Environmental Vocabulary for English Learners

For English-language learners, vocabulary related to environmental issues can be challenging. Tables sectioned according to types of environmental issues can help. These tables provide the word or phrase in the left column and an example of how to use the term(s) in the righthand column to provide context. Important Issues From acid rain to pollution and radioactive waste, there are many environmental issues around which discussion and debate have evolved. Students will likely hear many of these terms on the news or read about them on the internet and in newspapers. The general list of issues should prove helpful. Term or Phrase Example Sentence acid rain The acid rain ruined the soil for the next three generations. aerosol Aerosol can be extremely toxic and must be used with care when sprayed in the air. animal welfare We must consider animal welfare as we strive to create a balance between man and nature. carbon monoxide Its important to have a carbon monoxide detector in your home for safety. climate The climate of an area can change over long periods of time. conservation Conservation focuses on making sure we protect the nature we havent already lost. endangered species There are many endangered species all over the planet that need our help. energy Humans are using an ever increasing amount of energy. nuclear energy Nuclear energy has passed out of fashion after a number of serious environmental disasters. solar energy Many hope that solar energy can wean us off our need for fossil fuels. exhaust fumes The exhaust fumes from cars standing in traffic can make you cough. fertilizers Fertilizers used by huge farms can pollute drinking water for miles around. forest fires Forest fires can burn out of control and create hazy weather conditions. global warming Some doubt that global warming is real. greenhouse effect The greenhouse effect is said to heat up the earth. (non)renewable resources As we move forward, we need to become more dependent on renewable energy resources. nuclear The exploration of nuclear science has created great boons, as well as horrific dangers for humanity. nuclear fallout The nuclear fallout from a bomb would be devastating to the local population. nuclear reactor The nuclear reactor was taken offline because of technical problems. Oil slick The oil slick caused by the sinking vessel could be seen for tens of miles. ozone layer Industrial additives have been threatening the ozone layer for many years. pesticide While its true that pesticides help kill off unwanted insects, there are serious problems to be considered. pollution Water and air pollution situations have improved over the last few decades in many countries. protected animal Its a protected animal in this country. You cant hunt it! rainforest The rain forest is lush and green, bursting with life from all sides. unleaded petrol Unleaded petrol is certainly cleaner than leaded petrol. waste The amount of plastic waste in the ocean is shocking. nuclear waste Nuclear waste can remain active for many thousands of years. radioactive waste They stored the radioactive waste at the site in Hanford. wildlife We must take the wildlife into account before we develop the site. Natural Disasters From drought to volcanic eruptions, natural disasters are a big part of the environmental discussion, as this table shows. Term or Phrase Example Sentence drought The drought has gone on for sixteen straight months. No water to be seen! earthquake The earthquake devastated the little village in the Rhine River. flood The flood forced more than 100 families from their homes. tidal wave A tidal wave hit the island. Luckily, no one was lost. typhoon The typhoon hit and dropped more than ten inches of rain in one hour! volcanic eruption Volcanic eruptions are spectacular, but they dont occur very often. Politics and Action Discussion generally leads to the formation of environmental groups and actions, some positive and some negative, as this final listing demonstrates. Environmental groups are followed by a listing of verbs (or actions) related to the environment and environmental issues. Term or Phrase Example Sentence environmental group The environmental group presented their case to the community. green issues Green issues have become one of the most important themes of this election cycle. pressure group The pressure group forced the company to stop building on that site. cut down We need to cut down on pollution drastically. destroy Human greed destroys millions of acres each year. dispose (of) The government must dispose of the waste properly. dump You can dump recyclable garbage in this container. protect Its our responsibility to protect the natural habit of this beautiful planet before its too late. pollute If you pollute in your own backyard, youll eventually notice it. recycle Make sure to recycle all paper and plastics. save We save bottles and newspapers to take to recycle at the end of each month. throw away Never just throw away a plastic bottle. Recycle it! use up Hopefully, well not use up all our resources before we start solving this problem together.