Vocabulary. to invent machines and mecha­nisms –изобрести машины и механизмы

to invent machines and mecha­nisms – изобрести машины и механизмы

to pollute smth – загрязнять что-либо

the environment – окружающая среда

unlimited source of resources – неограниченный источник ресурсов

to be closely related – быть тесно связанным

to supply the economy with smth – снабжать экономику чем-либо

to absorb the waste products – поглощать отходы

to damage the resources – наносить ущерб ресурсам

consequences of damaging the en­vironment – последствия от нанесения ущерба окружающей среде

acid rain – кислотный дождь

to pump waste gases – выкачивать отработанные газы

to get rid of smth – избавиться от чего-либо

to lead to forest damage – наносить вред лесам

to reduce the resources of forestry industry – сократить ресурсы лесной промышленности

water shortage – недостаток воды

to come from abuse of lands – быть результатом неправильного использования земли

damage to water and soils – нанести вред воде и почве

damage to wildlife – нанести вред живой природе

species - вид

the greenhouse effect – парниковый эффект

global warming – глобальное потепление

increase in the average tempera­ture – повышение средней температуры

to lead to rise in sea levels – привести к повышению уровня моря

extreme weather events – чрезвычайные погодные явления

flood – наводнение

drought – засуха

hurricane – ураган

global climate change – глобальное климатическое изменение

to suffer many environmental problems – иметь много экологических проблем

to be caused by economic activi­ties – быть вызванным экономической активностью

the effect of the Chernobyl disas­ter – последствия Чернобыльской катастрофы

cotton growing – выращивание хлопка

to destroy fishing – уничтожить отлов рыбы

to lead to a damage in soils, crops and wildlife – нанести вред сельскому хозяйству и природе

to be under threat – быть под угрозой

system of dams – система плотин

to use the environment carefully – использовать окружающую среду бережно

to be low in pollutants – содержать небольшое количество токсичных веществ

complete burning of solid fuels – полное сжигание твердого топлива

shift to using alternative forms of power – переход на использование альтернативных источников энергии

solar energy – солнечная энергия

banning the use of nuclear power – запрещение использования атомной энергии

danger of radioactive contamina­tion – опасность радиоактивного загрязнения

common people – обычные люди

to change one's attitude towards the environment – изменить отношение к окружающей среде

change of public attitude to smth – изменение отношения общественности к чему-либо

to introduce stricter anti-pollution measures – ввести более строгие меры по охране окружающей среды

to fund scientific research – финансировать научные исследования

to facilitate development of smth – способствовать развитию чего-либо

ecologically safe materials – экологически безопасные материалы

source of energy – источник энергии

damaging for the ecology – губительный для экологии

to stop leaving litter – прекратить выбрасывать мусор

Ecology problems are of vital importance today. What can common people do to protect the planet?

Man have always wanted to make his life easier. He invented machines and mechanisms which have been working — and polluting the world we live in. Economists have long thought of the environment as of the unlimited source of resources only. In fact, the economy and the environment are closely related. The environment supplies the economy with water, timber, miner als, oil, etc. It has to absorb all the waste products, too. Nevertheless, some economists have always argued that pollution damages the resources.

There are many consequences of damaging the environment. One of them is acid rain. Pumping waste gases from a power station does not gel rid of them. Waste gases cause acid rain, this leads to forest damage and reduces the resources of forestry industry.

Another one is water shortage. It comes from abuse of lands in agricul­ture. The third one is destroying the ozone layer of the Earth through pollu tion from factories and plants. The fourth one is damage to water and soils. The fifth one is damage to wildlife: many species of plants and animals can disappear. The sixth one is the greenhouse effect and global warming — that is, an increase in the average temperature of the Earth's atmosphere and oceans. Global warming can lead to rises in sea levels, and extreme weather events such as floods, droughts, and hurricanes, and global climate change. Lastly, the most serious danger is the result of all these consequences. This is the danger for the life and health of the man.

The territories of the former Soviet Union are suffering many environmen­tal problems. Many of these problems have been caused by economic activities. Apart from the effect of the Chernobyl disaster, the worst problem is that wilh the Aral Sea. Cotton growing in the region has used large amounts of water, and the sea level has fallen, this destroyed fishing and led to a damage in soils, crops, and wildlife. Many forests in the Far East and in the north of European Russia are under threat. A system of dams on the Volga damaged fish.

If we cannot learn to use the environment carefully, very soon we'll have no world to live in. In my opinion, pollution can be stopped or at least reduced by using fuels which are low in pollutants, more complete burning of solid fuels, shift to using alternative forms of power such as wind power electricity or solar energy and banning the use of nuclear power. The first reason why I believe these ways to be most effective ones is that industry and transport are the most important sources of all chemical pollution of air, water and soil. The second one is that banning the use of nuclear power will destroy the danger of radioactive contamination.

The most important thing common people could do is to change their attitude towards the environment. We should realize that natural resources are not unlimited and destroying them may result in destroying life on Earth. The change of public attitude to the environment is important due to several reasons. Firstly, public opinion could make governments introduce stricter anti-pollution measures. It could make governments fund scientific research facilitating development of ecologically safe materials and sources of energy. Secondly, people could behave in the way which is less damaging for the ecology of our planet. For example, they could stop leaving litter in city streets and in the country. Thirdly, they could stop damaging forests by cutting down trees for their personal needs or causing forest fires.