Environmental Science: Two World Views. 1. The problem is making the changeover

1. The problem is making the changeover. Surveys in the United States show that a large majority of people profess to be environmen­talists. Yet, we are all part of a society that has developed and continues to function according to cornucopian assumption. For example, al­though we profess to be environmentalists, we continue to drive cars, which burn fuels that contribute to the global warming effect, because we are part of a society that has created virtually no practical alterna­tives for everyday transportation.

2. The changeover to sustainable alternatives will involve much more than simple "Band-aid" measures; it will involve basic changes throughout society in the ways we transport ourselves and our prod­ucts, in the ways we heat and cool our homes and workplaces, in the ways we produce crops, in the way we manufacture products, handle wastes, and so on.

3. In other words, assuming that we do make a changeover to be­come a sustainable society, this current period will be looked back on in a history as a major revolution — the environmental revolution — and you will have been players in this "absolutely unique time in hu­manity's stay on earth". You all will have been players, yeas, but some as part of the solution and success of the revolution and others as part of the problem very nearly causing the revolution to fail. The thought is scary, but the challenge also provides an opportunity that few (per­haps no other) generations have ever had or will have.

4. In accepting the challenge to work toward a sustainable society, you will not be alone. You will be joining millions of people around the world in all walks of life who have already made a similar commit­ment. Individually and through thousands of organizations, they are mounting actions to protect the natural environment. Actions range from the radical to the highly professional and scientific. For example,

Unit Two

members of Earth First have chained themselves to trees to prevent their cutting. Members and leaders of the Natural Resources Defense Council, Environmental Defense Fund, and other groups focus their efforts on promoting legislation for environmental protection, much of U.S. pollution control legislation is in no small part a result of their efforts. Organizations such as World Wildlife Fund and Conservation International are working in cooperation with governments in many countries around the world to set up and manage biological reserves, areas of natural habitat expressly for the purpose of saving particular species from extinction.

5. Even labor unions, which traditionally have been anti-environ­ment because of fear that environmentalism would lead to the loss of jobs, are beginning to change. For example, a 1990 report of the Unit­ed Steelworkers of America included the statement: "In the long run, the real choice is not jobs or environment. It's both or neither. What kind of jobs will be possible in a world of depleted resources, poisoned water and foul air, a world where ozone depletion and greenhouse warming make it difficult even to survive?"

6. In June 1992 the United Nations held a Conference in Rio de Janeiro on the Environment and Development, at which leaders of all member nations pledged to work toward making environmental pro­tection an integral part of furthering development.

7. While the fact that world leaders and organizations recognize the seriousness of environmental issues is an encouraging sign, leaders and organizations cannot solve the problem by themselves. As noted above, the changes must ultimately involve all of us and the way we conduct our daily life. Furthermore, "this change will have to be a fully conscious operation, guided by the best foresight that science can provide."

8. This is where environmental science enters the picture. Envi­ronmental science is the science of looking at the cause-and-effect re­lationships underlying environmental issues. In short, it is the science of understanding how the world works on the level of the natural envi­ronment - how the natural environment regenerates natural resourc­es and how this generative capacity is being affected by human activi­ties. Armed with this understanding, the objective of environmental science is to provide the foresight required to make changes toward a sustainable society.

Environmental Science: Two World Views

I. READING COMPREHENSION

1. The main idea of the article is

a. a changeover to become a sustainable society

b. the environmental revolution

с the challenge to work toward a sustainable society

2. According to the article, the changeover to sustainable alternatives
will involve basic changes throughout society

a. in the ways we transport ourselves

b. in the ways we heat and cool our homes
с in the ways we continue to drive cars

3. In paragraph 3, this current period will be looked back on in history as
a. a major revolution

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b. the environmental revolution

с unique time in humanity's stay on earth.

4. According to paragraph 4, in accepting the challenge to work to­
ward a sustainable society

a. you are mounting actions to protect the natural environment

b. you will not be alone

с you will be joining millions of people around the world

5. Actions to protect the natural environment range

a. from the radical to the highly professional and scientific

b. from scientific to the radical

с from the highly professional to scientific

6. Members and leaders of different funds and councils focus their
efforts on

a. promoting legislation for environmental protection

b. U.S. pollution control legislation
с a result of their efforts

7. The United Nations held a Conference

a. in America

b. in Rio de Janeiro
с in Los Angeles

8. Put in the correct order.

a. Leaders and organizations cannot solve the problem by themselves.

b. The changes must ultimately involve all of us and the way we
conduct our daily lives.

с World leaders and organizations recognize the seriousness of environmental issues.

9. In paragraph 8, environmental science is

a. understanding how the world works

b. looking at the cause-and-effect relationships underlying envi­
ronmental issues

с an encouraging sign

II. VOCABULARY