Just one green day?

Wise Words: environment

Today, Friday 5 June, is World Environment Day and I'm on my best behaviour. I'm no environmentalist, but I found out how I can make a difference to the environment in just one day in Easily Green Your Daily Routine. Here are a few suggestions I'll be trying out:

• My shower will be short — and I won't leave the water running when I brush my teeth.
  
  
• I'll work from home, so I won't have to commute.
  

• I'll walk to the supermarket and leave the car in the garage.
  
  
• I won't print out anything!
  
  
• I'll definitely turn off my computer and monitor at the end of my working day. I won't leave it on standby.
  
  
• To save electricity, I'll finish work early. (That's the one I like the best.)

The movie starts with stunning views of the planet, before turning to more worrying images of polluting factories, major cities and oil platforms. Even though the images become more depressing as they show the terrible state of our environment, the message is one of optimism: "It's too late to be a pessimist".

Judging by the look on the polar bear's face in this clip, however, he's not convinced. And I'm not surprised that he looks like a pessimist. Do you think you could do anything to change his expression?

Expressions with environment

environmentally friendly = umweltfreundlich

environmentally sensitive = ökologisch sensibel

environmentally sound = umweltverträglich

environmentalist = Umweltschützer(in), -aktivist(in)

environmental audit = Ökoaudit

Environment doesn't refer only to the natural world. It can also refer to the setting or conditions in which you carry out an activity. The place you work is a working environment, for example, and the place you learn is a learning environment.