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Page 46 - Exercise 5

Listening - Environmental solutions

Part A - Listen to three people describe some serious environmental problems. Check the problem each person talks about.

1 - Jenny

Wait don’t throw that out!

• Why not?

• Recycle it. I’ve been reading a lot about how much trash we produce and what happens to all of it, and it really has me worried.

• Why?

• Well, it seems that the easiest way to dispose of trash is by burying in landfills. Land that could be used by farmers to grow food and other things. The problem is that in many countries, the dumping areas have already been filled up and it’s hard to find places to start new ones. Of course no one wants trash buried in their neighborhood, but it has to go somewhere.

• So what’s the solution?

• Well, there is no easy solution. However, many cities are trying to do more recycling so that they can reduce the amount of stuff that goes into the landfills.

2 - Adam

I love my new phone, but I don’t know what to do with my old one. It’s so outdated. I know I shouldn’t just throw it away.

• Well, you’re right about that. Not disposing of electronic devices and other appliances properly is a huge problem these days. Not just here, but all over the world. Many people don’t know what to do with their old phones, computers, videogame systems, TV sets, refrigerators. tThere are dangerous chemicals in these products. And they have to be handled in the right way.

• So, what are we supposed to do?

• Well. e-waste is not going away. With all the new technology these days, there’s more e-waste than ever before. The solution is just to dispose of it responsibly. The good news is that there are more and more e-waste processing centers. Where professionals take these products and separate them into the various parts. Many of the parts can be reused of course.

3 - Katie

• You know? You always hear about air pollution but not many people are aware of the problem of water pollution.

• You mean in the oceans?

• No, I mean polluted drinking water. It’s a problem in almost every major city in the world. Almost all our rivers and lakes where we get our drinking water from, are being polluted in some way by businesses, farms, homes, industries and other sources. And even though the water most of us drink is treated. It’s still not a hundred percent pure.

• So, what’s the solution?

• Well, it’s a complicated problem to solve, but basically what’s involved is treating all waste products more carefully so that dangerous chemicals and bacteria don’t get into our water supply.