The Cost of Economic Growth. Pollution

Unit VIII

I. Remember the words and word-combinations:

· environment навколишнє середовище

· pesticide пестицид

· waste відходи

· infertile безплідний

· car exhaust вихлопні гази автомобілів

· soil contamination забруднення ґрунту

· sewage стічні води

· chemical fertilizers хімічні добрива

· befoul забруднювати

· acid rainfall кислотні опади

· dust particles частинки пилу

II. Read and translate the text:

Nowadays the quality of life became more than a phrase; environmental and pollution became everyday words; and ecology became almost a religion to some of the people.

Progress in environmental problems is impossible without a clear understanding how the economic system works in the environment.

People have come to recognize that pollution imposes direct costs on the economy. Pollution destroys health and thus reduces labour force activity and output. Pollution destroys capital (for instance, air pollution effects steel structures) and diverts (переносить) resources to undesired activities (car washes, laundry, cleaning). Pollution directly reduces our social welfare by denying us access to clean air and water.

On the other hand, controlling pollution is costly too. To clean up sewage, car exhausts, smoke stains, we have to employ scarce factors of production to build, install, and maintain antipollution equipment.

There are three main forms of pollution: air, water and land pollution.

Air pollution

Clouds of factory smoke above our cities used to be a sign of growth and prosperity. But now we know that health can be seriously harmed and property damaged by air pollution and that it costs a lot each year. Polluted air causes breathing-related diseases including bronchitis, asthma and lung cancer.

Polluted air dirties our clothing, our buildings and homes. Does this cost society money?

Burning fuel in cars and factories releases pollutants into the air. Then dust and moisture combine in the atmosphere to form acids in clouds, and eventually there is an acid rainfall or snowfall. The results are deadly. Acid rain kills fish and plants in lakes. It also builds up in the soil and damages crops.

Water pollution

Water is considered polluted when it cannot be used for intended purpose, such as drinking, recreation, farming or manufacturing. Pesticides and chemical fertilizers used by farmers and home owners pollute streams, rivers, and ground water when they are transported by rain water.

Industries use enormous amounts of water in manufacturing processes. The waste-water may contain metallic solids, oils, acids, organic solids or a variety of other pollutants. Some factories discharge heated water back into rivers; this is called thermal pollution.

Land pollution

Modern technology produces massive amounts of wastes. Unlike ordinary household and commercial garbage, industrial wastes are often toxic (poisonous). Deposited wastes contaminate land, air and ground waters in the immediate area and threaten the health and well-being of those who live nearby.

The nuclear weapons plants are an environmental nightmare (кошмар). Underground tanks have been leaking radioactive plutonium. The cost of cleaning up the mess has been estimated as an enormous sum. Unfortunately, even if the governments could afford the cost of the cleanup, some areas would have to be permanently removed from public use because no one really knows how to clean them up.

III. Fill in the blanks with the necessary words in brackets:

1. Ecology is a … common for all mankind. (problem, question, point, object)

2. All people actively … in international cooperation on the protection of the natural habitat. (concern, take part, participate)

3. Environmental problems … their relatively short history, have already been an object of a number of international discussions. (despite, in spite of)

4. They have done a great deal of … to man and they are still doing so for profit and gain. (harm, hurt, damage)

5. They … about mineral resources, flowing rivers, forests, meadows and fields. (have a talk, speak, say, tell)

IV. Translate into English:

У перекладі з англійської мови «грінпіс» означає «зелений мир». «Грінпіс» - міжнародна організація захисників навколишнього середовища. Ця організація виникла на початку 70-х років ХХ століття. Сьогодні до цієї організації належить близько 2 мільйонів чоловік із 15 країн. Міжнародна штаб-квартира організації розташована в Лондоні. Організація має своїх представників у багатьох країнах.

V. Read and dramatize the dialogue “Noise Pollution”:

- Does you consider noise pollution a big problem?

- Certainly, nowadays noise is becoming a major pollutant. Of all forms of pollution, the most aggressive is the constant noise in the street, in the factory, and even inside the building.

- What definition do the specialists give to the term of Noise Pollution?

- They say: “Although widespread, noise is rather subjective phenomenon producing an auditory sensation consider to be annoying”.

- You see, in short, we are chronically subjected to noise which usually varies between 35 and 60 decibels with occasional peaks of 90 to100. But whether such a noise is harmful to health, no scientists has yet taken the responsibility of giving a definite or clear answer to it.

- But in what way do the scientists consider its effect harmful?

- Well, a series of investigations in the USA and Europe gave evidence that noise was a significant factor in certain affections. There doesn’t appear to be any real syndrome due to noise, though it may be possible to speak of a so-called “sonic”(звукова) pathology.

VI. Read and discuss your reaction:

a) Between 1990 and 2000 10% of the estimated 30 million species of plants and animals will be lost forever. By 2030 another 20% are likely to be lost. The extinction of one plant species can cause the loss of 30 dependent organisms.

b) By 1990 half the world’s rainforests had already been destroyed. Of the remaining half, one third disappears between 1990 and 2000 and another third by 2030.

c) Between 1990 and 2000 the average temperature rose by 1`C. By 2100 it will rise by 3`C to 5`C. This will have unpredictable effect on local weather patterns. The sea level is likely to rise between 10cm and 2m.

d) There were 600 million motor vehicles in 1990, 750 million in 2000, and there will be 1,100 by 2030.

e) The total world population in 1990 was 5,300 million. By 2000 it was 6,000 million, and by 2030 there may be 8,000 to 10 million mouth to feed and by 2100 11,000 to 14,000.

VII. Make up your own dialogues using the following word-combinations:

Waste, waste water, to continue pollution, to throw much dust into the air, electric filters, environmental protection, withdraw from the atmosphere, to influence people’s health, to take measures, to move beyond the city, purifying installations.

VIII. Communicative situations:

1. Make a report in your group Nuclear Energy and the Environment.

2. You are the director of the Artificial Fiber Plant. A representative from Greenpeace has come to you and is trying to persuade you to close some shops.

3. Discuss the theme Man – a Master of Nature or a Part of it?

4. Make a speech on nature protection What shouldPeople do to Protect Nature.

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