EnglishOur Environmental Impact
What environmental problems worry you most?
What do you do to help the environment?
Read the topic and recall related problems.
- Environmental issues
- pollution • climate change • waste • endangered wildlife
Add short notes to the shared board:
- Problems:
- Personal actions:
Words for talking about the planet
Read, repeat, and use the words in short sentences.
- pollution [/pəˈluːʃən/]
- harmful substances in air, water, or land
Air pollution harms cities. - climate change [/ˈklaɪmət tʃeɪndʒ/]
- long-term changes in global weather patterns
Climate change affects weather. - recycle [/ˌriːˈsaɪkəl/]
- to process used materials so they can be used again
We recycle glass. - renewable [/rɪˈnjuːəbəl/]
- able to be naturally replaced, such as solar or wind energy
Solar power is renewable. - endangered [/ɪnˈdeɪndʒəd/]
- at risk of disappearing completely
The tiger is endangered. - habitat [/ˈhæbɪtæt/]
- the natural home of an animal or plant
Forests are their habitat. - sustainable [/səˈsteɪnəbəl/]
- causing little harm to the environment over time
We need sustainable transport. - emissions [/ɪˈmɪʃənz/]
- gases sent into the air, especially from cars or factories
Cars produce emissions. - drought [/draʊt/]
- a long period with little or no rain
Drought damages crops. - flood [/flʌd/]
- a large amount of water covering normally dry land
The flood covered roads. - waste [/weɪst/]
- unwanted material that people throw away
Plastic waste reaches rivers. - conserve energy [/kənˈsɜːv ˈenədʒi/]
- to use less electricity, gas, or fuel
Turn off lights to conserve energy. - wildlife [/ˈwaɪldlaɪf/]
- animals living in nature
Wildlife needs protection. - carbon footprint [/ˌkɑːbən ˈfʊtprɪnt/]
- the amount of greenhouse gases caused by a person or activity
Flying increases your carbon footprint.
Say a short sentence about your life using three words from the list.
Choosing the probability
Conditional | Form | Meaning / probability | Environmental example |
|---|---|---|---|
Zero | if + present, present | fact; generally true | If ice melts, it becomes water. |
First | if + present, will + base verb | real or possible future | If temperatures rise, sea levels will increase. |
Second | if + past, would + base verb | unreal or unlikely present or future | If everyone planted trees, the world would be greener. |
Choosing the right conditional means choosing how probable the situation is:
fact → possible future → imagined or unreal
Meaning | Example question |
|---|---|
General fact | Does this always or usually happen? |
Possible future | Is this a real future possibility? |
Unreal idea | Is this only imagined or unlikely now? |
Common mistakes
Incorrect | Correct | Why? |
|---|---|---|
If temperatures will rise, sea levels will increase. | If temperatures rise, sea levels will increase. | Use the present form after if in the First Conditional. |
If everyone would plant trees, the world would be greener. | If everyone planted trees, the world would be greener. | Use past simple after if in the Second Conditional. |
If people recycled more, less waste will go to landfill. | If people recycle more, less waste will go to landfill. | A real future result needs present simple after if. |
If a habitat disappears, wildlife would lose a home. | If a habitat disappears, wildlife loses a home. | General facts use present simple in both clauses. |
From facts to imagined solutions
First, connect each probability level with the correct pattern.
Connect each probability level with the correct conditional type.
- general fact
- Zero Conditional
- possible future
- First Conditional
- unreal or unlikely idea
- Second Conditional
Now connect the sentence beginnings and endings.
Connect each sentence beginning with its most logical ending.
- If people recycle more
- less waste will go to landfill
- If a habitat disappears
- wildlife loses a home
- If I had a solar roof
- I would produce clean energy
Choose the form that matches the meaning.
- If rivers [___] polluted, fish die.
- If the city builds more cycle lanes, people [___] them.
- If I [___] near my office, I would walk to work.
Complete each sentence with the correct form. Use the word in brackets.
- If we do not recycle plastic, it [___] up in the sea.
- If governments reduce emissions, air quality [___] .
- If my town had better public transport, I [___] my car so often.
- If a drought continues, farmers [___] crops.
What happens if we don't change?
## What happens if we don't change?
Our planet is already showing signs of climate change. If air pollution increases, many people develop breathing problems, and wildlife suffers too. This is a general pattern in busy cities. Scientists say that if global temperatures continue to rise, sea levels will rise and some coastal communities will need to move. Governments can still act now. If they invest in renewable energy, they will reduce emissions and create cleaner cities.
However, some people think change is impossible. They say, “If every family used less plastic, our rivers would be cleaner.” This sentence imagines a better situation, but the speaker may think it is unlikely at present. In the same way, if people had more information about sustainable products, they would make greener choices. Small actions matter: if we recycle, conserve energy, and protect habitats, we can reduce our carbon footprint.
Underline every conditional sentence. Label it Zero, First, or Second. Then say whether the writer presents it as a fact, a possible future, or an unreal idea.
Check your understanding
- What health problem can air pollution cause?
- What may happen to some coastal communities if sea levels rise?
- What will governments reduce if they invest in renewable energy?
- Why might the speaker use the Second Conditional about families using less plastic?
Difficult words
- coastal communities — towns or villages near the sea
- invest — to spend money on something for future benefit
- reduce emissions — make the amount of harmful gases smaller
- at present — now; at this time
- sustainable products — products that cause less environmental harm
- habitats — natural homes of animals and plants
- carbon footprint — greenhouse gases caused by a person or activity
Key points to take away
Meaning | Pattern | Signal |
|---|---|---|
Fact or general truth | if + present, present | Zero Conditional |
Possible future | if + present, will + base verb | First Conditional |
Unreal or unlikely present/future | if + past, would + base verb | Second Conditional |
Review the language
- pollution
- climate change
- recycle
- renewable
- endangered
- habitat
- sustainable
- emissions
- drought
- flood
- waste
- conserve energy
- wildlife
- carbon footprint
Say one environmental sentence using at least two of these words:
pollution · renewable · habitat · sustainable · emissions · carbon footprint
Finish with one personalised conditional sentence.
