Did you witness any of the events of Earth Hour this year? There
was a lot more participation this year from around the globe, than
last year. 125 countries signed up to turn out some major (majour)
lights, and out of those countries, 56 national capitals were to
turn off lights on buildings that have great significance. I saw
some of the 'turning off' on my laptop the next day, and I was
impressed at the scale of this organized event. It is a statement
that people want action, and that we can become an organized group
and do something good for the planet. Last year in December, there
was a meeting in Copenhagen about climate change. Politicians
joined in discussions, trying to agree about what can be done to
reduce global warming and its effects. There were a lot of
hopes that strong action could be taken in every country to reduce
CO2 emissions, and to develop clean sources of energy. It's never
that easy though, is it. The U.S. and Europe have been the biggest
polluters, and now China has caught up, and other developing
nations like India. Development has to happen. Economies have to
grow, and people's standards of living have to go up. It is only
fair. The trick would be finding a cleaner way to do it all. So
far, the political meetings, like the ones in Copenhagen and Kyoto,
have been the first steps. But actions like Earth Hour show a
public awareness, and a hope that we can all learn about what we
can do as individuals. Watching the great monuments and symbols of
nations turn their lights out was an inspiration. Yes, it saved
energy aswell. But more than that, it was a symbol of greater
things that we can do in the future.
Grammar notes.
Related vocabulary: participation, the scale, standard of living,
public awareness.
1. There was a lot of participation in the local tree planting
day.
2. The scale of the new buildings is enormous.
3. Since we are both working, our standard of living has gone
up.
4. There should be more awareness about the pollution in the
rivers.
About the Podcast
Friendly, everyday English to help the anxious language learner. A relaxing mix of daily language spoken by your native English teacher, Anna. Another great podcast by LibSyn.com