Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[jasonlulu_2000]

Cleaning up your cigarette butts and plastic bags would improve the environment. The earth would be a better place because it would be less polluted. And we would know that we were doing something to look after our planet. However, I believe the best solution would be not to smoke or use plastic bags at all.

Why are "would" 's used in the passage instead of "will"? I think the author is talking about a present thing or a future thing.

Or could I use "will" in the situations above?

Thanks

[pugachevV]

Would is used because this is the conditional mood.

The results predicted (improving the environment; making the world a better place) are conditional on the actions that are suggested (not using plastic bags and cleaning up cigarette butts).

If you are actually going to begin cleaning up cigarette butts and stop using plastic bags, you can use "will". Until then, it's just a suggestion, and you use the conditional mood.