Tag: Environment

Cleaner Future

B1 – Intermediate

Yes, the pandemic might have put us in a very bad situation. However, there are some good results from it, too. One of which is that this global crisis has given us a chance to see what we are doing wrong to the environment. Hopefully, this period gives us a chance to change things.

Read the transcript and listen to the audio about cleaner future from the link below.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/cleaner-future-level-1/

Discussion Questions:

  1. What effects did the pandemic have on the environment of your country?
  2. Do you agree or disagree that something about how we use nature must change? 
  3. Do you agree or disagree that it is important to use cleaner energy for a better future?
  4. How is the environment protected in your country?
  5. How do you help in taking care of the environment?

Climate Crisis Threatens Future of Global Sport

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Sports have always been an important part of society and we all have contributed to our favorite sport at some point in our lives. However, sports do so much more than entertain us. Sports provide jobs, influence the economy, and can sometimes cause troubles.

What if major sports events are to be cancelled and postponed? What do you think will happen?

Let’s read the article below.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2006/200622-sports-events.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. How do sports events create global emissions?
  2. How might climate change affect sports?
  3. What do you think of your country’s national sport?
  4. How can sports deal with climate change?
  5. What are the benefits of sports to the world?
  6. What’s your favorite sport and why?

Scientists Discover the World’s Cleanest Air

B1 – Intermediate

There’s nothing quite like opening the door and breathing fresh, clean air but how clean is the air you’re breathing right now?

Due to increasing concentration of poisonous gases in the environment, the air is getting more and more toxic day by day. These gases are also the cause of many respiratory illnesses and other diseases.

Let’s read the article below.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2006/200606-clean-air.html

Questions Discussions:

  1. How important is it for you to have perfectly clean air?
  2. What will our air be like in 50 years from now?
  3. How clean is the air where you live? What damage have humans done to the air in your area?
  4. What activities do you do that creates pollution?

Bottled Water Has Plastic

B2 – Upper Intermediate

One cause for concern is the presence of plastic in bottled water. Research indicates that most bottled water contains micro plastics, which may pose health risks. Your bottled water probably has plastic in it, should you worry?

Even though water is not acidic (unlike soda), whenever you drink out of a plastic bottle, you risk ingesting the chemicals used to make the bottles as these toxins can leach into the water over time.

Watch the video and read the article to find out more about the dangers of drinking water from a plastic bottle:

https://time.com/5581326/plastic-particles-in-bottled-water/

Questions Discussions:

  1. Do you think tap water is better than bottled water?
  2. How concerned are you with plastic bottles and their use of resources? Why?
  3. Will this article cause you to stop buying bottled water? Why/not?
  4. What problem causes the greatest damage to the environment? Why do you think so?
  5. Were you surprised by how much Americans pollute? Why/not? How does your country compare?
  6. If we continue to use resources and pollute, what will the world be like in fifty years? Please explain.

Asthma from Traffic Pollution

B1 – Intermediate

Asthma is a serious lifelong, incurable condition. When a person has it, they suffer from difficulties in breathing. According to some studies, traffic pollution causes this medical condition and it has affected millions of people.

Listen to the audio and read the transcript to find out more about diseases that are caused by pollution from traffic.

Asthma from Traffic – level 3

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your reaction to this fact “pollution from traffic connects to 4 million new asthma sufferers”?
  2. Do you know anyone who has asthma or other pulmonary conditions that were caused by pollution? How did it begin and how are they doing now?
  3. How can air pollution problems be solved?
  4. Is air pollution a problem in your city? What are its bad effects on people and the environment?
  5. What do you do to keep your lungs healthy?

Nature Rebounding during Coronavirus

B2 – Upper Intermediate

More or less two months now since quarantine has started in most of the countries around the world. Obviously, we are experiencing adverse losses in the economy globally due to bounded outside activities. But amidst this pandemic that we are dealing with, our natural world is healing.

Let’s check some of the photos in different countries showing how nature is flourishing.

https://www.rdasia.com/culture/8-photos-that-show-nature-rebounding-during-coronavirus

Discussion Questions:

1.Is there any news in your place that reports nature’s healing during this lockdown?

2. What can you say about the photos that you’ve seen? Which one is your favorite?

3. Do you think people would do some efforts to maintain the improvement we’ve seen in nature even after this lockdown is over?

4. As a simple citizen, what can you do to help preserve our nature for the future generation?

Fashion Upcycling

B2 – Upper Intermediate

When upcycling clothes, waste is looked at creatively and transformed into something new. A Swedish company found an alternative way to give old clothes new life and make them wearable again. In turn, this reduces wastes and contributes to making the world a more sustainable place.

Watch the video and be able to answer the questions that follow:

https://www.bbc.com/reel/playlist/sustainable-future?vpid=p06yvh4k

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think about upcycling clothes?
  2. How often do you go shopping for clothes?
  3. What are the advantages of textile upcycling?
  4. What do you usually do with your old, damaged, or worn-out clothes?
  5. Is fast fashion and textile waste an issue in your country?

The Benefits of Low Emission Zones

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Many cities worldwide are striving to make the air we breathe cleaner. One initiative is having low emission zones. London, Bath, Leeds and Birmingham are just some UK cities that are adapting Clean Air Zones.

Listen to the audio and read the transcript to know more about low emission zones, their benefits, and other cleaner air initiatives.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-200130

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are low emission zones?
  2. What are the benefits of low emission zones?
  3. What are your thoughts on net zero zones?
  4. What kind of other cleaner-air initiatives does your city/country commit to?
  5. Share your thoughts on this statement: “Low emission zones are only one part of the solution to the problem.”

Where Do Cellular Phones Go to Die?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

With the proliferation of modern technologies like computers, mobile phones, and all manner of gadgets, there has also been an alarming increase in its by-products which are detrimental to the environment. Known as e-waste, electronic waste, or simply electronic junk, some of these myriads of circuit boards, flat screens, and other computer internals end up in China where the disposal of e-waste has become a thriving business in one town.

Watch the video that follows and weigh in on this matter.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Whenever you purchase a new mobile phone, laptop, or television, what do you do with the item it replaced?
  2. According to the video, what happens to electronic junk after it has been sorted?
  3. What is your opinion about the methods of e-waste disposal described in the video?
  4. How does your city, region, or country tackle the issue of electronic waste?

The Circular Economy

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Disposing wastes has environmental consequences and the impact of ineffective waste management often leads to a lot of other problems.

Is circular economy the solution to our problems with waste?

Listen to the audio and be ready to discuss afterwards.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-200305

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is a circular economy?
  2. What are the pros and cons of a circular economy?
  3. Talk about the waste management system in your city.
  4. Is recycling widely practiced in your country? What are your thoughts about recycling?
  5. Do you think manufacturers should be more responsible for disposal of their products?