Environmental problems in English. Topic Ecological problems. ecological problems

Since ancient times Nature has served Man, being the source of his life. For thousands of years people lived in harmony with the environment and it seemed to them that natural riches were unlimited. But with the development of civilization man's interference in nature began to increase.

Large cities with thousands of smoky industrial enterprises appear all over the world today. The by-products of their activity pollute the air we breathe, the water we drink, the land we grow grain and vegetables on.

Every year world industry pollutes the atmosphere with about 1000 million tons of dust and other harmful substances. Many cities suffer from smog. Vast forests are cut and burn in fire. Their disappearance upsets the oxygen balance. As a result some rare species of animals, birds, fish and plants disappear forever, a number of rivers and lakes dry up.

The pollution of air and the world "s ocean, destruction of the ozone layer is the result of man"s careless interaction with nature, a sign of the ecological crises.

The most horrible ecological disaster befell Ukraine and its people after the Chernobyl tragedy in April 1986. About 18 percent of the territory of Byelarus were also polluted with radioactive substances. A great damage has been done to the agriculture, forests and people's health. The consequences of this explosion at the atomic power-station are tragic for the Ukrainian, Byelorussian and other nations.

Environmental protection is of a universal concern. That is why serious measures to create a system of ecological security should be taken.

Some progress has already been made in this direction. As many as 159 countries - members of the UNO - have set up environmental protection agencies. Numerous conferences have been held by these agencies to discuss problems facing ecologically poor regions including the Aral Sea, the South Urals, Kuzbass, Donbass, Semipalatinsk and Chernobyl.

An international environmental research center has been set up on Lake Baikal. The international organization Greenpeace is also doing much to preserve the environment.

But these are only the initial steps and they must be carried onward to protect nature, to save life on the planet not only for the sake of the present but also for the future generations.

Translation of the text: Ecological Problems - Environmental problems

Since ancient times, nature has served man, being the source of his life. For thousands of years people have lived in harmony with the environment. And it seemed to them that natural resources are inexhaustible. But with the development of civilization, man began to interfere more and more with nature.

All over the world large cities are emerging with thousands of smoking industries. Their by-products pollute the air we breathe, the water we drink, the land we grow wheat and vegetables on.

Every year, the world industry produces one million tons of dust and other harmful substances. Many cities suffer from smog. Huge forests are cut down and burned. Their disappearance disturbs the oxygen balance. As a result, some rare species of animals, birds, fish and plants are disappearing forever. Many rivers and lakes dry up.

Pollution of the air and the oceans, the destruction of the ozone layer are the result of careless treatment of nature, a sign of an ecological crisis.

The most terrible ecological catastrophe befell Ukraine and its people after the Chernobyl tragedy in April 1986. Also, about eighteen percent of the territory of Belarus was contaminated with radioactive substances. Great damage was done to agriculture, forests and human health. The consequences of this explosion at a nuclear power plant are tragic for Ukrainians, Belarusians and other nations.

Protecting the environment is everyone's concern. That is why it is necessary to take serious measures to develop a system of environmental safety.

Some progress has already been made in this direction. 159 member countries of the UN have organized agencies to protect the environment. Numerous conferences have been held by these agencies to discuss the problems facing environmentally disadvantaged regions, including the Aral Sea, the South Urals, Kuzbass, Donbass, Semipalatinsk and Chernobyl.

An international center for environmental studies was opened on Lake Baikal. The international organization "Greenpeace" does a lot to save the environment.

But these are just the first steps, and we must move forward, protecting nature, preserving life on the planet, not only for the sake of the present, but also for future generations.

References:
1. 100 topics of oral English (V. Kaverina, V. Boyko, N. Zhidkih) 2002
2. English for schoolchildren and applicants to universities. Oral exam. Topics. Reading texts. Exam questions. (Tsvetkova I.V., Klepalchenko I.A., Myltseva N.A.)
3. English, 120 Topics. English language, 120 conversation topics. (Sergeev S.P.)

Level B. Other.

Ecology

Some people say that nowadays the problem of ecology is becoming more and more vital. But others consider that it is not important for people with modern technologies. And who is right? I am for the former point o view, and now I will try to explain why.

Firstly, there are a lot of big cities in the world such as New York, Tokyo, Beijing, and Moscow. These cities pollute a lot. There are some kinds of pollution: water pollution, air pollution, and nuclear pollution. We breathe dirty air, drink dirty water, and eat dirty fruits and vegetables. So it harms our health. Secondly, there are a lot of nuclear stations all over the world such as Chernobyl or Fukushima, which became dangerous objects because of radiation.
People who worked at these stations were not careful. So these stations are destroyed now. They are polluting a big territory. Thirdly, our world needs much fuel for various machines, technologies, various branches of science and everyday life. And the extraction of minerals harms nature and changes the landscape around the place of extraction.

But some people think that nowadays we have a lot of brands - new technologies that will help us in the future. They say that these technologies will help us with hunger, unemployment, dangerous kinds of diseases such as plague and cancer. With the help of nanotechnologies people will get new materials, which can be useful for the army, medicine, science. With a great technological progress the humanity will conquer space. All in all, people will defeat death.

I absolutely disagree with these people. Of course, it would be a great success for humanity. But these "dreams" need a lot of recourses which are not endless. And it is a long process to invent all these things and spread them all over the world.

In conclusion, I would like to stress that our world is very fragile, and we should take care of it because we are a part of this world. Without beautiful nature, useful plants, and animals humanity will die out. Don't you agree with me?

Ecology

Some people say that nowadays the problem of ecology is becoming more and more important. But others believe that it is not important for people with modern technologies. And who is right? I am for the first point of view, and now I will try to explain why.

First, there are many big cities in the world such as New York, Tokyo, Beijing and Moscow. These cities pollute a lot. There are some types of pollution: water pollution, air pollution, and nuclear pollution. We breathe dirty air, drink dirty water, and eat dirty fruits and vegetables. So it's bad for our health. Secondly, there are many nuclear plants all over the world, such as Chernobyl or Fukushima, which have become dangerous objects due to radiation. The people who worked at these stations were not careful. Thus, these stations are now destroyed. They pollute a large area. Thirdly, our world needs a lot of fuel for various machines, technologies, various industries science and everyday life. Mining damages nature and changes the landscape around the mining site.

But some people think that we currently have a lot of innovations - new technologies that will help us in the future. They say that these technologies will help us with hunger, unemployment, dangerous types of diseases such as plague and cancer. With the help of nanotechnologies, people will receive new materials that can be useful for the army, medicine, and science. With great technological progress, humanity will master space. In the end, people will conquer death.

I absolutely disagree with these people. Of course, this would be a great success for humanity. But for these "dreams" you need a lot of resources, which are not endless. And it's a long process to invent all these things and distribute them all over the world.

In conclusion, I would like to emphasize that our world is very fragile, and we must take care of it, because we are part of this world. Without beautiful nature, useful plants and animals, humanity will die out. Don't you agree with me?

Ecological problems - current topic in English.

The Earth is the only planet in the solar system where there is life. If you look down at the Earth from a plane you will see how wonderful our planet is. You will see blue seas and oceans, rivers and lakes, high snow-capped mountains, green forests and fields. For centuries man lived in harmony with nature until industrialization brought human society into conflict with the natural environment. Today, the contradictions between man and nature have acquired a dramatic character. With the development of civilization man's interference in nature has increased. Every year the world’s industry pollutes the atmosphere with millions of tons of dust and other harmful substances. The seas and rivers are poisoned with industrial waste, chemical and sewage discharge. People who live in big cities are badly affected by harmful discharge from plants and city transport and by the increasing noise level which is as bad for human health as lack of fresh air and clean water.

Among the most urgent problems are the ozone layer, acid rains, global warming, toxic pollution of the atmosphere, disappearance of forests, contamination of underground waters by chemical elements, destruction of soil in some areas, threat to some flora and fauna representatives, etc.

One of the most important pollution problems is the oceans. Many ships sail in the ocean water-fishing ships, some ships carrying people, some carrying oil. If a ship loses some of the oil in the water, or waste from the ships in put into the ocean, the water becomes dirty. Many sea birds die because of the polluted water. Many fish are dying in the sea, others are getting contaminated. Fishermen catch contaminated fish which may be sold in markets, and people may get sick from eating them. Lakes and rivers becoming polluted, too. Some beaches are dangerous for swimming.

Another important problem is air pollution. Cars and factories pollute the air we use. Their fume also destroys the ozone layer which protects the Earth from the dangerous light of the Sun. Aerosols create large “holes” in the ozone layer round the Earth. Burning coal and oil leads to global warming which may bring about a change in the world's climate.

The other problem is that our forests are dying from acid rains. Deforestation, especially destruction of tropical forests, affects the balance of nature in many ways. It kills animals, changes the climate and ecosystem in the world.

A person can do some damage to the environment but the greater part of pollution certainly comes from industry. Modern industry production is the main threat to nature.

There are a lot of places on our planet that need immediate help. Our country is not an exception. The nuclear accident at Chernobyl, which took place on April 26, 1986., has seriously aggravated the ecological situation in Belarus. That catastrophe can be considered as the largest disaster of the 20th century. As the result of that accident 18% of the territories of our republic were contaminated by radioactive elements. The agriculture of our country suffered great losses. More than 20% of the population has also suffered. A death rate among children has increased considerably. The wide researches are carried out, but the health state of the people living in polluted areas, is worsened. The level of thyroid gland cancer has increased, the immunity of children and women is weakened, many diseases appear out only a few years later. Everyone understands this this catastrophe is a threat to health of our nation, and though years have already passed, the results will be shown on the future generations.

I'd like to say a few words about animals in danger of extinction. The blue whale is the largest animal which has ever lived. Once there were over 200000 of these creatures living in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Since the seventeenth century they have been hunted for their oil and meat. In fact, so many of them were killed that by 1963 their population had been reduced to just 1000. Today it is even less that that. The African elephant is the world's largest land animal. Today there are fewer than one million of these animals left. Even though they are now protected, they are still being hunted because of their tusks, which are used to make ornaments and jewelery. There is only one way to save wild animals and wild habitats -conservation. That means protecting animals in danger by law, opening more national parks, building fewer new roads, planting more new forests, cutting pollution. It doesn’t happen, many wild animals will soon have just one habitat- the Zoo.

Ecological problems have no borders. European states solve these problems together: the necessary measures are taken, congresses and conferences on these questions are organized, and these questions have already the reflection in the legislation of many countries.

The activity of many public organizations is directed to protect the environment. One of the most known organizations is “Greenpeace”, whose purpose is prevention of environment degradation. This organization was founded in 1971 by the activists from the USA and Canada and it has representations in 25 countries of the world. “Greanpeace” acts against nuclear tests, radiating threat, pollution of the environment by waste industrial products, to protect the animal world, etc. These organizations influence public opinion through mass media, under its aegis manifestations and protest actions are carried solutions for concrete ecological problems.

For example, the “Greenpeace” sent its boats to protect whales, and today commercial whaling is banned. In the North Sea Greenpeace swimmers turned back dump ships carrying chemical waste, and a new laws to protect the North Sea have been considered.

When I look around I realize that not all people understand the importance of nature protection. On fine summer days a lot of people go out of town. They have picnics on the shores of lakes and the banks of rivers or on beautiful forest glades and they often leave behind a lot of rubbish- plastic bags and bottles, tins and paper. It makes me feel sad when I see people returning to town with huge bunches of forest or meadow flowers. Many of these plants are included into the Red Book which contains the names of rare plants and animals. Some of them have become extinct and others are on the verge of disappearing. If we don't realize that we are all responsible for what's happening around us we will never feel secure about the future of the world we live in.

What can be done to protect nature? I believe that environment disasters can be avoided if people broaden ecological education and every person understands that the beauty of nature is extremely fragile and people must obey the unwritten laws of nature. Governments must be prepared to take action against pollution. Air pollution could be reduced if plants and factories were made to fit effective filters on chimneys and car exhausts. Green zones around big cities must be protected and extended. Natural resources should be used economically because their stocks are not unlimited.

The ecology is a science studying interaction of organisms among themselves and an environment.

In recent years the number of environmental problems has increased greatly. One of the most dangerous problems for our planet is global warming which means that most climates all over the world are changing and getting warmer. It happens because we burn too much petrol resources, such as oil and coal, and the Earth heats up. This process can cause melting of the polar ice and the sea level rising in the future. If the climate changes there will be floods, heavy storms or severe droughts in different areas of the world. Cutting down on exhaust fumes from vehicles could help solve this serious problem.

Our planet is overpopulated, that's why we are using up our natural resources – they are not endless. So the scientists have started looking for some alternate forms of energy such as water, wind, sunlight and even tides. These resources are clean, natural and unlimited. I'm glad that modern automobile industries make hybrids which use electric or solar energy instead of petrol. It would definitely help protect our environment from pollution.

There are different kinds of environmental pollution: air pollution, water pollution, land pollution. Sadly, not all human beings realize or admit that we are the ones who cause these problems and we should be the first to stop them and protect our environment. Because of the industrial revolution the air is polluted with awful chemicals; seas and oceans are poisoned with oil spills. Many rare species of flora and fauna are threatened with extinction.

We should be proud to live on our wonderful planet and understand that the consequences of pollution might be terrible and affect us and our children later. We should start recycling things made of glass, paper, plastic and aluminum. We should stop smoking and plant as many trees as we can because they can give us more oxygen. We need to drive less and use public transport in order to reduce fuel burning. We are responsible for the situation.

Environmental issues

In recent years, the number of environmental problems has increased greatly. One of the most dangerous problems for our planet is global warming, which means climate change around the world and its warming. This is because we are burning too many fuel resources such as oil and coal and the Earth is warming up. This process can lead to melting polar ice and sea level rise in the future. If the climate changes, there will be floods, severe storms or severe droughts in different parts of the world. Exhaust gas reduction Vehicle could help resolve this serious problem.

Our planet is overpopulated, so we use our natural resources to the limit - they are not endless. So scientists began to look for alternative forms of energy, such as water, wind, sunlight, and even tides. These springs are pure, natural and infinite. I'm glad the modern auto industry is turning out hybrids that use electricity or solar energy instead of gasoline. This will definitely help protect our environment from pollution.

There are different types of environmental pollution: air, water and soil pollution. Unfortunately, not all people realize or admit that we are the ones who create these problems, and we should be the first to stop them and protect our environment. Due to the industrial revolution, the air is polluted with terrible chemicals; the seas and oceans are poisoned by oil spills. Many rare species of flora and fauna are under threat of extinction.

We need to be proud to live on our wonderful planet and understand that the effects of pollution can be dire and affect us and our children later. We need to recycle glass, paper, plastic and aluminium. We need to stop smoking and plant as many trees as possible so that they produce more oxygen for us. We should drive less and try to use public transport to reduce the amount of fuel we burn. We are responsible for the situation.