Everyday English

DAGMAR TAYLOR presents four dialogues about reducing our plastic footprint. Read them and try the exercises.

Living with less plastic

1. So much rubbish!

Friends Ali and Brea are spending the day together in town. They meet up in a cafe.

Ali: Hey, hon! You look gorgeous! Brea: Aw, thanks. It’s so good to see you, Ali. It’s been too long. Ali: I know, it’s been far too long. How was your holiday? Bali, right?

Brea: Yeah. It was awesome — the perfect mix of relaxation, interesting trips and water sports. Ali: Great! And the beaches?

Brea: Beautiful! Clear, turquoise water and golden sand. But there was so much rubbish, especially on one of the beaches on the western coast. It was really awful.

Ali: What do you mean? What kind of rubbish?

Brea: It was mainly plastic, and it covered at least two thirds of the beach. Actually, it was very disturbing. As a result, I’ve come home determined to use less plastic.

2. It’s urgent

Ali and Brea are standing in the queue to order their coffee. Brea: I watched David Attenborough’s Blue Planet 2 again last night. Did you know that eight million tonnes of plastic end up in our oceans every year?

Ali: Eight million tonnes?

Brea: Yeah. We need to clean up what is already in the oceans and stop any more getting in. And this is urgent. Microplastics, which are the result of the disintegration of plastic debris, are a massive problem. Fish and birds mistake plastic waste for real food. We have to stop using so much plastic.

Ali: You’re right, of course, but it’s become an integral part of our daily lives. It’s not going to be easy to change our habits. Where do you start?

Brea: The trick is to start slowly and gradually to eliminate plastic from our lives.

3. Making a change

Ali and Brea are drinking their coffee and talking about what they can do to reduce their consumption of plastic. Ali: I already have reusable shopping bags, and I ask for reusable cups when I buy myself a coffee. But it’s not enough, is it?

Brea: You could get yourself a bamboo toothbrush, and you could start using paper cotton buds instead of plastic ones.

Ali: I hadn’t thought of that. Maybe I can get those today. And I’d

like to buy a shampoo bar.

I read somewhere that they’re the equivalent of three bottles of shampoo and without all the packaging.

Brea: I’ve stopped buying bottled water. I got myself a nice drinking bottle, and I fill it with tap water. Ali: I’ve been meaning to do that.

OK, I’ll add that to the list.

4. It’s everywhere

Ali and Brea are shopping and talking. Brea: We take too much for granted in the UK. When I was visiting friends in Germany last month, I was really impressed by their

deposit return system for bottles. You can even buy yogurt in glass jars.

Ali: That’s cool! Half the items in my shopping basket yesterday were in plastic packaging. It’s hard to avoid. It’s everywhere. Brea: I know. Take berries: I love them, but they’re always packed in plastic. I’ve decided not to buy them unless I can select them myself.

Ali: You’re right. The only way to make a change is to be resolute.

Brea: There’s a plastic-free store opening close to where I live soon. I can’t wait to shop there. It’ll make things much easier.

Exercise 1

Fill in the missing words.

A. I’ve come home d to use less plastic.

B. Plastic has become an i part of our daily lives.

C. I’ve been m to do that.

D. We take too much for g in the UK.

Exercise 2

Add the missing words.

A. What kind rubbish?

B. Eight million tonnes of plastic end in our oceans every year.

C. You could start using paper cotton buds instead plastic ones.

D. I was really impressed their deposit return system.

Answers