Download 24. Man and nature Človek a životné prostredie Stav životného

24. Man and nature
 Človek a životné prostredie
 Ochrana životného prostredia
Stav životného prostredia
Problémy životného prostredia
Nature has always provided people with everything they’ve needed for life. Nowadays, the world´s
population grows quickly and people need and want more. Overpopulation (=overcrowding) is one the
causes of destroying the nature. People clear land to build more houses, use fertilizers to plant more
plants, build factories to produce more goods. They use vehicles and build power stations to produce
more energy. These are just some of the contributors to the pollution of the environment. Air, water and
soil are polluted; our planet is warming more and more every year. Extinction of animals and plants is
nowadays one of the most common problems.
It’s time to realise, that by damaging nature, we are damaging ourselves as well.
Problems and their solutions
Air Pollution - Contamination of the atmosphere. The main sources of air pollution are the industries,
agriculture and traffic, as well as energy generation.
Formation:
Air pollution can form in various ways. Chemicals are emitted during many different human activities. In
the atmosphere these chemicals can react with other chemicals to more dangerous substances. The
weather plays an important role in the formation and disappearance of air pollution. This is mainly
influenced by wind and temperatures. Air pollutants can be transported by wind, causing a pollution to
spread widely. Rain can remove pollutants from air, causing soil and water pollution. Sunlight can aid
(=help) the conversion of air pollutants to different substances.
We know outdoor air pollution such as acid rain, smog, the greenhouse effect, and "holes" in the ozone
layer but also indoor pollution, in homes and buildings.
Outdoor:
Acid deposition is a general name for a number of phenomena, namely acid rain, acid fog and acid
mist.
Acid Rain - When a pollutant, such as sulphuric acid combines with droplets of water in the air.
Acid rains are very harmful to the environment. They destroy historical monuments and buildings by
corroding stone and brick walls. They damage plants by destroying their leaves and cause death of the
forest. They poison the soil and change the chemistry of lakes and streams. They are particularly harmful
to wildlife, fish and other aquatic life.
Acid deposition is a transboundary environmental problem. This basically means that emissions in one
country may affect forests and structures in a neighbouring country.
Smog- Dirty air that looks like a mixture of smoke and fog, caused by smoke from cars and factories in
cities.
It is caused by chemical reactions between pollutants from different sources, e.g. automobile and
industrial emissions. Cities are often centres of these types of activities, and many suffer from the effects
of smog, especially during the warm months of the year.
A temperature inversion occurs when air close to the earth is cooler than the air above it. Under these
conditions the pollution cannot rise and be dispersed (=to be spread in different directions over a wide
area). Cities surrounded by mountains also experience trapping of pollution. Inversion can happen in
any season but summer inversions are more likely to create smog. In general we distinguish two
separate types of smog, summer smog and winter smog.
Summer smog mainly consists of ozone. It is a brown, oxidising fog. The causes of summer smog are
mostly pollutants which stem from traffic and industries. The best circumstances for the creation of high
ozone concentrations are summer temperatures, direct sunlight and standing air layer. Humans cannot
adapt to smog. Health effects of smog greatly depend upon the concentrations of ozone and other
oxidants. These contaminants cause eye and respiratory irritations. Plants are extremely vulnerable (=
easily harmed or hurt) to ozone. Even in low concentrations it can cause serious damage.
Winter smog is also referred to as acid smog; it mainly consists of foggy elements. Winter smog is found in
areas where vertical dispersion of air pollutants is not possible. In winter ground temperatures are
sometimes lower than those of the upper atmospheric layers, causing the air to stay near the ground, so
that pollutants will not spread. This causes winter smog. The cold outside air will cause moist to
condensate into fog. Humidity aids the transfer of sulphur dioxide to sulphuric acid, causing the smog to
be acid. Acid smog causes breathing problems and eye irritations.
The greenhouse effect = global warming – The gradual warming of the air surrounding the Earth as a
result of heat being trapped by pollution.
It is generally believed to come from the build up of carbon dioxide gas in the atmosphere. Carbon
dioxide is produced when fuels are burned. Plants convert carbon dioxide back to oxygen, but the
release of carbon dioxide from human activities is higher than the world's plants can process. The
situation is made worse since many of the earth's forests are being removed, and plants are being
damaged by acid rain. Thus, the amount of carbon dioxide in the air is increasing. It acts like a blanket
and traps heat close to the surface of our earth. As a result glaciers are melting which may later raise
the global sea level, resulting in flooding of coasts.
The "holes" in the ozone layer – Ozone is created everywhere in the atmosphere through chemical
reactions under the influence of UV-light.
Chemicals released by our activities affect the stratosphere (= one of the atmospheric layers
surrounding earth). The ozone layer in the stratosphere protects the earth from harmful ultraviolet
radiation from the sun. It is constantly being decomposed and composed. The decomposition and
production of ozone is a natural process. However, human activities have caused large concentrations
of ozone-decomposing chemicals to enter the atmosphere, causing the natural balance to be
disrupted. Releases from aerosol cans, cooling systems and refrigerators remove some of the ozone,
causing "holes" and allowing the radiation to reach the earth. This radiation damages DNA and causes
skin cancer. The radiation can also damage the human immune system, causing humans to become
more susceptible (= likely to suffer from a particular illness or be affected by a particular problem) to
infections. It can decrease growth and photosynthesis activity in a number of plants. Primary crops, such
as rice, corn and sunflower are very susceptible to this. Trees are also susceptible to the radiation.
The radiation can affect aquatic life up to twenty metres under the water surface. It is damaging to
species, such as plankton, fish larvae, shrimps (= a small sea creature that you can eat, which has ten
legs and a soft shell), crabs and seaweeds. Phytoplankton forms the basis of the aquatic food chain.
When radiation causes phytoplankton to decrease in number it will affect entire ecosystems.
Indoor:
Many people spend most of the time indoors - as much as 80-90% of their lives. We work, study, eat,
drink and sleep in enclosed environments where air circulation may be restricted. For these reasons,
some experts feel that people suffer more from the effects of indoor air pollution than outdoor pollution.
There are many sources of indoor air pollution: tobacco smoke, cooking and heating appliances,
vapours from building materials, paints, furniture, etc.
Tobacco smoke - Tobacco use and smoking are very dangerous addictions which commonly cause a
wide variety of diseases, cancer and death. The vast majority of tobacco users and smokers are
hooked when they are children. During this time period they are easily influenced by peer pressure and
advertising. Once hooked, the majority of tobacco users become hopelessly addicted. The most talked
about drug in tobacco is nicotine.
Non-smokers are also affected by environmental tobacco smoke. Passive smoking is the inhalation of
smoke, called second-hand smoke (SHS) or environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), from tobacco
products used by others. It occurs when tobacco smoke permeates any environment, causing its
inhalation by people within that environment. Scientific evidence shows that exposure to second-hand
tobacco smoke causes disease, disability, and death. These risks have been one of the major
motivations for smoking bans in workplaces and indoor public places, including restaurants, bars and
night clubs.
Prevention:
In many countries in the world, steps are being taken to stop the damage to our environment from air
pollution. Scientific groups study the damaging effects on plant, animal and human life. Legislative
bodies write laws to control emissions. Educators in schools and universities teach students, beginning at
very young ages, about the effects of air pollution.
The first step to solving air pollution is assessment. Researchers have investigated outdoor air pollution
and have developed standards for measuring the type and amount of some serious air pollutants.
Scientists must then determine how much exposure to pollutants is harmful and then reduce it, for
example through legislation (laws).
Water Pollution – Contamination of the water.
Sewage and Wastewater- Sewage is the term used for wastewater that often contains faeces, urine
and laundry waste.
Domestic households, industrial and agricultural practices produce wastewater that can cause
pollution of many lakes and rivers. Sewage disposal is a major problem in developing countries as many
people in these areas don’t have access to sanitary conditions and clean water. Untreated
sewage water in such areas can contaminate the environment and cause diseases such as diarrhoea.
In developed countries it is carried away from the home quickly and hygienically through sewage
pipes. However, it also contributes to the pollution of the seas and oceans as the final waste often ends
there. In developed countries, sewage often causes problems when people flush chemical
and pharmaceutical substances down the toilet. When people are ill, sewage often carries harmful
viruses and bacteria into the environment causing health problems.
Marine dumping - Dumping of litter in the sea can cause huge problems.
Litter items can get caught in marine animals and may result in death. Different items take different
lengths of time to degrade (=to change to a simpler form) in water, sometimes hundreds of years.
Industrial water pollution - Many industrial facilities use freshwater to carry away waste from the plant
into rivers, lakes and oceans.
Pollutants from industrial sources include:
o
Asbestos – Asbestos fibres can be inhaled and cause illnesses such as lung cancer or liver cancer.
o
Lead – This is a metallic element and can cause health and environmental problems.
Mercury – It is a metallic element that can cause health and environmental problems. Mercury is
also harmful to animal health as it can cause illness through mercury poisoning.
Phosphates - The increased use of fertilisers means that phosphates are more often being washed
from the soil and into rivers and lakes.
Oils – Oil does not dissolve in water, instead it forms a thick layer on the water surface. This can stop
marine plants receiving enough light for photosynthesis. It is also harmful for fish and marine birds,
because it gets caught in their feathers stopping them from flying.
Petrochemicals – This is formed from gas or petrol and can be toxic to marine life.
o
o
o
o
Nuclear waste - Nuclear waste is produced from industrial, medical and scientific processes that
use radioactive material. Nuclear waste can have detrimental (=harmful) effects on marine habitats.
Atmospheric deposition – It is the pollution of water caused by air pollution – by acid rains.
Global warming - An increase in water temperature can result in the death of many aquatic
organisms and destroy many marine habitats. For example it causes bleaching (=to become pale or
white) of coral reefs around the world. This is when the coral expels (=force to leave) the
microorganisms of which it is dependent on. This can result in great damage to coral reefs and
subsequently, all the marine life that depends on it.
Prevention:
Be careful about what you throw down your sink or toilet. Don’t throw paints, oils or other forms of litter
down the drain (= a pipe that carries water or waste liquids away).
Use environmentally household products, such as washing powder, household cleaning agents and
toiletries.
Take great care not to overuse pesticides and fertilizers. This will prevent runoffs of the material into
nearby water sources. It can be also prevented by having more plants in the garden.
Don’t throw litter into rivers, lakes or oceans.
Most economists believe in a new system in which the more you pollute the more you need to pay. So
this system can be named as pay and pollute. The main idea behind the system is people who pollute
must pay to clean it up. For example: various oil spills occur every year, so the owner of that ship should
pay for oil spills cleanup.
Ships must also transport oil only when weather conditions are good. During storms they must not be
allowed to transport oil which might result in shipwrecks and eventually oil spills. If oil spills occurs it must
be cleaned immediately before it is spread to the ocean.
Overgrazing - Letting animals feed unlimited.
It can be caused by having too many animals on the farm or by not properly controlling their grazing
activity. Overgrazing reduces the usefulness, productivity, and biodiversity of the land and is one cause
of erosion. It is also seen as a cause of the spread of invasive species, non-native plants and weeds.
Deforestation – Deforestation is clearing Earth's forests on a massive scale, often resulting in damage
to the quality of the land. Forests still cover about 30 percent of the world’s land area, but they are
disappearing every day. The world’s rain forests could completely vanish in a hundred years at the
current rate of deforestation.
Forests are cut down for many reasons, but most of them are related to money or to people’s need to
provide for their families.
1. Agriculture - The biggest driver of deforestation is agriculture. Farmers cut forests to provide more
room for planting crops or grazing livestock. Often many small farmers will each clear a few acres to
feed their families by cutting down trees and burning them in a process known as “slash and burn”
agriculture. (= It is a forestry technique which involves cutting down trees and shrubs on a large swath of
land, allowing them to dry, and then setting a fire. It is a rapid and effective method for clearing a
chunk of land, typically with the intention of converting it to agricultural use.)
2. Logging - Logging operations, which provide the world’s wood and paper products, also cut
countless trees each year. Loggers, some of them acting illegally, also build roads to access more and
more remote forests—which leads to further deforestation.
3. Urban sprawl - Forests are also cut as a result of growing urban sprawl.
Not all deforestation is intentional. Some is caused by a combination of human and natural factors like
wildfires and subsequent overgrazing, which may prevent the growth of young trees.
Negative effects:
Deforestation has many negative effects on the environment. The most dramatic impact is a loss of
habitat for millions of species. Seventy percent of Earth’s land animals and plants live in forests, and
many cannot survive the deforestation that destroys their homes.
Deforestation also drives climate change. Forest soils are moist, but without protection from sunblocking tree cover they quickly dry out. Trees also help perpetuate (= to make something continue, to
exist for a long time) the water cycle by returning water vapor back into the atmosphere. Without trees
to fill these roles, many former forest lands can quickly become barren (= infertile) deserts.
Removing trees deprives (= prevents from having something, especially something that is needed) the
forest of portions of its canopy, which blocks the sun’s rays during the day and holds in heat at night. This
disruption leads to more extreme temperatures swings that can be harmful to plants and animals.
Trees also play a critical role in absorbing the greenhouse gases that fuel global warming. Fewer forests
means larger amounts of greenhouse gases entering the atmosphere—and increased speed and
severity of global warming.
Solutions:
The quickest solution to deforestation would be to simply stop cutting down trees.
More realistic solution is to carefully manage forest resources by eliminating clear-cutting to make sure
that forest environments remain intact. (= untouched) The cutting that does occur should be balanced
by the planting of enough young trees to replace the older ones.
Power station (= generating station, power plant, or powerhouse) is an industrial facility for the
generation of electric power.
Types of power stations:
 Nuclear power plants - use a nuclear reactor's heat to operate a steam turbine generator.
Disadvantages:
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Radioactive waste: the waste from nuclear energy is extremely dangerous and it has to be carefully
looked after for several thousand years.
High risks: despite a generally high security standard, accidents can still happen. It is technically
impossible to build a plant with 100% security. A small probability of failure will always last. The
consequences of an accident would be absolutely devastating both for human being as for the
nature.
Radioactive waste can be used for the production of nuclear weapons. In addition, the same
know-how used to design nuclear power plants can to a certain extent be used to build nuclear
weapons.
The energy source for nuclear energy is Uranium. Uranium is a scarce resource; its supply is
estimated to last only for the next 30 to 60 years depending on the actual demand. Therefore
nuclear energy is a non- renewable energy.
Solutions: Renewable sources of energy such as: waves or tidal motion, wind, sunlight, energy of falling
water, hydroelectricity and geothermal energy.
 Geothermal power plant - uses its geothermal activity to generate power. This type of natural energy
production is extremely environmentally friendly and used in many geothermal hot spots around the
globe.
To harness (= to control and use the natural force or power of something) the energy, deep holes are
drilled into the earth (much like when drilling for oil) until a significant geothermal hot spot is found.
When the heat source has been discovered, a pipe is attached deep down inside the hole which
allows hot steam from deep within the earth crust to rise up to the surface. Then it is converted by
generator into electricity power.
Advantages:
+
+
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no pollution
the cost of the land to build a geothermal power plant on, is usually less expensive as geothermal
plants take up very little room
no fuel is used to generate the power, which in return, means the running costs for the plants are
very low
Disadvantages:
- must find a suitable build location (some areas of land may have the sufficient hot rocks to supply
hot water to a power station, but what if these areas are contained in harsh areas of the world
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(near the poles) or high up in mountains. Some very good proven spots have been found in New
Zealand, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.)
in many cases, a site that has happily been extracting steam and turning it into power for many
years, may suddenly stop producing steam.
 Wind Turbines -can be used to generate electricity in areas with strong, steady winds, sometimes
offshore. Almost all modern turbines being produced today use a three-bladed, upwind design.
Advantages:
+
+
+
+
friendly to the surrounding environment, as no fossil fuels are burnt to generate electricity from
wind energy.
wind turbines take up less space than the average power station. Windmills only have to occupy
a few square meters for the base; this allows the land around the turbine to be used for many
purposes, for example agriculture.
newer technologies are making the extraction of wind energy much more efficient. The wind is
free, and we are able to cash in on this free source of energy.
wind turbines are a great resource to generate energy in remote locations, such as mountain
communities and remote countrysides.
Disadvantages:
- wind is an unreliable factor. In many areas, the winds strength is too low to support a wind turbine
or wind farm.
- wind turbine construction can be very expensive and costly to surrounding wildlife during the
build process.
- the noise pollution from wind turbines is sometimes similar to a small jet engine.
Recycling
Recycling is one of the solutions for protecting the Earth. It’s an excellent way of saving energy and
conserving the environment. It is a process of reducing the waste by recovering materials and
transforming them into new products.
There are three key factors when thinking about how to recycle – The 3 R’s:
1. Reduce
2. Reuse
3. Recycle
1. Reduce – It is important to: buy only what you need, buy products that can be reused, buy products
with little packaging, buy non-toxic products whenever possible, find safer alternatives to hazardous
household products, think before you throw something away.
2. Reuse - Many items found around the home can be used for different purposes. So before you throw
those items away, think about how they can be reused. Below are some suggestions of how to reuse
those everyday bits and pieces:
 Carrier bags - Carrier bags can be reused in the shops or as bin bags around the house. Paper bags
make useful wrapping paper.
 Jars (= a glass container with a wide top and a lid used for storing food such as jam or honey) and
pots - By cleaning glass jars and small pots, you can use them as small containers.
 Newspaper, cardboard and bubble wrap - Make useful packing material when moving house or to
store items.
 Old clothes – Can be made into other textile items such as cushion covers (=pillow covers)
 Packaging - Such as foil and egg cartons can be donated to schools and nurseries, where they can
be use in art and craft projects.
 Tyres (= a thick rubber ring that fits around the wheel of a car, bicycle tec.) - Old tyres can be given
to your local petrol station where they will be recycled. Or you could make a tyre-swing by tying a
strong rope around a tyre and attaching it to a tree.
 Used wood - Can be used in woodcrafts for making objects such as a bird table. Alternatively it could
be used as firewood.
3. Recycling
Recyclable materials: asbestos, batteries, building materials, composting, computers, electrical
equipment, furniture, glass, metal, mobiles, paint/oil, paper, plastic, printers, textiles, vehicles, wood.
Recycling is very important nowadays as the amount of rubbish people create is constantly increasing
mainly because:
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Increasing wealth means that people are buying more products and ultimately creating more
waste.
Increasing population means that there are more people on the planet to create waste.
New packaging and technological products are being developed, much of these products contain
materials that are not biodegradable. (= changed naturally by bacteria into substances that do not
harm the environment)
New lifestyle changes, such as eating fast food, means that we create additional waste that isn’t
biodegradable.
Environmental importance
Recycling is very important as waste has a huge negative impact on the natural environment.

Harmful chemicals and greenhouse gasses are released from rubbish in landfill sites. Recycling helps
to reduce the pollution caused by waste.

Habitat destruction and global warming are some of the effects caused by deforestation. Recycling
reduces the need for raw materials so that the rainforests can be preserved.
Huge amounts of energy are used when making products from raw materials. Recycling requires
much less energy and therefore helps to preserve natural resources.

Importance to people
Recycling is essential to cities around the world and to the people living in them, because:

No space for waste.

Reduce financial expenditure in the economy. Making products from raw materials costs much
more than if they were made from recycled products.
Preserve natural resources for future generations. Recycling reduces the need for raw materials; it
also uses less energy, therefore preserving natural resources for the future.

What lovely, beautiful or horrible weather is, is subjective. The weather is always connected to
temperature, wind and rainfall. Some people like sunny days with clear cloudless sky and fine or fair
weather, when the sun is shining and it is a bright day. When the sky is overcast and cloudy, there is less
sun and it is dull. When clouds are near the ground, they create fogs. A thin fog is a mist. Both make the
visibility poorer and increase the risk of car accidents. When it is more than warm, it is hot of boiling. The
period of very hot weather is a heat wave. When the temperature is not too cold, it is cool, when it is
very cold it is freezing or icy. When the temperature is below zero, it is a frost. It is also a white powder
that covers the ground. During frosty days everything is frozen and rain turns into snow. When the rain
freezes but not into flakes, it hails. When it is raining cats and dogs or pouring down it is a heavy rain,
downpour or showers. Light rain with small raindrops is a drizzle. When it is fresh, the coldness is pleasant,
when it is chilly, it is not. In windy weather we feel colder. It is called a wind-chill factor. Light wind is
called a breeze. A wet day has a lot of rain and during a warm rainy day it is humid. The small drops of
water in the morning are dew. Humidity expresses how much water is present in the air. Tropical climate
has a very high humidity and desert areas very low. When it is dry, it does not rain. Climate is the
weather pattern typical for certain area. We recognize 5 main types of climate: tropical, dry, warm
temperate, cold temperate, cold. Weather is connected to day to day weather conditions. If it changes
a lot, the weather is unsettled and unpredictable. In a temperate climate a year has four seasons:
summer, autumn, winter and spring. Changing of seasons is a result of our planet revolving around the
sun. The weather influences not only what we wear but also our activities. We watch weather forecast to
know what weather we can expect. We cannot predict the future weather perfectly but satellites and
other high technology helps us to be more precise. A weather forecaster shows the weather on a
weather chart. Meteorologists study the weather. Thermometer measures the temperature and
barometer the air pressure, which has great influence on the weather. They are located in weather
station. When we travel into different climates, we need to acclimatize. For example Africans who rarely
experience sub-zero temperatures and have never seen snow can find coping with the cold climate
difficult. Some animals migrate to warmer countries to avoid the winter period with lack of food. The
colours that appear when the sun is shining and it is raining at the same time is called a rainbow.
Sometimes the weather can be violent. Hurricanes and tornadoes destroy lives of many people and
damage their property. Lightning that accompanies thunderstorms can be dangerous, too. The weather
is known to affect people’s mood. It can make them feel energetic and happy or depressed and
bored. Some health conditions are weather-sensitive and people can suffer from headaches or other
pains in different parts of their bodies.
Spring - begins on the 21st March. Nature begins to awake from its long winter sleep and new life
begins. Nights get shorter and days get longer. The snow melts as days become warmer. It can cause
swelling of the streams and rivers and there are often floods during this season. The weather in spring is
very changeable and unpredictable. The temperatures are often below 0°C at night, but the days are
quite warm. Sometimes the sun shines and soon after is overcast, rains or even snows. Typical spring
flowers are snowdrops and snowflakes, dandelions, daffodils, tulips, violets, catkins…
Summer - begins on 21st June. The temperature rises to 25°C or more. In the morning there is often dew
on the grass, the sky is clear, no wind or just a fresh breeze blows. The weather is often hot and dry. But
on the other hand, when it is too hot for a long time, then the rain comes. Strong storms are typical for
summer. It clouds over, wind is stronger, it cools down and a heavy downpour with the lightning starts.
Sometimes there may be hailing or a cloudburst.
Autumn - begins on 23rd September. The sun sets earlier and rises later so days get shorter. There is a
period of a few fine days which is called Indian summer. This is the time of harvest. The leaves start to fall
off the trees and grass turns yellow. Birds fly to the south. The whether is very unsettled, thy sky is often
clouded, mornings are dull and it often looks like rain. In the morning there is often fog. The temperature
starts to drops and first frosts may appear. It is chilly and rainy or it drizzles.
Winter - starts on 21st December. In winter it snows, icy wind blows and there are hard frosts. Streams,
rivers and lakes are frozen over, snow is everywhere. The temperature drops to below zero, sometimes
more than 20°C. Icicles hang from the roof, the roads are slippery, and the snow crunches underfoot.
The environment means surroundings in which people, animals and plants develop and exist. More
simplified it’s the world in which we live. The science that studies the relationship between different life
forms in nature is ecology. Today the most serious ecological problems are: the pollution of the air,
water and soil, the destruction of ecosystems and its balance, the disappearance of species of animals
and plants, the weather changes, acid rains, the warming up of the earth surface, the destruction of
tropical rainforests and breaking of the ozone layer. These damages are caused by the man himself
and his technical progress.
Scientists say the temperature of the earth could rise by 3°C over the next 50 years. This may cause
draught in some parts of the world and floods in others, as ice at the North and South Poles begins to
melt and sea levels rise. This is caused by the greenhouse effect. Normally, heat from the sun warms the
earth and then escapes back into space but carbon dioxide and other gases in the atmosphere trap
the sun’s heat and this is slowly making the earth warmer. And where does the CO2 come from? Well,
people and animals breathe in oxygen and breathe out CO2. Trees take CO2 from the air and produce
oxygen. But we produce CO2 also when we burn fossil fuels (coal, oil, petrol and gas) or wood. In the
last few years people have burned huge areas of rainforests. This means that there are fewer trees and
consequently more carbon dioxide.
Deforestation There are two reasons for destroying the world’s forests: land and wood. The land is
needed for crops and wood is exported and used for buildings or made into furniture. Unfortunately,
many rainforests grow on poor soils and when the trees are cut down, the soil is washed away by the
rain or blown away by the wind soon, and the area may turn to desert. But many plants and animal
species that live there could become extinct. All of us are to blame for this disaster. However, some
people can’t sit passively.
The ozone layer is a layer of gas high above the surface of the earth that helps to protect it from the
sun’s ultraviolet radiation, which can damage our skin and cause cancer. Scientists have recently
discovered holes in the ozone layer, caused by substances called CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons). CFCs are
used in refrigerator, aerosol cans and in the manufacture of some plastic products. Some companies
now make aerosols that don’t contain CFCs, and these are often marked ozone-friendly.
Pollution Factories, power stations and motor vehicles pump large amounts of carbon dioxide and other
waste gases into the air. This is the major cause of the green house effect. A lot of petrol contains lead,
which is very poisonous and can cause brain damage in children. Many people now prefer using
unleaded petrol. Some poisonous gases dissolve in water in the atmosphere and then fall to the earth
as acid rain. Acid rain damages trees and buildings, and can kill fish in lakes and rivers. Rivers can also
be polluted by industrial waste from factories and chemical fertilizers and pesticides used by farmers.
Organizations There are several groups which try to protect the environment. The most famous group is
Greenpeace which makes campaigns in many countries around world. They have made campaigns
against hunting whales, pollution in the North Sea, nuclear power and testing of nuclear weapons and
many others issues. Greenpeace supporters organize demonstrations and they also take direct actions.
Another important environmental group is Friends of the Earth. They have led campaigns against global
warming, the destruction of the rain forests.
In the world there are a lot of animals and plants we have to protect. All these species are listed in the
Red lists, which distinguish them into three groups: Endangered are species which number falls quickly
and for saving them are special measures necessary. Vulnerable are species which are still enough to
survive but their number falls very quickly, too. Rare species can very easily disappear. In the Red list
from 1996 there are written 5205 species which need help or protection. But this number grows every
year. The giant panda is one of the most endangered animals. This beautiful mammal is very rare
because of the output of wood in Chinese forests. Bamboo is the main food for pandas and it is a part
of the forest which doesn‘t grow without trees above itself. It is very easy to understand: when people
cut the trees, bamboo doesn‘t grow and pandas have no food. They have to move somewhere else,
where bamboo still is. But there are almost no areas where pandas can live peacefully. Therefore only
about 1000 pandas remain in the wild today. They live in seven separated little areas in China
Earthquake, vibrations produced inside the earth. The vibrations can range from barely noticeable to
catastrophically destructive. There are six kinds of shock waves generated in the process. Two are
classified as body waves and the other four are surface waves. The general classes of earthquakes are:
tectonic, volcanic and artificial. The tectonic is the most devastating but scientists find ways to predict
them. The tectonic earthquake is situated in zones. These earthquakes are more frequent and stronger.
In these regions they can cause great loss of life by destroying structures, buildings, bridges and they
can also devastate nature. Seismologists have devised two scales to describe earthquakes
quantitatively. One is the Richter scale, which measures the motion of the land from the epicenter to
focus. The Richter scale is open-ended. The other scale measures the intensity of shaking from 1 to 12.
The strongest earthquakes were in 1906 in San Francisco 8.3-9.2 and, but the biggest one was in Tokyo
with the loss of 200 000 lives.
Hurricanes-this name is for migratory tropical cyclones, which originate over oceans in certain regions
near the equator. Hurricanes in the western Pacific are known as typhoons. Hurricanes consist of highvelocity winds blowing circularly around a low-pressure centre, called the eye of storm. The diameter of
the area affected by winds of destructive force may be 240 km. The strength of hurricane is rated from 1
to 5.The mildest category 1, has got winds of 150 km/h. The strongest category, Category 5, has winds
that exceed 250 km/h. Hurricanes usually move in path looking like the curve of a parabola.
When it rains or snows, some of the water is retained in the soil, some is absorbed by vegetation, some
evaporates and the rest is called runoff. Floods occur when the soil and vegetation can’t absorb all the
water. Periodic floods occur naturally on many rivers. These floods are often results from heavy rain,
sometimes combined with melting snows. It causes the riverbank overflow. A flood that rises and falls
rapidly is called flash flood. Floods don’t only damage property and influence the lives of people and
animals, but have also other effects. Rapid runoff causes soil erosion. Prolonged high floods delay traffic
and economic use of lands. Financial losses are caused by floods are commonly millions of dollars each
year.
acid rain – kyslý dážď
activists – aktivisti
aerosols – aerosól
agrotourism – agroturistika
alternative sources – alternatívne zdroje
amphibian – obojživelník
atmosphere – atmosféra
attention – pozornosť
avalanche – lavína
balance – rovnováha
ban – zákaz, palm tree - palma
cage – klietka
carbon dioxide – oxid uhličitý
climate change – zmena klímy
concrete – betónový
condition – stav
conservation – zachovanie
contaminate – znečistiť
contribute – prispievať
crops – úroda
cruel conditions – kruté podmienky
current – súčasný
cycle – kolobeh
damage – poškodenie
deforestation – odlesňovanie
desert – púšť
destroy – zničiť
devastating – ničivý
disappear – zmitnúť
discharge – vypustiť, vylievať
dispose – zbaviť sa, likvidovať
drop litter – odhadzovať odpadky
drought – sucho
earthquake – zemetrasenie
ecology – ekológia
ecosystem – ekosystém
effort – snaha
endangered species – ohrozené druhy
enviromental education – enviromentálna
výchova
environment – životné prostredie
environmentalist – ochranca živ. prostr.
environmentally friendly –
evaporation – vyparovanie
exhaust fumes – výfukové plyny
extinct – vyhynutý
extinction – vyhynutie
fauna – živočíchy
feed – kŕmiť
fertile land – úradná pôda
fertiliser – hnojivo
flood – povodeň
flora - rastliny
forest fire – lesný požiar
fossil fuels – fosílne palivá
freshwater – sladkovodný
fur – kožuch
mankind - ľudstov
game reserve – prírodná rezervácia
genetically modified – genetický upravený
get rid of – zbaviť sa
glacier – ľadovec
global warming – globálne oteplovanie
greenhouse effect – skleníkový efekt
greenhouse gases – skleníkové plyny
groundwater – podzemná voda
habitat – miesto výskytu
horns – rohy
human being – ľudská bytosť
humankind – ľudstvo
illegal hunting – nelegálne lovenie
in captivity – v zajatí
in danger – v nebezpečenstve
ivory – slonovina
keep pets – mať domáce zviera
landfill area – verejné skládky odpadu
lead to – viesť k
national parks – národné parky
natural desaster – prírodná katastrofa
oil spill – rozliatie ropy
ozone layer – ozénová vrstva
pass a law – prijať zákon
passive smoking – pasívne fajčenie
pest – škodca
pesticide – pesticid
poisonous chemicals – jedovaté látky
pollution – znečistenie
power station – elektráreň
precipitation – zrážky
predator – dravec
preservative – konzervačná látka
protect – ochraňovať
protected species – chránené druhy
protest – protestovať
raise public awareness about – robiť osvetu
recyclable – recyklovateľný
recycle – reciklovať
recycled paper – recyklovaný papier
release – vypúšťať
renewable energy sources – obn. zdroje
energie
reservoir – nádrž
reusable – znovu použiteľný
reuse – znovu použiť
rubbish – odpad
separate the waste – triediť odpad
sewage – splašky
shortage/lack of – nedostatok
smog – smog
solar power – slnečná energia
space – priestor
surface – povrch
surroundings – okolie, prostredie
survival – prežitie
tidal wave – prílivová vlna
torture animals – týrať zvieratá
toxic waste – toxický odpad
treat – správať sa , maltreatment - týranie
tribes – kmene
unleaded petrol – bezolovnatý benzín
urban sprawl – rast miest
vulcanic eruptions – výbuchy sopiek
warning – varovanie
waste – odpad wild animals – divoké zvieratá
wasteful – prebytočný
water level – hladina vody
wind power – veteran energia
wipe out – vyhubiť
zoo – zologická záhrada
flowers: tulip (tulipán), rose (ruža), daffodil (žilý
narcis), forget-me-not (nezábudka), poppy
(mak), dandelion (púpava), daisy
(sedmokráska), lily (ľalia), snowdrop (snežienka),
primrose (prvosienka), sunflower (slnečnica)
insects: fly (mucha), dragonfly (vážka), butterfly
(motýľ), grasshopper (lúčny koník), praying
mantis (modlivka), bee (včela), ant (mravec),
beetle (chrobák), bug (chrobák), mosquito
(komár), termite (termit), locust (kobylka), flea
(blcha), ladybird (lienka), cockroach (šváb)
birds: crane (žeriav), stork (bocian), ostrich
(pštros), penguin (tučniak), swan (labuť), seagull
(čajka), eagle (orol), hawk (jastrab), falcon
(sokol), crow (vrana), owl (sova), coockoo
(kukučka), sparrow (vrabec), nightingale (slávik),
doodpecker (ďateľ), raven (havran), lark
(škovránok), geese (hus), pegeons (holub),
parrot (papagáj), duck (kačica)
fish: carp (kapor), pike (šruka), trout (pstruh),
salmon (losos), catfish (sumec), shark (žralok),
tuna (tuniak), sardine (sardinka), mackerel
(makrela)
reptiles and amphibians: adder (zmija), python
(pytón), anaconda (anakonda), cobra (kobra),
rattlesnake (štrkáč), boa constrictor (boa),
crocodile (krokodíl), alligator (aligátor), lizard
(jašter), chameleon (chameleón), turtle
(korytnačka), tortoise (korytnačka), frog (žaba),
salamander (salamander), snake (had)
mammals and others: antelope (antilopa), ape
(opica), badger (jazvec), bear (medveď),
beaver (bobor), boar (diviak), bulls (býk),
camels (ťava), cat (mačka), cheetah (gepard),
chicken (sliepka), chimpanzee (šimpanz), cow
(krava), deer (jeleň), dog (pes), dolphin (delfín),
earthworms (dážďovka), elephants (slon), elk
(los), fox (lýška), giraffes (žirafa), goat (koza),
hamster (škrečok), hare (zajac), rabbit (králik),
hedgehog (jež), hippo (hroch), horse (kôň),
kangaroo (klokan), lion (lev), marten (kuna),
moles (krt), monkey (opica), moose (los
americký), mouse (myš), oxen (voly), reindeer
(sob), rhino (nosorožec), sheep (ovca), snail
(slimák), squirrel (veverica), tiger (tiger), weasel
(lasica), whale (veľryba), wolves (vlci), worms
(červy)
herbs: chamomile (harmanček), sage (šalvia),
rosemary (rozmarín), thyme (tymian), mint
(mäta), basil (bazalka), marjoram (majorán),
lavender (levanduľa)
vegetable: asparagus (špargľa), beans (fazuľa),
broccoli (brokolica), cabbage (kapusta), carrot
(mrkva), celery (zeler), corn (kukurica),
cucumber (uhorka), eggplant (baklažán), green
pepper (zelená paprika), lettuce (šalát), onion
(cibuľa), peas (hrášok), potato (zemiaky),
pumpkin (tekvica), radish (reďkovka), spinach
(špenát), tomato (paradajky), turnip (repa),
fruit: apple (jablko), apricot (marhuľa), banana
(banán), berry (bobuľovité), cherry (čerešňa),
coconut (kokos), grapefruit (grapefruit), grape
(hrozno), lemon (citrón), orange (pomaranč),
peach (broskyňa), pear (hruška), pineapple
(ananás), plum (slivka), raspberry (malina),
strawberry (jahoda), watermelon (melón)
acid fog
acid mist
acid rain
adapt
addiction
agriculture
aid
aquatic life
atmosphere
balance
biodegradable
biosphere
cancer
canopy
carbon dioxide
chemicals
climate
coal
contaminate
contaminate
coral reefs
cut trees down
dam
damage
deforestation
demand
destroy
destruction
discharge
diseases
disperse
disposable products
dispose
DNA
drought
dump
ecology
ecosystem
electricity
emission
emissions
emit
endangered species
energy
energy generation
environment
environmentally friendly
evaporation
extinction
facilities
fertilizers
firewood
flood
flora/fauna
food chain
formation
fossil fuel
garbage
genetic modification
global warming
globe
grazing
greenhouse effect
greenhouse gases
Greenpeace
habitat
harm
herbivores
hydroelectricity
immunes system
influence
laws
legislation
litter
logging
melt
microorganisms
natural gas
natural resources
nuclear power
nuclear waste
nutrients
oil
oil slick
over-cropping
overgrazing
overpopulation
oxygen
ozone destruction
ozone layer
pesticides
petrol
photosynthesis
planting
plants
poison the soil
pollutants
polluter
pollution
population control
provide
radiation
rain forest
raw materials
recycle
remove
renewable energy
renewable energy
renewable energy
resources
respiratory
rubbish
scarce resource
sewage
smog
smoking
solar power
solution
species
stored energy
suffer
sunlight
toxic waste
UV-light
vanish
viruses
water cycle
water vapour
wildlife
wind power