Saving energy and water, sorting rubbish, and the words on recycling bins and signs.
Environmental vocabulary is full of clipped forms: 环保 is the everyday short form of 环境保护, and 节水 takes its first character from 节约, “to save”. In speech 省 does the same job: 省电, to save electricity. Once the pattern is familiar, signs and labels on bins become much easier to read.
The words
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Verb (15)
节约to save; to economiseVerb4
我们要节约用纸，两面都可以写。We should save paper — you can write on both sides.
节水to save waterVerb4
洗澡时间短一点儿也能节水。Taking shorter showers saves water too.
省电to save electricity; energy-efficientVerb4
这台新冰箱比旧的省电多了。This new fridge uses far less electricity than the old one.
省 also saves money and time: 省钱, 省时间.
浪费to waste; wastefulVerb3
用一次就扔掉，太浪费了。Using something once and throwing it away is so wasteful.
回收to recycle; to collect for reuseVerb4
旧手机可以拿到商店回收。Old mobile phones can be taken to the shop for recycling.
乱扔to throw about; to litterVerb4
请不要乱扔垃圾。Please don’t drop litter.
乱 before a verb means “any old how, where it shouldn’t be”.
捡to pick upVerb4
孩子们在海边捡了很多塑料瓶。The children picked up lots of plastic bottles on the beach.
自带to bring one’s ownVerb4
去咖啡馆自带杯子可以便宜两块钱。If you bring your own cup to the café, it’s two yuan cheaper.
危害to harm; to endanger; harmVerb4
塑料垃圾危害海里的动物。Plastic waste harms the animals in the sea.
破坏to damage; to spoil; to destroyVerb4
在山上乱建房子会破坏风景。Building houses all over the hills spoils the landscape.
砍to chop; to cut downVerb4
这棵老树不能砍，它有三百多年了。This old tree must not be cut down — it is over three hundred years old.
处理to deal with; to treat; to dispose ofVerb4
这种垃圾需要专门处理。This kind of waste needs special treatment.
Also for dealing with any matter: 处理问题. Note chǔ, third tone.
步行to walk; on footVerb4
我家离公司不远，步行十分钟就到了。My home isn’t far from work — it’s ten minutes on foot.
More formal than 走路.
缺水to be short of waterVerb4
这个地区夏天经常缺水。This region is often short of water in summer.
珍惜to value; to treasure; not to wasteVerb4
我们要珍惜每一滴水。We should value every drop of water.
Adverb (1)
随手as you go; in passingAdverb4
离开房间的时候请随手关灯。Please switch off the light as you leave the room.
Literally “following the hand”: doing something small on the way, without a separate step.