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Topic: ENVIRONMENT AND WASTE

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acid rain bottle bank catalytic converter clean-up conservancy conservation conservation area conservationist conserve contaminant contaminate eco- eco-friendly ecological ecologist ecology ecosystem effluent environment environmental environmentalist environmentally friendly global warming green greenhouse effect greenhouse gas green revolution habitat national park noise pollution ozone ozone-friendly particulates poison pollute radioactive waste radioactivity recyclable recycle recycling reforestation sewage sewage works smog sulphur dioxide tip toxic waste waste waste disposal waste product

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Date: 1600-1700
Origin: environ 'to surround' (14-21 centuries), from Old French environer, from environ 'around', from viron 'circle'

environment

 noun
     
en‧vi‧ron‧ment S1 W1
1

the environment

SGE the air, water, and land on Earth, which can be harmed by man's activities :
Some of these chemicals are very damaging to the environment.
legislation to protect the environment
the effects of acid rain on the environment
the government minister for the environment
2 [uncountable and countable] the people and things that are around you in your life, for example the buildings you use, the people you live or work with, and the general situation you are in:
Our first task was to improve the physical environment (=buildings, furniture etc) in the school.
Young children often feel happier in the home environment.
The company had failed to provide a safe environment for its workers.
working/learning environment
a pleasant working environment
political/economic environment
a stable economic environment
3 [countable] the natural features of a place, for example its weather, the type of land it has, and the type of plants that grow in it [↪ habitat]:
a forest environment
a very adaptable creature that will eat different foods in different environments
WORD FOCUS: environment WORD FOCUS: environment
good for the environment: environmentally friendly, eco-friendly, sustainable, recyclable, biodegradable, renewable, organic
people who want to protect the environment: greens, eco-warriors
things that cause harm to the environment: pollution, greenhouse gases, global warming, acid rain, deforestationenvironment ➔ ozone layer, fossil fuel, CFC
  
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