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Green Living Certification Chapter 8 - Glossary |
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8 Glossary |
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Atmosphere - the layer of air that surrounds the Earth. Carbon Dioxide - A gas that's colorless, odorless and non-poisonous. It occurs naturally in the air but is also produced at ever-increasing levels by fossil fuel emissions. Climate change - The slow developing changing characteristics of the climate in a given area. The changes usually take place over a long period of time and are virtually unnoticeable until they reach a particular level. Carbon credits - Credits you can purchase and redeem when you use electricity or fuel. In exchange, a tree is planted to offset your emissions. Close-loop recycling - A method of recycling that turns one recyclable product into a new product (i.e., newspaper gets recycled into toilet paper). The new product that's produced may or may not be recyclable itself. Composting - The natural decomposition of materials into organic matter ideally rich for use in gardens and on lawns. Conservation - The long-term efforts to protect natural resources to affect long-lasting change and preservation. Deforestation - The process of trees being felled for commercial reasons. DDT - An insecticide banned in 1969 because it's believed it could cause cancer. While it was banned from developed countries, it is still used in many developing countries. Depletion - The resulting impact when non-renewable resources are removed from the environment faster than renewable resources can be produced or renewed. Drought - A naturally occurring condition, resulting when precipitation is much less than normal, leaving water levels low and vegetation dry or dead. Emission - One or more substances released into the environment, such as in the soil, water or air. Energy Efficient - Products that have been certified to be more energy saving than other products of the same size and quality. Although they often cost more to purchase, they cost less over the lifetime of the product in energy cost saved, as the products (usually appliances) cost less to run. | |||
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