Help
Options
Didn't know it?
click below
click below
Knew it?
click below
click below
Don't Know
Remaining cards (0)
Know
retry
shuffle
restart
0:00
Embed Code - If you would like this activity on your web page, copy the script below and paste it into your web page.
Normal Size Small Size show me how
Normal Size Small Size show me how
Environment
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| biodegradable | biodegradable substances can be separated into very small parts by bacteria so that they are not harmful to the environment |
| biohazard | something that may cause harm to people or to the environment, especially a poisonous chemical or an infectious disease |
| biological control | a method of reducing the number of harmful insects by using other insects or small animals that feed on them |
| carbon capture and storage | the process of collecting carbon dioxide that is produced by burning coal or oil and storing it to stop it getting into the atmosphere |
| the carbon cycle | the movement of carbon between living things and their environment. Carbon dioxide is taken from the atmosphere and used by plants. It then moves from plants eaten as food to animals, and is returned to the atmosphere by the respiration of plants and anim |
| carbon footprint | the amount of carbon dioxide a person, organization, building, etc produces, used as a measure of their effect on the environment |
| carbon-neutral | a carbon-neutral activity, company etc balances the amount of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide it produces with actions that are designed to protect the environment, for example planting trees or using less electricity |
| carbon sink | an ocean, forest, or other area of vegetation (=plants and trees) that helps to protect the environment by taking in large amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere |
| carbon trading | a system that allows a company or country that reduces the amount of carbon dioxide it produces to below a particular level to sell the extra reduction as a credit to a company or country that has not reduced the amount it produces enough |
| catalytic converter | a piece of equipment fitted to a car in order to reduce the amount of poisonous gases that it sends into the air |
| clean | clean machines and processes do not create a lot of pollution |
| clean-up noun | the process of removing pollution or waste from a place or an industrial process |
| climate change | the changes that are thought to be affecting the world’s weather so that it is becoming warmer |
| conservation | the management of land and water in ways that prevent it from being damaged or destroyed the careful use of energy, water, and other resources, so that they are not wasted or lost |
| conservation area | an area of land that is protected from being damaged |
| conserve | to prevent land, water, or other natural resources from being damaged or destroyed to use very little of something such as electricity or water so that it is not wasted |
| contaminate | to make something dirty, polluted, or poisonous by adding a chemical, waste, or infection |
| contaminated | made dirty, polluted, or poisonous by the addition of a chemical, waste, or infection |
| contamination | the process of making something dirty, polluted, or poisonous by adding a chemical, waste, or infection |
| decarbonize | to reduce the amount of gaseous carbon compounds released into the atmosphere as a result of human activity |
| deforestation | the process of removing the trees from an area of land |
| eco- (prefix) | relating to the environment: used with some nouns and adjectives |
| dispersant | a chemical substance used to break up a liquid, especially oil floating on the sea, into tiny pieces so that it spreads over a wide area and causes less harm |
| ecocide (noun) | damage to or destruction of the natural environment, especially as caused by human activity such as pollution or war, or an example of this |
| eco-friendly | designed to cause as little harm as possible to the environment |
| ecoterrorist | someone who tries to stop or damage organizations that cause harm to the environment |
| ecological | working to protect the environment |
| ecotown | in England, a new town that is designed in a way that reduces people's impact on the environment to a minimum |
| ecotourism | the business of creating and selling holidays that give people the chance to learn about a natural environment, and cause as little damage to the environment as possible |
| emissions trading (noun) | the practice of buying and selling the right to produce chemicals and other substances that have a harmful effect on the environment |
| environmental | relating to the natural world and the effect that human activity has on it |
| endangered species | a type of animal or plant that may soon become extinct (=disappear from the world) |
| environmental | intended to help or protect the environment |
| environmentally sensitive area | an area where the natural environment can easily be harmed |
| environmentally friendly | designed not to harm the natural environment |
| environmentally | in a way that affects the environment or is related to it |
| environmental accounting (noun) | a way of calculating the cost of a business decision that includes all its good and bad effects on, for example, the environment and people’s health, as well as the direct costs |
| global warming | the slow increase in the temperature of the Earth caused partly by the greenhouse effect increasing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere |
| Green (adjective) | designed to protect the environment or to limit damage to the environment used about places in which the environment is protected |
| green (verb) | to change a place or activity in a way that protects the environment or limits damage to the environment |
| green audit | an examination of what a company is doing to prevent its business activities from harming the environment |
| the greenhouse effect | the process in which heat is unable to escape from the atmosphere and causes the temperature of the Earth to rise. The rise in temperature is called global warming. |
| green belt | an area of land around large cities where no buildings are allowed in order to protect the countryside |
| greening (noun) | the process of taking a greater interest in environmental issues and acting to protect the environment |
| non-renewable | non-renewable types of energy exist in limited amounts, and when these are all used there will be none left |
| the nitrogen cycle | the series of processes by which nitrogen in the atmosphere is changed into nitrogen compounds in soil from and taken in by plants. These compounds spread into the atmosphere when the plants decay or are eaten by animals and are passed from their bodies a |
| nature reserve | an area of land that is protected so that people cannot harm the animals and plants that live there |
| naturalize (BrE - naturalise) | to encourage plants to grow or animals to live in an area where they are not usually found |
| greenwash (noun) | showing disapproval activities by a business or other organization that are intended to show that the organization is concerned about the environment |
| greentailing (noun) | the use of products that are not harmful to the environment in business |
| ozone-friendly | chemicals that are ozone-friendly do not cause pollution that damages the ozone layer |
| reclaim | to improve an area of land so that it can be used |
| rainforest | a forest in a tropical region of the world where it rains a lot. Rainforests are considered to be important environmental areas and many people want them to be protected by law |
| protected | used about animals, plants, and other things that the law prevents people from harming |
| preserve | to take care of a place or building in order to prevent it from being harmed or destroyed |
| preservation | the process of working to protect something valuable so that it is not damaged or destroyed |
| pollution | the process of damaging the air, water, or land with chemicals or other substances |
| polluter | a person or company responsible for causing pollution |
| pollute | to make air, water, or land too dirty and dangerous for people to use in a safe way |
| poison | to create pollution that damages part of the environment |
| recyclable | able to be recycled |
| reprocess | to process a waste substance so that it can be used again |
| renewable | renewable energy and natural materials replace themselves by natural processes, so that they are never completely used up |
| release noun | a situation in which something such as a chemical is spread into the area or atmosphere around it |
| reintroduce | to return a type of animal or plant to an area where it lived in the past so that it can continue to develop there |
| reforestation | the act of putting new trees into a place where the original trees have been cut down |
| recycling | the process of changing waste materials such as newspapers and bottles so that they can be used again |
| recycle | to change waste materials such as newspapers and bottles so that they can be used again |
| reserve (noun) | british an area of land where wild animals or plants are officially protected |
| unsustainable | unsustainable farming methods, industries etc damage the environment because they use up more energy, wood, coal etc than can be replaced naturally |
| unleaded | unleaded petrol does not contain lead and is therefore less harmful to people and to the environment |
| toxic | poisonous and harmful to people, animals, or the environment |
| sustainable development | the development of a country or region that does not use more natural resources than can be replaced and so does not harm the environment |
| sustainable | using methods that do not harm the environment |
| U-value (noun) | a measure of how well a part of a building, for example a window or a roof, prevents heat from escaping |
| sanctuary | a special area where animals live in a natural environment protected from people |
| rewilding | a form of conservation which aims to return areas of land to their natural wild state, especially by bringing back animal species that used to live there |
| the water cycle | the continuous process by which water in seas, rivers, soil, living things etc evaporates into the atmosphere, where it forms clouds that produce rain or snow so that it goes back into the seas, rivers, soil etc again |
| zero carbon (adjective) | not causing carbon emissions (=carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide in the atmophere) |
| acid rain | rain which contains large amounts of harmful chemicals as a result of burning substances such as coal and oil. |
| biodiversity | the number and variety of plant and animal species that exist in a particular environmental area or in the world generally, or the problem of preserving and protecting this. a new National Biological Survey to protect species habitat and biodiversity. |
| desertification | the process by which land changes into desert. |
| disposable products | describes an item that is intended to be thrown away after use. disposable nappies |
| drought | a long period when there is little or no rain. This year (a) severe drought has ruined the crops. |
| oil slick | a layer of oil that is floating over a large area of the surface of the sea, usually because an accident has caused it to escape from a ship or container. |
| use up natural resources | The degradation of natural resources because of human pressure |
Created by:
lumart2000
Popular TOEFL sets