Save the Planet

Five Simple Actions

 
 
 
 

Vocabulary

 

seem	contribute	overwhelming
global	attempt	equivalence
CO2	after all	emergency
beef	particular	atmosphere (2)
tweak	significant	eat/ate/eaten
impact	fossil fuel	routine (2)
on par	household	roughly (2)
pork	rough (2)	find/found/found (2)
save (3)	consume	produce (2)
rely	convert	greenhouse (2)
fossil	average	drive/drove/driven
mile	individual	take/took/taken
emit	instead of	translate (2)
mode	switch (2)	depend on
last (2)	damage	incandescent
except	appliance	make a difference
waste	up to (2)	last but not least
heat	a quarter	Fahrenheit
LED	times (2)	package (2)
cool (2)	plant (3)	bring/brought/brought
non-	create (2)	leave/left/left (3)
average	combine	think/thought/thought (2)
bulk (2)	purchase	buy/bought/bought
a third	container	bring/brought/brought
option	aviation	less/lesser/least
patio	throw out	good/better/best
cement	thing (2)	throw/threw/thrown
		build/built/built

 
 
 
 
 
 

Video: Five Ways to Save the Earth

 
 
 
 

Transcript

The climate emergency might seem overwhelming. But while it may be called global warming, each one of us can make an individual attempt to help.

After all, each of us, in every country, contributes a particular amount of CO2 into the atmosphere, some depending on where they live, more than others.

But if we all make a few, small tweaks to our daily routines, together, we can make a big impact.

.     .     .     .     .     .     .     .

So, where to start?

1. First, Diet

Changing what you eat could easily have a significant impact, because animal agriculture creates about fourteen percent (14%) of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, roughly on par with the world’s transportation.

In 2017, beef was found to be one of the most damaging foods to the climate. Each kilo consumed produces 26.5 kilos of CO2 emissions, five times more than chicken or turkey.

Converting to plant-based diets could reduce emissions by over seventy percent (70%) depending on where you live.

.     .     .     .     .     .     .     .

2. Second, Travel

Nearly all transport relies on fossil fuels. In the US, driving one mile (1.6 km) in an average 2016 car emits four-hundred-and-four (404) grams of CO2 equivalence per mile.

But taking any other mode of transport translate into big emission savings.

After walking, cycling is the best option, because it has no emissions except for those producing the bike.

In the EU, cycling saves more than sixteen million (16,000,000) tons of CO2 a year, driving to the Sun four-hundred-twenty-six times would produce the same amount of CO2.

.     .     .     .     .     .     .     .

3. Third, Energy

Almost every household appliance needs it. But a few, quick changes makes a difference.

Switching from incandescent lights, which wastes up to 90% of their energy as heat, to LEDs. They use a quarter the energy and lasts twenty-five times longer.

And take cooler showers. The average water heater is set to 140 Fahrenheit (60 Celsius). But bringing it down twenty degrees can save two-hundred-fifty (250) kilograms of CO2, the equivalent of leaving an LED light on for seven years, non-stop.

.     .     .     .     .     .     .     .

4. Fourth, Waste

Think before you buy. The fashion industry creates about ten percent (10%) of global greenhouse emissions, and consumes more energy than aviation and shipping combined.

When you do make a purchase, try to do it in bulk. If you are buying food, bring your own containers, and just get the amount you need.

In 2016, the average person living in the European Union threw out one-hundred and seventy (170) kilos of packaging waste.

.     .     .     .     .     .     .     .

5. Fifth, Garden

And last but not least, plant a garden instead of building a patio out of cement, the production of which creates about eight percent (8%) of global CO2 emissions a year.

But planting a garden, or even better, planting trees, helps reduce CO2 emissions and produces oxygen.

So, from a burger to a bicycle, no one thing will have a big impact. But lots of little things can.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *

Questions

Fossil Fuel, Oil, Coal, Gas. Only governments, utility companies and big corporations can affect and influence climate change. True or false?

Power Plant. According to the video, should people listen to commercials (for McDonald’s, Burger King, KFC, Taco Bell and steak houses?

Meat, Beef, Pork. Does the presenter favor or recommend vegetarianism?

Air Conditioning, Heater. The speaker believes that everyone should live the California Dream or the American Dream, i.e. owning a big house and driving a luxury car. Is this right or wrong?

Pollution, Litter, Toxins. Should people listen to loud music from mega stereos, amplifiers and speakers? Does she think favor having brightly lit houses and big screen TVs?

Car, Automobile, Truck. Should everyone live in big cities, in big houses? Or should people live in the country or villages?

Public Transport, Bus, Tramway. People should cut down forests and turn nature reserves into cities, factories and buildings. Is this correct or incorrect?
 
 
 
Subway, Railway, Rail-line. How is the climate where you like? Describe the climate of your town, city or region.

Bicycling, Cycling, Bike Lane. Are people concerned about global warming or climate change? Is there much debate, discussion and argument about climate change?

Vegetarian. Have people changed their lifestyles, i.e. drive less, walk, bike and take public transport more often; eat less meat?

Wind Turbine, Solar Panel. Do people, governments and businesses care more about the environment or having a good life, a high living standard?

Reforestation. What might happen in the future?

Plastic, Paper, Glass. What should people, business and governments do?

Recycle, Reuse. Has covid-19 been good, bad, both or neither for the environment?