Environment & Sustainability
Environment & Sustainability
Environmental topics are a favorite in B1 exam speaking and writing tasks, pairing everyday vocabulary with the kind of opinion-giving language you're building throughout this level.
Grammar Comparison
Grammar Comparison
um...zu with environmental purposes
Wir recyceln, um Ressourcen zu sparen.
We recycle in order to save resources.
This topic is a natural place to practice the um...zu construction from earlier in this level: stating the purpose behind an environmental action. Keep the subject identical in both halves of the sentence (wir recyceln / wir sparen), and remember zu + infinitive lands at the very end.
müssen vs. sollten for environmental obligation and advice
Wir müssen weniger Plastik benutzen. Wir sollten öfter Fahrrad fahren.
We must use less plastic. We should cycle more often.
Environmental discussion naturally mixes müssen (a hard obligation — 'must') with sollten, the Konjunktiv II form of sollen used for softer advice — 'should'. English keeps this same distinction ('must' vs. 'should'), so the meaning maps directly; the main new piece is remembering sollten is a Konjunktiv II form, not a separate verb.
Vocabulary
Vocabulary
| German | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| die Umwelt | dee OOM-velt | the environment |
| der Klimawandel | dair KLEE-mah-vahn-del | climate change |
| recyceln | ree-SY-keln | to recycle |
| der Müll | dair muel | trash / waste |
| die erneuerbare Energie | dee air-NOY-er-bah-reh eh-nair-GEE | renewable energy |
| nachhaltig | NAHKH-hahl-tikh | sustainable |
| die Ressource | dee reh-SOOR-seh | resource |
| die Verschmutzung | dee fair-SHMOO-tsoong | pollution |
| der CO2-Ausstoß | dair tsay-oh-tsvy OWS-shtohs | CO2 emissions |
| Plastik vermeiden | PLAHS-tik fair-MY-den | to avoid plastic |
| der Umweltschutz | dair OOM-velt-shoots | environmental protection |
| die Naturkatastrophe | dee nah-TOOR-kah-tah-stroh-feh | natural disaster |