Tag: Environment

Plants Fighting Pollution

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Over time, pollution has become a serious problem that we have grappled with. Addressing pollution can be expensive and risky. However, a process called phytoremediation, with the use of plants, can help clean up contaminated environments.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about phytoremediation.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2023/ep-230713

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “magic formula” mean? “Taken together, these make Eucharia’s approach a magic formula – a combination of actions that is likely to result in success.” Use this in a sentence.
  2. What does “broken promises” mean, “Local people’s mistrust of big oil companies comes from their broken promises – times when they said they would definitely do something but then failed to.“? Use this word in a sentence.
  3. Define the phrase “bring something back to life“. “The award recognised the personal risks Eucharia takes in her efforts to bring the land back to life.“ Give a synonym and make a sentence with this phrase.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion on phytoremediation?
  2. Are there any examples of pollution in your community or country? How could phytoremediation help address these issues?
  3. What do you think about scientific research and innovation in finding sustainable solutions for environmental challenges?
  4. Have you participated in any initiatives to clean up pollution or restore natural habitats?
  5. What actions do you take to reduce pollution and promote a healthier environment in your daily life?

Slow Fashion

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Slow fashion is a movement that advocates for environmental and social justice in the fashion industry. Will you accept the challenge of buying fewer things and follow a more sustainable lifestyle?

Read the article to know how can slow fashion solve the problem of overproduction and overconsumption.

What Is Slow Fashion and How Can You Join the Movement?

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does the idiom “be hell-bent on something” mean? “It’s not hell-bent on constant growth or accumulating more.” Use it in a sentence.
  2. What does the word “splurge” mean? “Splurging on new clothes and trends was something that only aristocrats indulged in; so regular folk without a royal budget invested in fabrics that were made to last.” Use it in a sentence.
  3. What is the meaning of “innocuous”?  “It was only after disasters like the 2013 Rana Plaza garment factory collapse or the 2011 “killer jeans” silicosis expose that the public started to pay attention to the silent workers suffering from the deadly practices of an industry that makes seemingly innocuous items.” Use it in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. According to the article, how can you make the shift to slow fashion?
  2.  Do you spend a lot of time choosing what to wear? Talk about our shopping habits.
  3. What can people do to minimize the negative effect of their shopping habits?
  4. How do you think people’s shopping habits will change in  30 years?

Dirty UK Waters

B1 – Intermediate

In order to stop sewage pollution, several organizations such as Surfers Against Sewage continue to work to ensure the continuous improvement in the water quality in the UK.

However, water companies and big firms are not doing their part to keep the water in the UK clean. As a result, protests against sewage pollution have been held in different parts of the UK.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about protests to end sewage pollution in the UK.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/dirty-uk-waters-level-2/

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. Explain the definition of the word “sewage”. “Sewage pollution has a bad impact on rivers, seas, and people, too.”. Use this word in a sentence.
  2. What does “discharge” mean? “The goal is to stop sewage discharge into bathing waters and reduce sewage discharges by 90% by 2030.” Give 1-2 synonym/s of ‘discharge’ and use the word in your own sentence.
  3. What does “to put money into something” mean? “The problem is that companies don’t want to put money into modern technologies, and also, the current water quality testing system is not good enough.” Use this phrase in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion on this: “The problem is that companies don’t want to put money into modern technologies…”?
  2. What are some effects of sewage pollution?
  3. How can we prevent sewage pollution?
  4. Is sewage pollution also a problem in your country? Talk about it.
  5. Talk about anything you know about sewage management.

Carbon Offsetting Can Help the Planet

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Carbon offsetting is a practice that has gained increasing attention in recent years as a means of addressing the issue of climate change. At its core, carbon offsetting involves investing in projects or initiatives that help to reduce or remove carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere in order to compensate for emissions that cannot be avoided.

The idea behind carbon offsetting is that by investing in projects that reduce carbon emissions, individuals and organizations can offset their own carbon footprints and take responsibility for their impact on the environment.

While the practice of carbon offsetting is not without its controversies and complexities, it is increasingly being seen as a necessary tool for combating climate change and achieving a more sustainable future.

Watch the video to know more about how carbon offsetting can help the planet and be able to answer the questions below.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does the idiom “buy one’s way out of (something) ” mean? Ex. Can you really buy your way out of responsibility for creating greenhouse gas emissions which harm the planet? Use it in your own sentence.
  2. What does the word “carbon offsetting” mean? Ex. Carbon offsetting can play some role in mitigating the immediate impact on the environment. Make a sentence using the word.
  3. What does “net zero” mean? Ex. The global aim is to reach net zero no later than 2050. Use this term in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is carbon offsetting and how does it work in the context of corporate sustainability?
  2. Why do companies choose to engage in carbon offsetting, and what benefits can they expect to achieve?
  3. What challenges or criticisms have been raised regarding the effectiveness or legitimacy of carbon offsetting programs in the business world?
  4. How can companies use carbon offsetting as part of a broader sustainability strategy, and what other practices or initiatives should they consider alongside it?

Greenwashing: Companies Not as Sustainable as They Claim

B2 – Upper Intermediate

In recent years, the issue of environmental sustainability has become increasingly important to consumers. As a result, many companies are eager to showcase their eco-friendliness through marketing campaigns and product labeling. However, not all of these claims are genuine as some companies engage in “greenwashing,” which involves exaggerating or misleading consumers about their environmental efforts.

Watch the video to explore the concept of greenwashing.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does the word “transparent” mean? “Critics said that carbon offset goals are weak and companies aren’t transparent with consumers about how they’ll achieve them.” Use the word in a sentence.
  2. What is “carbon footprint“? “Investors want to invest in companies that have lower carbon footprint.” Make one sentence using this concept.
  3. What does the phrase “to fall short of” mean? “Companies can fall short of their eco-friendly promises.” Use the expression in one sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think about “greenwashing”? Why do some companies engage in it?
  2. Does your company highlight and promote eco-friendly campaigns and product labeling ? If so, what do you think about it?
  3. As a consumer, how important is sustainability when choosing a product?
  4. What are the potential consequences of “greenwashing” for both consumers and the environment?

New York’s Water System Is Complex

B2 – Upper Intermediate

While nature provides water, many of us depend on a sophisticated system of pipelines, pumps, and other equipment. An industrialized society depends on the services that a water supply system offers, including the delivery of water from sources to users. The economic health, security, and social cohesion of the communities are all closely related to water supply systems.

Watch the video about and uncover the secrets of New York’s complex water system.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “sizeable” mean in this sentence? “The water shortage is mostly due to lack of sizeable supply of fresh water.” Give 2 synonyms of the word.
  2. What does the term“tidal estuary” mean? “The East River is a tidal estuary.”. Make your own sentence using the term.
  3. In the sentence, “Two of the world’s longest and largest aqueducts were built to accomplish this.”, what does “aqueducts” mean?

Discussion Questions:

  1. Is the water supply abundant in your country?
  2. Where does your city get its water from?
  3. Are there laws regulating the usage of water in your country?
  4. Do you worry about the future availability of water?
  5. What do you think will happen if the water supply in your country or city gets cut off?

The Willow Project

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The oil drilling in the Arctic has brought so much talk these days, as many disagree because of its potentially catastrophic effect on the environment.

How this initiative will impact the struggling environment in particular is a topic of considerable discussion.

To discover more about the subject, please read the article below.

https://carnegieendowment.org/2023/03/16/willow-project-and-race-to-pump-last-barrel-of-oil-pub-89298

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “to give (sth/sb) the green light” mean? “Even as the Bureau of Land Management gave Willow the green light, the Department of the Interior said it would restrict future drilling in other parts of Alaska.” Make your own sentence using this idiom.
  2. Do you know the meaning of “outlier“? “Biden’s failure to restrict the development of domestic fossil fuel resources does not make the United States an outlier.” Please make a sentence using this word.”
  3. How about “to be choked off“? “Some Chinese industrialists want to export electric cars and ensure their country’s supply of foreign oil can’t be choked off, and Texas executives know that they can get rich by building wind turbines.” Kindly make your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think about this drilling project in Alaska?
  2. Why do you think there are so many people opposed to this project?
  3. What effects might this project have on the environment?
  4. Do you believe it will irreparably destroy our fragile planet? Share your opinion on this.
  5. Share your thoughts on this: “Willow is only one project. But if you add up all the individual projects, you get the “existential threat” that is our climate crisis.“

A Sinking City

B2 – Upper Intermediate

As global warming becomes worse year by year, the Indonesian capital Jakarta is on the verge of sinking. The city has sunk by a few meters in the past decade.

Read the article to learn more about why this city is sinking.

https://www.english-online.at/news-articles/world/asia/jakarta-a-sinking-city.htm

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “torrential” mean, “Torrential rainfall in the monsoon season causes flooding on a regular basis.”? Give 2 synonyms and make your own sentences.
  2. What does “densely” mean, “Jakarta is one of the most densely populated cities in the world – home to about 10 million people.”? Use this word in your own sentence.
  3. What does “draw something out” mean, “Many people draw water out of the ground for drinking and other purposes.”? Make a sentence with this phrase in this context.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your reaction to this news?
  2. According to the article, why is Jakarta sinking?
  3. In what ways can people contribute to slowing down the sinking of this city?
  4. Do you think it’s possible to stop global warming? Why or why not?
  5. What other cities do you know are in danger of sinking?
  6. Do you think your city will also be in danger of sinking? Why or why not?

Tobacco Companies Pay for Discarded Cigarettes Ends Clean-up

B2 – Upper Intermediate

It is a real eyesore seeing cigarette butts scattered everywhere. Not only is it an unpleasant sight, but is also toxic. Cigarette butts release toxic chemicals such as arsenic and lead.

The Spanish government’s recent ruling states that tobacco companies will shoulder the clean up costs of cigarette butts.

Read the article and find out more details about this new environmental regulation in Spain.

https://www.euronews.com/green/2023/01/04/tobacco-companies-must-pay-for-clean-up-of-discarded-cigarettes-in-spain

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. Define the verb “toss“. Give two synonyms and use each in a sentence. “Millions of cigarette ends are tossed onto Spain’s streets and beaches by smokers each year.”
  2. What does the phrase “foot the bill” mean? “Spain’s new environmental regulations have ruled that tobacco companies will have to foot the bills for removing discarded cigarettes from the country’s streets.” Use this idiom in your own sentence.
  3. What does “come into force” mean? The measure comes into force this Friday. Give one synonym and use this expression in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion on tobacco companies being held responsible for discarded cigarette butts?
  2. Do you agree with the likely consequences of this regulation to tobacco consumers mentioned in the article? Why or why not?
  3. What might be some effects of this ruling on tobacco companies?
  4. What are the harmful effects of these discarded cigarette butts?

Noise

B1 – Intermediate

Noise is defined as an unwanted and unpleasant sound that causes annoyance to people. A particular sound may be music to someone, but a noise to another.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about noise.

https://listenaminute.com/n/noise.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “noise pollution” mean? “It’s strange to think that in the past few decades, people have been talking about noise pollution.” Explain and give examples of it.
  2. What does “get to someone” mean here, “I live in the city, so noise is everywhere. Sometimes it gets to me.“? Use this idiom in a sentence.
  3. What does the word “surrounding” mean, “It’s stuff that makes our surroundings unpleasant.” Use it in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think of noise pollution?
  2. Do you ever think that some music is just noise? Why?
  3. Is there a noise that you really can’t stand? What is it and what happens when you hear it?
  4. What do you do when people are very noisy near you?
  5. What effects can too much noise have on people and the environment? Explain.