正誤問題を解く（中央大法学部より）【英文法】

For the past year, Karin Beese and her family have been on a low-carbon diet in an effort to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and to be prevented the worst effects of climate change. And it's changed their lives.

"We talk to them about it regularly, but at the same time we don't want to frighten them  think about all the impacts of climate change, that can bring up plenty of fears. So we try to discuss about this with them in a way that is easy for children to understand." That has involved starting with little things such as getting the children growing vegetables in the small plot next to their apartment.

Before, mother of three Karin Beese used to wondering about her family's personal contribution to climate change. When she heard about a project inviting 100 Berlin households to try and get their annual carbon dioxide emissions to 40 percent below the German average, she saw it as the perfect opportunity to take action.

Although they still use their car for some activities, they mainly cycle, and because they're vegetarians, this also helps to reduce their carbon emissions. Every morning, Henri Beese takes his younger daughter to the kindergarten by bicycle. He saves emissions where would be producedby a car ride.

But either how they got around, nor the food they ate was the biggest source of carbon

emissions for the Beese family. That has turned out to be consumption.

On that issue, the adults and children sometimes had to agree to disagree. When the kids, who are aged nine, five and three, would ask their parents buying things for them, Beese and her husband tried to explain why it wasn't a good idea.

"The kids grow and need some new clothes, or they want to go to music school or take a dance class. All the money that goes toward this counts as consumption," she said,"That's what you start asking the big question – what can you offer your kids in their life and what are you willing to reduce?"

"Whenever we do something, buy something or go somewhere, we ask ourselves: Is this really necessary? Do we really need to make this trip? Wouldn't it be better to just spent some time with our neighbors, and not make the journey?"

A baseline measurement showed Beese's family was producing around 6.5 tons of carbon dioxide per person, per year. The family decided to set themselves an annual target of just four tons each. To keep track of their progress, they kept an online log of things like food, electricity, heating and transportation, which Beese says, highlights just how every little decisions can influence the final tally.

 But it hasn't all been easy. Ultimately, the family have completed the project. Although they have reached their original goal of four tons of CO2 per person, they have managed to decrease their carbon footprint from 6.5 tons to five.