Summary
Plastic waste has been an issue in the news for many years, but have you heard about your plastic footprint? It’s similar to a carbon footprint, but this focuses on your plastic usage! That’s what Feifei and Roy talk about in The English We Speak.
Transcript
Feifei
Hello and welcome to The English We Speak. I’m Feifei.
Roy
And I’m the new, improved Roy.
Feifei
Wow, Roy – you look really different – why are you wearing a suit?
Roy
Well, I decided to give some of my old clothes away to charity and start wearing my suit and tie and cut my hair short. Also, I’m wearing these shoes that have a metal sole to reduce my plastic footprint.
Feifei
You know that plastic footprint doesn’t relate specifically to your shoes, right? Plastic footprint relates to the amount of plastic you use in your everyday life.
Roy
Yep, and I’m very aware of the amount of plastic I use – in fact, I get really angry when I receive or buy something that uses unnecessary plastic packaging.
Feifei
Roy, I’ve never heard you get angry before. I’m really impressed you care about plastic footprint.
Roy
Well, I only get upset when it relates to the future of the planet – a planet my son and his children will inherit. Let’s listen to these examples.
Examples
I’ve tried to avoid buying things that use too much plastic packaging because I’m very aware of my plastic footprint.
The shop has starting using paper bags to reduce its plastic footprint.
First it was carbon, now it’s our plastic footprint we have to reduce. I have to read more about it.
Feifei
This is The English We Speak from BBC Learning English and we’re talking about the expression ‘plastic footprint’. This relates to the amount of plastic that we use in our everyday life. Roy, how are you reducing your plastic footprint?
Roy
Well, first of all, whenever I buy a coffee, I use a reusable coffee cup. Also, when you buy things, do you use single-use plastic bags?
Feifei
No, I don’t. I have reusable bags that are made of cloth rather than plastic. What else can be done?
Roy
Well, bringing your own bottle to drink water can help, and also avoiding plastic cutlery. I always take my cutlery from home. Do you drink a lot of tea?
Feifei
Yes, I do. Why?
Roy
Well, you should always make sure that the tea bags you use are biodegradable if you want to reduce your plastic footprint.
Feifei
I didn’t know that! Well, speaking of tea, do you want a cup?
Roy
I’d love one.
Feifei
Me too, now go and make me one while I do some work. Bye, Roy.
Roy
OK, Feifei, bye!