B
balance     Nature's balance might be disturbed.
biodegradable     All our products are biodegradable.
biodiversity     What about an evening stroll to look at the biodiversity in our park?
biosphere     The biosphere is the part of the earth's atmosphere and surface in which animals and plants can live.
C
carbon     Carbon is a chemical substance contained in all plants and animals.
carbon dioxide     The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is low.
carbon monoxide     Carbon monoxide is emitted by cars.
catalytic converter     Since 1993 catalytic converters have been compulsory in Britain.
catastrophe     The Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund (FHCF) was created in November 1993.
to chop down     Poor people often chop down trees for firewood.
climate     The Mediterranean climate is good for growing citrus fruits.
coastal waters     Many bays and coastal waters have been contaminated with heavy metals.
cooling agent     Cooling agents are expensive.
to combat     There should be stricter laws to combat air pollution.
to contaminate     The soil has been contaminated.
creature     Is there a sea creature or not?
D
death of the forests     The death of the forests is a big problem in Europe.
to destroy     The house was completely destroyed by fire.
destruction     The use of renewable sources could stop the destruction of the rainforests.
detergent     Try to use detergents that are perfume free.
to die out     Animals are dying out far more often than you might think.
to diminish     The people try to diminish the pollution of the water.
dirt     The dirt has been removed from the ground.
to disappear     Many species disappeared in the last century.
disaster     The recent earthquake in India is a disaster.
disposal     Unfortunately, less people know of the disposal of hazardous waste.
drought     Drought had ruined the crops year after year.
to dry up, to parch     During the long time of drought many rivers have dried up/parched.
to dump     Old washing machines have been dumped near the beach.
dumping ground     City canals are often used as dumping grounds.
dust     Do not inhale the dust, it's dangerous.
E
earthquake     On April 18, 1906, shortly after 5:00 am, a great earthquake struck San Francisco.
ecology     Oil pollution could damage the ecology of the costs.
ecosystem     Jordan appealed for assistance to
help save the ecosystem of the Dead Sea, whose water level is dropping.
emission     The organization calls for stricter controls on emissions.
to emit     Sulphur gases were emitted by the spewing volcano.
endangered     The sea turtle is an endangered species.
energy conservation     Energy conservation is a process of saving energy.
energy source     Space energy is one of the energy sources of the future.
energy-efficient     Energy-efficient windows help to lower your heating costs.
environment     We must protect the environment.
environmentalist     Environmentalists are people who love the natural world.
to erode     It took about 67,000 years to erode the Grand Canyon.
erosion     Wind and water are the main agents of soil erosion.
evolution     The introduction of cloned plants will effect evolution.
exhaust fumes     Over the past month officers have been stopping vehicles in Manchester to test exhaust fumes.
to be exposed to     You risk skin cancer if you are often exposed to strong sunlight.
extinct     Hawaii is home to a great many extinct species.
F
factory farming     Is factory farming a way of animal abuse?
famine     The Irish Famine of 1846-50 took as many as a million lives from hunger and disease.
fertile     Fertile land is land where things grow easily.
fertilizer     Fertilizers are chemicals given to plants with the intention of promoting growth.
Fischdampfer     Trawlers, are not permitted on the lake.
fume     Workers are exposed to fumes from asphalt.
fumes     The lava gives off clouds of toxic fumes as it flows into the Pacific Ocean.
G
geothermal     The first geothermal power station was built in Landrella, Italy.
global warming     They started a campaign to slow down the process of global warming.
greenhouse effect     The greenhouse effect is the rise in temperature caused by gases in the atmosphere.
H
hardest hit     Our town was hardest hit by last year's earthquake.
to harm     Pollution can harm animals and the environment.
to be harmful     Air pollution is harmful to everyone.
heat wave     Slow down and avoid strenuous activity if a heat wave is happening.
heavy metal     Less heavy metal has been introduced by air into the Baltic Sea since the 1990s.
hydrocarbon     Various hydrocarbons have been found in Jupiter's atmosphere.
I
industrial waste     Industrial waste can contain small amounts of radioactive materials.
insulation     Often glass fibre is used as roof insulation.
L
to leak     Oil leaked out of the tank.
to load     The owners of the local factories are loaded with new environmental laws.
M
marine life     Around the islands marine life is seriously threatened by oil slick.
to menace     Hurricane Hugo menaced the US coast for seven days.
N
natural gas     61 percent of US households used natural gas for heating in 2002.
O
oil slick     Large oil slicks were found near the coast.
overfertilization     Overfertilization is a common problem.
oxygen     The cells need oxygen to survive.
ozone layer     The ozone layer screens out the sun's harmful ultraviolet radiation.
P
permission     Ask permission for the privilege to cross private land.
poison     The cat was killed by rat poison.
poisonous     She has lots of poisonous plants in her garden.
the polar ice caps     If the polar ice caps melt, the ocean levels rise.
to pollute     Please do not pollute the air.
pollution     Air pollution is a problem for all of us.
power station     Power stations are only about 40 per cent efficient.
precipitation     Rain, snow, hail and sleet are types of precipitation.
preservation     He is interested in historic preservation.
prevention     The prevention of litter is very important.
to protect     Russia wants to protect the environment in the Baltic region.
to purify     You can purify water with two chemicals: chlorine bleach and iodine.
R
radiation     Radiation is used for medical reasons.
rainforest     Tropical rainforests are the Earth's oldest living ecosystems.
to recycle     This carton is made from recycled paper.
remedial action     The Great Lakes Remedial Action Plan Program was created in 1987.
renewable     A renewable energy system converts the energy found in sunlight, wind, falling water, waves, geothermal heat, or biomass.
reusable     There are two kinds of plastic bottles: reusable bottles and single-service bottles.
S
to screen from     You should screen your eyes from the sun when hiking in the mountains.
sea level     Death Valley lies 86 metres (282 feet) below sea level.
sewage     Sewage, used water, comes from factories and households.
sewage plant     The city needs to have a sewage plant.
sludge     Sludge is often used on agricultural land.
soil     Soil is the top layer of the earth in which trees, plant etc. grow.
solvent     Benzene and turpentine are solvents.
starvation     Starvation is the most severe form of malnutrition.
stratosphere     The ozone layer is within the stratosphere.
surface     About 70% of the Earth's surface is covered with water.
T
to threaten     Toxic chemical substances threaten sea turtles.
tide     The tide is in/out.
timber     Timber is wood for building ships and houses.
toxic waste     A ship with toxic waste sank.
toxic waste dump     The toxic waste dump was built.
trawler     Trawlers, are not permitted on the lake.
U
unleaded     Unleaded petrol is less harmful to the environment.
untreated     Coastal cities often dump their untreatened wastes into the sea.
urbanization     The urabanization is a world-wide trend.
W
waste heat     The use of waste heat will reduce electricity consumption.
waste paper     Recycling waste paper is a favourable method.
waste separation     Do you know how to do waste separation?
wind energy     Wind energy is widely used in South Africa for water pumping.
windpark/windfarm     Offshore windfarms have been built.