Showing posts with label Intermediate level. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Intermediate level. Show all posts
Friday, October 22, 2010
Awareness Walk
Walking in nature can be so much more than hurrying to a destination.Walking is a doorway to being in your body instead of your head, experiencing instead of thinking.When you walk with awareness, you can regroup and return to your centre, clear your thoughts and feelings, and align your inner and outer worlds.It can be a time when you regain your perspective and experience yourself as healthy, integrated and alive. Nature around you, breathing cleaner air and relaxed mood, will replenish your energy and relieve stress from over-committed life.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
BIODIVERSITY
Fill in words that fit in the text:
It is essential that we do all we can to help protect ____________. Biodiversity is responsible for the ____________ of the air we breathe, and the water we ____________. We rely on biodiversity to provide us with ____________, both animal and vegetable, as many of the plants we eat require animals to ____________ them. We also have biodiversity to thank for fertile ____________ to plant our crops in, the regulation of ____________ on earth, and also as the source of many of our ____________ for healing. In short, biodiversity provides us with everything we need to ____________.
Solutions: biodiversity, purification, drink, food, pollinate,
soils,
climate,
medicines,
live.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
New Ways
Pollution affects everyone. Nobody escapes. The soil must heal. The atmosphere has to improve. Smog must go. The oceans have to be protected. All water needs to be pure. Clean energy sources can and must be found. Biodiversity has to be maintained. Forests will be planted. More forests must be planted. And the trees will smile their oxygen again in the dawn of a brand-new day.
From the book "Global Forest" by Diana Beresford-Kroeger (Viking 2010)
TASK:
Find different words for expressing obligation and necessity. Check your grammar book to find nuances in the meaning.
From the book "Global Forest" by Diana Beresford-Kroeger (Viking 2010)
TASK:
Find different words for expressing obligation and necessity. Check your grammar book to find nuances in the meaning.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Monday, March 1, 2010
Not Far from the Tree
Not Far From The Tree is an eco-group based in Toronto. They pick up fruits from neighbours' orchards that people don't care about and give them to those who cannot afford to buy them. Their volunteers picked up 3,690 kg of fruit in 2009.
1. Order the following lines into a passage:
or brushed past raspberry bushes on an evening stroll.
You’ve more than likely noticed
which is often viewed by homeowners as a nuisance.
everywhere in Toronto.
spoiled crabapples and rotted plums on sidewalks,
The city is teeming with fruit trees,
Fruit trees grow
but we rarely think of the potential of the fruit,
2. We'd Tap That
"We want to educate people about the urban forest.We don't want to collect a quantity of syrup, but to inspire connections between city dwellers and the trees around them. We will tap only Norway maples because they are abundant.
We will tap only the healthiest trees. Volunteers will drill one or two holes into each tree and insert spiles for the sap to be extracted.The spiles will be removed before spring arrives and the wounds will be sealed."
Comprehension questions:
1. Who is saying this?
2. What is their intention?
3. How will they do that?
4. How do they care about the trees?
5. How will they "inspire connections between city dwellers and the trees around them"?
6. Do you think that trees in the city should or shouldn't be wounded?
3. The following fruits have been gathered by Not Far From The Tree:
sweet and sour cherries, serviceberries, mulberries, apricots, plums, crabapples, pears, black wallnuts and ginko nuts. Find out about those you are not familiar with.
1. Order the following lines into a passage:
or brushed past raspberry bushes on an evening stroll.
You’ve more than likely noticed
which is often viewed by homeowners as a nuisance.
everywhere in Toronto.
spoiled crabapples and rotted plums on sidewalks,
The city is teeming with fruit trees,
Fruit trees grow
but we rarely think of the potential of the fruit,
2. We'd Tap That
"We want to educate people about the urban forest.We don't want to collect a quantity of syrup, but to inspire connections between city dwellers and the trees around them. We will tap only Norway maples because they are abundant.
We will tap only the healthiest trees. Volunteers will drill one or two holes into each tree and insert spiles for the sap to be extracted.The spiles will be removed before spring arrives and the wounds will be sealed."
Comprehension questions:
1. Who is saying this?
2. What is their intention?
3. How will they do that?
4. How do they care about the trees?
5. How will they "inspire connections between city dwellers and the trees around them"?
6. Do you think that trees in the city should or shouldn't be wounded?
3. The following fruits have been gathered by Not Far From The Tree:
sweet and sour cherries, serviceberries, mulberries, apricots, plums, crabapples, pears, black wallnuts and ginko nuts. Find out about those you are not familiar with.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Eco-Driver
TASKS
- 1. Which of these features are Fuel Savers or Gas Guzzlers?
Large engine
Overdrive
Trip computer
Power seats
Air conditioning
Tinted glasses
Sunroof
Heated seats
Manual transmission
Tachometer
4-wheel drive
Power locks
Cruise control
(Answers: 2, 3,6,9,10,13 are Fuel Savers.)
- 2. Order the words in this text:
Your the and Planet Help Wallet
fuel just can year by save a you hundreds of dollars, a and reduce Reducing your tanks personal consumption emissions ten by almost tone.
because kilograms litre gasoline carbon every burned in a car's atmosphere releases 2.3 That's of of dioxide into the that's earth's engine.
is change dioxide greenhouse primary Carbon the climate contributing gas to.
Note: This exercise will be made easier if you cut word strips, rather than have them printed on a handout. The three sentences can be in three different colours or in different fonts. You can also give each member of a group of three one sentence.
3. Look at the estimated annual fuel costs for different cars.
Compare the costs (Exercise in reading numbers.)
Which one would you buy? Why? (Discussion, giving opinion.)
| |||
Best in class | 10th best | Median | |
Hybrid | $1,025 | $1,925 | $1,825 |
Compact | $1,575 | $1,850 | $2,268 |
Mid-size | $1,700 | $1,925 | $2,754 |
Full-size | $2,000 | $2,400 | $3,105 |
Van/Minivan | $2,100 | $2,775 | $3,575 |
Based on 20,000 km, $1.25/litre, $1.35 premium | |||
Note: each year, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) produces a free booklet that compiles fuel efficiency ratings for all new cars. Online fuel consumption ratings can be found at: www.oee.nrcan.gc.ca/transportation
- 4. Insert an article: a, an, the or zero:
Welcome to the Idle-Free Zone
For Individuals
As __ individual, you can be instrumental in reducing __environmental impacts. If every driver of __ light duty vehicle avoided ___ idling by three minutes __ day, collectively over ___ year, we would save 630 million litres of ___fuel, over 1.4 million tonnes of GHG emissions, and $630 million annually in___ fuel costs (assuming fuel costs are $1.00/L).
(Answers: an,0, a, 0, a, the, 0, 0)
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Farmer Schmidt
Farmer Michael Schmidt, a 54-year-old dairy farmer, thinks milk is healthier before it is pasteurized. But Canadian health officials do not think so. They think it is not safe. They say it is illegal to sell milk or cream that has not been pasteurized or sterilized.
However, it is legal to drink unpasteurized milk. So farmer Schmidt and 150 other people started the cow-share co-op. Together, they owned 30 cows at Mr. Schmidt's southern Ontario Glencolton Farms. They drank raw milk from their cows. They thought they had right to choose what to put in their body.
One day police raided the farm and Michael Schmidt was brought to court. After three years he was acquitted of 19 charges. Justice of the Peace said in this case Mr. Schmidt did not break the law because he was not selling to the public at large.
What do you think about:
• Michael Schmidt
• Cow-share co-op
• Drinking unpasteurized milk
• Laws regarding consumption of food
Questions for discussion:
1. What kind of food processing do you know?
2. Which food do we preserve to keep it long?
3. What is the most usual way of preserving meet/fish/vegetables /fruit in your country?
4. How do people in your country look after seeds/ reproduction of crops or animals / animal breeds?
5. Which animal or plant species do you know that are at risk of extinction ? What do people do to save those species?
However, it is legal to drink unpasteurized milk. So farmer Schmidt and 150 other people started the cow-share co-op. Together, they owned 30 cows at Mr. Schmidt's southern Ontario Glencolton Farms. They drank raw milk from their cows. They thought they had right to choose what to put in their body.
One day police raided the farm and Michael Schmidt was brought to court. After three years he was acquitted of 19 charges. Justice of the Peace said in this case Mr. Schmidt did not break the law because he was not selling to the public at large.
What do you think about:
• Michael Schmidt
• Cow-share co-op
• Drinking unpasteurized milk
• Laws regarding consumption of food
Questions for discussion:
1. What kind of food processing do you know?
2. Which food do we preserve to keep it long?
3. What is the most usual way of preserving meet/fish/vegetables /fruit in your country?
4. How do people in your country look after seeds/ reproduction of crops or animals / animal breeds?
5. Which animal or plant species do you know that are at risk of extinction ? What do people do to save those species?
Monday, June 29, 2009
TWO GREEN COMPANIES
1. BIOBAGS
BioBag Canada sells Canada’s leading brand of fully certified 100% biodegradable and compostable bags.
BioBags are supplied to over 3,000 communities worldwide.
BioBags are an effective environmentally friendly alternative to paper and polyethylene bags.
BioBags can be reused, composted or incinerated.
BioBags are made from material containing cornstarch, vegetable oil and compostable polyester.
BioBags will completely compost within 10 to 45 days in a controlled composting facility depending on soil conditions, temperature etc.
Analyses have shown that BioBags have a more positive impact on the environment through reduced levels of greenhouse gas emissions and lower acid precipitation than paper and polyethylene bags..
BioBags are also available for pet waste disposal, and films for organic farms and gardens to inhibit weeds.
TRUE OR FALSE:
1. BioBags are a better alternative than paper or plastic bags.
2. They cannot fully decompose in the landfill.
3. They contain polyester.
4. They are made of corn.
5. You can put them in a green bin.
6. They are not good for the soil.
7. Burning plastic bags causes acid rains.
8. BioBags are recyclable.
9. BioBags are exported from Canada.
Answers: 1.T, 2.F, 3.T, 4.T, 5.T, 6.F, 7.T, 8.F, 9.T.
2. ECOVER
Ecover started 25 years ago as a small soap company in Belgium.
Since then it has developed into an international leader in the production of environmentally sustainable laundry, dishwashing and general household cleaning products.
Ecover’s mission is to provide an alternative solution to conventional cleaning products by using safe ingredients at a minimum cost to the environment.
It has developed a full line of plant-based cleaners and detergents.
Ecover’s factory features a grass roof for insulation, wood from sustainable forests and bricks from coal mine waste.
The facility is 99% emission free.
TRUE OR FALSE:
1. Ecover is a factory in Belgium.
2. It is 25 years old.
3. They produce cleaning products.
4. Those products are safe for the environment.
5. They are very low priced.
6. They are made with coal.
7. The factory is environmentally friendly.
8. They do not have any gas emissions at all.
Answers: 1.F, 2.T, 3.T, 4.T, 5.F, 6.F, 7.T, 8.F.
BioBag Canada sells Canada’s leading brand of fully certified 100% biodegradable and compostable bags.
BioBags are supplied to over 3,000 communities worldwide.
BioBags are an effective environmentally friendly alternative to paper and polyethylene bags.
BioBags can be reused, composted or incinerated.
BioBags are made from material containing cornstarch, vegetable oil and compostable polyester.
BioBags will completely compost within 10 to 45 days in a controlled composting facility depending on soil conditions, temperature etc.
Analyses have shown that BioBags have a more positive impact on the environment through reduced levels of greenhouse gas emissions and lower acid precipitation than paper and polyethylene bags..
BioBags are also available for pet waste disposal, and films for organic farms and gardens to inhibit weeds.
TRUE OR FALSE:
1. BioBags are a better alternative than paper or plastic bags.
2. They cannot fully decompose in the landfill.
3. They contain polyester.
4. They are made of corn.
5. You can put them in a green bin.
6. They are not good for the soil.
7. Burning plastic bags causes acid rains.
8. BioBags are recyclable.
9. BioBags are exported from Canada.
Answers: 1.T, 2.F, 3.T, 4.T, 5.T, 6.F, 7.T, 8.F, 9.T.
2. ECOVER
Ecover started 25 years ago as a small soap company in Belgium.
Since then it has developed into an international leader in the production of environmentally sustainable laundry, dishwashing and general household cleaning products.
Ecover’s mission is to provide an alternative solution to conventional cleaning products by using safe ingredients at a minimum cost to the environment.
It has developed a full line of plant-based cleaners and detergents.
Ecover’s factory features a grass roof for insulation, wood from sustainable forests and bricks from coal mine waste.
The facility is 99% emission free.
TRUE OR FALSE:
1. Ecover is a factory in Belgium.
2. It is 25 years old.
3. They produce cleaning products.
4. Those products are safe for the environment.
5. They are very low priced.
6. They are made with coal.
7. The factory is environmentally friendly.
8. They do not have any gas emissions at all.
Answers: 1.F, 2.T, 3.T, 4.T, 5.F, 6.F, 7.T, 8.F.
Food Miles
Circle the number you think is correct:
1. The average Canadian meal travels about: 10,000 - 2,500 - 1,000 km from farm to plate.
2. But when you buy food grown in the Ontario Greenbelt, the distance drops to: 250 - 1,000 - 2,500 km.
3. Farms use only 5% - 10% - 15% of the total fossil fuels used by the food industry; the rest goes to transportation, packaging and marketing.
ANSWERS: 2,500; 250; 10%.
Insert the following words in the text:
footprint, climate change, fruits, vegetables, meats,planet, produce, smog
Not only does shopping local mean you enjoy fresher and tastier _________, ____________ and ____________, but you're contributing to a healthier ____________. By shopping for Greenbelt grown _____________ and meat, you help reduce ____________ and lessen your carbon ________________ and emissions that cause ________ _________.
1. The average Canadian meal travels about: 10,000 - 2,500 - 1,000 km from farm to plate.
2. But when you buy food grown in the Ontario Greenbelt, the distance drops to: 250 - 1,000 - 2,500 km.
3. Farms use only 5% - 10% - 15% of the total fossil fuels used by the food industry; the rest goes to transportation, packaging and marketing.
ANSWERS: 2,500; 250; 10%.
Insert the following words in the text:
footprint, climate change, fruits, vegetables, meats,planet, produce, smog
Not only does shopping local mean you enjoy fresher and tastier _________, ____________ and ____________, but you're contributing to a healthier ____________. By shopping for Greenbelt grown _____________ and meat, you help reduce ____________ and lessen your carbon ________________ and emissions that cause ________ _________.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Winds of Change Blowing, but Resistance Gusting
This is an abridged article by Christopher Hume, from Toronto Star of 28 November 2008.
Suddenly, it seems the future has come to Toronto.
Whether we're talking about wind turbines in Lake Ontario, fees for plastic bags, garbage levies, bans on bottled water or fully recyclable coffee cups, Torontonians are having hard time adjusting to the realities of the 21st century.
As tough as change may be, there's no longer any choice.
Isn't that the lesson of the environmental crisis, global warming, not to mention the current economic meltdown? Isn't that the inescapable conclusion of everything we have been told for the past few decades?
The collapse has happened; we have no alternative but to reinvent our world. And if not our world, certainly our cities.
Yet, a good many of us prefer things just the way they are. Change is good, they say, as long as it means we don't have to do anything differently. Convenience? Unfortunately, the problem for those of us who live in developed countries such as Canada is that convenience is no longer convenient.
Suddenly, it seems the future has come to Toronto.
Whether we're talking about wind turbines in Lake Ontario, fees for plastic bags, garbage levies, bans on bottled water or fully recyclable coffee cups, Torontonians are having hard time adjusting to the realities of the 21st century.
As tough as change may be, there's no longer any choice.
Isn't that the lesson of the environmental crisis, global warming, not to mention the current economic meltdown? Isn't that the inescapable conclusion of everything we have been told for the past few decades?
The collapse has happened; we have no alternative but to reinvent our world. And if not our world, certainly our cities.
Yet, a good many of us prefer things just the way they are. Change is good, they say, as long as it means we don't have to do anything differently. Convenience? Unfortunately, the problem for those of us who live in developed countries such as Canada is that convenience is no longer convenient.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Greenhouse Effect
INSERT A PREPOSITION:
Not long ago the talking ________ weather was mostly just small talk, but these days it's taking a more serious turn. There's something ______ the air.
You can't see it, most of the time you can't feel it, but air _______ us is changing ____ a quiet, but dramatic way.
The way we live is changing the composition ____ the atmosphere and our climate and local weather pattern are changing ______ it.
We burn fossil fuels to produce energy: coal, oil and natural gas and it's increasing the carbon dioxide _____ the atmosphere.
This process is raising the temperature _____ the planet. We call this warming action greenhouse effect.
SOLUTION: about, in, around, in, of, with, in, of
Not long ago the talking ________ weather was mostly just small talk, but these days it's taking a more serious turn. There's something ______ the air.
You can't see it, most of the time you can't feel it, but air _______ us is changing ____ a quiet, but dramatic way.
The way we live is changing the composition ____ the atmosphere and our climate and local weather pattern are changing ______ it.
We burn fossil fuels to produce energy: coal, oil and natural gas and it's increasing the carbon dioxide _____ the atmosphere.
This process is raising the temperature _____ the planet. We call this warming action greenhouse effect.
SOLUTION: about, in, around, in, of, with, in, of
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Eat Local Food
Why Eat Local? 10 Lucky Reasons.
At a farmers’ market, most local produce has been picked inside of 24 hours. It comes to you ripe, fresh, and with its full flavor, unlike supermarket food that may have been picked weeks or months before.
2. Know what you’re eating.
Buying food today is complicated. What pesticides were used? Is that corn genetically modified? Was that chicken free range or did it grow up in a box? People who eat locally find it easier to get answers. Many build relationships with farmers whom they trust. And they can also drive out to the farms and see for themselves.
3. Meet your neighbors.
Local eating is social. People shopping at farmers’ markets have 10 times more conversations than those who shop at the supermarket. Join a community garden and you’ll actually meet the people you pass on the street.
4. Get in touch with the seasons.
When you eat locally, you eat what’s in season. You’ll remember that cherries are the taste of summer. Even in winter, comfort foods like squash soup and pancakes just make a lot more sense than flavourless cherries from the other side of the world.
5. Discover new flavours.
Ever tried artichokes? How about asparagus, quail eggs, cranberries, or fiddleheads? These are just a few of local products. Count the types of apples of Ontario on offer at your supermarket. Maybe two? Small farms are keeping alive more varieties.
6. Explore your home.
Visiting local farms is a way to be a tourist on your own home turf, with plenty of stops for snacks.
7. Save the world.
A study found that a regional diet consumed 17 times less oil and gas than a typical diet based on food shipped across the country.
8. Support small farms.
We discovered that many people from all walks of life dream of working the land–maybe you do, too. In areas with strong local markets, the family farm is alive.
9. Give back to the local economy.
Buying from local food producers keeps the dollar at home, and everybody profits.
10. Be healthy.
We should eat more vegetables and fewer processed products. And more fresh food at its nutritional peak. Eating from farmers’ markets and cooking from scratch will make all the family healthy and happy!
Green Buildings Toronto
G R E E N
B U I L D I N G S
T O R O N T O
Beach Solar Laundromat
Use the Comparative or the Superlative of the adjectives in parentheses:
The Beach Solar Laundromat is located at 2240 Queen Street East, in a 65-year-old building. It houses 21 washers and 14 dryers. The house is far _________________ (efficient) than it was at the time the owner bought it in 2002. After many heating and lighting retrofits, the Laundromat has become one of Toronto’s __________________ (energy efficient) buildings and one of Toronto’s ____________________ (profitable) laundromats.
Eight solar panels on the roof heat water, and the natural gas consumption was reduced by ___________ (much) than 30%. The revenue has grown 200% over 4 years.
A ____________ (high) efficiency lighting system reduced the lighting bill by 72%.
The company was awarded as the _____________ (good) greenhouse gas emission reduction project in Canada in 2004.
The Beach Solar Laundromat is located at 2240 Queen Street East, in a 65-year-old building. It houses 21 washers and 14 dryers. The house is far _________________ (efficient) than it was at the time the owner bought it in 2002. After many heating and lighting retrofits, the Laundromat has become one of Toronto’s __________________ (energy efficient) buildings and one of Toronto’s ____________________ (profitable) laundromats.
Eight solar panels on the roof heat water, and the natural gas consumption was reduced by ___________ (much) than 30%. The revenue has grown 200% over 4 years.
A ____________ (high) efficiency lighting system reduced the lighting bill by 72%.
The company was awarded as the _____________ (good) greenhouse gas emission reduction project in Canada in 2004.
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