Vocabulary #1 “Your Carbon Footprint”

1. Biodegradable:/ˌbaɪəʊdɪˈɡreɪdəb(ə)l/ Capable of being decomposed by bacteria or other living

organisms and thereby avoiding pollution.
2. Carbon footprint: the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere as a result of the activities
of a particular individual, organization, or community.
E.g.: The carbon footprint left behind by this form of global trading is colossal.
3. Commute: To travel from home to work and back. E.g. “Imagine how much pollution you cause by
commuting by car for two hours a day?”
4. Compost: A mixture of decaying organic material that can be used as fertilizer.
Decay syn:decompose, rot, putrefy.
5. Crop: A food product you can grow and harvest. E.g. The crops were badly damaged by the storm.
6. Detrimental effects: That has a harmful or damaging effect over sth.
Detrimental syn: harmful, damaging.
7. Disposables: Plastic cups, plates and cutleries. Non-reusable.
Disposables syn: nonessential
8. Drought: A period of unusually dry weather that causes significant shortages of water for ecosystems and
humans.
9. Edible: Appropriate or good to eat. E. g. The airline food was not great, but it was edible.
10. Fair share: The practice of taking just what we need from nature in a way that everybody can have
enough resources. Share what we have with others.
11. Faucet: A device by which water flows from a pipe.
12. Food salvage: The practice of recovering uneaten edible food from restaurants, schools, or
supermarkets.
13. Greenwashing: Behavior or activities that make people believe that a
company is doing more to protect the environment than it really is.
14. Greywater: It’s typically waste water from baths, sinks, washing machines, etc.
This water can, when saved, be used to flush toilets and water lawn.
15. Harvest: To gather a crop.
16. Livestock: Domestic animals not used for companionship but for other benefits
(e.g. cows raised for meat or milk).
17. Landfill: The process of getting rid of large amounts of rubbish by burying it, or a
place where rubbish is buried.
18. Monoculture farming: A form of agriculture that is based on growing only one type of a crop at one
time on a specific field.
19. Offset: something that counterbalances, counteracts, or compensates for something else;
compensating equivalent.
20. Oil drilling: The process by which tubing is bored through the Earth's surface and a well is established.
21. Oil spilling: It’s the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment, especially the
marine ecosystem, due to human activity.
22. Organic: Not using artificial chemicals in the growing of plants and animals for food and other products.
23. Poaching: The catching and killing of animals without permission.
24. Recyclable: Able to be recycled.
25. Rubbish: Waste material or things that are no longer wanted or needed.
26. Showerhead: The part of a shower that water flows out of.
27. Smoothly: Easily and without interruption or difficulty.
28. Soup kitchen: Place where people are fed for free.
29. Sustainable: Able to be maintained at a certain rate or level.
30. Swap: To give something to someone and receive something in return : to trade or exchange (things).
PHRASAL VERBS
1. Carry out: Accomplish, implement, carry through, execute, achieve.
2. Cut back on: Reduce the amount or quantity of something. E.g.: "they've cut back on costs"
3. Go for: To choose something. E.g.: I think I'll go for the chocolate cake.
4. Use it up!: Consume something entirely.
5. Wear it out!: Extend the life of things.
6. Do without: Don't buy unnecessary things