Main
Environmental Jargon
What’s it all about?
Bio-diversity
Biodiversity is the total amount of species and ecosystems within an area. A high level of biodiversity makes for a health, self sustaining environment.
Carbon footprint
The Carbon footprint represents the total amount of Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases emitted over a period by a product or human activity.
Carbon neutrality
Fuels are carbon neutral if the amount of carbon absorbed during their creation is equal to the amount of carbon released when manufactured/refined and burned. This only applies within a reasonable time span. Fossil fuels that have developed and accumulated over millions of years are not regarded as carbon neutral despite the fact they have locked in carbon dioxide.
Forestry products are carbon neutral but crops that require a complicated process using energy and therefore the creation of CO2 to refine the product are not carbon neutral.
Carbon offsetting
Carbon offsetting is a way for individuals or businesses to compensate the environment for the Carbon dioxide they generate in their activities. They can offset some of their carbon dioxide by charitable acts such as the planting of new trees, the creation of energy saving projects or the creation of energy from renewable sources. Visit the government’s public services website to learn more.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Environmentandgreenerliving/Thewiderenvironment/DG_070060
Eco-friendly
Syn: Ecologically friendly. Environmentally friendly. Green
These terms are used, perhaps sometimes unjustly to say that a product or activity does not harm the environment or the living organism and inhabitants within the environment.
Frugal living
Frugal living is about living on a small budget, being thrifty with money and making the most of limited resources. It is about a lifestyle that revolves around being economical and saving time by doing things cheaply with little outside help. This often results in the image of rough handed, frail smallholders with deteriorating, substandard facilities. If you wish to be a peasant, continue down this line. A frugal living is a poor living.
Global warming
Global warming is the heating up of the planet. It is the effect of accumulated carbon dioxide causing the atmosphere to trap heat and warm up. This is also known as the greenhouse effect.
Home sufficiency
The ability for a person to live an active modern life and be sufficient in most needs around the home and garden. The ability to provide for most of your needs from produce created on your own property.
Renewable energy
Renewable energy is energy from a resource that can be recreated in a relatively short period of time. For example, wood fuel from trees. Trees can be replanted.
Sustainability
How sustainable something is. Sustainability represents how long an activity can be maintained and repeated for. In human society it relates to sensible management and recycling of natural materials to ensure their long term availability.