Glossary of Green and Environmental Terms

A

Adventure tourism - Nature-oriented travel that usually involved some amount of risk and usually requires specialized skill. Adventure travel can sometimes also be termed as ecotravel or ecotourism, depending on the specifics of the trip.

Alternative energy - Energy derived from non-fossil fuels and have minimal, if any, impact on the environment.

B

Biodegradable - Describes products that are able to break down safely by biological means into raw materials.

Biomass - Biological material, such as wood, grasses and agricultural wastes, that can be used as or converted into fuel.

Biosphere - Portion of the Earth where living organisms exist.

Bottle bill - A law that requires deposits to be collected on drink containers when the beverage is sold. Also known as a container deposit law.

C

Carbon footprint - A person's impact on the environment, measured by the amount of carbon dioxide produced directly or indirectly by that person's decisions and actions.

Compact fluorescent light bulb - Also known as a compact fluorescent lamp (CFL). A type of energy-saving light bulb that uses fluorescent tube technology.

Compost - Nutrient-rich, decomposed biodegradable organic matter.

D

Daylighting - Describes the use of natural light (from windows, skylights, etc.) to replace or supplement artificial lighting in a home or other building.

Deforestation - The removal of trees and clearing of forests, usually done in a quick fashion and normally for commercial or agricultural purposes.

E

Eco-friendly - Helpful (or not harmful) to the environment.

Ecology - Branch of science dealing with the relationship between organisms and their environment.

Ecosystem - A system of interactions and relationships between living organisms and their physical environment.

Ecotourism- Responsible travel marked by travelers who make an effort to minimize their impact on the natural and cultural resources of the place they are visiting.

Energy efficiency - Refers to reducing energy consumption with minimal or no negative effect to the end-user.

F

Fossil fuel - A fuel that can be burned for heat or power and it created by the decomposition of fossilised plants and animals. Examples include coal, oil and natural gas.

G

Geothermal energy - Energy created by capturing heat from the interior of the Earth, usuallyin the form of hot water or steam that reaches the surface.

Geotourism - A type of ecotourism in which the focus of the travel is to enhance the local environment and the well-being of its inhabitants.

Global warming- Refers to an increase in the average surface temperature of the Earth, often attributed to increased emissions of greenhouse gases.

Greenhouse effect - The process by which the Earth heats up due to the presence of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, methane, and chlorofluorocarbon. Greenhouse gases retain heat that would otherwise escape into outer space, thus increasing the temperature of the Earth.

H

Hydropower - Energy created by the force or power of moving water.

Hydrosphere - Includes all sections of the Earth (or its atmosphere) where water, ice or water vapor exists.

I

J

K

Kyoto Protocol - United Nations treaty that defines goals relating to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

L

M

Microclimate - Localized climate conditions within a small, defined area.

N

Non-renewable Energy Resources - Energy that is obtained from sources that cannot be replenished in a short period of time and are therefore depleted more quickly than renewable energy resources. Examples of non-renewable energy sources include fossil fuels such as coal and oil.

O

Offsetting - (Also known as carbon offsetting) A method of reducing the amount of carbon emissions by balancing or canceling out the amount of these gases through participaion or investment in eco-friendly projects or activities.

Organic food - Refers to food grown without the use of any artificial pesticides and/or artifcial fertilizer.

Ozone - A molecule consisting of three oxygen atoms that is found in the Earth's atmosphere. Ozone in the upper atmosphere of the Earth functions as a filter of ultraviolet light.

P

Phantom appliances - Electrical devices that continue to use electricity even after you've turned them off.

Post consumer fibers - Those that are recovered from paper actually used by consumers, such as the paper collected in curbside recycling bins.

Precycling - The act of reducing waste by taking steps to avoid the purchase of goods that will produce excess waste.

Q

R

Recyclable - An item or object that can be recycled.

Recycling - The process of collecting and reprocessing old materials that would otherwise become solid waste.

Reduce - To cut down on or make a reduction buying or using products to consume less, produce less waste, etc.

Renewable energy - Energy that is obtained from sources that are constantly replenished and will last indefinitely.

Reuse - Using a product multiple times, sometimes for multiple purposes, until it must be thrown out or recycled.

S

Solar energy - Energy produced by the heat and/or light of the Sun.

Sustainable tourism - A type of ecotourism in which the focus of the travel is to protect and maintain the integrity of the local environment.

T

Telecommuting - Working from a remote location and communicating with the workplace via electronic means.

Thermal Mass - Any material that can be used to store heat. Common thermal mass materials include concrete, brick, water and rock.

Timer switches - A switch (for a light, fan, etc.) that includes a built-in timer, so that the device it is connected to shuts off automatically after a specified period of time.

U

V

Vampire appliances - See "phantom appliances"

Vermicomposting - A type of composting where worms convert organic material into nutrient-rich soil.

Vermiculture - The act of using earthworms to break down waste and create compost.

W

Watershed - A defined area of land from which water drains to the same water body, such as a river or lake.

Wind power - Energy created through the use of a turbine, which converts wind into power.

Wind Turbine - A device that converts wind power into electricity.

X

Y

Z