Elementary

Participating in meetings
A green office

Lead-in

1 Look at the questionnaire and interview your partner.

How green are you?

How often do you …

1 … use reusable bags when you go to the supermarket? always / sometimes / never
2 … walk not drive to local places? always / sometimes / never
3 … recycle bottles, cans and paper? always / sometimes / never
4 … buy local food? always / sometimes / never
5 … shut down your computer at the end of the day? always / sometimes / never
6 … turn off lights when you leave a room? always / sometimes / never
7 … buy environmentally friendly products? always / sometimes / never
8 … car share with a friend or colleague? always / sometimes / never

2 How green is your partner? Make suggestions to make them greener.

3 Match the two halves to make phrases.
1 use a to local places
2 walk b bottles
3 recycle c lights
4 buy d your computer
5 buy e reusable bags
6 shut down f local food
7 turn off g with a friend
8 car share h environmentally friendly products

© British Council ARC_A1_01_E008CEA_HO_v1.0

1
 Elementary
Participating in meetings
A green office

Input

1 Look at the leaflet. Who is it for?

Go green!

Making your workplace more environmentally friendly isn’t difficult. Just take some simple
steps to make your office greener and our future better!
1
Read documents on the computer screen. Don’t print them out.
Make all your newsletters digital.
2
Shut down computers, printers and copiers. Don’t leave them on standby.
Switch off lights when you can.
3
Use both sides of the paper.
Reuse boxes.
Turn up the temperature of the air conditioning a little.
4
Buy local food for the staff café.
Don’t buy food with lots of packaging.
5
Walk or cycle to work.
Use public transport.

2 Add the headings to the leaflet.

On your bike! Go digital! Eco-café!
Save! Turn it off!
3 Which of the things in the leaflet do you do? Which could you do?

© British Council ARC_A1_01_E008CEA_HO_v1.0

2
 Elementary
Participating in meetings
A green office

Language focus

1 1 Look at the leaflet and listen to a meeting between three people discussing ways to make
their office greener. Tick (✓) the things they mention.

2 1 Listen again and read the script. Underline the suggestions. Are they good ideas?

Claire: Earth Day is coming soon, and we’re making an effort to have a greener workplace. Does any-
one have any suggestions? Yes, Tina?
Tina: We should stop printing out emails. It’s a waste of paper, and we really don’t need to print most
things out.
Claire: That’s an excellent idea. George?
George: We could use less air conditioning. The temperature doesn’t need to be set to 20. It could be
26 and would still be comfortable. That would save a lot of energy.
Claire: That’s a good idea as well. And Jack? What was your idea?
Jack: Perhaps the company could offer discounts on public transport passes. That would encourage
more employees to use public transport instead of driving to work.
3 Look at the suggestions and reasons then match sentences 1 to 4 and a to d to make more
suggestions.
We should stop printing out emails. We really don’t need to print most things out.
We could use less air conditioning. That would save a lot of energy.
The company could offer discounts on public transport passes. That would encourage more
employees to use public transport.
1 We should buy local food.
2 We could walk to work.
3 We should car share.
4 We could print on both sides.
a We don’t all need to drive and we would save money.
b That would help the environment and local business.
c That would save a lot of paper.
d That would also help us be healthy.

Pronunciation

Listen to the following sentences and notice the intonation.

1. We should buy local food.
2. We should car share.
3. We could walk to work.
4. We could print on both sides.
Practise saying the sentences with a partner using the correct intonation.

© British Council ARC_A1_01_E008CEA_HO_v1.0

3
 Elementary
Participating in meetings
A green office

Task

1 Your workplace isn’t very environmentally friendly. You’re going to have a meeting to decide on
the best ways to make your office greener. Look at the information your teacher gives you and
prepare what you are going to say.

Review

© British Council ARC_A1_01_E008CEA_HO_v1.0