ESL Podcast 393 - Trash and Recycling
garbage can - a large container used to collect and store one's garbage (trash), or the things that one wants to throw away
Please put the dirty paper napkins into the garbage can and then wash the dishes.
to recycle - to save one's used plastic, glass, paper, metal, and other items so that they can be given to a company that will use them to make new items, instead of throwing them away
We can recycle plastic containers, but not the lids.
recyclables - things that can no longer be used, but can be destroyed and made into new things, such as plastic, glass, paper, and metal
What percentage of your garbage is actually recyclables?
bin - a large plastic container used to collect and store things, especially recyclables
Please put glass into the green bin and plastic into the blue bin.
trash - garbage; waste; things that can no longer be used and need to be thrown away
After the party, they collected four large bags of trash.
dump - a large outdoor area that is used to store all the garbage made by people in a certain area
Very poor people often go to the dump to look for things that other people have thrown away, but that they might want to use.
container - an object used to hold and/or store smaller things, especially food and drinks
Bercal has a rectangular, plastic container that he uses to bring sandwiches to work for his lunch.
biodegradable - able to be changed into smaller pieces that do not hurt the natural environment through a combination of sunlight, air, and bacteria
Things like apple skin and eggshells are biodegradable, but plastic bags are not.
to blow (something) out of proportion - to make a problem seem bigger than it really is
When Gerald lost his keys, he blew it out of proportion, acting as if he would never be able to get into his house again, when all he really needed to do was call his wife and ask to use her keys.
environment - the natural world; the part of the world that is not made by people
What do you think is a bigger problem for the environment: air pollution or water pollution?
to use up - to use all of something; to use so much of something that there is nothing left
They used up all their money buying the new house, and now they barely have enough money for food!
natural resources - things that people use from the natural world, like oil, gas, minerals, and trees
Russia has many natural resources, especially trees and oil.
ecologist - environmentalist; a person who cares about the natural world and does things to protect it; a scientist who does research about the natural world
He is a leading ecologist who studies gorillas in Africa.
to conserve - to use as little of something as possible; to use very little of something so that it can be saved for the future or for other people
We can conserve gas by driving more slowly.
energy-efficient - using little energy; using less energy than normal
An energy-efficient refrigerator costs more than a regular refrigerator, but it also means having lower electricity bills while you use it.
recycling center - a place where one can take one's recyclables so that they are later picked up by a recycling company and made into new things
They go to the recycling center every two weeks to get rid of their used glass, plastic, and paper.
thermostat - a tool used to control the temperature in a building or home
Do you set your thermostat at 68º or 70º?
to put (one's) money where (one's) mouth is - to do what one is saying that other people should do; to make one's actions consistent with one's words
Our doctor is always telling us to exercise more, but now she's putting her money where her mouth is, running five days each week.