Recycling

Recycling is the processing of used objects and materials so that they can be used again. About 60% of rubbish from homes and factories contain materials that could be recycled. Recycling can reduce our consumption of energy and raw materials. Glass, paper and aluminium cans (баллончики) can all be recycled very easily. Many towns in industrialized countries have special bins (мусорные ведра) for bottles and cans where people can leave their empty bottles and cans for recycling. A lot of paper bags, writing paper and greeting cards are now produced on recycled paper.

Alternative Energy

Most of the energy we use today comes from coal, oil and gas. But these will not last forever, and burning them leads to high concentration of pollutants in the atmosphere. We need to look for other ways of supplying energy.

Solar Power is a way of using the sun’s energy as heat or to make electricity. We can also use wind-power by building modern windmills that spin in the wind. There are several types of water-power: river water in mountainous areas can be used to generate hydroelectric power, and we can also create electricity from sea water flowing in and out with the tides. In order to reduce impact of Global warming we, consumers, can switch to energy-efficient bulbs (лампа).

Habitat in danger

Habitat degradation is currently the main anthropogenic cause of species extinctions. Habitat degradation can take the form of a physical destruction of niche ([nɪtʃ] ниша) habitats: the destruction of forests and replacement with open agricultural land in developing countries. Vital resources including water and food can also be limited The environment is becoming toxic that can kill off a species very rapidly. A number of organizations try to preserve species from extinction. Governments enact laws to avoid habitat destruction, agricultural over-harvesting, and pollution.

Vocabulary:

global warming - глобальне потепління

to be caused by the greenhouse effect – бути спричиненим тепличним ефектом

to cause cancer – спричинити рак

rainforests help - тропічні ліси допомагають

to absorb carbon dioxide – поглинати двоокис вуглецю

acid rains – кислотні дощі

burning fossil fuels – згораюче скам’яніле паливо

to produce pollutants – виробляти забрудники

nitrogen oxide[΄naitrәd3(ә)n] – оксид азоту

sulfur dioxide – двоокис сірки

hydrocarbons [haidrә(u)΄ka:bәn]- вуглеводень

to release large quantities – випускати великі кількості

to dissolve in water – розчинятися у воді

to cause animal extinction – спричиняти вимирання тварин

to be polluted by industrial waste – бути забрудненим промисловими відходами

chemical fertilizers and pesticides – хімічні добрива і пестициди

to reduce our consumption of energy and raw materials – зменшувати наше споживання енергії та сировинних матеріалів

to be produced on recycled paper – вироблятися з переробленого паперу

to look for other ways of supplying energy – шукати інші шляхи

постачання енергії

to generate hydroelectric power – виробляти гідроелектричну енергію

to spin in the wind – крутитися на вітрі

to switch to energy-efficient bulbs – засвічувати енергозберігаючі лампочки

habitat degradation - - деградація, занепад природного середовища

anthropogenic cause of species extinctions – антропогенна причина зникнення видів

Exercise 4. Answer the questions:

1. How much do we know now about environmental problems that face the world today?

2. What is acid rain?

3. What is the Greenhouse Effect?

4. What is deforestation and how does it affect the environment?

5. What alternative forms of energy do you know?

6. What is the Ozone Layer?

Самостійна робота: “Екологічний стиль життя.”