6/10/23, 18:40 Environment vocabulary | EnglishClub

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Environment vocabulary (EnglishClub.com/search)

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Word Example sentence Meaning

acid rain noun Burning fossil fuels in one country can rain that contains harmful chemicals that
cause acid rain in other countries. collect in the atmosphere when fossil fuels are
burned

ban verb Our school has banned plastic bottles to not allow something (eg. smoking, alcohol,
because they're so bad for the plastic bags, protest marches, etc.)
environment.

carbon dioxide (CO2) Trees and plants absorb carbon dioxide a gas that's released when carbon is burned (for
noun and release oxygen into the air. example coal or oil), or when people or animals
breathe out

carbon footprint noun Travelling by air, driving a car or using a measurement of the amount of carbon-
coal-generated electricity will make dioxide a person adds to the atmosphere
your carbon footprint bigger.

carcinogen noun Cigarette smoke contains a number of a substance that has been linked to causing one
carcinogens. or more types of cancer

carpool verb I carpool to work with two of my to share a car instead of driving one alone
neighbours who also work downtown.

clear-cut verb Forests never recover fully after being to destroy a forest by cutting down all the trees
clear-cut.

clearcutting (also Did you know that clearcutting is the a forestry or logging practice in which most or
clearfelling) noun worst way to use a forest's resources? all trees in an area are cut down

climate change noun Do you really think you know more long-term global changes in temperature, wind
about climate change than a real patterns, rainfall etc.
climate scientist?

compost verb Since we started composting we've to put organic waste like vegetable peels,
reduced our garbage by half. uneaten food, grass clippings and leaves into a
large container that breaks it down into healthy
soil

commute verb Imagine how much pollution you cause to travel from home to work and back
by commuting by car for two hours a
day?

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Word Example sentence Meaning

conservation noun Conservation wasn't a big issue until the protection and preservation of natural
the book Silent Spring was published in environments and resources
1966.

consume verb Americans consume more than their to use things like energy, fuel, materials, food,
share of the earth's resources. water, etc.

contaminated adj. Their contaminated milk powder made carrying harmful bacteria or toxins that can
lots of babies really sick. cause disease or death

developing country We moved our factory to a developing a poor nation that's gradually becoming richer
noun country because of cheap labour and and more advanced
weak environmental laws.

domestic waste (also How much domestic waste does your rubbish or garbage from a house or apartment
household waste) noun family produce every day?

donate verb If you donate money to Greenpeace, to give money or goods to an organization you
you'll be helping endangered animals. want to help or support

dump verb You can be sent to jail for dumping to put waste in the wrong place (eg. put toxic
hazardous waste, you know. waste into a river)

eco-community or Our kids want to live in that eco- a community with environmentally-friendly
ecovillage noun community near the forest. buildings, clean technology and renewable
energy like solar and wind

endangered species Every year more animals are listed as animals or plants in danger of becoming extinct
noun endangered species. or disappearing in the near future

energy-efficient adj. Those energy-efficient light bulbs are able to use less energy (esp. of vehicles,
much cheaper these days. appliances, buildings, etc.)

environmentalist noun Fossil fuel companies have tried to a person who protects the natural world and
damage the image of educates others about environmental problems
environmentalists and climate
scientists.

ecosystem noun All those plants, insects and birds in the complex system of relationships between
your garden are part of an ecosystem. living things and their environment

emit verb Cars emit harmful pollutants into the to release or project something (eg. light, sound
atmosphere. smoke, gas, radiation, etc.)

extinct adj. Lots of Australian animals have no longer existing or lost forever (of an animal,
become extinct since the British took bird or plant species)
control.

fertilize verb If you are going to fertilize your lawn, to add chemicals or organic material to soil so
make sure to use an organic fertilizer. that plants grow better

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Word Example sentence Meaning

food chain noun We need to know where each species the order in which organisms in an ecosystem
fits in the food chain. eat one another

fossil fuel noun Burning fossil fuels is a major cause of a fuel like oil or coal formed from very old plant
global warming. and animal fossils

global warming (also Rising sea levels, melting ice caps and higher air and sea temperatures partly caused
climate change) noun coral reef bleaching are caused by by man-made increases in greenhouse-gas
global warming. levels

green adj. If you want to save the planet, join one concerned with protecting the natural
of the green political parties. environment and the planet

greenhouse gas noun The more greenhouse gases we a gas in the atmosphere that stops heat from
produce, the worse climate change will escaping into space
get.

habitat noun Lots of animals will become extinct if the place in which a species normally lives
their natural habitats are destroyed.

hazardous waste noun They increased their profits by dangerous substances that need careful
dumping hazardous waste into the disposal (eg. toxic or nuclear waste)
ocean.

minimize verb Taking public transport instead of to reduce as much as possible

pesticide noun Can't we find a pesticide that's safe? a chemical that's sprayed on crops to stop
insects from destroying them

pollutant noun The Environmental Protection Agency a substance or material that damages the
checks levels of pollutants. natural environment

pollute verb Fumes from factories pollute our air. to release waste substances into the air, water
and soil

pollution noun All the pollution around here comes the contamination of the environment, esp. by
from factories and mines. industrial waste products and chemicals like
pesticides

preserve verb We need stronger laws in order to to keep something in its original state
preserve our forests.

protect verb It's really important to protect our to keep from harm
water supply.

protest verb Environmentalists will protest if the to show you disagree with something, esp. as
loggers try to destroy the forest. part of a group of protesters

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Word Example sentence Meaning

recycle verb The green bin's for things that can be to make something new from materials that
recycled like paper and glass. have been used before

reduce verb You can reduce your household waste to use less or make something smaller
by buying products with less
packaging.

reforestation noun Plant twenty trees in our reforestation the planting of trees and plants to help a
project and you'll get into our dance damaged or destroyed forest recover
party for free!

renewable adj. We're producing cheaper renewable can be used without running out, esp. of energy
energy these days. sources like solar and wind

renewables noun If you want to make money, invest in forms of energy that can be replaced naturally,
renewables. such as hydro-electricity, solar energy and wind
power

rely on verb We won't have to rely on power to depend on (or need) someone or something
companies if we use solar and wind
power instead.

reuse verb We try to reuse things like plastic bags to use again
and bottles.

self-sufficient adj. We're going to live in a self-sufficient able to function, or produce all that's needed,
farming community. without outside help

smog noun The smog was so bad that we had to a thick dirty cloud at ground level caused by
wear air-filter masks. pollutants reacting to sunlight

throw away verb Don't throw away your grass clippings; to get rid of something you don't want
leave them on your lawn.

toxic adj. After the mine released toxic waste deadly or poisonous (of waste, chemicals,
into the river, all the fish died. pollutants, etc.)

toxin (toxic chemical) Smoke from factories often contains a poisonous substance that damages health or
noun dangerous toxins. the environment

use up verb We are using up the earth's natural to use something until there's none left
resources faster than ever.

waste verb Don't waste toilet paper; use one or to use more than necessary, or to use
two sheets instead of three or four. inefficiently

wildlife noun I love taking pictures of wildlife in the animals, birds, insects, etc. living naturally in the
forest. wild

zero-emission adj. Zero-emission vehicles like electric releasing no greenhouse gases like carbon-

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Word Example sentence Meaning

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