Файл: TOPICS.doc

We have only a few years to attempt to turn things around. We must consume less, recycle more, conserve wildlife and nature. Through international co-operation, new laws financial incentives, governments can act to protect the Earth rather than destroy it. Industry can invest in research and development of new processes and technologies that reduce pollution, lessen waste and use natural, renewable resources.

Farming must be gradually changed to organic, this means farming without artificial fertilizers and chemical pesticides.

The amount of energy we use including energy consupmtion in transport must be reduced. To solve this problem and to put a stop to pollution we’ll have to find energy from alternative sources, such as solar collectors, solar ponds, high-temperature collectors, solar electricity, ocean heat, hydroelectricity, wave power, wind power, geothermal power, animal power, burning etc. Renew able resources can be produced near to the areas where they are needed, so that no energy is wasted in transporting or transmitting them. Most of them produce little or no pollution and they will never run out.

We could lessen the damage that transport is causing to our environment by making improvements in three areas – the source of energy we use for transport (oil, electricity, steam hydrogen, biofuels), the type of vehicles we drive and the way in which our transport is planned. Many European cities are trying a kind planning called “traffic calming”. The idea is that traffic should not be allowed to dominate cities.

Everything that can be recycled should be recycled. Recycling reduces waste and also helps save energy.

We must find a safe way of disposing our sewage. At the moment our seas and some of our rivers are heavily polluted with it. All sewage should be treated. The waste could then be used as fertiliser, or dried and burnt to provide power.

Rain forests could be managed rather than destroyed. Trade in wild animals and plants must be regulated and protected by international agreements and these should be a complete ban on trades that endanger wild animals – for example, trades in fur, ivory and rhino horns. We must save Antarctic from development. It is the last great wilderness left on the Earth.

Of course it’s impossible for all these things to happen overnight. Yet we must try to start putting them into practice to change our world. Doing nothing could eventually cost the Earth.

Lots of ideas have been put forward by organizations such as Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, the Green Party, the World Wide Fund for Nature, Transport 2000, the World Health Organization and many more and most of the environmental alternatives have a cost.

If enough people have the will, they can force governments to act. And once governments begin to act, then we all can look forward to a better future.

What You Can Do to Help!

Here are some ways in which you, your friends and your family can begin trying to save the Earth right now:

try not to waste energy
before you throw anything away, stop and think. Might someone else have a use for it?
if you have a choice, avoid buying packaged goods
don’t waste paper
before you buy anything, ask yourself if you really need it
never drop litter
protect wild life, wild plants and trees
put out food for wild creatures in winter
safeguard water supplies
don’t buy anything that involves cruelty to animals
help to clean up your local environment
try to reduce noise pollution
buy organic products wherever possible
join conservation organizations
keep yourself informed about environmental issues
explore nature in the right way
use the law of nature in your life

Ex. 14. Read the following statements and give your opinion. Try to develop the suggested ideas. Be ready to give your reasons orally.

1. What does the word “ecology” mean? – The word “ecology” came from the Greek which means “home”. 2. Ecology is the science of how living things are related to their environment, isn’t it? 3. What are some scientists’ predictions about environmental problems? – Scientists predict that by the year 2025 the population will rise 8.5 billion, and by the year 2050 in will double. 4. What are some types of pollution? 5. What can you do to make this world a better place? – There is much that we can do. Factories can clean their smoke. Cars and planes can be done so that they do not pollute the air. The dirty water from the factories and sewage can be made clean again. We must learn not to litter. 6. What can you do to help prevent pollution?

Ex. 15. Render in English:

Через искусство – к Зеленой планете – таким был девиз I Республиканского фестиваля «Дети и экология – XXI век». Фестиваль проходил в конце мая 2000г. в Республиканском Экологическом центре учащихся.

Как можно остановить загрязнение окружающей среды? Как привить чувство красоты? Один из классиков сказал: «Красота спасет мир».

Стремитесь к духовному совершенству^³. С открытым сердцем входите в царство природы и, чутко внимая ее дивной музыке, станьте добрее, берегите ее, творите красоту своими руками.

Почему некоторые люди, имея глаза, не видят красоту полевого цветка, равнодушно проходят мимо заросшего белыми и желтыми кувшинками^⁴ пруда. Имея уши, не слышат ни песни жаворонка^⁵ в лазурном^⁶ небе, ни трелей соловья^⁷ в прибрежных кустах, ни волнообразной флейты золотой иволги^⁸.

Ex. 16. Read the text and be ready to answer the questions.

The European Environment Agency (eea)

In the autumn of 1994, the EU officially opened the European Environmental Agency (EEA) in Copenhagen. The main role of the EEA is, according to Mr Domingo Jiménez-Baltrán – the Spanish executive Director of the agency – to “provide efficient information to the policy-makers and to the public in general, in order to improve both decision-making and public participation in the process. We want to be a one-stop shop, so that anyone who wants to know about the environment in Europe only needs to come to us”.

The EEA closely cooperates with national and other authorities or independent organizations that have a similar mission. It draws together more that 50 national focal-point institutions, reference centres and ‘topic’ centres into an integrated network called EIONET. The agency is engaged in developing practical yardsticks for applying a precautionary principle of environmental risk management and judging for indicators of sustainable development that can provide solid bases for environmental decision making. The EEA has already produced an encyclopaedic overview (600 pages) of the state of the environment in Europe entitled the Dobrís Assessment (it is called so because it was commissioned at the pan-European meeting of environment ministers at the Czech castle of Dobrís in 1991).

EEA membership is not limited to EU members. Countries such as Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia and the three Baltic Republics are full members or are on their way to becoming members.

What is the main aim (role) of the EEA? 2. What does the EEA incorporate? 3. What has the EEA produced? 4. What country may become a member of this organization?

Ex. 17. Read the dialogue and complete it with proper expressions. You may use the prompts given in ex. 20.

The EEA decided to send the Environmental Inspection to Belarus in order to check how local pollution control agencies execute rules and regulations on environmental protection adopted by the United Nations Economic Commission.

Ladies and gentlemen, it’s my honour to introduce Mr. Solieri, Mrs. Blacksmith and Mr. Hancock, the EEA Environment inspectors. They are eager to interview you about your work.
It’s great pleasure for us to visit your research institute. We hear a lot about your work and achievements. But, we are greatly concerned about the ecological situation in Belarus. So, we’ve come here to investigate the state of environment protection and pollution control in Belarus. That is why we need some figures and facts.

What are the leading energy sources in Belarus? Are they fossil fuels? Nuclear power? Or renewable energy sources?

…
What is the level of air quality in Belarus? Do emissions of CO₂ (carbon dioxide), NO₂ (nitrogen dioxide), SO₂(sulphur dioxide), lead exceed the thresholds?
…
What is done to control emissions from petrol vehicls?
…
Is sewage discharged into inland and ground waters?
…
Are nitrates used in chemical fertilizers for agriculture? And in what amounts?
…
Thank you so much for the information and your co-operation. We’ll see you next year. Good bye.

Ex. 18. Act out the dialogue.

Ex. 19. Fill in the blanks with the given words and act out the dialogue.

biosphere reserve ecosystems preservation

have been preserved captive rearing

species inhabit plant species

the flora extinct dying out

research observations phenomena

protected areas preserved forests

The same EEA Environment Inspection continues monitoring the ecological situation in Belarus by visiting one of the biggest national reserves “The Berezinsky Reserve”.

When and why was it founded?
The Berezinsky Reserve was founded in 1925. It became a … … in 1979, it is the oldest reserve in Belarus.
How was the territory for the reserve chosen?
This is a single territory in Europe where vast mires, black-alder wood tracts and other unique nature ecosystems of the subzone of broad-leaved and spruce … of Belarus … … … practically untouched and unchanged.
What are the main objectives and aims of the Berezinsky Reserve?
Here experiments on …, rehabilitation and … … of the aboriginal animal and plant … are carried out.
What amount of animal and plant … is under protection in Belarus?
Quite a lot. The reserves and the national parks play an important role in the … of the Republic genetic fund 59 … of mammals (80,8% of the total number in Belarus fauna) … their territories, 789 … … have been found in the … of the Berezinsky reserve.
Are there any rare … … from the Red Data Book?
Oh, sure, 34 out of 789 and it’s quite alarming because every year the number of … species grows.
And what is done in the Republic to prevent them from … …?
The reserves and the National Parks are nature laboratories where nature … are maintained in natural state. At the same time they are … laboratories where long-term … on natural … and life of animals and plants are carried out. Moreover, 80,8% of mammals, inhabiting the Belarusian territory, 91,4% of birds, 100% of reptiles, 100% of amphibia, 60,7% of fish are found on the … …, which means that they are not only observed but … as well.
Thank you ever so much for the information and good luck and all the best to you and your work.

Ex. 20. Make up your own dialogues by analogy. Use the following words, as well as words from the dialogues and from the texts.

collection and disposal of domestic waste
keeping the streets cleat of litter
control of air pollution from domestic and industrial premises
to regulate the major pollution risks to air, water and land
recycling of waste materials
to leave litter in a public place
to ensure a reliable water supply
dumping of waste
to minimize pollution damage from …
to experience poor air quality
emissions from the growing number of motor vehicles
smogs (smoke-laden fogs)
airborne particles and other pollutants
to control emissions of black smoke from commercial and industrial premises
to reduce sulphur levels in petrol by (70%)
to increase the proportion of electricity generated from renewable energy sources
ozone losses, ozone destruction, ozone depletion
man-made elements
disposal of radioactive waste
increasing consumption of natural resources
the biodiversity preservation
3 state reserves in the Republic of Belarus: the Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve (1925), the Pripiatsky Hydrologic Landscape Reserve (1965), the Polessky Radiation Ecologic Reserve (1988)
to be under strict protection
to be recorded into the Red Data Book
research outputs
to be of great scientific value
to take part in international programmes such as UNESCO’s MAB (Man and Biosphere), GEF (World Bank for Reconstruction and Development).

Ex. 21. Answer the following questions. Support your ideas using the information from the previous texts and exercises:

Why is the problem of protecting our nature so important now? 2. How can we keep our Earth clean? 3. How has the world changed since you were a child? (technology, values, environment, health). 4. What are some ways that you can reduce pollution in Belarus? 5. What can government do to reduce pollution?

Файл: TOPICS.doc

Measures to Be Taken

What You Can Do to Help!

The European Environment Agency (eea)

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