. The Legislative Council finally approved a scheme in 2021 requiring the public to pay for garbage disposal. After several delays, the government said the scheme would start on the first of last month. It then again delayed the start date to August 1. Government officials are now looking for an out to postpone the scheme indefinitely. To look for an out means to find a way to avoid a problem.

Media reports said the unenthusiastic response to a trial run on using special garbage disposal bags may give the government an out for delaying the scheme indefinitely. The government is not entirely to blame for making paid garbage disposal a joke. Some influential politicians said Hong Kong is not ready for it. One even criticized the plan as Mission Impossible. Protecting the environment is not impossible if we care about the health of our planet.

现在全球气候变化肆虐（wreaked havoc）无数的国家，世界上许多人和各地政府都相信保护环境是自己的责任。To wreak havoc的意思是去造成严重的破坏。微小而简单的一步就是回收和减少垃圾。然而，香港却连这些也未能做到。做不到这么简单的事情去帮助拯救我们的地球，令到香港在本土和在新加坡和台湾等地变成笑话，后二者都已有垃圾弃置徵费，及要求社会进行回收。

政府在许多年前首次浮起就垃圾弃置徵费的想法（floated an idea）——to float an idea是指去提出、建议一个计划，看看人们是否感兴趣。立法会最终于二零二一年通过一个方案，要求公众就弃置垃圾按量自付。经过几次的延期，政府说计划会于上个月的一号实施。但实施日期又再度延至八月一日。政府官员现在都 looking for an out去无限期推迟计划实施日期——to look for an out的意思是想方法去回避一个问题。

有传媒报道指，公众对于试行使用特定垃圾袋的冷淡反应，给了政府一个退路（an out）可以无限期延迟实施计划。弃置垃圾收费变成一个笑话，并不完全是政府的错。一些有影响力的政客说，香港还未准备好去推行，其中一个甚至批评计划是不可能的任务。若我们真的关心我们这个地球的健康，保护环境并不是不可能的。

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Michael Chugani褚简宁
中译：七刻