First Year – English II Ms.

Chatti

Human Comfort Vs. Natural Environment

Before You Speak:
After you read the following chunks, match each of them with its suitable caption:

a. Fast fashion has accelerated our consumerist behavior with multiple

collections per year, often at extremely cheap prices. But these cheap clothes
come with a huge social and environmental price tag. Growing cotton uses a
lot of land and a lot of water and synthetic materials contribute to water
pollution. Then at the end of their life, a lot of these clothes end up in the bin.
In some areas of China, they know what colors are on trend in the West
because that is the color that the rivers run.

b. Black Friday also contributes to the air pollution crisis. In 2017, 81%
of Black Friday purchases included a home delivery. In order to keep
up with demand, a diesel truck was leaving an Amazon fulfilment center
every 93 seconds at peak times. And that doesn’t even take into account
the number of extra cars on the roads as people make a frantic dash to
the high street to get the latest bargain.

c. Now, amid rising concerns about the effect that overconsumption has on the
climate, some activists are fighting back. In France, the climate group Amis de la
Terre blocked an Amazon warehouse in the suburbs of Paris with hay and old
kitchen appliances, holding signs that read “Amazon: For the climate, for jobs,
stop expansion, stop over-production!” Other activist groups are expected to
organize retail-oriented protests across France today, and various online petitions
are calling for a boycott of Black Friday.

d. Companies that go against the Black Friday trend send a powerful message
about their social and environmental stance. By likely giving up large sales on the
biggest shopping day of the year, it’s clear to see where their priorities lie: caring
more about their employees and the environment than adding more money to the
bottom line. These companies show they are friends to consumers and the
community instead of only caring about money.

i. Black Friday is out and consumer mindfulness is in

ii. Globalization has made it easier for brands to outsource production
iii. Black Friday’s environmental cost is sparking worldwide protests
iv. Black Friday shopping hurts the environment

Lesson 2 February 2021

iSLCollective.com
 First Year – English II Ms. Chatti

As You Speak:

1. The following are some of the consequences of Black Friday massive shopping:

 Electronics: U.N. findings show that only about 20 percent of e-waste is recycled, and when electronics are
thrown into landfills, they have the potential to leak toxic materials like lead and mercury into the air, water,
and soil, which poses a health risk.
 Fast fashion: One study from the Ellen Macarthur Foundation estimates that a truckload of textiles is wasted
every second. In addition to requiring resources to make and process, and producing carbon emissions, the
discarded material used in so-called “fast fashion” clothing often contains microfibers of plastic that
eventually pollute the ocean.
 Plastic: Plastic is everywhere—used to manufacture everything from toys to home goods and wrapped around
many of the items we ship. Billions of pounds of plastic are produced every year, and 91 percent of that isn't
recycled. Much of it is ending up in the ocean, where it can smother reefs and choke wildlife.

2. Watch this YouTube video “The Negative Impact Black Friday Has on the Environment.”
What does it suggest?

3. In groups, discuss ways with which we can reduce mass consumption that affects the
environment and go greener. Share your suggestions with the rest of the class.

After You Speak:

Put the right missing word in the right space:
try – donation - switching – alternative - ahead – trendy - endless

Green Friday is about changing the way we see this day and …………………… our mindset from “buy, buy,
buy” to finding alternative ways to give gifts during the holiday season, so we don’t cause further damage to
the Earth. It’s definitely a big change, and many people wouldn’t even consider giving it a
……………………, but even if only a small percentage of the population makes the switch, it’ll mean great
things for the environment. Just like with grocery shopping, when you make a list …………………… of time
of the gifts you want to buy for your friends and family, you think more about what you’re actually buying,
so you don’t buy unnecessary things or buy too much. You can give your loved ones …………………… gifts
that don’t mean buying anything. Take them for a day out, make them something yourself, or cook them a
healthy meal. The possibilities are ……………………. Lastly, you can make a …………………… in your
loved one’s name. It’s a beautiful act that will mean a lot to the person you were thinking of. You don’t need
more of the latest gadgets or …………………… clothes.

Lesson 2 February 2021

iSLCollective.com