Air Pollution	Created by human activity, contaminants of ambient air that have a negative impact on human health or generate harmful environmental effects.
Alternative energy	Generated as alternative to fossil fuels, friendly form of energy produced by source that is naturally occurring like wind, solar or hydropower
Alternative fuels	Non-oil related fuels like natural gas, bio fuels and electricity.
Bio-based Product	Nonfood products that are produced from renewable agricultural materials.
Biomass	Wood-based materials, agricultural crops, landfill gas, animal and organic waste which is used for production of textile fibers, chemicals or heat.
Blackwater	(Also brown water, foul water or sewage) The wastewater generated by sanitary toilets.
Carbon dioxide	CO2 is a naturally occurring gas in the atmosphere. It is an essential component of plant life. In excessive concentration, the gas is suspected of producing a ‘green gas effect’ because it transmits visible light and absorbs infrared light.
Carbon Footprint7	A measure of the impact of human activities on the environment in terms of the amount of greenhouse gas produced, measured in units of carbon dioxide.
Carbon monoxide	A colorless, odorless and highly toxic gas commonly created during incomplete combustion.
Carbon neutral	(Also Carbon Neutrality) A reference to activity which typically does not produce any carbon emissions or is compensated by the purchase of ‘carbon offset’ credits from a source credited with activities which decrease existing carbon concentrations.
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Carbon Offset	Financial transaction designed to mitigate effects of greenhouse emissions. The offsets can be created with projects generating renewable energy like wind farms, hydroelectric dams and biomass power plants, or planting carbon reducing trees, etc. Available offsets can be voluntarily purchased by individuals or corporations to compensate for their own emissions or related activities, with aim to maintain a ‘carbon neutral’ lifestyle.
Carbon sink	Natural systems that suck up and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Usually provided by photosynthesis of land or marine biomass.
Carbon Tax	A direct tax on emissions of fossil fuels based on carbon content of a particular fuel. This is a method to confront users in an effort to decrease emission levels and generate funding for environmental mitigations.
Chlorofluorocarbons	CFCs are man-made chemical compounds containing carbon, chlorine, fluorine and sometimes hydrogen. The chlorine in CFCs is a contributor to ozone depletion.
Climate Change	A change in temperature and weather patterns. The change can be caused by a natural modulation of climate affected by variations of Sun radiation, or more recently attributed to increased human activities and burning of fossil fuels.
Composting	A process where organic wastes, including food and paper, are decomposed naturally, resulting in production of material rich in minerals, and used primarily for gardening and farming as a soil conditioner. Elevation of process’s temperature can increase the speed of composting.
Conservation	In environmental context, it is a process of preserving or using the human and naturally available resources in an efficient way.
Energy Efficiency	Ratio of energy received to energy input. Also, an effort to utilize technology to reduce energy consumption or amount of fuel used to do the same work.
Energy Saving Light Bulbs	Compact fluorescent light bulbs, which use far less energy than conventional incandescent light bulbs. Because of mercury content, the compact fluorescent light bulbs are raising concerns over their disposal.
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Farmers’ markets	Also called greenmarkets, are outdoor activities where several local farmers and vendors meet to sell produce, fruit, meat and other food products directly to the customer, often below the market prices, and without going through the middleman.
Fossil Fuel	Fuels made by the decomposition of prehistoric plants and animals. They are found in the top layer of the Earth’s crust in beds of hydrocarbons like coal, oil and natural gas.
Fuel Cell	Technology that uses an electrochemical process to convert fuel energy into electrical power.
Geothermal Energy	Heat that can be recovered from the thermal energy of the Earth’s interior.
Global Warming	An increase in the average temperature of the earth, affecting climate change. Global warming may be part of a natural cycle of weather change, but may also be attributed to the burning of fossil fuels and man-made greenhouse generation.
Green Design	(Also known as eco-design) - A sustainable design conforming to environmentally sound principles of building construction. The term applies to the practice of careful selection of materials, processes and equipment affecting the energy cost over a life-cycle of the building’s use, and minimizing its ecological impact on the surrounding environment.
Greenhouse Effect	Process that raises the temperature of air in the lower atmosphere due to heat trapped by greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons, and ozone.
Greywater	Waste water that does not contain feces or toxic chemicals and can be reused for irrigation after filtration.
Hydroelectric Energy	Renewable electric energy produced by moving water.
Chlorofluorocarbons	Components used primarily as solvents and cleaners in the semiconductor industry, recognized for global warming potentials which are significantly greater than that of CO2. Use of chlorofluorocarbons have been prohibited by Montreal Protocol.
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IPCC	The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is a scientific body established by the United Nations and tasked with the creation of special reports pertinent to climate change issues and concerns.
Kilowatt-Hours (kWh)	A unit of energy used mostly to determine amount of electrical energy delivered by utilities or used by a consumer.
Landfill	An organized waste disposal area where waste is dumped and eventually covered with dirt and topsoil.
Life Cycle Assessment	Also known as life cycle analysis and cradle-to-grave analysis – a methodology developed to assess a product’s full environmental costs, from raw material to final disposal.
Lead	A heavy metal harmful to the environment because of its toxicity and ability to accumulate in soft tissue and bones.
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)	A building rating system developed by U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). LEED provides standards for assessment of green and sustainable construction. Application of LEED standards is voluntary and applicants are benefiting from more efficient and ecologically-friendly building structures and surroundings.
Light Pollution	Environmental pollution consisting of the excess of harmful or annoying light.
Low-emission Vehicles	Automobiles, etc., which emit little pollution compared to conventional engines.
Montreal Protocol	An international treaty signed in 1987 in Montreal and intended to protect the ozone layer by phasing out production of substances responsible for ozone depletion.
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Non-Fossil Fuel Sources	Alternative and renewable energy sources that harness hydroelectric, solar, wind and geothermal energy as opposed to consuming carbon based fuels.
Low-emission Vehicles	Automobiles, etc., which emit little pollution compared to conventional engines.
Non-renewable Resources	Resources that are in limited supply, such as oil, coal, and natural gas.
Oil	Type of fossil fuel used to produce petrochemical products and other materials such as plastics.
Organic	In ‘green’ nomenclature, it is used as a term for growth of vegetables, etc., without use of artificial pesticides and/or fertilizers.
Organic Food	Food produced according to legally regulated processes which prohibit the use of pesticides, artificial fertilizers, human waste, sewage sludge, ionization or radiation treatment, antibiotics, growth hormones or genetically modified organisms.
Ozone Depletion	A catalytic destruction of the ozone layer in the upper atmosphere by atomic bromine and chlorine originated from man-made products.
Ozone Layer	In the upper atmosphere about 15 miles above sea level, it forms a protective layer which shields the earth from excessive ultraviolet radiation and occurs naturally.
Photovoltaic Panels	Solar panels that convert sunlight into electricity. Power is produced when sunlight strikes the semiconductor material and creates an electrical current.
Plastic	Man-made durable and flexible synthetic-based product, composed mainly from fossil materials.
Plastic Recycling	Process of recovering used plastic materials and redirecting them to secondary use. Recycling reduces depletion of our resources and decreases contamination of the planet.
Post Consumer Waste	Waste collected after the consumer has used and disposed of it.
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Recycle Symbol	The chasing arrow symbol used to show that a product or package can be recycled. The three arrows on the symbol represent different components of the recycling process. The top arrow represents the collection of recyclable materials. The second arrow (bottom right) represents the recyclables being processed into recycled products and the third arrow on the bottom left represents when the consumer actually buys a product with recycled content.
Recycling	The process of collecting, sorting, and reprocessing of old materials with the aim of preventing the waste of potentially usable products.
Recyclemania	A voluntary competition among college and university recycling programs with the aim to collect the largest amount of recyclables in several recycling categories. It also works to raise awareness and to help develop new strategies to support campus recycling efforts.
Renewable Energy	Alternative energy sources such as wind power, solar, rain, tides and geothermal heat energy that are occurring naturally, and can produce energy indefinitely in human terms, without being used up.
Renewable Resources	Resources that are replenished at a faster rate than they are used up.
Solar Energy	Utilization of heat and light energy radiated from the Sun.
Solar Heating	Use of solar energy to heat space, water or objects. An active solar heating system requires pumps to move heat to its destination. Passive solar systems mostly use convection and direct radiation to deliver heat to conditioned spaces.
Sulfur Dioxide	SO2 is a heavy, smelly gas which can be condensed into a clear liquid. It is generated as a byproduct of combustion and is responsible for industrial emissive pollutions and creation of acid rain.
Vermicomposting	The process whereby worms feed on slowly decomposing materials (e.g., vegetable scraps) in a controlled environment to produce nutrient-rich soil.
Wind Power	Energy derived from the wind.
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