©

Macmillan Polska 2011

www.macmillan.pl

P H O TO C O P I A B L E

Student’s Worksheet 1

Buy Nothing Day

1. Read the texts and complete the gaps with the words in the box.

CouchSurfi ng

expenses register free monetary hosts

CouchSurfi ng is a worldwide community connecting travellers with members of local communities
who offer

1

________ accommodation. It has 3 million members in over 240 countries and territories

around the world. Travellers can stay at the home of a local person and experience the culture fi rst-
hand. The

2

__________ in turn can share their

hospitality, meet interesting people and hopefully

start long-lasting friendships. There is no

3

____________ exchange, but the visitors may be asked to

provide compensation for

4

____________ such as food. To become a member of the network, you

5

_________ at www.couchsurfi ng.org and create your own profi le including personal information.

Hosts often post photos of the accommodation offered: from the literal spare couch through tents
to random space on the fl oor.

Freecycle

legal landfi lls non-profi t owners volunteers

The Freecycle Network is a

6

__________ organization that helps people give away and receive goods

for free in their local area. Freecycle groups match the

7

_________ of the objects they no longer

need with the individuals who want to use these objects. The aim of the network is to keep items
that can be reused out of

8

__________, therefore reducing consumerism as well as the negative

impact on the Earth. Freecycle groups are run by

9

___________ in over 85 countries. To use the

service, you must subscribe to the local group. Then you can offer the items you do not want or you
can contact a person who has something you are interested in. Everything posted on Freecycle must
be free,

10

___________ and appropriate for all ages.

Time Banking

participant contact earn members currency

Time Banking is a service exchange that uses units of time as

11

___________. Currently 26 countries

all over the world have Time Banks. The types of service offered are usually babysitting, helping the
elderly, gardening, etc. In a Time Bank, every

12

______________ is both a giver and a receiver. For

each hour participants spend providing their services, they

13

________ one unit of currency, known

as a time dollar in the USA and a time credit in the UK. They can then spend their earned time
dollars to receive services when they need something done themselves. They

14

___________ their

Time Bank who matches them with a person who has the skill they need. A Time Bank accepts

15

______________ of all ages and abilities so there is a wide variety of skills exchanged.

2. Work in pairs. Tell each other what you think of each of the initiatives from

Activity 1. Would you like to participate in any of them?

©

Macmillan Polska 2011

www.macmillan.pl

P H O TO C O P I A B L E

Student’s Worksheet 2

Buy Nothing Day

Student A – Role-play 1

You are a shopaholic. You’ve had a bad day at
school, you have some extra money from your
aunt and you’ve decided to go shopping. You
really want to buy something nice and you
believe that shopping is good because it gives
people work. You meet Student B in a shopping
centre. Say hello and invite him/her to join
you.

Student B – Role-play 1

You are a Buy Nothing Day activist. You believe
that people spend too much money on things
that they don’t need and it’s very bad for our
planet. You go to a shopping centre to protest
against consumerism. You meet Student A. Try
to discourage him/her from doing any
shopping.

Student A – Role-play 2

You’ve decided to go on holiday together with
Student B. You don’t have much money. You
have discovered www.couchsurfi ng.com. You
want to use the accommodation offered by
other members of the site. Convince Student A
that it’s a good idea.

Student B – Role-play 2

You’ve decided to go on holiday together with
Student A. You don’t have much money. Student
A has an idea how to travel a lot without
spending much money. You think his/her
solution is too risky.

Student A – Role-play 3

You are moving home and you have a lot of
things you don’t need. You have little time and
you just want to throw them away. Student B
has an alternative solution, but you don’t think
it’s a good idea to give your address to strangers
who will then come to pick up your things.

Student B – Role-play 3

Student A is moving home and has a lot of
things he/she doesn’t need. You have
discovered www.freecycle.org. You think
Student A should offer the things he/she
doesn’t want on the website instead of throwing
them away. Convince Student A that it is the
right thing to do.

Student A – Role-play 4

Student B has a lot of free time and he/she’s
depressed because he/she doesn’t know what
to do with it. He/she doesn’t have any money
to pay to take part in interesting activities.
You’ve heard of Time Banks and you think your
friend could use his/her skills to help others
and to receive their help. Convince Student B
that it is the perfect solution.

Student B – Role-play 4

You have a lot of free time and you’re depressed
because you don’t know what to do with it.
You don’t have any money to pay to take part
in interesting activities. Student A has an idea
how you could spend your time, but you’re not
sure that it is the right solution.