Essential Vocabulary for Environmental Awareness
Key Environmental Terms and Definitions
Activist: A person who takes action to make political change.
Become extinct: To no longer exist (plants and animals).
Biodegradable: Able to break down naturally.
Carbon dioxide levels: The amount of carbon dioxide present in the atmosphere.
Carbon footprint: The amount of carbon dioxide produced by a person or company’s activity.
Climate change: Changes in the planet’s weather, particularly causing it to get warmer.
Congested roads: Roads which are blocked with traffic.
Conserve energy: Save energy.
Cut down (on): Reduce, use less of something.
Deforestation: The process of cutting down trees in a large area.
Emissions: Gas that is sent out to the air.
Endangered species: Animals or plants that may soon become extinct.
Environment: The place where people, plants, and animals live.
Environmental: Relating to the environment.
Environmentally friendly: Not harmful to the environment.
Extinction: A situation where an animal or plant no longer exists.
Flood: When a place is covered with water.
Fossil fuels: Fuel that comes from the ground, such as oil or coal.
Fumes: Gas or smoke which is usually dangerous.
Global warming: The gradual increase in the Earth’s temperature caused by greenhouse gases.
Green energy: Energy that is clean and doesn’t pollute the environment.
Greenhouse effect: The gradual warming of the Earth due to pollution and gases.
Greenhouse gases: Gases, especially carbon dioxide, that cause the greenhouse effect.
Natural resources: Materials from nature which we can use such as wood, coal, minerals, and water.
Nuclear energy/power: Energy produced by a nuclear reactor.
Organic: Free from artificial chemicals, in food and animals.
Overpopulation: Too many people in a place for the amount of food, space, and resources.
Ozone layer: Protective layer in the Earth’s atmosphere that protects from UV radiation.
Paris Agreement: International agreement between countries to make changes to affect climate change.
Pollution: Release of harmful materials into the environment.
Protest: Make a strong public expression of disagreement.
Recycle / recycling: Use waste materials again.
Reduce: Do less of something.
Reforestation: Planting lots of trees to replace ones that have been cut down.
Renewable resources: Natural sources of energy which don’t run out, e.g., solar and wind.
Rising sea levels: The increasing level of the sea’s surface.
Solar energy: Energy from the sun.
Solar farm: A large installation of solar panels for generating electricity.
Solar panels: A special panel which converts sunlight into electricity.
Sustainable: Able to continue over a period of time and not harmful to the environment.
Toxic waste: Poisonous waste.
Traffic: Lots of cars, lorries, etc. using roads.
Unsustainable: Using more of something than can be replaced naturally.
Wildlife: Animals, birds, and plants living in their natural habitat.
Wind energy: Energy from wind.
Wind farm: A large installation of wind turbines for generating electricity.
Wind turbines: Large constructions which convert wind into energy.