義大利山區小鎮疫情慘 民眾深信自然療癒

For the family of organic farmers nestled on the side of a snow-blanketed mountain in Italy’s northern province of Bolzano, the coronavirus was no match for the immunizing effects of the crisp alpine air, the invigoration of a good hike and the healing powers of the forest’s mosses, herbs and vegetables.

對於住在義大利北部波扎諾省白雪覆蓋山坡上的有機農民家庭來說，新冠病毒無法跟高山清新空氣的免疫效果、良好健行帶來的活力，以及森林中的的苔蘚、藥草與蔬菜的治癒能力相提並論。

“If someone coughs, we do onion compresses, a body cream of thyme and myrtle, and drink a lot of tea,” said Sabine Durnwalder, 37, an unvaccinated resident of the farm in the scenic valleys near the border with highly infected Austria. “I know how to protect myself.”

37歲的莎賓．登瓦爾德說：「如果有人咳嗽，我們會做洋蔥敷布，用百里香和桃金孃做身體乳霜，還會喝很多茶。我知道如何保護自己。」這名未接種新冠疫苗者住在與疫情嚴重的奧地利接壤、風景優美山谷中的一處農場。

Bolzano has traditionally had the healthiest, fittest and most active population in Italy. Now, it is also the area with the highest rate of coronavirus infection. A traditional preference for natural remedies has extended to a widespread rejection of vaccines, making it Italy’s least vaccinated region.

波扎諾人傳統上是義大利最健康、身材最好且最有活力的。現在，它也是新冠病毒感染率最高的地區。對自然療法的傳統偏好已擴大至對疫苗的廣為排斥，使其成為義大利疫苗接種率最低地區。

Though officials have raised concerns regarding conspiracy theories and disinformation about vaccines spread by right-wing populists, experts here say the nature-loving and science-doubting health enthusiasts are at the heart of a vaccine skepticism.

儘管官員們憂心右翼民粹主義者傳播的陰謀論及關於疫苗的假訊息，但這裡的專家說，熱愛自然和懷疑科學的健康愛好者是疫苗懷疑論的核心。

“The main reason is their trust in nature,” said Patrick Franzoni, a doctor who spearheads the province’s vaccination campaign. “They don’t understand that it is no help against COVID.”

該省疫苗接種運動先鋒派翠克．弗蘭佐尼醫師表示：「主要原因是他們對自然的信任，但他們不知道這對於抗擊新冠肺炎疾病毫無幫助。」

With about 70% of the province fully vaccinated, Bolzano has the highest number of coronavirus cases per 100,000 people in Italy, and the highest share of intensive care unit beds occupied by coronavirus patients. All of the patients in intensive care were unvaccinated, Franzoni said.

弗蘭佐尼表示，完整接種率約70%的波扎諾是義大利每10萬人中新冠病例最多的地方，新冠患者占據加護病房病床比例最高。加護病房內所有病患均未接種疫苗。

He said many patients arrive at the hospital with advanced cases of the virus, increasing the likelihood that they will succumb.

他說，許多患者帶著晚期病毒病例來到醫院，增加了死亡的風險。

Doctors in the area have long complained that they are often late at diagnosing serious illnesses because the local population — which consumes the least amount of pharmaceutical medications in the country and has the lowest rate of tetanus, flu and hepatitis B vaccinations — often wait weeks before calling an ambulance.

該地區的醫師長期抱怨說，他們診斷出嚴重疾病時往往已經太遲了，因為當地居民時常等上幾個星期才叫救護車。該地區是全國藥品消耗量最少的地區，破傷風、流感和B型肝炎疫苗接種率也最低。

Durnwalder, the vaccine skeptic at the organic farm, argued that her main contact with the outside world is with people who rent out apartments at the farm, she said. Then, she said, she wears a mask and keeps her distance.

有機農場的疫苗懷疑論者登瓦爾德表示，她跟外界的主要接觸是在農場內租公寓的人；她都有戴口罩並保持距離。

“If you trust yourself and nature,” said her husband, Markus Burgmann, 39, throwing a snowball for the couple’s dog to fetch, “you should not be afraid.”

她39歲的丈夫馬庫斯．柏格曼在扔雪球給夫婦倆養的狗叼回時說：「如果你相信自己和自然，就不應該害怕。」

化災難為新創點子 把二氧化碳變成「空氣香水」

Carbon emissions — the villainous byproduct of so many industries — are the greenhouse gas most responsible for climate change. The emissions play a key role in our extreme weather patterns and in many of the general environmental catastrophes that are becoming more and more frequent.

碳排放—這麼多產業的邪惡副產品—是最該為氣候變遷負責的溫室氣體。在我們的極端天氣模式和許多日益頻繁發生的重大環境災難中，碳排放扮演關鍵角色。

While capping carbon dioxide from being freely dumped into the atmosphere is turning into a very long deliberation among our world leaders, capturing and repurposing it is another option. And that alternative has proved promising by Air Co., a 4-year-old startup that uses carbon dioxide in all of the products it creates. Its latest creation is a perfume — Air Eau de Parfum — and the first fragrance made largely from air.

限制二氧化碳無限量排放到大氣中，正讓世界領袖陷入長考，捕捉並重新利用碳是另一選項。成立四年、把二氧化碳用在自家公司所有製品上的新創事業「空氣公司」證明，這種選項有前景。空氣公司的最新產品是香水「空氣香水」，這是第一款主要用空氣製成的香水。

Perfume involves an alcohol base, which when combined with a bit of water and a measured ratio of fragrance oil becomes the juice that you spray onto your pulse points so that you radiate whatever aroma you desire. Ethyl alcohol (or ethanol) is most widely used because it’s inexpensive, smells neutral and evaporates quickly, so it serves as an efficient delivery vehicle for the fragrance oil.

香水包含酒精基底，酒精與少許水和仔細調配比例的香精混合，就會成為你噴灑在能輕易感受脈搏處、讓你散發想要的香氣的液體。最廣為運用的酒精是乙醇，因為價錢不貴，氣味不引人注意，揮發又快，成了香精的有效載具。

What Air Co. is able to do is transform carbon dioxide into a very pure form of ethanol. And with the addition of water and fragrance oil, you get perfume made primarily from air.

空氣公司能辦到的是，將二氧化碳轉變為非常純粹形式的乙醇。再加上水和香精之後，就成了主要用空氣製成的香水。

“We believe that products are one of the best ways to educate people about a much bigger story‚ and that story is climate change,” Gregory Constantine, a founder and the chief executive of the company, wrote via email. “When you’re able to create tangible products, it’s easier for people to understand the power of technology and what we can do with our carbon conversion technology.”

空氣公司創辦人兼執行長康斯坦丁透過電郵寫道：「我們相信，產品是告訴人們大得多的故事最好方式之一，這個故事就是氣候變遷。當你能創造具體產品時，人們比較容易了解科技的力量和我們能用碳轉化科技來做什麼。」

That technology was developed by Stafford Sheehan, a founder and the chief technology officer of Air Co. After meeting in 2017, Sheehan and Constantine teamed up to repurpose the most abundant greenhouse gas (carbon dioxide) into products that are not harmful to the planet.

這種技術由空氣公司另一創辦人兼技術長希恩研發。希恩與康斯坦丁2017年會面後攜手合作，為數量最多的溫室氣體（二氧化碳）找到新用途，轉變成不傷害地球的產品。

Air Eau de Parfum is the company’s third consumer product. It began with spirits — a vodka in 2019 — and then a sanitizer spray in 2020, the year of sanitizing hands.

空氣香水是這家公司第三個消費者商品。先是從烈酒開始—2019年推出伏特加—繼而在手部消毒盛行的2020年推出抗菌噴霧。

The scent itself was formulated and blended by Joya Studio, a design studio in New York that specializes in custom perfumes.

香氛本身由何亞工作室調配混合，這是紐約一間設計工作室，專營客製化香水。