Environmental Definitions
When it comes to making changes to our daily habits and lifestyles it is important to be educated on the changes youre making. Several “buzzwords” are thrown at the public from large corporations, many of which are misleading or not valid, to make the consumer believe that they are making a healthier choice (whether for your body or the planet). Here were giving you the opportunity to learn the buzzwords used, what they actually mean, and how you can apply these words to your future sustainable lifestyle choices.
Advocate: a person who actively supports or favors a causea person who actively supports or favors a cause
All-natural: being or composed of ingredients that are from nature and not artificial. This defintion is practically meaningless however as “all-natural”is not regulated by the FDA and “all natural'“ products can still contain genetically modified ingredients.
Biodegradable: a substance or chemical that is biodegradable can be changed by the action of bacteria to a natural state that will not harm the environment
Bioplastic: plastic materials produced from renewable biomass sources, such as vegetable fats and oils, corn starch, straw, woodchips, sawdust, recycled food waste, etc.
Carbon Footprint: a measure of the amount of carbon dioxide that is produced by the activities of a person or company
Carbon Neutral: in which the amount of carbon dioxide produced has been reduced to nothing or is balanced by actions that protect the environment
Carbon Offset: a way for a company or person to reduce the level of carbon dioxide for which they are responsible by paying money to a company that works to reduce the total amount produced in the world (e.g. by planting trees)
Climate Anxiety: a state of heightened anxiousness, often described with terms like guilt, grief, and desperation as an overwhelming sense of doom about the state of the environment arises.
Climate Change: changes in the earth’s weather, including changes in temperature, wind patterns and rainfall, especially the increase in the temperature of the earth’s atmosphere that is caused by the increase of particular gases, especially carbon dioxide.
Compostable: an accelerated form of biodegradation in a managed environment that will provide nutrients back to the earth (such as food scraps). that can decompose in a compost site and requires three things: 1) 90% disintegration in 90 days, 2) 60% conversion to CO2 within 180 days (biodegradable), 3) item leaves no toxicity in the soil
Conservation: planned management of a natural resource to prevent exploitation, destruction, or neglect
Cradle to Grave: assessment considers impacts at each stage of a product's life-cycle, from the time natural resources are extracted from the ground and processed through each subsequent stage of manufacturing, transportation, product use, and ultimately, disposal.
Eco-Conscious: Environmentally aware; sensitive to environmental impact.
Eco-Friendly: something that’s beneficial for the environment and its living beings.
Energy-Effecient: the use of less energy to perform the same task or produce the same result. one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to combat climate change, reduce energy costs for consumers, and improve the competitiveness of U.S. businesses.
Forever Chemicals: refers to the class of synthetic chemicals known as perfluoroalkyl substances and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. There are thousands of different PFAS used in a wide range of industrial and consumer products.
*PFAS are commonly referred to as forever chemicals because they last for hundreds of years before degrading completely. The term is especially used in the context of the toxicity of such substances and the serious dangers that they pose to health and the environment.
Environmental Justice: the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people, regardless of race, color, national origin, or income, with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.
Global Warming: the increase in temperature of the earth’s atmosphere that is caused by the increase of particular gases, especially carbon dioxide
Going Green: finding a balance between the life you lead, the impact that life and your choices have on the planet, and being mindful enough to help maintain ecological balance to preserve the planet, its ecosystems, and its natural resources.
Greenhouse Effect: it he problem of the slow steady rise in temperature of the earth’s atmosphere, caused by an increase of gases in the air surrounding the earth, which trap the heat of the sun
Greenhouse Gasses (GHG or GhG): a gas that absorbs and emits radiant energy within the thermal infrared range, causing the greenhouse effect. The primary greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere are water vapor (H₂O), carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), nitrous oxide (N₂O), and ozone (O₃).
Greenwashing: activities by a company or an organization that are intended to make people think that it is concerned about the environment, even if its real business actually harms the environment
Microplastics: extremely small pieces of plastic in the environment that come from consumer products and industrial waste. They cause pollution by entering natural ecosystems from a variety of sources, including cosmetics, clothing, food packaging, and industrial processes.
Nonrenewable Resources: (also called a finite resource) is a natural resource that cannot be readily replaced by natural means at a pace quick enough to keep up with consumption
(e.g. coal, petroleum, natural gas, uranium)
Nontoxic: referring to that which does not cause damage or harm and is not poisonous
Pollution: the introduction of harmful materials into the environment.
*These harmful materials are called pollutants. Pollutants can be natural, such as volcanic ash. They can also be created by human activity, such as trash or runoff produced by factories. Pollutants damage the quality of air, water, and land.
Preservation: the activity or process of keeping something valued alive, intact, or free from damage or decay
Organic: (of food, farming methods, etc.) produced without using artificial chemicals
Recycle: to treat things that have already been used so that they can be used again
Renewable Resources: a natural resource which will replenish to replace the portion depleted by usage and consumption, either through natural reproduction or other recurring processes in a finite amount of time in a human time scale.
(e.g. wind, solar energy, tidal energy)
Sustainability/Environmental Sustainability: responsibly interacting with the planet to maintain natural resources and avoid jeopardizing the ability for future generations to meet their needs.
Reusable: To use again, especially after salvaging or special treatment or processing.
Toxic: containing or being poisonous material especially when capable of causing death or serious debilitation
Upcycling: also known as creative reuse, is the process of transforming by-products, waste materials, useless, or unwanted products into new materials or products perceived to be of greater quality, such as artistic value or environmental value.
Zero-Waste: The conservation of all resources by means of responsible production, consumption, reuse, and recovery of products, packaging, and materials without burning and with no discharges to land, water, or air that threaten the environment or human health.