things that are good for the environment

green adjective used to talk about anything that is good for the environment, or about ideas and issues relating to protecting the environment.

 

environmentally friendly/eco-friendly adjective environmentally-friendly products or methods do not cause harm to the environment.

 

conservation [noun] [uncountable] the protection of natural things such as animals, plants, forests etc, to prevent them being spoiled or destroyed and preventing something from being lost or wasted.

 

renewable adjective renewable sources of energy use fuels that can be replaced naturally, and so they are never completely used up.

 

organic adjective organic foods are produced naturally, without the use of harmful chemicals:

organically adverb:

• organically grown vegetables

 

local food noun [uncountable and countable] food from the particular area you live in. Local food is good for the environment because it does not have to be transported over a long distance by lorries etc which cause pollution.

 

sustainable adjective sustainable methods of farming, fishing etc do not use up more land, natural resources etc than can be replaced naturally, and therefore do not cause harm to the environment.

 

biodegradable adjective biodegradable materials and products can be broken into small parts and absorbed naturally into the environment.

 

recycle verb [intransitive and transitive] to use materials that have already been used, in order to make new products.

recycled adjective.

 

recyclable adjective used materials or substances that are recyclable can be recycled

 

 

recycling point British English, recycling center American English noun [countable] a place where people can leave bottles, newspapers, old clothes etc which are taken away for recycling.

 

bottle bank noun [countable] British English a container in the street that you put empty bottles in, so that the glass can be used again.

 

solar power/wind power/wave power energy from the sun, the wind, or the movement of the sea, used to make electricity.

 

wind farm noun [countable] a group of tall structures called wind turbines, which have blades that turn with the wind, used to produce electricity.

 

biofuel noun [uncountable and countable] fuel that is made from plants and animals or from something that they produce such as cow manure. It is a renewable source of energy.

 

People who want to protect the environment

 

environmentalist noun [countable] someone who is concerned about protecting the environment.

 

environmental group noun [countable] a group of people that tries to protect the environment, especially by influencing the government and large companies.

 

environmental activist noun [countable] someone who tries to protect the environment, especially by influencing the government and large companies

 

the Greens noun [plural] members of the Green party, a political party concerned with protecting the environment.

 

eco-warrior noun [countable] someone who takes direct action to stop companies and governments destroying the environment.

 

Science and the environment

 

environmental science noun [uncountable and countable] the scientific study of the relationship between humans and the environment.

 

biotechnology noun [uncountable] the use of living things such as cells, bacteria etc to make drugs, destroy waste matter etc.

 

genetic engineering noun [uncountable] the science of changing the genetic structure of an animal, plant, or human, usually to make them stronger or healthier.

 

GM (also genetically modified) adjective genetically modified foods or plants have had their genetic structure changed so that they are not affected by particular diseases or harmful insects.