ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

Civilization has brought people many advantages but its products also pollute and damage the environment in which we live. In the Czech Republic we are only at the beginning of protection the environment. Pollution affects air, water, land, forests, people, animals and plants.

Air pollution is the biggest problem in large cities and in areas with concentrated industrial production. Emissions range from smoke, dust, and smells to car and lorry exhausts. Smoke contains sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and carbon dioxide which are produced by coal-fired power stations and industrial plants burning fossils fuels. Substances such as sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxide (NO) can cause major changes in the environment which can lead to climate changes. These substances mix with water vapour in the atmosphere and form sulphuric acid and nitric acid. Sunlight turns these acids into poisonous oxidants which fall in the form of rain (acid rain) or snow onto trees and gradually kill them.

Trees are vitally important for our life because they are the lungs of our planet. They absorb carbon dioxide from the air and give out oxygen in return. The great rain forests are being destroyed for firewood and building materials. Scientists believe that it provides 50 per cent of the world's annual production of oxygen. If we lose tropical forests, it will become more difficult to breathe. With more carbon dioxide in the air, the temperature will rise; the icecaps at the North and South Poles will melt, and the sea level will rise which will result in the flooding of many coastal cities.

Several gases have been identified as contributing to the "greenhouse effect", which also cause climate change. Manmade atmospheric emissions, such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, methane, chlorofluorocarbons and water vapour prevent the heat from excaping. The result is a rise in the Earth's temperature, the melting of arctic ice the flooding of areas situated near sea level.

Ozone is another air pollutant that contributes to the "greenhouse effect" at lower atmospheric levels. It is produced by the reaction of sunlight on car exhaust fumes and is major air pollutant in hot summers. On the ground level ozone can cause asthma attacks, corrosion of certain materials. On the other hand, ozone forms a layer in the upper atmosphere which protects life on Earth from ultraviolet rays, which is a cause of skin cancer. A continent-sized hole has formed over Antarctica as a result of damage of the ozone layer, caused in part by CFCs.

Technology has an important role to play in reducing pollution and developing new means for reducing harmful emissions. Waste materials which were previously dumped can be converted into useful products. "End-of-pipe" systems can be installed to clean up emissions.

The problems of air pollution be solved, when people should try to use alternative sources of energy, such as solar, water, wind, geothermal and perhaps tidal energies, or at least to burn smokeless fuels. There are more ways to reduce air pollution caused by road traffic. First it is possible to switch freight from road to railways and to support public transportation. Then all new petrol-driven cars will have catalytic converters in their exhaust systems. Lead emissions can fall if we reduce lead content in petrol and encourage the use of unleaded petrol. Another method of solution is installation of flue gas desulphurisation plants at some power stations.

Water pollution results from harmful industrial processes and households, from pesticides and other chemicals (fertilizers) used in agriculture, from waste disposal sites and from ships. Concentrations of heavy metals, such as mercury, cadmium or copper are increasing. Nitrate can pollute inland waters by leaching from farmland.

If we want to have cleaner waterways, discharges to water from industrial processes should be controlled and the number of sewage treatment plants should be increased. Pollution occurring from waste silage effluent should be minimized or stopped. Farmers can change their farming practises.

Soil can become contaminated as a result of industrial waste and other causes. Much domestic rubbish is disposed of in landfills. But in many cases landfill can be avoided by re-using, recycling or energy recovery from waste material. Land can also become contaminated by radioactive substances.

Environmental protection should also include animal and plant protection because the balance of species of plants and animals has also been affected by human activities. Some animals are protected (bats, badgers). The establishment of National Parks and nature reserves provide protection, and also provide opportunities for outdoor recreation.

Contaminated land sites are reclaimed and turned into parks. Trees are protected and new ones are planted. Green belts have been established around major cities in Britain to provide some place for recreation and also to assist in urban regeneration.

Vocabulary:

dust - prach

gradually - postupně

contribute - příspívat

flood - záplava

skin cancer - rakovina kůže

convert - přeměnit

freight - doprava

lead - olovo

sewage - kanalizační splašky

effluent - odpadní voda

avoid - vyvarovat se, vyhnout se

provide - postarat se