SDGs — Sustainable Development Goals

①
　Hello, everyone.// Today,/our group will talk about microplastics.// As you know,/plastics are very useful.// However,/many of them end up in the ocean/as waste.// The waves then break these plastics/into particles/called “microplastics.”// Also,/microbeads used in health and beauty products/come into the ocean.//

②
　Next,/I’ll talk about/why microplastics are a problem.// The main reason is related/to the food chain.// Birds and fish eat microplastics/by mistake.// In one study,/microplastics were found/in 40% of fish/caught near Japan.// Scientists worry/that negative effects on human health/might show up someday.//

③
　Now,/I’ll talk about actions against microplastics.// Many actions are taken/at the governmental and non-governmental levels.// In the EU,/a law bans the use of plastics/for some disposable products.// In Japan,/major companies have already ended/the use of microbeads.//

④
　Let me conclude/with what we can do.// I recommend the 4Rs:/refuse, reduce, reuse, and recycle.// For example,/bring your own bag/when you go shopping.// Put plastics/in the recycle bin/when you throw them away.// Your small actions will lead/to a big change/someday.//

①
　Good afternoon, everyone.// Our group’s topic is “fast fashion.”// Nowadays,/many people buy cheap new clothes/and throw away their old ones/at a fast pace.// This trend is called fast fashion.// It may be attractive to consumers,/but there are also negative aspects.//

②
　Have you ever thought/about the reasons for the low prices/of fast fashion?// Let me give you an example.// In Bangladesh,/workers in jeans factories/are mostly women and children.// They work over 15 hours a day,/but their monthly salary/is only about 9,000 yen.// In this way,/fast fashion companies can keep the cost of production/to a minimum.//

③
　Do we have any solution/to this problem?// Actually,/some consumers have been raising their voices/against the situation.// Recently/some major companies began to produce clothes/in ethical ways.// They try to keep standard working hours/and pay proper wages/to factory workers.//

④
　Finally,/we’d like to conclude/by introducing something we can do.// Let’s be ethical consumers.// In other words,/when you buy clothes,/consider how they are made.// I strongly believe/that good clothes bring happiness/to both consumers and producers.// Thank you.//