Tag: Environment

Birds Clean Streets

B1 – Intermediate

Sweden has a problem with litter. Smokers produce a huge amount of litter per year. The government has a plan to help solve this problem and to lessen the costs of cleaning the streets.

Swedish officials have decided to work with crows, partnered with a machine, to throw away these cigarette butts. They believe that they are easy to teach because they are smart.

Listen to the audio and read the transcript below to learn more about how these clever birds help with Sweden’s litter problem.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/birds-clean-streets-level-2/

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are some government mandates for smokers in your city?
  2. How is the general trash situation in your city/neighborhood?
  3. What are other birds/animals that can be used for a similar purpose?
  4. Does your government also have inventions or initiatives that help clean the city? What are they?
  5. What are some other special or unusual abilities that animals are capable of doing to help humans? Can some abilities be taught?

Big Insect Problem

B1 – Intermediate

Insects are very important part of the ecosystem. However, a new study reveals their number is dramatically decreasing. 

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about the problem with insects extinction and its effects on us.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/big-insect-problem-level-1/

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why are insects important?
  2. What is your reaction to this news about insects becoming extinct?
  3. How will this affect us/our planet?
  4. How interested are you in insects? Share interesting facts you know about them.
  5. Imagine the planet without insects. How would that be like?

Tonga Cleans Up After Tsunami and Volcanic Eruption

B1 – Intermediate

Tonga is known as the “Friendly Island” because of the welcoming attitude and hospitality locals show their tourists. Most of the islands are classified as high islands because they have been raised above sea level by repeated volcanic activity. Other islands were formed by more explosive volcanoes.

Let’s read the article below to know more about Tonga’s efforts in cleaning up after the undersea volcano eruption.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2201/220120-tonga-tsunami-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. How long do you think it will take Tonga to recover?
  2. What can you do to help the people of Tonga?
  3. What would life be like with no Internet in a country?
  4. Have you ever experienced a natural disaster? How would you cope if a natural disaster hit your town?
  5. Talk about helping in cleaning up a city or a place after a disaster.

Recycling and Reusing COVID Tests and Masks

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The use of face masks is the most important weapon that we have against the COVID-19 virus. Even before the pandemic, wearing of face masks was already customary in some parts of Asia such as China, Japan, and Korea. People wear it to protect themselves from illness, allergies, pollution, and more.

While beneficial, it generates millions tons of plastic wastes and it is causing a lot of environmental problems. So people came up with some recycling initiatives to reduce COVID plastic wastes.

Let’s read the article below to find out more about these recycling initiatives.

https://www.euronews.com/green/2022/01/28/can-covid-tests-and-masks-be-recycled-and-reused-these-people-have-found-a-way

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion on COVID tests and masks being recycled and reused? Do you think it is safe to do this?
  2. How do you safely dispose your used masks and test kits?
  3. Do you agree that “hygiene theatre” should be stopped? Is it really effective in providing additional protection against the spread of Covid-19?
  4. Are there recycling points in your city/country? If not, do you think you should have one?
  5. What are other ways to manage all our pandemic wastes?

Extreme Weather

B1 – Intermediate

There is nothing we can do to prevent natural calamities from occurring. In 2021, we have seen many unusual natural disasters that happened in new places. This must be a sign that our weather is becoming more and more extreme.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about extreme weather in 2021.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/extreme-weather-in-2021-level-1/

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are some examples of extreme weather you have experienced in your country last year?
  2. What do you think of this/these occurrence/s?
  3. Why do you think this is happening?
  4. Is there anything we can do about extreme weather? Explain.
  5. How prepared is your country for natural calamities? Elaborate.

Bezos Promises to Help Nature

B1 – Intermediate

During a trip in space, Jeff Bezos was able to see our planet and he saw how delicate it is and he felt the need to protect it. So he has decided to give $2 billion dollars to help earth.

Read the lesson on Jeff Bezos giving $2 billion to help protect our planet.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2111/211104-helping-nature-0.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think of Jeff Bezos’ act of giving a huge amount of money to help earth?
  2. If you were very rich, would you do the same? Explain.
  3. Do you think going into space would change you? Why or why not?
  4. What can you promise to help protect our planet?
  5. What are the biggest environmental issues you have in your country?

City Without Electricity

B1 – Intermediate

Electricity is a vital part of modern life. Almost everything is powered by electricity. We use it in our day-to-day life such as operating appliances, lighting, heating, public transportations, medical necessities, and much more. In our world today, we are nothing without it.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about how Maidugri, the capital city of the Borno State, live through life without electricity.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/city-without-electricity-level-1/

Discussion Questions:

  1. What kind of world would we live in without electricity?
  2. Have you ever experienced a blackout? How was it? What did you do?
  3. What are three electric appliances that you can’t live without and why?
  4. What are other alternatives to electricity?
  5. Would you prefer to have no electricity or no water? Explain your answer.

Four Seasons

B1 – Intermediate

Do you sometimes wish it could be summer all year round? Summer times are relaxing and fun. But as delightful as it is, we need the other seasons as well.

The different amounts of sunlight around the Earth during the year creates the seasons. The Earth’s orbit, rotation on its axis, and its tilt are all the reasons for spring, winter, autumn, and summer.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about the four seasons.

https://listenaminute.com/f/four_seasons.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What’s your favorite season? What do you like about it?
  2. What is the best season to visit your country and why?
  3. Does summer feel hotter than it used to? Is autumn shorter or longer? How have the seasons changed?
  4. Do you always shop for new clothes when the season changes? Why or why not?
  5. If you could eliminate one season so that it no longer existed, which would you choose?
  6. John Steinbeck said, “What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.” Do agree that we need winter so that we appreciate summer? Explain your thoughts.

#TeamSeas: Removing 30 Million Pounds of Trash

B2 – Upper Intermediate

If you browsed the internet in 2019, you would have probably heard of Team Trees, a campaign started by Mr. Beast and Mark Rober, two very famous content creators found on YouTube. This campaign showed that the younger generation still care about Earth’s environment and they have done it again.

Every 1 US dollar donated to this campaign, 1 pound of trash will be removed from the ocean. Many content creators are supporting this campaign and as of writing, #TeamSeas has already gathered $14,379,559.00 in donations.

Let us find out what #TeamSeas is about by watching the video below.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you think #TeamSeas will reach its goal of 30 Million US dollars?
  2. If you had spare money, would you donate to this amazing cause?
  3. In your opinion, will #TeamSeas help the planet?
  4. Based on this campaign, do you think it’s possible that there will be 90% less trash in the ocean by 2040? Is it possible, in your opinion?

Energy from Peat

B1 – Intermediate

Peat or turf is a brown matter that looks like dirt. It is formed by the partial decay of vegetable or organic matter. They now have a new use. They are made into batteries. These batteries are more environment-friendly.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript on sodium-ion batteries produced from peats.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/energy-from-peat-level-1/

Discussion Questions:

  1. Compare and contrast lithium-ion to sodium-ion batteries.
  2. What kind of batteries do you usually use? Do you think they are good for the natural world?
  3. What do you normally use batteries for?
  4. Why is it important to find energy sources that are better for the natural world?