Vocabulary

environment – окружающая среда

taint – портить(ся), заражать(ся)

pollution – загрязнение

pollutant – загрязняющий агент

contamination – загрязнение, порча

pervasive – всеобъемлющий, распространяющийся повсюду

loose – свободный, нестрогий, небрежный

sustained – долговременный, непрерывный

fossil fuels – ископаемое горючее, залежи топлива

acid rain – кислотный дождь

emission – выделение, испускание

greenhouse effect – тепличный (парниковый) эффект

trap – заманивать в ловушку, поглощать

centrigade – (зд) по Цельсию

droughts and floods – засухи и наводнения

discernable – видимый, заметный

sewage systems – канализационные системы

discharge – (зд) спускать, выливать

endanger – подвергать опасности

leakage – утечка, просачивание

hazardous substances – опасные вещества

dump – сваливать, сбрасывать

dispose of smth – избавляться от чего-л

landfills – насыпи, закопки

disposable items – выбрасываемые (одноразовые) изделия

discarding – (зд) выбрасывание

environmentalist – (зд) защитник окружающей среды

incentive – побуждение, стимул

cleanup bills – счета за очистительные работы

recycle wastes – утилизировать (рециклировать) отходы

violate federal laws – нарушать федеральные законы

be sued – преследоваться судебным порядком

carcinogenic chemical – канцерогенный химикат

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1. Discuss the problem of pollution and approaches to resolve this problem

in some countries.

2. Name three kinds of pollution.

3. How can you interpret the term environmentalist?

4. What are some of the things business is doing to protect the environment

from the dangers of pollution?

5. What is public and government response to the problem of clean

environment?

C. Business and Consumers

A movement that put pressure on businesses to consider consumer needs and interests is known as consumerism. This movement prompted many businesses to create consumer-affairs departments to handle customer complaints. At the federal level, President John F. Kennedy announced a “bill of rights” for consumers. These rights include the right to safety, the right to be informed, the right to choose, and the right to be heard.

The Right to Safety. The U.S. government imposes many safety standards by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) as well as other federal and state agencies. Theoretically, companies that don’t comply with these rules are forced to take corrective action. But even without government action, the threat of product-liability suits and declining sales motivates many companies to meet safety standards. After all, a poor safety record can damage a company’s reputation.

The Right to Be Informed. Regardless of whether a product is harmful, consumers have a right to know what is in it and how to use it. At the same time, they have a right to know the costs of goods or services and the details of any purchase contracts. Research shows that nearly three-quarters of shoppers read labels when deciding whether to buy a food product the first time, so labels are an important element in informing consumers. If a product is sufficiently dangerous, a warning label is required by law, as in the case of cigarettes.

The Right to Choose. Business responds very well to the right to choose. The number of products available to consumers is truly amazing. But how far should this right extend? Are we entitled to choose products that can be harmful – liquor, for example? To what extent are we entitled to learn about these products? Should beer and wine ads be eliminated from television, just as ads for other types of alcoholic beverages have been? Consumer groups are concerned about these questions, but no clear answers have been found. Most businesspeople would rather help consumers make informed choices than be told what choices they can offer.

The Right to Be Heard. Again, most businesses are extremely responsive to this issue. Many companies have established toll-free consumer information and feedback numbers that are printed on product packages. In addition, more and more companies are now establishing World Wide Web sites to provide product information and gain customer feedback. Businesses benefit from getting as much information about their customers as possible because it allows them to make informed decisions about changing existing products and offering new ones. However, the pursuit of information has given rise to a new ethical concern – maintaining customer privacy. Many companies gather consumer information in the course of doing business, and some consumers are angered when companies sell or share this information. As Internet commerce increases, the issue of consumer privacy will become even more important.