UN Goes 'Green' on Trial Basis
联合国大楼八月室温将调高以减排

　The United Nations is going green. The secretary-general has announced a new initiative to help lower the U.N.'s greenhouse gas emissions and reduce pollution. Thermostats will rise during the month of August.

联合国总部将实行绿色环保。联合国秘书长宣布了一项新的倡议，以协助降低联合国的温室气体排放量和减少污染。联合国大厦在八月份的室温将会调高。

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has made curbing the effects of global climate change one of his top priorities. Now, he says, the world body must lead by example.

联合国秘书长潘基文把遏制全球气候变化作为他现在最优先考虑的事项之一。 他说，这个世界机构必须以身作则。

Starting Friday, the U.N. will raise thermostats by three degrees Celsius to 25 degrees in most parts of the huge headquarters complex. Conference rooms will be slightly cooler.

从周五开始，联合国巨大的总部大楼内大部分办公室的温度将调高3摄氏度，到25摄氏度，会议厅的温度将稍低。

The U.N. is currently undergoing a multi-year renovation of its 39 floors. Michael Adlerstein is the executive director of that project. He says the new climate change initiative, known as Cool UN!, will both help the environment and save money.

联合国目前正在为其39层大楼进行为期数年的翻修。迈克尔．阿德勒施泰因是这一项目的执行主任 。他说，被称为“清凉联合国”的新的气候变化倡议，将有利于环境并将节约资金。

"The Cool UN! campaign will reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, save energy and even save some expenses here at headquarters," he said. "It is a practical action that will also raise the awareness of staff and of the U.N. missions in New York of climate change and our need to take action."

“清凉联合国运动将减低我们的温室气体排放量，节约能源，甚至节省联合国总部的一些费用。这是一个切合实际的行动，能提高工作人员和在纽约的联合国使团在 气候变化和我们需要采取行动方面的认识。”

During the August trial period, Adlerstein says he expects the U.N. will save about $100,000 on its air conditioning bill. The benefits will also include cutting large amounts of carbon dioxide that would have been released into the atmosphere.

阿德勒施泰因说，在8月份的试验期内，他预计联合国将可在空调费方面节约10万美元。其他方面的好处还包括减少大量的被排放到大气中的二氧化碳。

August temperatures in New York City average around 28 degrees - cooling the enthusiasm of some U.N. staffers to the project. Edna says she thinks it is important to save energy, but says it is already too hot in some offices.

纽约市八月的平均气温约28度，这使得一些联合国工作人员对这个项目缺乏热情。埃德娜说，她认为节省能源很重要，但是她说，很多办公室的温度太高了。

"I think it's worth it to help the environment," she said. "But also, there are a lot of things you can do to help the environment - shades on the windows, be more careful turning off the computers, things like that to save energy. But we cannot concentrate with the heat inside the offices."

她说：“我认为帮助环境是值得的，但是同时你也可以做很多事情来帮助环境，例如给窗户加窗帘，不用电脑的时候小心地关掉电脑，这类事情都能够节省能源，不能只着眼于办公室的温度。”

If the initiative is successful during August, the program will continue year round, with thermostats being lowered about three degrees throughout the complex during winter.

如果这项计划在八月期间能够成功，那么该计划将在全年实行，整个冬季联合国大厦的温度降低三度。

Adlerstein says over the course of a year, the initiative could save $1 million on energy costs in addition to cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

阿德勒施泰因说，这项计划一年期间可节省1百万美元的能源费用，除此之外，还能减少温室气体的排放。

The United Nations is encouraging employees to relax their dress code to cope with rising thermostats. Even the secretary-general has said he will be wearing lighter clothes this summer.

联合国鼓励雇员放宽着装的标准，以应付比较高的温度。甚至联合国秘书长也说，他今年夏天将穿比较凉快的服装。