Mike: Hello and welcome to our weekly programme Let’s Go Green. Today our guest is professor Jack Smith, an environmental activist who promotes a sustainable lifestyle. Good afternoon, Professor. 

Professor: Good afternoon, Mike. Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for having me here. 

M: Professor, everyone is talking about a sustainable lifestyle these days. But what does it really mean? 

P: Well, when we are talking about living in a sustainable way, we have in mind the many ways that people can live without harming the environment. 

M: So, Professor, let me clarify that. Sustainability is when we are aware of our planets’ problems like climate change or pollution and we try to live in such a way that we can protect the environment? 

P: Exactly, Mike. As simple as that. 

M: So what should we know about a sustainable lifestyle? Are there any golden rules? 

P: Let’s think of the ways we can try to help the planet. There are plenty of things we can do. The Three Rs mean reduce, reuse, recycle. Do you know that the average person produces over 300 kilograms of rubbish every year? That is quite a lot. Most of the rubbish goes to landfill sites. However, when we learn how to recycle, we can save up to 50% of the things we throw away. 

M: Recycling is quite a popular issue. It means to sort out and collect rubbish to produce materials that can be used again. We all know the blue bins for paper, the yellow for metal and plastic, the green for glass. We don’t recycle organic waste and general waste. What about the other Rs? Reduce and reuse? 

P: Reduce means to limit the amount of rubbish that we produce. We can do it by reducing the amount of plastic around us. For example, we can take reusable cotton bags when we go shopping instead of using plastic bags. You can also try to use cardboard boxes. We can also drink tap water instead of bottled water. 

M: These are really easy steps to take. And what about the reuse term, professor? 

P: Reuse means to use something again instead of throwing it away. For example, if you have clothes in good condition that you don’t wear anymore, why don’t you donate them to charities or shelters where others can still use them.

M: That sounds interesting. But what else can we do, Professor?

P: Let’s not forget about food. How often do you and your family have to throw food away? Did you know that about 35‑50% of food produced is wasted every day? That is a huge problem at present. The easiest way to stop it is to buy less. As simple as that. It is also a good idea to make a shopping list and to think twice before putting food into the bin. We can always reuse today's leftovers for tomorrow's lunch. There are also food banks where you can leave food you don’t need anymore, so that somebody in need may use it.

M: So the last question. What can we do in order to save energy?

P: Thank you, Mike, for that question. We waste lots of energy every day. Did you know that when you use the lid on the pot when you are cooking, you can save up to 60% of the energy? We mustn’t forget about turning off all lights and any appliances and devices when you don’t use them. Another easy idea is to put on a sweater when you are a bit cold instead of turning the heating on.

M: Thank you, Professor, for those simple and easy tips on how to have a sustainable lifestyle. In our next programme we are going to continue the topic of sustainability. 

P: Thank you, Mike. Thank you for listening to us.