Unit 31: The Environment - English Collocations in Use UNIT 31: THE ENVIRONMENT I. Lý thuyết (Collocations) Học tập các cụm từ cố định chủ đề Môi trường trích nguồn từ báo cáo và bài phỏng vấn gốc trong giáo trình: A. Damaging the environment (Hủy hoại môi trường) Disposal of household waste is a daunting task for local authorities. Towns and cities cannot just dump waste such waste and hope it will go away. Household waste contains many materials and substances which are extremely harmful to the environment , and authorities need long-term solutions. Efforts to recycle waste are only a partial solution. Meanwhile, the problem of toxic waste remains. One expert recently warned that the risks to public health are so great that we may have less than a decade to avoid an environmental catastrophe on a global scale. B. Climate change and its consequences (Biến đổi khí hậu và hệ quả) Interviewer: Would you agree that climate change is the most urgent issue facing us today? Prime: Definitely. You only have to look at the changing weather patterns in many parts of the world. It's absolutely vital that we change our ways before it's too late. Parts of Europe which used to be cooler now experience intense, searing heat , and temperatures soar above the average every summer. Other areas suffer widespread flooding on a regular basis. We can't continue in this way without there being dire consequences . Interviewer: So what can people do in the face of this irreversible climate change ? Prime: Yes, there is. We can all reduce our carbon footprint by flying less, and reduce our food miles by buying local produce. Some airlines have schemes now for offsetting carbon emissions . Interviewer: Flying's only one part of it, though. Most of the problems come from vehicle emissions and power stations. Prime: True, but there are things we can do about that too. Buy a hybrid car , develop alternative energy sources for homes, solar heating for instance, and build mor...