ECOLOGICAL PROBLEMS

The relationship between man and nature has become one of the major issues facing civilization today. The most acute ecological problems are: pollution in its many forms; the lack of natural recourses; extinction of plants and animals; the problem of recycling waste; climatic changes and resulting from them global warming, greenhouse effect and depletion of the ozone layer.

Air pollution is the result of man's use of toxic chemicals. One form of air pollution is acid rain. Electrical generating plants and automobiles are among the chief sources of these acid rains. They release into the atmosphere tons of toxic chemicals and this mixture returns to earth in the form of acid rain, mist or snow. The acid rain often falls to the ground far from its point of origin. Acid rain is killing vast stretches of forests, lakes and streams, rendering them unable to support fish, wildlife, plants or insects.

We know that the tropical rain forest is a natural recycler, provider and protector for our planet. It helps to determine temperature, rainfall and other climatic conditions. Protecting all the forests is one key to our survival on this planet. The tropical rain forests are being destroyed at an alarming rate. People cut down the trees and sell the valuable tropical wood.

Besides, forests are habitats for many animals and plants. When a plant or animal is gone forever, we say it is extinct. It is estimated that one species - plant, animal or insect - becomes extinct every day.

Unfortunately, Belarus is running all environmental hazards facing any modern society today. The question of the rational use of water resources and their protection from pollution becomes of primary importance. Waste waters are dumped untreated into our streams, rivers or lakes and make them polluted too. Modern technologies based on water recycling are some of today's answers to the problem. Belarus is the land of pine groves and immense fields and meadows. The beauty of our land is unique, but very often it is decorated with mountains of trash. Finding an ecologically safe solution to the problem of waste disposal is one of the headaches of modern civilization. One solution to this problem is recycling.

Agriculture is the chief occupation of the greater part of the population of our republic. Soil pollution is a problem of our agriculture. The primary soil pollutants are fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides, when used in unreasonable quantities.

In addition to all those problems, the fall-out of tons of radioactive dust that followed the explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power station in April, 1986, made 23 per cent of the Belarusian territory unsuitable for habitation and agricultural activity. The problem is that if taken in by the human body in different ways, radioactive elements can increase the risk of cancer, weaken the immune system and destroy its hereditary mechanism.

Our ancestors considered the Earth's resources to be boundless and endless. It took us a lot of time to understand that ecological problems do not respect national boundaries and that the Earth is our common and the only home. We should protect it. Governments of many countries should unite their efforts and adopt laws to protect nature. They should organize nature preserves and national parks, such as Belovezhskaya Pushcha. Different voluntary organizations, such as Greenpeace can also make a contribution. Every person should observe very simple but important rules. We should not throw away rubbish; we should keep our cities, towns and countryside clean; we should protect animals and plants; we should be economical at home with water, gas, electricity. Schoolchildren can collect waste paper and metal, plant trees and flowers. Only with the help of these united actions we shall save our planet.

VOCABULARY

major issue главный вопрос, основной вопрос

lack недостаток, нужда; отсутствие (чего-л.)

natural resources природные богатства

natural resources полезные ископаемые, природные богатства, естественные богатства

extinction [ɪk'stɪŋkʃ(ə)n] вымирание (вида животных), исчезновение

recycling [ri:'saɪklɪŋ] 1) переработка отходов (для повторного использования)

2) сбор вторичного сырья 3) вторичное сырьё

greenhouse effect парниковый эффект

depletion [dɪ'pli:ʃ(ə)n] of the ozone layer — истощение озонового слоя

pollution [pə'lu:ʃ(ə)n] загрязнение

acid rain кислотный дождь

mist [mıst] 1) (лёгкий) туман; дымка; мгла; пасмурность

alarming [ə'lɑ:mɪŋ] волнующий, тревожный уровень;

environmental hazards вредные факторы окружающей среды

dump выгружать, разгружать, сваливать

untreated [ʌn'tri:tɪd] необработанный

immense 1) безмерный, очень большой, огромный

2) обширный, очень просторный, необъятный; беспредельный, бесконечный

trash хлам, отбросы; мусор; макулатура

chief главный; основной; occupation [,ɔkju'peɪʃ(ə)n] занятие, дело

soil грунт, земля, почва

fertilizer ['fɜ:tɪlaɪzə] удобрение; удобритель

pesticide ['pestɪsaɪd] пестицид, средство для борьбы с вредителями

herbicide ['hɜ:bɪsaɪd] гербицид (химические препараты группы пестицидов, применяемые для уничтожения растительности (обычно сорной)

fall-out 1)осадки; 2)последствие

habitation [,hæbɪ'teɪʃ(ə)n] 1) житьё, проживание; жительство

waste disposal сброс, удаление отходов

preserve заказник

contribution [,kɔntrɪ'bju:ʃ(ə)n] 1) пожертвование, взнос

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