◎魏國金
Clean and green Singapore is going even greener this Chinese New Year, recycling S$2 bills for red packets of money alongside the printing of new ones.
乾淨環保的新加坡今年中國新年將更環保，因其印新鈔同時，也循環再使用2元紙鈔，做為壓歲錢之用。
Giving out the little packets, or "lai see", with crisp new notes during the Lunar New Year is a long-standing tradition. Adults typically give them to children, older relatives and unmarried siblings to wish them good luck for the coming year.
在農曆新年期間，給出裝有新印鈔票的小袋，或稱「來喜」，是長久以來的傳統。大人通常將它們送給孩子、年長親戚以及未婚手足，希望他們來年好運。
As well as printing millions of brand new $2 notes as it has done in the past, the Monetary Authority of Singapore （MAS）, the wealthy Southeast Asian city-state’s central bank, said it will issue older notes that look as good as new and encourage the public to use them.
如同過去作法，今年也將印行數百萬張全新的2元紙鈔，但這個富有東南亞城市國家的央行「新加坡金融管理局（MAS）」表示，將發行看起來與新鈔一樣好的舊鈔，並鼓勵民眾使用。
"The accumulation of excess $2 polymer notes and their destruction before the end of their lifespan is a waste of precious resources and is not environmentally friendly," the MAS said.
「累積過多的2元塑料鈔票以及在其使用期限結束前銷毀，是浪費珍貴資源，而且不環保，」MAS表示。
Singapore only needs around 50 million $2 notes in circulation. Printing the excess notes just for the Lunar New Year consumes 10 tonnes of ink and uses enough electricity to power an entire apartment block for six months, it added.
新加坡只需約5000萬張2元紙鈔流通。僅為農曆新年印行超額的鈔票，將消耗10公噸的墨水，並使用足供整棟公寓大廈6個月電量的電力，該機構補充說。
Most of the notes find their way back into the banks soon after the New Year festivities anyway, as people put them in their savings.
反正在農曆新年歡慶過後不久，大部分的紙鈔又回到銀行，因為人們會將存款放在銀行。
新聞辭典
long-standing︰形容詞，長時間的、為時甚久的。例句︰Anti-nuclear power plant is my long-standing position.（反核電是我一貫的立場。）
accumulation︰名詞，堆積、累積、積聚。例句︰The accumulation of wealth is not the central focus of her life.（累積財富不是她人生的重心。）
excess︰名詞、形容詞，超過、過量。例句︰Excess at table is seldom healthful.（暴飲暴食總是無益於健康。）
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