“Why should I care about the environment?” some people ask. There is a very simple reason: We live on the earth, and it is the only place we can live on right now, as we cannot live in space yet. If we treat the earth like a garbage dump, it will become dirty and unlivable. If we treat it well by being eco-conscious, the earth will stay clean and suitable for living, for ourselves and for our children.
What is “being eco-conscious”?
Being eco-conscious means being aware of your actions, and what you do to the environment. For example, you might think, “Using hairspray is great for fixing my hair.” However, if you are eco-conscious, you would ask, “Does this hairspray have CFCs in it? Could I be destroying the earth by using hairspray?”
How can I be eco-conscious?
You can find many simple ways to help the environment in your everyday life.
When you go shopping, bring a bag or a basket with you. Please try not to use plastic bags as much as you can.
You can go to work by bike or on foot if it is not far from your home.
You can put your rubbish into different bags, which makes it convenient for recycling.
You can eat less chewing gum.
You can use your own chopsticks instead of the disposable ones in your company or in restaurants.
You can put batteries in a special box instead of in garbage bins.
You can use the water which has been used for washing vegetables or fruits to clean the floor and the toilet or to water your garden.
You can turn off the decorative lights in your room when watching TV.
You can turn down your air conditioner by one degree, as this will cause a 10% reduction in energy use.
You can use recycled paper. Every ton of recycled office paper saves 380 gallons of oil. You can also use recycled glass instead of glass made from raw materials. This will reduce the related air pollution by 20%, and the related water pollution by 50%.
Please believe that. If you do a little, it will make a big difference.
小题1:Human beings should care about the environment because _________ .
A．if we make the earth unlivable, we’ll have to live in space
B．it can help our children live better
C．if we don’t, the earth will become a garbage dump
D．it will help to make the world a good living place小题2:If your deskmate is an eco-conscious person, he should __________.
A．be aware of the importance of protecting the environment
B．use plastic bags when he buys something
C．know nothing about CFCs
D．turn his air conditioner to a higher degree小题3:If you want to help the environment, you should do all the following EXCEPT ________.
A．share a car with your colleagues
B．use paper bags instead of plastic bags
C．use hairspray containing CFCs
D．use recycled glass instead of glass made from raw materials小题4:It can be inferred from the passage that _________.
A．it’s very hard for human beings to keep the earth clean and comfortable
B．protecting the environment is the duty of everybody
C．we should protect the environment together, as it’s no use doing it individually
D．it’s very easy to be eco-conscious小题5:According to the author, which of the following statements is WRONG?
A．Being eco-conscious means you should know much about the environment.
B．The more we care, the better the environment will be.
C．If each of us just does a little, we can’t make any difference.
D．If we treat the earth badly, we’ll make a lot of trouble for ourselves.
