- Sustainability – The practice of meeting our own needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. It involves balancing environmental, social, and economic factors to create a better, more viable planet.
- Eco-Friendly – Products or practices that are not harmful to the environment. This term is often used to describe items that contribute to green living or practices that help conserve resources like water and energy.
- Carbon Footprint – The total amount of greenhouse gases (including carbon dioxide and methane) that are generated by our actions. The lower the carbon footprint, the better for our environment.
- Recycled Materials – Materials that have been reprocessed from recovered (recycled) waste materials to be used in new products. This process reduces the consumption of fresh raw materials and energy usage.
- Energy Efficient – Products and practices that use less energy to perform as well as or better than standard products. Energy efficiency helps to conserve resources and reduce environmental impact.
- Biodegradable – Products or substances capable of being decomposed by bacteria or other living organisms, thereby avoiding pollution. This term typically applies to materials that can break down naturally without harming the environment.
- Renewable Resources – Natural resources that can be replenished naturally over time, such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat. Using renewable resources can reduce dependence on finite resources.
- Sustainable Forestry – A management philosophy that balances the needs of the environment, wildlife, and forest communities, ensuring that forest resources are preserved for future generations.
- LEED Certification – Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a widely used green building certification program that recognizes best-in-class building strategies and practices.
- ISO 14001 – An international standard that specifies requirements for an effective environmental management system (EMS). It provides a framework that an organization can follow, rather than establishing environmental performance requirements.
- Greenhouse Gases – Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere, which include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorinated gases. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is crucial for combating climate change.
- Upcycled Materials – Waste materials repurposed into new products of higher value or quality. Upcycling helps reduce the consumption of new raw materials and the amount of waste.
- Zero Waste – A philosophy that encourages the redesign of resource life cycles so that all products are reused, and no trash is sent to landfills or incinerators.
- Ecological Footprint – A measure of human demand on Earth’s ecosystems. It represents the amount of biologically productive land and sea area necessary to supply the resources a human population consumes.
- Fair Trade – A trade movement that seeks to help producers in developing countries achieve better trading conditions and promote sustainability. The movement advocates the payment of a higher price to exporters as well as higher social and environmental standards.
- Greenwashing – A deceptive practice that some businesses engage in to present an environmentally responsible public image while their practices are not environmentally friendly.
- Organic – Products made from materials grown without the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, genetically modified organisms, or ionizing radiation. Organic farming practices are designed to encourage soil and water conservation and reduce pollution.
- EPEAT – Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool. A method for consumers to evaluate the effect of a product on the environment. It assesses various aspects of a product’s environmental attributes, including energy conservation and the use of hazardous materials.
- Cradle to Cradle – A sustainable business strategy that models human industry on nature’s processes, where materials are viewed as nutrients circulating in healthy, safe metabolisms. It is characterized by a commitment to safe materials, continuous reuse cycles, and clean energy.
- Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) – A technique to assess environmental impacts associated with all the stages of a product’s life from raw material extraction through materials processing, manufacture, distribution, use, repair and maintenance, and disposal or recycling.
- Green Seal – An independent, non-profit organization that uses science-based standards and the power of the marketplace to create a more sustainable world. Products and services that have achieved Green Seal certification have met rigorous performance, health, and environmental criteria.
- Compostable – Materials that can decompose into natural elements in a compost environment, leaving no toxicity in the soil. This typically applies to organic materials that break down under industrial composting conditions.
- Non-toxic – Substances that do not pose any significant risk to health or the environment. Non-toxic materials are safe for use and disposal.
