Introduction
Becca and Neil have a real conversation in easy English about climate change – how long-term weather patterns are shifting. Learn to talk about how we can reduce our use of fossil fuels, conserve water and move towards renewable energy.
Vocabulary
fossil fuels
substances, like coal, oil and gas, which can be dug up from the earth and burnt to get energy
greenhouse gases
gases that trap heat energy within Earth’s atmosphere
conservation
protection of something from loss or waste
energy conservation
not using more energy that you need
conserve water
do not use more water than you need
renewable energy
energy produced from things which will not run out easily, such as wind, sun or movement of water
Transcript
Becca
Hello and welcome to Real Easy English. We’re back with another conversation in easy English to help with your learning. I’m Becca.
Neil
And I’m Neil. Don’t forget there is a video version of this podcast on our website. It’s got subtitles on it to help you learn. That’s at www.bbc-story.com.
Becca
Today, Neil, we’re talking about climate change. You might have heard this term – climate change – but what does it mean?
Neil
So, it’s an interesting topic, isn’t it? Important one. Climate change is the change in weather over a long period of time. And when we talk about climate change now, we’re talking mainly about the world getting hotter.
Becca
Yes. How is climate change affecting where you live?
Neil
Well, Becca, I remember a few years ago, in July I think, the temperature in the UK hit 40 degrees on one day. And that is something I have never experienced in my life. 40 degrees in the UK is crazy, and it was hot recently here as well, wasn’t it?
Becca
Yeah, it was. We don’t usually have 30 degree days in May, but it reached 30 degrees and it was so hot.
Neil
And if you turn on the news, you always hear stories these days about the hottest this, the wettest this, the windiest this, so we hear a lot about extreme weather.
Becca
Yeah. And experts say that this could be because of greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide for example, they stay in the Earth’s atmosphere and they trap the sun’s heat in the atmosphere, meaning that the Earth gets hotter and hotter.
Neil
Yeah. And so, one thing that scientists say is that we should burn fewer fossil fuels. Now, fossil fuels are things like oil and gas that come from the Earth. And when you burn them, they create carbon dioxide – CO2.
Becca
But it’s not all bad news, Neil. A lot of people are using renewable energy. So, renewable energy is energy that comes from things like the wind or from the sun that aren’t likely to run out.
Neil
Energy conservation is also really important, Becca. So, for example, that means not using too much energy, especially if you don’t really need to. So, for example, not having your heating turned up too high, maybe using public transport instead of driving so that you don’t use too much fuel. And we can also talk about water conservation and that means not using too much water.
Becca
OK. So, like when I turn the tap off when I brush my teeth.
Neil
Exactly. So, let’s recap the vocabulary that we heard in this episode, starting with fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are things like oil, gas and coal, which we burn to get energy. And when we burn them, they release carbon into the atmosphere.
Becca
Carbon dioxide is one of the gases that we call greenhouse gases. Now, greenhouse gases are those gases that keep the heat inside the Earth’s atmosphere.
Neil
We also heard energy conservation, and that means using less energy. Conservation means protecting something, so you can also conserve water and that means not using too much water if you don’t have to.
Becca
And lastly, renewable energy, and this is the energy that we can make from things like the wind, the sun or the movement of water.
Neil
That’s it for this episode of Real Easy English, but we have a worksheet which you can download for free on our website so you can test yourself. That’s at www.bbc-story.com.
Becca
And we’ll be back next week with another conversation in Real Easy English. But for now, goodbye.
Neil
Goodbye!