This document defines and provides examples for various vocabulary, idioms, and expressions related to the environment. Over multiple entries between April 11-25, it defines terms like "the heavens open", "biodegradable", "carbon footprint", "lull before the storm", "climate change", "a storm is brewing", "bycatch", "come rain or shine", "carbon tax", "the eye of the storm", "green design", "make hay while the sun shines", "Malthusian", "weather the storm", "fossil fuels", "the tide has turned", "greenhouse gases", and "cloud on the horizon". Each entry provides a concise definition and example usage for

1. Vocabulary, Idioms &
Expressions (VIE)
Environment

2. 11 April 2012
The heavens open
An expression to indicate that a sudden heavy
rain has occurred.
As soon as the race started, the heavens
opened and the runners were soaked.
Biodegradable
Capable of being broken down by natural
biological processes.
Many chemicals are biodegradable but plastics
generally are not.

3. 12 April 2012
Carbon footprint
A measure of the effect that human activities have
on the climate.
A sure way to reduce our carbon footprint is to
refrain from using personal vehicles by utilising
public transport.
Biotechnology
The application of technology to the study of living
things for research.
Biotechnology will be an important aspect of the
economy with the Government setting aside
$5 billion per year for biotechnological research.

4. 13 April 2012
Lull before the storm
A period of unnatural calm before a difficult activity.
The sales will start on January 1st. The quiet period
before that is just the lull before the storm.
Climate change
Changes in weather patterns.
Climate changes can be caused both by natural
forces and human activities.

5. 16 April 2012
A storm is brewing
To foresee that there is going to be trouble.
As soon as we saw Pete's face, we knew there was
a storm brewing.
Bycatch
Fish and other marine life that are incidentally
caught with the targeted species.
Fishermen usually dispose bycatch like dolphins
and sea turtles back to the sea while trawling for
big fish species like tuna.

6. 17 April 2012
Come rain or shine
Do an action regularly.
He goes to the gym club every day, come rain or
shine.
Carbon tax
A charge on fossil fuels based on their carbon
content.
Governments all over the world agree that our
carbon footprint has to be reduced but many are
weary of imposing high carbon tax on their citizens.

7. 18 April 2012
The eye of the storm
Deeply involved in a controversial situation.
The minister was often in the eye of the storm
during the debate on the war in Iraq.
Green design
An architectural design that conforms to
environmentally sound principles of building, material
and energy use.
A building can be considered green design when
builders make use of solar panels, skylights, and
recycled building materials.

8. 19 April 2012
Make hay while the sun shines
To take advantage of a good situation which may
not last
Successful sportsmen are advised to make hay
while the sun shines.
Malthusian
Population that tends to increase faster than food
supply which will lead to war, famine and disease.
We must strive to stabilise the growing world
population in order to avoid a future Malthusian
world.

9. 20 April 2012
Weather the storm
Succeed in surviving a difficult period or situation
Given the current recession, the company is
weathering the storm better than some others.
Fossil fuels
Fuels that are formed in the ground from the
remains of dead plants and animals.
Fossil fuels are not a renewable resource. Once
consumed, they are gone forever.

10. 24 April 2012
The tide has turned
A change of trend from one thing to another.
Before, people wanted to live in residential
suburbs; now the tide has turned and
warehouses are becoming fashionable.
Greenhouse gases
Gases that trap the sun’s heat in the earth's
atmosphere.
Greenhouse gases include water vapour, carbon
dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and ozone.

11. 25 April 2012
Cloud on the horizon
A problem or difficulty that is predictable in the near
future.
They are happily married and for the moment, there
appears to be no clouds on the horizon.
Sustainable development
Economic development which ensures that the use
of resources today does not compromise the needs
of future generations.
“We are not saying no to progress. Rather, what we
are demanding is a sensible approach to progress -
sustainable development.”