Eco Glossary A to C

The first part of the Eco Glossary - letters A to C. Search through the list below to find descriptions and meaning of environmental words and jargon.

Eco Glossary – A

Air Pollution
Particles in the air which have a negative affect on human health and the environment. Air pollution comes from toxic gases released during the manufacturing process, during transportation and from off-gassing.

Eco Glossary – B

Biodegradable
A product which is made of natural, raw materials that will decompose or rot into the earth without having a negative affect on the environment.

Eco Glossary – C

Carbon Capture
A process to trap and hold carbon dioxide as it is being produced before it reaches the atmosphere, as a method to reduce damaging emissions.

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
A colourless chemical compound gas released into the atmosphere as a by product of burning carbon and when vegetable and animal matter composes. CO2 is one of the many greenhouse gases.

Carbon footprint
A measured amount of greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide which are released into the atmosphere by manufacture, transport, products, materials, activities etc. Footprints are described in CO2 equivalent grams.

Carbon Neutral
Human activities which have reduced the creation of greenhouse gases together with carbon offsetting, which overall do not increase the amount of CO2 already in the atmosphere.

Carbon-Neutral Design
A process to design buildings, products and services which minimise CO2 emissions through careful planning. The surplus can be off-set against eco project investments.

Carbon Offsetting
A way to reduce the amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere by balancing or cancelling out the amount of these gases through investments made in environmentally friendly projects.

Carbon Tax
A cost that is added to the price of fossil fuels such as natural gas, oil and coal which is calculated by the amount of carbon they contain.

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
Man-made chemical compounds that contain carbon, fluorine, chlorine and hydrogen. CFCs are found in cooling equipment such as freezers, fridges and air-conditioning units. These compounds damage the earth’s stratospheric ozone layer. This layer is the earth’s protection from UV rays.

Climate Change
A recorded and prominent change in the earth’s temperature over a long period of time, which changes local weather conditions. It is linked to global warming and human activities such as manufacture and transportation.

Close the Loop
To buy a recycled product which has been remanufactured / reprocessed / reused on more than one occasion. This eliminates waste and creates a complete product cycle.

Conservation
To prevent natural living resources from being used up through protection, preservation and limited use. Natural resources such as water, vegetation, animals, minerals and nutrients. This applies to non living resources such as old buildings and antiques.

Contaminant
A substance that is chemical, biological, physical or radiological that has a negative effect on the earth: land, air and water.

Contamination
When a contaminant is introduced to land, air or water – in a concentration level that causes a negative imbalance.