REPORT TEXT - II

EXAMPLES OF REPORT TEXT:

RECYCLING

Recycling is a way to help people for the garbage problems. Every year Indonesia produces at least million ton garbage. The garbage is sent to landfills, where most of them pollute the land and air. As a result of recycling, garbage that would have been thrown away are reused instead in new products.

There are many things that can be recycled including organic and inorganic garbage. Some crafts can be made from inorganic garbage such as glass, bottles, paper, magazines, and plastics. Inorganic garbage also can be helpful for people. Composting is a good example in recycling. It involves saving certain food wastes and mixing them with leaves and grass. This process will create a nutrient-rich mixture that can be useful for gardening. Even water also can be recycled. It must be purified and cleaned at a waste-water treatment plant before it is reused.

There two types of recycling. They are internal and external. An example of internal recycling is the reusing of waste products from manufacturing within the same factory. For example, when copper tubing is being made, the ends of tubes are trimmed. These copper ends will be melted down and used to make new tubing.

In external recycling, people can collect recyclable materials. Recyclables will be brought to recycling facilities, where it will be cleaned, sorted, and prepared to be sold. Then the industries buy the material and use it to make new products.

The governments and group of people that try to protect the environment must encourage people to recycle. They have to give a perception that recycling is important for their life. It can reduces pollution of air, land, and water. So, people will realize and try to recycle the thrown away materials.

BAMBOO

Bamboo is a type of flowering plant that belongs to the family Poaceae (grasses). There are almost 1500 species of bamboo that can be found in Asia, Australia, North and South America and Sub-Saharan Africa. Bamboo can grow on different altitudes and under various climate conditions, but it prefers tropical climate. Bamboo is one of the most exploited plants on the planet because its cultivation doesn't require too much effort. Besides low cost of maintenance, bamboo has numerous applications. It can be used in medicine, in the building industry, for the production of various woody objects or as an ingredient of numerous delicious meals.

Size of bamboo depends on the species. Largest species of bamboo can reach 1300 feet in height. Bamboo can grow either as woody, tall plant or as shorter, herbaceous plant. Individual stems of bamboo are called culms. They arise from the underground rhizome and emerge from the ground fully developed. Flowers of bamboo are rarely seen. Some species of bamboo develop flowers after 65 or 120 years. Interesting fact about flowering is that all plants of one bamboo species develop flowers at the same time, no matter where they are located in the world. Besides from rhizome, bamboo can develop from the seeds arranged in clusters at the end of the branches.

Bamboo is the fastest growing plant on the planet. It can grow 3 feet in height in 24 hours under appropriate climate conditions. Unlike other woody plants, bamboo reaches maturity after only 3 to 5 years. Bamboo releases 30% more oxygen into the atmosphere and absorbs more carbon dioxide compared to other plants. Because of these features, bamboo greatly decreases amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and cleans the air. Bamboo does not require fertilizers for optimal growth. Discarded leaves of bamboo provide all needed nutrients when they start to decompose. Bamboo has wide and strong root system which holds the soil stable and prevents erosion of the ground. 

Bamboo is often used in Asian cuisine. It can be served as salad or consumed in the form of soup. Young shoots of bamboo contain toxin called taxiphyllin. Because of that, bamboo needs to be cooked (high temperature destroys toxin) before consumption. Various animals on the planet used bamboo in their diet. Panda's diet is based on bamboo exclusively, while mountain gorilla and lemurs of the Madagascar eat bamboo to enrich their regular diet. Bamboo is used in folk medicine to treat infections and to accelerate healing of the wounds. Bamboo has stronger structure than steel and it is widely used in the construction industry. Other than that, bamboo is used in the manufacture of floors, furniture, house walls, skateboards, bicycle frames and helmets. Bamboo can survive more than 120 years in the wild.

COCONUT TREE

Coconut tree is a plant that belongs to the family Arecaceae. There are over 150 species of coconuts that can be found in 80 different countries throughout the world. Coconut tree grows only in the tropical climate. This plant live on the sandy soil, requires a lot of sunlight and regular rainfalls. Coconut tree does not tolerate low temperatures and low percent of humidity. Cultivated plants are prone to insect attacks which can decrease production of fruit worth of hundreds of million dollars. Coconut is important part of human diet because it contains valuable vitamins and minerals. Other than that, coconuts are used in the production of various wooden items, in the construction industry, in the manufacture of beauty products and as a fuel.

Coconut trees can be dwarf and tall. Dwarf coconut trees can reach 20 to 60 feet in height, while tall coconut trees grow to the height of 98 feet. Coconut tree has 13 to 20 inches long pinnate leaves. Leaflets have lanceolate shape. They can reach 24 to 35 inches in length. Coconut tree is attached to the ground via strong fibrous root system. Coconut tree develops male and female flowers. They mature at different time to avoid self-pollination. Two types of flowers can be distinguished by size: female flowers are larger. Fruit of a coconut tree is botanically known as drupe. Fruit becomes fully ripe after one year.

Under optimal weather conditions, coconut tree can produce 75 fruits per year, but that happens extremely rare. More often, coconut tree produces 30 fruits each year. Ripe coconut has 3.2 pounds of weight. White, edible flesh of coconut can be consumed raw or dried. Dry version of coconut flesh is called "copra". Production of one ton of copra requires 6000 coconuts. Each year, 61 million tons of coconuts are produced and distributed throughout the world. In certain parts of the world, people use trained monkeys to collect coconuts instead of them.

Coconut is very popular and often consumed fruit. Other than the flesh, coconut water, milk and oil can be used in the preparation of various healthy dishes. Coconut oil has wide application in cosmetic industry. Coconut oil is part of various lotions because it smells nice and increases the moisture of the skin. Wooden parts of coconuts are used in the manufacture of furniture, decorative objects, drums, containers and even canoes. All parts of the coconuts can be exploited, even their hard shells. Husk and shell are discarded as waste after extraction of the fruit. They are used as fuel and source of charcoal. Coconut oil is used as a substitute for diesel fuel. Coconuts can survive up to 100 years in the wild.

RAMBUTAN

Rambutan is an evergreen tree that belongs to the soapberry family. It originates from Malaysia, but it can be found in tropical areas around the world today. Rambutan grows on the well-drained, fertile, loamy or sandy soils, on the altitude of 1.600 feet. There are more than 200 varieties of rambutan today, but only few are cultivated and used in human diet. Thailand is the greatest manufacturer of rambutan in the world. Name "rambutan" originates from Malayan word "rambut" which means "hair", due to numerous hair-like spikes on the surface of the fruit.

Rambutan is medium-sized tree that can reach 39 to 66 feet in height. Rambutan has pinnate leaves composed of 3 to 11 oval leaflets with smooth edges and pointed tips. Leaves are dark green colored and alternately arranged on the branches. Rambutan produces small, disk-shaped, petalless flowers arranged in the multi-branched, erect clusters at the end of the branches. Flowers emit sweet aroma.

Depending on the cultivar, rambutan produces either functionally male, functionally female or hermaphroditic flowers (with both types of reproductive organs). Flowers are rich source of nectar which attracts bees, ants and flies, responsible for the pollination of this plant.

Rambutan produces round-shaped berries arranged in dense clusters. Fruit has thin reddish or orange-yellow rind covered with long, soft spines on the surface. Glossy brown seed is surrounded with grape-like white or pinkish flesh. Rambutan produces fruit two times per year. It starts to produce fruit 5 to 6 years after planting. Each tree can produce 5.000 to 6.000 fruit per season. This fruit contains moderate amount of vitamins C and B3 and minerals such as iron, calcium and copper.

Rambutan has pleasant, sweet, slightly acidic taste which resembles the mix of mangosteen, lychee and kiwi. It can be consumed alone or mixed with other tropical fruits. Rambutan is also used for the preparation of smoothies, jellies, jams, ice-creams, sauces, chutneys, sauces and soups.

Rambutan (fruit) can be used in treatment of dysentery and diarrhea. Leaves can be used in treatment of headache, bark in treatment of tongue disorders, while root can be used to soothe the fever. Rambutan (fruit) prevents cell damage (and development of certain types of cancer), facilitates synthesis of blood cells and elimination of the waste from the body and increases strength of teeth and bones.

CACTUS

Cactus is a type of plant that can store large amounts of water and survive in extremely hot and dry habitats. There are around 2000 different species of cactus that differ in size, shape, color and type of habitat. Almost all cacti are native to deserts and dry regions of South and North America. Due to their attractive morphology, cacti can be found throughout the world today. Over collecting and habitat loss are major threats to the survival of cacti in the wild. Certain species are listed as endangered, but luckily, trade of most species of cacti is prohibited by law.

Size of cactus depends on the species. Largest species of cactus can reach 66 feet in height and weigh up to 4800 pounds (when it is fully loaded with water). Smallest species usually have only few inches in height. Cactus can have arborescent (tree-like), cylindrical, rounded, irregular or starfish shape. Surface can be flat or covered with ridges. Cacti can be green, bluish or brown-green in color. They have waxy substance on the surface which prevents loss of water via transpiration (loss of water through small holes when outer temperature is high).

Cacti have spines instead of leaves. Spines can be soft or rigid, straight or curved, arranged in rows or scattered. They can reach 6 inches in length. Spines have two major roles: they prevent loss of water via transpiration and keep the plant safe from animals. Each spine develops from areole, which looks like a bump or nipple-like structure on the surface of the cactus.

Since cacti live in dry areas, they need to absorb large amount of water and store it in the stem and roots for the periods of drought. Besides storing of water, stem plays role in the process of photosynthesis (production of food by using the sunlight and carbon dioxide). Water from cactus has higher density compared with tap water, but it is safe for drinking.

Roots of cacti are located few inches underground, but they can reach 7 feet in diameter because water easily passes through the sand. Size and shape of flower depends on the species of cacti and type of pollination. They can be white, red, orange, pink or blue in color.

ORCHID

Orchid is one of ornamental plants in the form of parasite. It has been known since 200 years ago but it has been cultivated in Indonesia since last 50 years. They mostly found in the tropical area. Based on the nature of their life, it can be divided into three groups, namely Ephytis, Semi Ephytis, and Terrestris. Ephytis is the orchid which lives on other plants. Semi Ephytis is the orchid which lives on the other plants but do not damage the main plant. While Terrestrial is the orchid which grows on the ground.

They have beautiful and unique flowers that are different from others. It arranged as a compound  system appearing from its stalk. This flower shaped as a bilateral symmetry. Its petals have the same color with the crown. The leaves are quite thick and usually elongated oval. Its thick leaves serves to store water. Its stem is jointed and thick. This stem is coated by wax layer which serves to prevent water evaporation. It has green fruit and shaped like a capsule. Inside its fruit, there are seeds which are very small and lightweight so it is easy to get carried away by the wind to the other places. Its seed will only grow if stick in the appropriate media because they do not have a storage to keep reserves food.

They have so many types with variety of shapes and colors. The types of them such as: Vanda or also known as a cut flower; orchid which has a great flower known as Grammatophyllum; orchid soil or Spathyphyllum and others. Besides as ornamental plants, they can also be used as a mixture of herbs, ingredients perfume or hair oils.

They will grow well when exposed to sufficient sunlight and have a lot of food sources. The media used to plant them are charcoal and brick for ephytis orchid and semi ephytis, compost and chaff for terrestrial orchids, while broken tiles and chaff are the media for semi terrestrial orchid.

MAHOGANY

Mahogany is deciduous tree that belongs to the chinaberry family. There are three species of mahogany that can be found in Mexico and in the Central and South America. Mahogany grows in wet and dry tropical forests, from the sea level to the altitude of 4.600 feet. It prefers rich, well-drained soils and areas near the river. Increased demand for mahogany in the previous centuries led to drastic decline in the number of mahogany in the wild. These plants are listed as vulnerable, which mean that they can become endangered in the near future.

Mahogany can reach 150 to 200 feet in height and 6 feet in diameter (trunk). It develops large, broad crown. Mahogany has dark brown, sweet-scented bark with flaky surface. Mahogany develops large pinnate leaves that consist of 3 to 6 pairs of leaflets. They are oval-shaped with pointed tips. Terminal leaflet is always absent. Leaves can reach up to 20 inches in length. Mahogany is also known as big-leaf mahogany due to oversized leaves.

Mahogany blooms from April to June. It attracts moths and small bees that are responsible for the pollination of flowers. Fruit of mahogany is large, pear-shaped capsule. It is grey or brown colored and filled with up to 71 seed. Fruit ripens usually from January to March.

Commercially available mahogany is cultivated on the plantations in Asia (mostly in India, Indonesia, Bangladesh and Fiji). Wild species of mahogany are protected by law and they cannot be harvested anymore. Fruit of mahogany can be used to improve blood circulation. Mahogany is slow-growing tree that can survive 350 years in the wild.

SPRUCES

Spruces are evergreen coniferous trees that belongs to the family Pinaceae.  There are about 35 species of spruce in the world. They are found in the northern temperate and boreal (taiga) regions of the Earth. These needled evergreens typically perform best in a site offering full sun, acidic soil and good drainage but don’t grow well in clay soil.  Spruces are large trees and most species grow to the height of 20 to 60 meters (60 to 200 feet). The Sitka spruce is the tallest species of spruce that can reach almost 100 meters (330 feet) in height.

For most of the common spruces, you can expect 150 – 200 year lifespan on average – though some have lived far longer – 800 or 900 years is not unheard of.  Spruces are pyramidal trees with whorled branches and thin, scaly bark. The needles of spruce trees are attached singly to the branches in a spiral fashion, each needle on a small peg-like structure. The needles are shed when 4–10 years old, leaving the branches rough with the retained pegs (an easy means of distinguishing them from other similar genera, where the branches are fairly smooth).

Each spruce tree carries male and female cones. The larger female cones contain ovules, which develop into egg cells, or female gametophytes. To reproduce, the smaller male cones let loose grains of pollen, which are the male gametophytes. The pollen travels on the breeze to fertilize the egg cells in the female cones. This produces an embryo protected by a seed coating, but the process of ripening takes about three years. After that, the cone opens up to release the seed.

Spruce produce resin that flows from the injured bark. Unfortunately, resin is highly flammable and it facilitates spreading of the forest fire. Spruce is useful as a building wood. Spruce wood is used for many purposes, ranging from general construction work and crates to highly specialised uses in wooden aircraft. Spruce is the standard material used in soundboards for many musical instruments, including guitars, mandolins, cellos, violins, and the soundboard at the heart of a piano and the harp. Spruce is one of the most important woods for paper uses, as it has long wood fibres which bind together to make strong paper. Spruces are popular ornamental trees in horticulture, admired for their evergreen, symmetrical narrow-conic growth habit. For the same reason, some (particularly Norway spruce and Serbian Spruce) are also extensively used as Christmas trees.