OUR ENVIRONMENT

EUROPEAN YEAR OF THE ENVIRONMENT (1987-1988)

The objective of EYE (European Year of the Environment) is: "to convince each of us to play an active part in maintaining and improving our environment... not only in our own back garden and during the short period of one year, but continually and with an open eye for the international aspects. During that year, the United Kingdom EYE Committee decided to focus on three areas:

• The conservation of the natural environment.
• The control of pollution and waste.
• The improvement of the urban environment including the treatment of eyesores and dereliction.

Everyone has a role to play in looking after the environment - significant parts can be played by private landowners, business and local voluntary and community organisations.

THE EARTH IN BALANCE

Energy cosumption may be the biggest single problem we face.  The more energy we use, the more carbon dioxide we emit into the atmosphere, and that in turn brings about global warming.

Nature urges us to many things.  

Can you name some of them?

 Do you think the objectives given for the year 1987 should be still alive in our present society?

Look at the following nouns and noun phrases and match them with the correct meanings in the environmental context:

a) Global warming

b) Recycling scheme

c) Environment

d) Pollution

e) Waste

f) Improvement

g) Eyesore

h) Role

i) Dereliction

j) Energy efficient  

_____  plans to collect used products for treatment and re-use.

______  the increase in world temperatures due to the greenhouse effect

_____  using little energy

_____  used, damaged or unwanted matter

_____  process of poisoning the water, air and land, especially with chemicals

_____  something ugly to look at

_____  all the surrounding conditions

_____  the state of being derelict or left to decay

_____  the part taken by someone in life or in any activity

_____  the act of achieving a better standard or result

k) Energy efficient

l) Greenhouse effect

m) Composting

n) Deforestation

o) Solar energy

_____ the destruction of forests resulting from excessive clearing

_____  the phenomenon by which the earth's atmosphere traps some of the sun's heat as it radiates from the earth's surface

____  using little energy

_____  electrical power generated by the heat of the sun

____  making a mixture of decaying organic matter to improve soil structure and provide nutrients for crop production

p) Endangered species

q) Acid rain

r) Global warming

s) Recycling

t) Hazardous waste

u) Greening 

_____  the increase in world temperatures due to the greenhouse effect

____  nuclear waste or an industrial by-product that is potentially damaging to the environment and harmful to the health and well-being of living organisms

____  precipation containing high levels of nitric and sulfuric acids resulting from car exhaust and factories

_____  animals that are threatened with extinction

____  the act of making something green or fresh; a restoration

____  the process of collecting used products and remanufacturing them into new products instead of throwing them away as garbage

 (Source: UNED Advanced English.  Mª Teresa Gibert - Mª Antonia Álvarez)