ET environment Flashcards
to enact laws on environmental protection
to make a proposal into a law
to increase public awareness of
to make people more conscious of
noise pollution
harmful or annoying levels of noise, as from industries, airplanes etc
sewage
waste substances removed from houses and other buildings by a system of large underground pipes called sewers
shrinking habitats
places where animals live and breed which are decreasing in size
carbon dioxide emissions
carbon dioxide gas from factories, cars, etc.
population growth exerts severe pressure on finite resources
resources existing only in limited amounts
the worst case scenario
the worst possibility for the future
pristine environment
perfectly clean, unspoilt area
organic
without chemicals
herbicides
chemicals used for killing weeds
a recurring problem
a problem happening again and again
an enduring solution
a solution that can last for a long time
a vicious circle
a process in which the existence of a problem causes other problems, and this makes the original problem worse
to dispose of sth
to get rid of something
an adverse effect
a negative influence
a non-biodegradable material
a material that cannot be separated into very small parts by bacteria so that they are not harmful to the environment
a reusable material
a material that can be used again
to use sth wastefully
not to care how something is used
the biosphere
the parts of the Earth’s surface and atmosphere where plant and animal life can exist
an endangered species
a species of animal or plant that is seriously at risk of extinction
a dynamic equilibrium
a state of balance between continuing processes
to cause irreversible damage
to cause damage that cannot be brought back
the greenhouse effect
:D
car emissions
a gas from cars that goes into the air
exhaust fumes
:D
soil erosion
the process of soil being gradually damaged by water
desertification
the process by which fertile land become desert
groundwater contamination
dirty or polluted groundwater
sea water desalination
the process of removing salt from sea water so that the water can be used
chemical fertiliser
a natural or chemical substance added to soil in order to help plants grow
acid rain
rain containing a high level of acid that can damage the environment
to be saturated with
has much of a solid substance as possible mixed in it as part of the liquid
to upset the ecosystem
to unbalance the ecosystem
to redress the ecological balance
to improve the ecological balance
industrial waste
waste produced by industrial activity
at the expense of sth
if one thing exists or happens at the expense of another, the second thing suffers or is not done properly because of the first
a natural disaster
a natural event such as a flood, earthquake or hurricane
an ecological degradation
the process of the ecosystem changing into a worse condition
oil shortage
the lack of oil supply in the world
to be in short supply
available only in small quantities, so that there is not enough
fossil fuel
a fuel such as coal or oil, made from decayed material from animals or plants that lived many thousands of years ago
solar energy
energy that uses the power of the Sun’s light and heat to produce electricity
wind energy
electrical energy obtained from harnessing the wind with windmills or wind turbines
light pollution
brightening of the night sky caused by street lights and other man-made sources
to be a nuisance
to be annoying and a continuing problem
to be plagued with
to be troubled or distressed by
a rapid industrialization
a quick development of industries on a wide scale
an integrated solution
a complete solution
major contributors to
main reasons for
to be conscious of your surroundings
to be aware of your environment
human interference with the environment
people’s involvement in the environment
ozone depletion
the reduction of ozone layer
the destruction of marine life
the destruction of what is living in the sea
