The Environment: English Vocabulary List

(of an object) able to be broken down by living organisms such as bacteria, which is then safe for the environment

"This bag is biodegradable."

"The company switched to biodegradable packaging that decomposes naturally in the environment and does not harm wildlife or pollute the oceans."

describing a state in which the carbon dioxide emission reaches zero or there is a balance between the amount of carbon dioxide emitted and absorbed

"The company is carbon-neutral."

"The airline promised to become carbon-neutral by planting trees to offset the emissions from all of its flights around the world."

(of a vehicle) not producing gases harmful to the environment

"The car is zero-emission."

"The zero-emission bus runs on electricity and produces no exhaust fumes so it helps improve air quality in crowded cities."

related to the connection between animals, plants, and humans and their environment

"The damage is ecological."

"The ecological damage caused by the oil spill will take decades to repair and many species of fish and birds have been affected."

containing or relating to a dangerous form of energy produced by nuclear reactions

"The waste is radioactive."

"The radioactive waste from the nuclear power plant must be stored in special containers for thousands of years until it becomes safe."

related to a type of farming in which animals and birds can move around and eat freely, instead of being kept in a limited area

"We buy free-range eggs."

"The supermarket sells free-range eggs from chickens that are allowed to roam outside instead of being kept in small cages."

to make a place, substance, etc. dirty or harmful by adding dangerous material

"Factory waste contaminates the nearby river water."

"The chemical spill contaminated the local river and killed thousands of fish living in the polluted water."

to make decayed leaves, plants, or other organic waste into a mixture that can improve the soil's quality to help plants grow more quickly

"Compost your garden waste."

"You can compost your vegetable scraps and coffee grounds to create rich soil for your garden instead of throwing them away."

to use something once more, usually for a different purpose

"You should reuse plastic bags when possible."

"You can reuse glass jars for storing food instead of throwing them away after one use."

someone who makes efforts to protect the environment and wildlife from any type of harm

"A conservationist works to protect the natural world."

"The conservationist worked tirelessly to protect the endangered species from extinction by advocating for laws that would ban hunting in the region and preserve the animal's natural habitat."

a feeling of great worry regarding the current and future state of the environment threatened by humans

"Eco-anxiety affects youth."

"Young people increasingly suffer from eco anxiety fearing the long term effects of climate change."

a truck with a container that can be elevated to unload waste material

"The dumper carried dirt."

"The dumper moved large amounts of soil efficiently across the construction site area"

a ship, aircraft, or road vehicle for carrying liquids, particularly crude oil or gas in large quantities

"The tanker carried oil."

"The tanker arrived today carrying thousands of liters of fuel to the coastal facility"

the act of cutting down trees to use their wood

"Illegal logging damages forest."

"Illegal logging in the Amazon rainforest destroys habitats and contributes significantly to global carbon emissions."

an odorless, colorless, and poisonous gas that is produced from the burning of fossil fuels, which proves lethal in some cases

"Carbon monoxide is dangerous."

"A faulty furnace can produce deadly carbon monoxide gas that has no smell or color."

very small plastic pieces in the environment that originate from personal care products, clothing, etc. and the degradation of other plastic products

"Microplastic pollutes oceans"

"Microplastic pollutes oceans and enters the food chain affecting marine life and humans"

a large machine or structure used for producing nuclear energy

"The nuclear reactor is huge."

"Scientists are working to safely decommission the aging nuclear reactor after decades of energy production."

electricity that is produced from the power of water

"Hydroelectricity powers homes."

"Hydroelectricity generates power by using flowing water to spin turbines connected to electrical generators."

a layer of gases in the earth's atmosphere that does not let the sun's ultraviolet radiation pass through

"The ozone layer protects."

"Scientists are concerned about the depletion of the ozone layer, which shields us from harmful solar radiation."

a device that converts the energy of the sun into electricity

"The solar cell produces electricity."

"A perovskite solar cell is a next-generation photovoltaic technology promising high efficiency at a potentially low manufacturing cost compared to traditional silicon cells."

a large fire that spreads fast and causes much destruction

"The wildfire spread quickly through the dry forest and destroyed many homes."

"The wildfire forced thousands of people to leave their homes."

a sudden rise of seawater onto the shore driven primarily by strong onshore winds, often compounding the normal tidal cycle

"A tidal wave hit shore."

"Strong onshore winds caused a significant tidal wave that inundated the coastal areas."

a chemical substance that kills plants, used for destroying plants that are not wanted

"The farmer sprayed herbicide on weeds."

"An herbicide is a type of pesticide specifically formulated to kill unwanted plants"

any substance that is harmful to the environment

"This pollutant harms the environment."

"The pollutant spread fast through the river system after the industrial accident"

a large facility used for drilling oil or gas from underground or under the sea

"The oil rig is in the ocean."

"An oil rig is a large structure with equipment for drilling into the earth to extract crude petroleum from a reservoir located far below the seabed floor."

(of natural substances such as oil) unprocessed and in raw form

"This oil is crude."

"The refinery processed tons of crude oil daily to produce gasoline, diesel, and other petroleum products."

to get rid of waste material, particularly in an unorganized manner

"Don't dump trash here."

"Illegal dumping of industrial waste poses a significant threat to the local ecosystem."

to remove unwanted or harmful substances from another substance

"Refine the oil to remove impurities."

"The company needs to refine its manufacturing process to reduce waste and increase the overall quality of its final products."

the act of getting rid of waste material

"Proper waste disposal is important for the environment."

"Improper disposal of electronic waste releases toxic chemicals into soil and groundwater near landfills."

a tall metal structure used for carrying high-voltage power lines above the ground

"The pylon stood tall."

"The pylon supports electrical wires across long distances in the power distribution network"

an area for birds and animals to live and to be protected from dangerous conditions and being hunted

"The sanctuary protects animals."

"The wildlife sanctuary provided a safe haven for endangered species threatened by habitat loss."

the number of people who have died or gotten injured because of a war, natural disaster, pandemic, etc.

"The earthquake's deadly toll was high."

"The devastating earthquake left a tragic toll of thousands of lives lost and countless injuries across the region."

to completely disappear or cease to exist

"Many animal species die out each year."

"The tradition of handmade pottery is slowly dying out because younger people are not learning the skill from their elders."