Continuing with words that will aid in helping you navigate the “Green” revolution. How well do you know YOUR green-vernacular?
By now, we’re all more than likely aware of the greenification of the world and many of us have either gone green or are motivated to become as eco-friendly as possible. Some actively reduce their carbon footprint, eating clean sources of meat and certified organic produce and even try their hand at composting. Others seek out green collar jobs and purchase eco-chic products that use biodynamic, solar generated oranically-grown ingredients. The common denominator in the three previous sentences you just read – many of those terms didn’t exist in our vocabulary just a few years ago but today they have become so widespread that they can actually be found in the dictionary. How well do you know your green-vernacular?
Biodiversity
A large number and wide range of species of animals, plants, fungi, and microorganisms. Ecologically, wide biodiversity is conducive to the development of all species.
Carbon Capture
A process to trap and hold carbon dioxide as it is being produced before it reaches the atmosphere, as a method to reduce damaging emissions.
Carbon Footprint
A measure of the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted through the combustion of fossil fuels; in the case of an organization, business or enterprise, as part of their everyday operations; in the case of an individual or household, as part of their daily lives; or a product or commodity in reaching market.
Carbon footprint
The total amount of greenhouse gases produced directly and indirectly to support human activities. Your carbon footprint is the sum of all emissions of carbon dioxide, which were created by your activities.
Carbon Neutral
Human activities which have reduced the creation of greenhouse gases together with carbon offsetting, which overall do not increase the amount of CO2 already in the atmosphere.
Carbon Offsets
Funding projects that reduce our emissions of carbon, such as paying to plant new trees or investing in “green” technologies such as solar and wind power, in order to balance or offset the greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere as a result of intensive use of fossil fuels like oil and coal.
Carbon Tax
A charge on fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas) based on their carbon content. When burned, the carbon in these fuels becomes carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the chief greenhouse gas.
Chief Sustainability Officer
A business executive hired to meet environmental regulations and to find ways to profit through environmentally friendly products and services. Tons of Fortune 500 companies have brought on a CSO in recent years.
Clean Fuel
Fuels which have lower emissions than conventional gasoline and diesel.
Close the Loop
To buy a recycled product which has been remanufactured / reprocessed / reused on more than one occasion.
Compact Fluorescents
Florescent light bulbs small enough to fit into standard light sockets, which are much more energy-efficient than standard incandescent bulbs.
Compost
Process whereby organic wastes, including food wastes, paper, and yard wastes, decompose naturally, resulting in a product rich in minerals and ideal for gardening and farming as a soil conditioners, mulch, resurfacing material, or landfill cover.
Daylighting
Integrated design and use of natural daylight at the beginning of the build process. This optimizes the position of a building and allows as much light into the interior as possible to reduce energy costs and encourage resource reduction.
Ecological Footprint
Measurement of the human demand on nature and compares human consumption of natural resources with the earth's ecological capacity to regenerate them.
Ecology
A branch of science concerned with the interrelationship of organisms and their environment. Eco (Ecology) The relationship between organisms and their environment. Commonly and informally used as a term for products and materials which are environmentally friendly.
Eco-Chic / Green Chic
The trend and fashion of being environmentally conscious and buying 'green’ products.
Eco-consumerism / Green Consumerism
Environmentally conscious people buying 'green' products and manufacturers producing them for that demand.
Eco-Elite
A person who is environmentally conscious and who has the finances to support their environmental preferences.
Ecosystem
An interconnected and symbiotic grouping of animals, plants, fungi, and microorganisms.
Ecotourism or Ecological Tourism
A form of tourism which has both environmental and social connotations...Generally speaking, ecotourism focuses on local cultures, wilderness adventures, volunteering, personal growth and learning new ways to live on the planet.
Electric Vehicles
Vehicles which use electricity (usually derived from batteries recharged from electrical outlets) as their power source.
Embodied Energy
The total amount of energy used by a process e.g. the total energy for a building begins with sourcing and manufacturing raw materials through to ongoing maintenance as the building ages. Embodied energy looks at the whole lifecycle.
Emissions Cap
A limit on the amount of greenhouse gas that a company or country can legally emit.
Reduce Water Usage as Much as 70%
Most showerheads use twice the water needed for a thorough, enjoyable shower. To get clean water, we tap lakes, build dams and reservoirs, and construct processing plants. By using more than we need, we overload sewer and septic systems and leach fields. Both the water itself and the energy needed to heat it costs money and puts excess train onto the environment. Oxygenics showerheads offer a 30% water and energy savings from the industry standard 2.5 GPM showerheads and as much as 70% compared to older fixtures.
No comments:
Post a Comment