Examination Card 11
Comment on the statement “Our planet is our home. Why are destroying it then?” Include the following:

• What are the most serious problems with the environment nowadays?
• What will happen if we don’t take action?
• What can individuals do to help?
• What should authorities do to help?

The most serious problems with the environment nowadays are air and water pollution. The main source of air and water pollution is human activity.

Air pollution is caused by trains, airplanes, power plants and factories.  However, the biggest air polluter is road transport, such as cars, buses and trucks. Air pollution is very dangerous because it can make people sick. For example, such diseases as asthma and some kinds of allergies are often caused by air pollution.  Moreover, it can even kill people. According to the World Health Organization, more than two million people die each year from air pollution. 

Another environmental problem is water pollution. It is caused by industrial and household waste which people dump into rivers, lakes, seas and oceans. It is dangerous to drink polluted water and it is not safe to swim in it. Also polluted water poisons fish and when people eat it they risk their health.

There are several things both authorities and individuals can do to minimize the pollution of air and water. For example, individuals can sometimes carpool, take a bus or ride their bikes instead of using their cars. This will help reduce traffic fumes in the air. As for the authorities, they should improve public transport. Then people will use buses and trolley-buses more often than their cars. To make water in rivers and lakes cleaner, people should use less washing-up liquid. The authorities, in their turn, should heavily fine the factories which dump waste into lakes and rivers.

To sum up, clean environment is essential for people. We should take immediate steps to stop its pollution if we want life on our planet to continue.