Exercise

1. How can government contribute to controlling pollution?

2. “Strategy” (line 4) means:

a the art of planning and directing the military activity;

b the process of planning smth in a skilful way;

c a plan designed for a particular purpose.

3. What is meant by “ their natural treasures” (line 8)?

4. What purposes were the national parks established for?

5. In the expression “its oceans and atmosphere” (line 16), what does “its” refer to?

6. “Since the 1970s, representatives of many nations have signed treaties to help control such problems as acid rain, the depletion of the ozone layer, waste, global warming, extinction of plants and animals, air, water, and soil pollution”. What environmental problem wasn’t mentioned in lines 17-22?

7. What is the aim of technological solutions to environmental problems?

8. What does the word “economical” (line 25) mean?

a relating to economy

b providing better value in proportion to the amount of time and money spent

c profitable

9. What does “their” refer to (line 26)?

10. What is meant by “waste heat” (line 27)?

a extra heat from power plants and incinerators

b excessive heat

c heat from burned trash

11. What is the British equivalent of “gasoline” (line 28)?

12. Why is it profitable for business to pollute less?

13. What is meant by a “better public image” (line 32)?

14. In a paragraph of about 100 words, sum up what is written in the text about solutions to environmental problems.

Text 2: World Ecological Organizations

Environmental organizations work to help control pollution by trying to influence lawmakers and to elect political leaders who care about the environment. Some groups raise money to buy land and protect it from development. Other groups study the effects of pollution on the environment and develop pollution prevention and management systems. Such groups use their findings to persuade government and industry to prevent or reduce pollution. Environmental organizations also publish magazines and other materials to persuade people to prevent pollution.

Green peace is an international environmental organization. It works to change government and industrial policies that threaten the world's environment or natural resources. Green peace calls attention to the dangers to the environment of such actions as whaling, air 10

and water pollution, offshore oil drilling, nuclear weapons testing, and the dumping of radioactive and hazardous wastes. Local chapters of Green peace have been established in major cities throughout the world. Members of Green peace use direct and nonviolent methods of protest. They go to the place where an activity is occurring that the group considers harmful. Without using force, they try to stop the activity. For example, to protest whaling, Green peace members in boats position themselves between whales and whaling ships.

Green peace was founded in 1969 by a group of Canadian environmentalists. It gained international attention for its efforts to save whales and for its opposition to the killing of baby harp seals off the coast of Newfoundland.

An environmental movement led by a group called Green World has worked 20

to protect the environment and public health in Ukraine. Many Ukrainians oppose the use of nuclear energy because of an accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in north-central Ukraine in 1986.

Political parties representing environmental concerns have formed in many industrial nations. These organizations, often known as Green parties, have had a growing influence on environmental policies. Countries with Green parties include Australia, Austria, Germany, Finland, France, New Zealand, Spain, and Sweden.

Individual efforts. One of the most important ways an individual can reduce pollution is by conserving energy. Conserving energy reduces the air pollution created by power plants. A reduced demand for oil and coal could also result in fewer oil spills and less destruction 30

of coal-bearing lands. Driving less is one of the best ways to save energy and avoid polluting the air.

People can save electricity by buying more efficient light bulbs and home appliances. People can also buy products that are safe for the environment. They can also help reduce pollution by eating less meat. Farmers use large quantities of fertilizer and pesticides to raise the grain on which cattle, hogs, and poultry feed. Farmers would use much less fertilizer and pesticides if people chose to eat less meat and more grains, beans, and vegetables.

One of the simplest ways individuals can prevent pollution is by reusing products. For example, some milk suppliers use glass bottles instead of paper cartons. The bottles may be refilled and used again. People can reuse old paper or plastic bags to carry groceries or 40

to hold garbage. When people reuse products, they avoid both the pollution associated with the creation of a new product and the pollution caused when the product is thrown out.

Recycling is another way of reusing materials. Recycling saves energy and raw materials, and it prevents pollution. Many different waste products can be recycled. Commonly recycled wastes include metal cans, glass, paper, plastic containers, and old tires. Cans can be melted down and used to make new ones. Glass can be ground up and made into new containers or used as a substitute for sand in road pavement. Paper can be reprocessed into different paper products. Plastics can be melted down and re-formed into plastic lumber for such uses as fences, decks, benches, and carpeting. Old tires can be burned to produce energy, shredded and added to asphalt, or melted down and molded into such products as floor mats and playground 50

equipment. The most important way people can fight pollution is to learn as much as possible about how their actions affect the environment. Then they can make intelligent choices that will reduce damage to the planet.

Exercise

1. What is the main purpose of establishing environmental organizations?

2. “ Green peace focuses attention on dangerous to the environment actions such as air and water pollution, whaling, radioactive contamination and wastes, species extinction, offshore oil drilling”. What is not mentioned in lines 10-12?

3. What is meant by the word “hazardous” (line 12)?

a solid

b dangerous

c not radioactive

4. Do members of Green Peace resort to violence protesting against harmful activities?

5. Was Green peace founded by Canadian scholars or scientists?

6. What is the best known ecological organization in Ukraine?

7. What is meant by “industrial nations” (lines 24-25)?

a developing countries

b countries with transition economy

c countries with market economy

d highly developed free market economy countries

8. How can a person minimize pollution?

9. How can common people influence farmers to reduce soil pollution?

10. What is meant by “hogs” in line 36?

a sheep bred for meat

b pigs bred for meat

c goats bred for meat

11. Why is the reusing of products important?

12. Which process prevents pollution: reusing or recycling?

13. What is the best way of fighting pollution for individuals?

14. What does the word “their” refer to (line 52)?

15. In a paragraph of about 100 words, sum up what is written in the text about the most important world’s ecological organizations and movements.

Follow-up

Discuss:

1. What can governments (scientists, common people) do to reduce pollution?

2. Major ecological problems and their solutions.

3. World ecological organizations and movements.

4. The main environmental groups in Ukraine (see the table).

Ukrainian Environmental Groups	Their Activities
1. Green World (Zeleny Svit), an ecological association founded in 1987.	Banning of nuclear power stations in Ukraine.
2. The Mama-86, an ecological self-protecting society.	Independent observation of children’s health.
3. The Union of Rescuing from Chernobyl (URC).	Independent radiation monitoring and survey of radioactive contamination.
4. Ecological centre “Prosvita”.	Different ecological projects (eg. eco-village).
5. Green party (a political party).	Governmental solution of ecological problems in Ukraine.

What other environmental groups do you know? What information about their activity can you add?

Make use of the following expressions: the main point is…; the problem/trouble/most important thing is…; if you look at…; an example of this is when/ the way…; take…for instance; for one thing…