Taking care of nature
that it is nicer to be in a clean interior than in a littered area;
that the rubbish should be carried out in properly marked containers.
behave and segregate garbage.
All of us enjoy trips to the forest, park or riverside. Sometimes, however, the beauty of the landscape is ruined by trash laying around or noisy music. If we want to enjoy nature around us we must leave it intact. Everything we do has impact on our environment. What should we do to minimise this impact?
In harmony with nature at home
Environmental protection is not only about protecting areas where plants and animals live. Many of our habits and activities have a huge impact on the condition in which we leave the surrounding nature. You can also analyze your behavior and assess whether you care about the environment. Let's start by tracking the activities you do from the morning - answer a few questions:
Do you turn off the water saving it when cleaning your teeth?
Do you turn off the light when leaving the empty room?
Do you use energy‑saving light bulbs at home?
When preparing a meal, do you use products from industrial or organic farming?
We need water for drinking and washing. A lot of water is used by agriculture and industry. Poland – compared to other European countries – has poor resources of water available for human use; water resources are limited - you cannot abstract it forever. This is the reason why we should try to save it. You and your family may save water by washing more clothes at one go rather than dividing them up into several smaller batches.
And how do you save electricity? Remember not only to turn off the lights, but also to unplug TV sets, computers and other devices you are not using currently. Even though one device may use little electricity, more devices consume huge amounts of it.
How efficiently we use space by traveling?
In harmony with nature beyond your home
Every day we may behave in a way which is beneficial or harmful to nature. Make sure that you put your litter in the right bins, rather than just throw it on the pavement. You will also benefit the environment, if instead of taking a car you use a bike, public transport or simply walk to work or school. When shopping make sure the products you buy are not covered with excessive amount of plastic. It is also a good idea to learn where they come from. It takes a lot of fuel to transport products from a far‑away place in Poland or Europe.
Exercises
Combine activities with the effects that they will cause them to perform.
less waste on landfills, less exhaust in the air, less fuel used to produce electricity, less used water
| using energy-saving light bulbs | |
| buying products that are not wrapped in plastic | |
| riding a bus | |
| shower instead of bathing in a bathtub |
Which of the following will help saving energy?
- Turning off stand-by mode in electric devices
- Install a water-efficient shower head
- Choosing energy-saving lighting
- Use the heater while a window is open
Summary
The activities performed by us every day have a big impact on the state of the environment.
Activities conducive to nature are, for example, saving water and electricity.
It is worth taking part in social actions aimed at environmental protection.
Keywords
environmental protection, pollution, exhaust gases
Glossary
ochrona środowiska – wszelkie działania mające na celu ograniczenie szkód wyrządzanych środowisku lub naprawianie szkód już istniejących