But here’s a trend going in the other direction as a result of technology: Paper and paperboard declined from 87.7 million tons in 2000 to 67.4 million tons in 2018, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

但由于技术的发展，另外一种趋势也随之出现：根据美国环境保护署的数据，垃圾中纸和纸板的数量从2000年的8770万吨下降到了2018年的6740万吨。

《本期内容》

The European Union’s landmark decision last week to approve insects for human consumption was a victory for grubs and maggots — and people — the world over. The approval confers a kind of dignity to the lowly, protein-rich microbeasts that we foolishly dismiss as pests, and delivers a clear signal that the insect proteins industry is poised for significant growth. Above all, it paves the way for an alternative protein source that should play a critical role in feeding a hotter, more populous world.

Before this triggers your gag reflex, let’s be clear: For most consumers, the EU decision won’t translate to bugs in your burgers and mealworms in your macaroni. Yes, insects will play a far more integral role in human food systems going forward, but they won’t likely be a direct form of protein. Instead, they’re becoming an increasingly valuable indirect food source — a feedstock for poultry, farmed fish, pork and beef which are currently fattened on environmentally costly soy and corn feeds.

In 2020, global investments in insect protein nearly doubled to about $475 million and analysts expect the market to exceed $4.1 billion in the next five years. A recent Rabobank report predicts that the 10,000 metric tons of insects currently farmed per year will soar to 500,000 metric tons annually by 2030.

The animal feed industry, meanwhile, is vastly bigger — expected to reach $460 billion by 2026, up from $345 billion in 2020. This sector relies heavily on water and carbon-intensive farming of grains at a time when the cost of agrochemical inputs are climbing and freshwater resources are becoming increasingly unreliable. Globally, animal farms consume more than a third of the world’s total grain production. In the U.S. the share is closer to half. Insect-based animal feeds could be this industry’s best shot at building climate resilience, while also helping to manage a food waste crisis.

The environmental benefits of insect proteins both for human and animal consumption are astounding. Black soldier fly larvae, in particular, hold promise: Known in the industry by the acronym BSFL, these infant bugs serve as high-quality chicken and fish feed and require 1,000 times less land per unit of protein produced compared to soy production, between 50 and 100 times less water, and zero agrochemical inputs.

本文节选自：The Washington Post（华盛顿邮报）

发布时间：2021.12.17

作者：Amanda Little

原文标题：Why Bugs Must Be a Bigger Part of the Human Food Chain

         1.grub

• 英 /ɡrʌb/ 美 /ɡrʌb/

• n.（昆虫的）蛆，幼虫；小毛虫；食物

  v.翻掘，搜寻；刨地；（从土中）挖出；掘除（地上的）残根及树桩；笨拙地搜寻；苦干；

  2.maggot

• 英 /,ˈmæɡət/ 美 /,ˈmæɡət/

• n.[无脊椎] 蛆；空想，狂想

  3.poise

• 英 /pɔɪz/ 美 /pɔɪz/

• n. 沉着，镇定; (优雅的)体态，姿态; <古>平衡; (物理)泊

  v. (使)平衡，(使)悬浮; 准备做……(be poised)   

  4.gag

• 英 /ɡæɡ/ 美 /ɡæɡ/
  

• n.塞口物；讨论终结，箝制言论；（专业喜剧演员的）噱头，笑话；（牙科的）张口器
  

  v.塞住……的口；钳制……的言论；使窒息，使作呕；讲笑话

   5.macaroni

• 英 /ˌmækəˈrəʊnɪ/ 美 /ˌmækəˈrəʊnɪ/

• n.通心粉；通心面条；纨绔子弟

 1.fly larvae 蝇幼虫；蝇蛆

Above all, it paves the way for an alternative protein source that should play a critical role in feeding a hotter, more populous world.

结构: Above all, it paves the way for … that should play a critical role in ….

尤其，它为…铺平了道路，在…方面发挥了重要作用

例句: Above all, it paves the way for the data storage that should play a critical role in scientific research.

翻译文章中的划线句，并长按文末小程序码回复打卡，下期推送会公布参考翻译答案，大家一起来学习英语吧~

翻译 | 大橙子

校对 | 初夏的雨

词汇词组 | 西西弗

划线句讲解 | 流木

写作句总结 | 沅沅