Emma watched a documentary about climate change last night. The images of melting glaciers and rising sea levels shocked her deeply. She could not stop thinking about what she had seen. The next morning, Emma decided that she wanted to make a difference. She texted her two best friends, Leo and Mia, and asked them to meet her at the park. 'I have an idea,' Emma said when her friends arrived. 'What kind of idea?' Leo asked curiously. 'I want us to help save the environment,' Emma explained enthusiastically. Mia looked around the park and noticed trash scattered on the grass. 'We could start by cleaning up this park,' she suggested. Emma nodded excitedly. 'That is a great place to start, but I think we can do even more,' she said. The three friends spent the entire morning discussing their plans. They decided to create an environmental club at their school. Leo suggested that they should also organize community events. The following week, they presented their idea to the school principal. Mrs. Johnson, the principal, was impressed by their enthusiasm. 'I think this is a wonderful idea,' she told them with a smile. She gave them permission to use the school auditorium for meetings. Emma, Leo, and Mia put up posters all over the school. The posters invited students to join their new environmental club. To their surprise, more than thirty students showed up at the first meeting. Emma stood in front of everyone and explained the club's mission. 'Our goal is to make our community more environmentally friendly,' she said. The club members brainstormed ideas for their first project. They agreed to organize a park cleanup event for the following Saturday. When Saturday came, the weather was perfect. The sun was shining and there was a gentle breeze. More than fifty people arrived at the park to help. Some of them were parents who had heard about the event from their children. Emma gave everyone gloves and large garbage bags. The volunteers spread out across the park and began collecting trash. They found plastic bottles, food wrappers, and even old tires hidden in the bushes. By the end of the day, they had filled more than forty garbage bags. The park looked completely different. Emma felt proud of what they had accomplished together. The club's next project was even more ambitious. They wanted to plant trees throughout the neighborhood. Leo researched which trees would be best for their climate. Mia contacted local businesses to ask for donations. Several companies agreed to donate money and supplies. A local garden center donated fifty young oak trees. The city council was so impressed that they offered to help. They provided permission to plant trees on public land. The tree planting day arrived on a cool spring morning. Volunteers gathered at different locations across the neighborhood. Emma showed everyone how to properly plant a tree. 'You have to dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball,' she explained. By the end of the day, all fifty trees had been planted. The local newspaper wrote an article about the environmental club. People from other neighborhoods started asking how they could start similar clubs. Emma was invited to speak at the city hall about their achievements. She felt nervous standing in front of so many adults. But she remembered why she was doing this and found her courage. 'Every small action matters,' Emma said to the audience. 'When we work together, we can achieve incredible things.' The audience applauded loudly. The mayor announced that the city would support the club with funding. This meant they could do even bigger projects in the future. Over the following months, the club launched several new initiatives. They started a recycling program at the school. They placed colorful bins for paper, plastic, and glass in every classroom. They also created a garden behind the school where students could grow vegetables. The vegetables from the garden were used in the school cafeteria. Leo organized workshops to teach people how to reduce their energy consumption. He showed them simple changes like switching to LED light bulbs. Mia focused on raising awareness about plastic pollution in the oceans. She organized a campaign encouraging people to use reusable bags and bottles. Many local shops agreed to stop using single-use plastic bags. A year had passed since Emma watched that documentary. The environmental club now had more than one hundred members. Similar clubs had been started in five other schools in the city. Emma looked at the oak trees they had planted, which were now taller than her. She felt grateful for everything they had accomplished. But she also knew that there was still much more work to be done. Climate change was a global problem that required everyone's effort. Emma often thought about the future generations who would inherit the Earth. She wanted them to be able to breathe clean air and drink clean water. She wanted them to see forests, coral reefs, and polar bears. One evening, Emma sat with her friends in the now-beautiful park. 'Can you believe how far we have come?' she asked. Leo smiled and looked at the children playing on the clean grass. 'It is amazing what can happen when people care,' he said. Mia nodded in agreement. 'And this is just the beginning,' she added with determination. The sun was setting, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink. A bird sang in one of the oak trees they had planted. Emma smiled at the peaceful scene. She realized that protecting the environment was not just about saving the planet. It was also about building a community that cared for each other. The club had brought together people from all walks of life. Young and old, rich and poor, they all worked together for a common goal. 'I think we should celebrate our anniversary,' Emma suggested. 'We could organize an Earth Day festival for the whole community.' Leo and Mia immediately started planning the event in their minds. They imagined music, food stalls, and educational workshops. As the stars began to appear in the sky, the three friends walked home together. They knew that they were part of something important. They were helping to save the planet, one action at a time. And that made all the difference.
English Story (B1)Save the Planet
This B1 English story is designed for intermediates learning English. It includes simple vocabulary and short sentences to help you improve your reading and listening skills. Click any word to see translations and hear pronunciation.
About this story
After watching a documentary about climate change, Emma decides to make a difference. Together with her friends Leo and Mia, she creates an environmental club that organizes park cleanups, plants trees, and starts recycling programs. Their efforts inspire the whole community to work together for a greener future.
Translations in English
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Comprehension Questions
4 questions
1
What motivated Emma to start the environmental club?
2
How many people came to help at the park cleanup event?
3
What did the local garden center donate to the club?
4
What new initiative did the club start at the school?
Vocabulary
39 words from this story
