BOX SET: 6 Minute English - 'Feeding the world' English mega-class! 30 minutes of new vocab!

Hello, this is Six Minute English  from BBC Learning English. I'm Neil.

And I'm Sam. In this program, we'll be looking at an unusual food called microalgae and asking  

whether eating algae might be better for our health and the health of the planet. And,  

of course, we'll be looking at some of  the related vocabulary along the way.

Yuck! I'm not sure about eating algae, Neil. I mean,  

what's the strangest thing you've ever eaten?

Well, I once tried fried stick insect in Thailand, and I've had ants as well that were from Colombia.

Uh, okay. Yeah, both fairly strange for us here in the UK. But what about pond scum, Neil?

Pond scum?

Pond scum is the slang name for microalgae, green plant organisms such as spirulina which  

grow in water like ponds and look a bit slimy or scummy before being dried. Here,  

we're talking about edible algae, meaning it's okay to eat.

More than okay, in fact. These types  of food algae are actually good for  

your body. Microalgae like spirulina and chlorella are packed full of proteins,  

vitamins, and antioxidants.  Because they are so healthy,  

they're having a moment right now, meaning they are becoming more well-known and popular.

Yes, microalgae is trending just now,  and for good reasons which we'll find  

out about later. But first, let  me ask you our quiz question.  

What do the following three things have in common: oceans, snow, and my garden patio? Is it:

A) They are all good places to relax. B) They are all very cold.

C) They are all places where microalgae grow.

Okay, uh, well, I know that oceans  and snow are made up of water,  

but your garden patio? Did your  barbecue get rained off again, Neil?

Uh, not quite, Sam. Well, hopefully, you'll know by the end of the program. Now, I mentioned before  

that microalgae is sometimes called a superfood, a type of food which is essentially full of healthy  

vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. But microalgae is not the first superfood to become popular.

That's right. In the early 2010s, many juice bars started popping up in places around the  

world selling green smoothies, energy drinks made by blending healthy ingredients like kale, chard,  

and spinach. The recent trend for microalgae and spirulina has been promoted in part by  

big drinks companies wanting to sell the latest brightly colored smoothies. And more and more,  

spirulina is also being used as a cooking ingredient in hot dogs and meatballs,  

and as a protein-rich substitute  for eggs in pasta and mayonnaise.

But as well as all these health benefits, there's another advantage to microalgae superfoods,  

one that could potentially benefit the whole planet. BBC Radio 4's The Food Programme  

asked Professor Alison Smith, Head of Plant Sciences at Cambridge University, to explain.

As the population of the world increases and the land that's available for agriculture is becoming  

stretched, there's an interest in trying  to increase productivity by other means. So  

sustainable intensification of agriculture is one way. So food security is an issue,  

making sure enough nutritionally rich food is produced to feed the growing world's population.

Alison Smith says the amount of agricultural land available for growing food is becoming stretched,  

meaning there are not enough resources, in this case farmland, to meet everyone's needs.

Yes, and she mentions that one possible solution is sustainable intensification of agriculture,  

which means increasing food production in  

ways which don't damage the  environment or use new land.

Well, we know that microalgae are superfoods, nutritionally rich in vitamins and protein,  

but how do they help reduce the need for agricultural land? Alison Smith explains.

They can be grown in all sorts of locations: in water, in the oceans, in ponds, lakes, and so on,  

even on your patio and on snow. So one of the possibilities is to produce these  

organisms in cities and towns because they don't need the open landscape to be grown.

I think I spotted the answer to your quiz question, Neil.

Oh yes, I asked what oceans, snow, and my patio have in common. A) They are all good  

places to relax. B) They are all very cold. C) They are all places where microalgae grow.

The answer is C) places where microalgae can grow.  

What an amazing plant. I think I'm  going to stop calling it pond scum  

and use the correct scientific name.  Professor Smith mentioned organisms.

Today's topic was all about microalgae like spirulina,  

a green edible food algae which some people call pond scum, although scientifically speaking,  

it's an organism, meaning an animal or plant life form.

Yes, and this plant life form is also called a superfood because it's especially rich  

in vitamins, minerals, and nutrients which promote good health. Superfoods are having a  

moment right now, meaning they're becoming more popular or trending because they're so healthy.

And another benefit of microalgae  is that it grows almost anywhere,  

so it doesn't use much agricultural  land which is becoming stretched,  

meaning there's not enough of it  to meet the world's food needs.

Sustainable intensification is another possible solution to this problem because it is a way  

of increasing food production without  harming the environment or using new land.

Don't forget you can find lots more learning  

materials and topical vocabulary on our website at bbclearningenglish.com. And  

please join us again soon. Bye for now.

Hello, I'm Rob. Welcome to 6 Minute  English. With me today is Finn. Hello, Finn.

Hello, Rob.

In this program, we're going to be  talking about food banks in the UK.

Yes, food banks. But what exactly are they?

Well, you can find them all over the country nowadays. They're part of a system where  

people who are struggling financially  are given free food to cook or eat,  

which other people have donated or given for free.

We mean that people in modern-day  Britain are so hard up—that means  

they've got so little money—that they  can't afford to buy their own food.

It does seem extraordinary, doesn't it?

Yeah, it does. Well, today's question is  about the people who use the food banks. So,  

Finn, do you know how many British people are estimated to have used them? Is it:

a) 15,000 b) 240,000 

c) 500,000

I'll say 240,000, Rob.

Well, we'll see if you're right at  the end of the program. Let's talk  

now about why food banks have opened up in the UK.

Yes, well, I suppose one place to start is the financial crisis of 2008, which made a  

lot of people redundant. That means they were asked to leave their jobs by their companies,  

so they became unemployed. Then there were the cuts to the welfare system in 2013,  

which added to the problem. Rising food prices themselves are another reason. And  

heating bills in the winter can be expensive. People fall into debt, you know, lots of things.

And remember that it's not just unemployment, Finn, but underemployment too. There are some  

people on what is called zero-hours  contracts and doing part-time work,  

and they don't earn enough money to buy some of the essential things in life.

So there really are a lot of different factors, aren't there?

Well, let's listen to Steph Hagen as she explains how her food bank in Nottingham  

works. She uses an expression that means unlimited access.

People do not go to a food bank because it's an open door, it's an open shop. It's a case of they  

go to it because they need to. And also, with our food bank, we are an independent one and we  

have limited stocks, so everybody who comes through our door has no income whatsoever.

She said "open door." This means  unlimited access. And she said she  

had limited stocks. This means a shortage of goods; there's not enough food for everybody.

But, Rob, surely this food bank system is open to  

abuse as well. What's to stop anyone  just turning up and asking for food?

Well, there are checks in place and there's a system of referrals. If a doctor or a social  

worker thinks someone needs to use a food bank even for a short time, they can give them  

vouchers. Then they take the voucher along to the food bank and they get handouts for three days.

Right, so I see. I've heard that everything in food banks is donated. That means it's  

given for free, and churches and individual donors are the people who provide most of it.

Well, apparently these food banks are  a great meeting place for people who  

are lonely and depressed. The food bank volunteers then talk to people who use  

them. Some of these food banks also run courses about how to cook well on a low  

budget. So it's really not just handouts that these people get; it's information as well.

But because these people are poor, they often can't afford to use gas or electricity for  

cooking, so the food banks make sure they also provide food which can be eaten cold.

That's right. And I think it would be wrong to assume that the users are just scroungers—that  

means people who want something for nothing—because there's a loss of dignity and even  

shame attached to using these services, and people would of course prefer not to have to do it.

So what food do they give out, Rob?

Well, let's listen to Steph again  and see what she says. She uses  

an expression to describe canned  food that only needs to be heated.

Basically, we've got porridge. We  do occasionally get fresh produce,  

but it's very rare, especially in the winter months. It's a case of it's like tinned fruit,  

tinned ready meals. What also goes in  the mix, people don't realize we have  

to give out no-cooking food parcels because people can't afford the gas and electric.

She said "tinned ready meals." This  is canned food that only needs to  

be heated. And she said "goes into the  mix." This means it's part of the overall  

package. She also made the point about the importance of giving out no-cooking  

food parcels because some people don't have the electricity or the gas to cook the food.

Okay, Finn, would you like the  answer to the quiz question now?

Oh yes, please. Yes, you asked me how many British people are estimated to have used  

food banks. Was it 15,000, 240,000,  or 500,000? And I guessed 240,000.

Well, sorry Finn, I'm afraid the  answer is actually 500,000 people.

Right, and some experts say that there are 13  

million people living below the  poverty line in the UK right now.  

It really does show how food banks, even in a country like ours, are really needed.

It does make you think, doesn't it?

It does. Well, we're almost out of time now,  

so let's remind ourselves of some  of the words we've said today, Finn.

Okay: make people redundant, zero-hours contracts, open door, referrals, handouts,  

limited stocks, scroungers, dignity,  ready meals, goes into the mix.

Thank you. Well, that's it for today. Please visit  

bbclearningenglish.com to find more 6 Minute English programs. Until next time, goodbye.

Bye.

Hello, and welcome to 6 Minute English. I'm Rob.

And I'm Finn.

Hello.

Hello, Finn. Now, you like food, don't you?

Oh yes, I do.

But how much of it do you actually throw away?

Probably too much, although I'm  trying to get better at that, Rob.

Very good. Well, I'm asking you this because many people around the world throw away food  

that's still good enough to eat. This food waste could feed millions of other people.  

That's what we're talking about today, as well as looking at some related vocabulary.

Yes, food waste is a big problem.  So we stock up on food that we don't  

really need, and we're often tempted by supermarkets to consume or to eat more.

Before we talk more about this, let's find out what you know about food waste. So,  

do you know according to the United  Nations Food and Agriculture Organization,  

what percentage of food is actually wasted? Is it:

a) 25% 

b) 33% c) 50%

50%? Wow. Yeah, that's a lot. I seem to remember that. Okay, I might be wrong.

Well, we'll find out if you're right or wrong later on. But now, here's another figure for you:  

in Europe, people throw away 100  million tons of food every year.

Wow, such a waste.

Most of this food just ends up rotting in landfill sites,  

and that adds to another problem: it  creates greenhouse gases.

It does, Finn. But the problem isn't just us throwing away leftovers in  

the fridge or the cupboard, as we can  hear now from BBC reporter Caroline  

Hepker. What are the other reasons  that lead to food being wasted?

Typically, supermarkets demand that onions are about two to two and a quarter inches in diameter.  

This one will get pretty close to it, but this one is too small, although it is perfectly edible.  

The question is, what happens to it then? Food waste is a huge issue in America; 40% of all food  

goes uneaten, and it's a problem that starts long before you get to the dining room table.

Yes, and another staggering figure there, Rob. 40% of all food in America goes uneaten: it  

doesn't get eaten. And she explained  that supermarkets are partly to blame.

Yes, we all love the convenience, the price, and the choice of food that supermarkets offer,  

but a lot of food is binned - thrown  out - long before it reaches the helves.

Yes, and the reporter gave the example of onions. If they're the wrong size,  

they can't be sold; they're thrown away even though they're good enough to eat or edible.

There are many other types of fruit and vegetables  

that are discarded or thrown away  because of their shape and size.

And that's our fault, really, because we often think food that looks good is better quality.

And another issue is the sell-by and use-by dates printed on food packaging. They confuse  

customers. Anything older than the sell-by date makes us think that it's old and the  

food has gone off. But in fact, this is just the date the supermarket wants to sell it by.

And there's another reason why some of us are encouraged to buy too much food. Have  

a listen to working mom Tara Sherbrooke about her shopping habits and see if you can hear  

what the problem is. Also, see if you can hear what she does to try and minimize food waste.

I try very hard to meal plan because, um, as a working mom and having a busy family, I really  

try to make sure that there's enough food at the beginning of the week. I find it very difficult to  

walk past two-for-one offers, especially on things that, um, that we use. I even find it hard to walk  

past them when they're, um, when they're items that I've never purchased before. I stop and look.

So she's a busy working mom, and she tries to meal plan—she plans the family's meals  

for the week and works out what to buy. But she still gets tempted by the two-for-one  

offers. That's when you buy one item, and you get another one of the same item for free.

Yes, as we call it, buy one, get one  free, or as it's sometimes known,  

BOGOF: B-O-G-O-F. You can get a bargain, but it also means that we sometimes buy  

too much of something. If it's fresh produce, it might go off before you get to use it all.

But in other parts of the world,  people struggle to buy even the  

most basic food. A report by the UN's  Food and Agriculture Organization  

found that there is enough food for  everyone—just a lot of inefficiency.

So what can be done?

Well, things are being done. Apps and websites that distribute excess food are becoming more  

popular, and food banks are being set up too. These are charitable organizations  

people donate food to; it's then distributed to those who have difficulty buying their own food.

And one trial project in New York requires the city's restaurants to stop sending food waste to  

landfills by 2015. But at the moment, globally, there's still a lot of food being thrown away.

And Finn, I asked you how much is  it—25%, 33%, or 50% of all food produced?

I said half—I said 50%. Is it as bad as that, Rob?

According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the answer is 33%.

Okay, still not good.

Still not good, no. It also found  the amount of land needed to grow  

all the food wasted in the world each  year would be the size of Mexico.

Well, that brings us to the end  of today's 6 Minute English. We  

hope you've enjoyed today's program.  Please join us again soon. Bye-bye.

Hello, this is 6 Minute English  from BBC Learning English. I'm Phil.

And I'm Beth. Today, we're going to be talking about an interesting approach to the problem  

of invasive species. When animals or  plants are introduced to new areas,  

they can be dangerous for existing wildlife.

Tell me about it. Every time I  plant something in my garden,  

squirrels dig it up. I'm getting really fed up with them.

Have you tried eating them?

Sorry, what? Eat the squirrels?

That's right. One of the simplest ways  to deal with invasive species is just to  

eat them. In this program, we'll be  hearing about initiatives in the UK  

and Belize that are trying to get people to improve things using their stomachs.

Okay, but before that, I've got a question for you, Phil. Lionfish are aggressive  

predators which hunt over 50 different  varieties of fish. To help them do this,  

their stomachs can expand. But by how much? Is it:

a) 10 times its original size 

b) 30 times c) 50 times

Wow, those numbers all seem incredibly big. I mean, it can't be more than 10 times, can it?

Well, I will reveal the answer later in the program. Before that, let's get back to your  

squirrel problem. There's a restaurant in London that offers squirrel kebabs. They specialize in  

food made from invasive species, so if that's not to your taste, you could try Japanese knotweed  

beer. This invasive plant has caused a lot of problems in the UK, but just why is it  

so damaging? Host of BBC World Service program People Fixing the World, Myra Anubi, explains.

Japanese knotweed is an extremely  invasive plant that arrived in  

Europe from Japan over a century ago. This super weed doesn't just grow fast,  

it has root systems that are so strong and resilient that they can withstand molten lava,  

choke out surrounding plants, and  cause a lot of damage to buildings.

Myra tells us that Japanese knotweed is resilient. If something or someone is resilient,  

then it means that it or they can resist  attempts to stop them. Another word for  

resist is withstand. If you can withstand an attack or damage, then you don't let it affect  

you. We heard that Japanese knotweed's roots can withstand lava from a volcano.

We also heard that Japanese knotweed can choke out other plants. By this, we mean  

that it takes the space and the resources, such as light and water, that they need to survive.

Knotweed is not the only invasive species problem with a tasty solution. In Belize,  

since 2008, lionfish have had a massive impact on coral reefs and native wildlife. They can eat  

four times as much as native species. BBC World Service program People Fixing the World went to  

investigate. Here's Marisol Amaya talking to Salo Sho from marine conservation NGO Blue  

Ventures about attempts by the Belizean government to get people to eat lionfish.

With a big campaign slogan, "Eat  the lion," they got renowned chefs  

to prepare it in exotic ways to raise  awareness that eating lionfish was both  

tasty and helping the environment. We have developed awareness for the restaurants to  

purchase it. We had a lot of outreach trying to show fishers and the general public how to  

remove the spine. Then that allows them to actually eat the meat from the fish.

We heard that the Belizean government asked renowned chefs to prepare  

lionfish dishes. Renowned means to  be well known for being very good at  

something. Salo Sho talked about outreach work. Outreach is where an organization  

brings their work to people through events or publicity. Fisheries are either the  

businesses that breed and catch fish to sell or the places where that happens.

So in Belize, people are being shown  attractive ways to eat lionfish. And  

speaking of lionfish and eating, I think  it's time I revealed the answer to our quiz,  

Phil. I asked you by how much can a  lionfish expand its stomach to eat more.

And I thought it was 10 times.

But you were wrong, unfortunately. A lionfish can actually make its stomach 30 times bigger.

That might help to explain why they are such a danger to native Belizean fish.

Okay, now let's recap the vocabulary  that we've looked at today. If something  

is resilient, then it's very hard to damage.

Yes, you could say that it can withstand a lot of damage — it can cope with it.

If one plant chokes out another, then it  takes away the resources needed to live.

If you are renowned for something,  then you're famous for what you do.

Outreach is how organizations  bring their work to people.

Fisheries are the companies that catch and sell fish, or the places where they do it.

That's all we've got time for today.  Maybe you might want to see if there  

are any invasive species near you that  you might want to eat. See you next time.

Bye.

Hello, this is 6 Minute English  from BBC Learning English. I'm Neil.

And I'm Rob.

Do you know where the food on your  plate comes from? Many people just  

assume that shops will always be ready with a cheap and plentiful supply, but recently,  

a lack of certain foods in the UK—a  situation known as a food shortage—has  

left supermarket shelves empty of everyday items like eggs, tomatoes, and cucumbers.

Some see these food supply problems, which were caused by unusually cold weather combined with  

rising energy prices, as a warning not to take a reliable supply of food for granted.  

Like many countries, the UK imports much of its food from abroad and for years has  

enjoyed a stable and affordable supply. But with changes in the world economy, inflation,  

and the effects of climate change,  how much longer will this continue?

In this program, we'll be finding out and, as usual,  

learning some useful new vocabulary as well. A reliable food supply is essential. In fact,  

there's an English expression about  the dangers of not having enough food  

for everyone. We are only nine meals  away, but away from what, Neil? Is it:

a) A revolution 

b) Anarchy c) Famine

I guess the expression goes, "We're  only nine meals away from revolution."

Okay, I'll reveal the answer later on. Besides difficulties in importing food, some countries are  

also producing less food than they used to. In the UK, many farmers are selling their apple orchards  

to housing developers rather than struggle with increasing production costs. Here's Adam Leyland,  

editor of The Grocer magazine, speaking with BBC Radio 4's The Food Programme.

The forecast is for the lowest levels of  production since records began. And when  

you think about how much investment there has been in glasshouses and polytunnels since 1985,  

in a way that's transformed UK supply, quite frankly,  

the fact that this is what's being forecast is extraordinary.

Adam says that British food production is at its lowest since records began:  

a phrase used to mark the point in the past when people started writing down an account  

of something rather than just remembering it, so that the information could be used  

in the future. Production is decreasing  despite improvements in how food is grown,  

especially the use of glasshouses and  polytunnels. A glasshouse is a large greenhouse,  

a building with glass sides used for the commercial growing of fruit and vegetables.  

A polytunnel is a similar structure,  but made using plastic instead of glass.

However, it's not only Brits who are worrying about the production and supply of their food.  

Changes are happening all around the world. When global demand for food outgrows supply,  

countries start competing with each other. According to Oxford University's Professor  

Charles Godfray, an expert on the global food system, we're now living in a less connected,  

less collaborative world — a world  which he says is 'deglobalizing'.

Deglobalization involves sourcing food nearer to home, domestically or from neighboring countries.  

While this sounds positive, Professor  Godfray is worried that deglobalization  

makes it harder to supply food to parts of the world which cannot produce enough for  

themselves. Here he shares his concerns with BBC Radio 4's The Food Programme.

We think that in the next 30 or 40 years, we will probably see global demand for food rising 30 to  

50%. And I think the question is, should the UK be stepping up to help meet that demand,  

given that we have a very sophisticated home agriculture? Well, you could argue completely  

the opposite, that we live in a country where we are very poor for biodiversity. Perhaps we should  

produce less food here and use our land more for biodiversity. My view is that if we plan our land  

use in a canny way, one can produce more food and one can increase the biodiversity in the country.

Professor Godfray thinks only a globalized food system can successfully feed the world population.  

Countries that can produce food should be stepping up to meet demand. If you step up to a situation,  

you start taking responsibility for  doing something to improve things. W

We need a balance between growing food and maintaining the Earth's biodiversity—the  

number and variety of plants and animals living on Earth. Depending on their circumstances,  

countries could use their land either to grow food or to promote biodiversity. But Professor Godfray  

thinks both are possible if we are 'canny' — an adjective meaning clever and quick-thinking.

Feeding the world is an urgent global challenge with serious consequences, as mentioned in that  

English expression. So maybe it's time you revealed the answer to the question, Rob.

Yes, I asked you to finish the saying,  "We're only nine meals away from..."  

And I guessed it was "nine meals away from revolution," which was the wrong answer,  

I'm afraid. Actually, the saying goes,  "We're only nine meals away from anarchy."

I really hope not. But just in case,  let's recap the vocabulary we've learned,  

starting with 'food shortage' — a situation where not enough food is produced.

The phrase since records began shows the point in the past when people started  

keeping written accounts of events  rather than just remembering them.

A glasshouse is a large greenhouse — a building with glass sides used for growing food.

If you step up to a situation, you start  taking responsibility to act to improve things.

Earth's biodiversity is the variety of plants and animals living in the natural environment.

And finally, the adjective 'canny' means 'clever and quick-thinking'.

Once again, our six minutes are up. Goodbye for now.

Bye-bye.