• Английский язык
• 7–8 класс

Ecology is the study of how living organisms interact with one another and with their surroundings, including air, water, soil, and climate. Ecosystems contain living parts, such as plants and animals, and non-living parts, such as sunlight and minerals; energy and nutrients move between them. Human activities can upset these connections: burning coal, oil, and gas releases greenhouse gases, while litter and chemicals can harm wildlife and pollute rivers and seas. Cutting down forests removes habitats and reduces the number of trees that absorb carbon dioxide. People can help by using less energy and water, reusing or recycling materials where local services allow it, choosing reusable bags and bottles, and keeping waste out of nature. Governments and businesses can also reduce pollution and protect natural areas.

Ключевые факты

1. The first Earth Day was held in the United States on April 22, 1970; it helped inspire a wider environmental movement.
2. The Montreal Protocol was agreed in 1987 to reduce substances that damage the ozone layer, including many chlorofluorocarbons.
3. The United Nations adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals in 2015, including goals on clean water and climate action.
4. The 2015 Paris Agreement asks countries to set and update plans to limit global warming and adapt to climate change.
5. In 2019, the European Union approved a law to ban many single-use plastic products, including plastic cutlery and plates.
6. The International Union for Conservation of Nature maintains the Red List, which assesses the extinction risk of species.