GREEN GLOSSARY

Learn It – Live It!

If you are just getting started in the world of “GREEN” living, all the new terms can be quite overwhelming.  In fact, up until a short time ago, ‘organic’ was about the only term that the U.S. Government had actually clearly defined.   Just as the age of the Internet came upon us with its new vocabulary, eco-explanatory terms will develop and expand for years to come. Hopefully this list will give you a better understanding of “GREEN” terminology.  (Updated on October 26, 2012:  24 new terms.)

green glossary       organic & natural food glossary

Active solar design

Uses mechanical devices such as pumps and fans to move heat between collectors, storage, and use.  Solar panels that collect solar energy and convert it to electricity are considered an active solar design.

Active solar water heater

Heat from the sun is absorbed by collectors and transferred by pumps to a storage unit. The heated fluid in the storage unit conveys its heat to the domestic hot water of the house through a heat exchanger. Controls regulating the operation are needed.

Adobe

A building constructed of sun dried brick made of clay and straw, used in hot and dry climates

Affordable Housing

Should be affordable to buy and maintain

Agricultural by-products

Products developed in agriculture that was not a primary goal of the agricultural activity. The most commonly used as a building product is straw, which is used in wall panels or as bales in a technique called straw bale construction with the bales used as building blocks. The straw bale construction method was common in the plains states at the turn of the century and is currently being revived in Europe and the U.S.

Agricultural Fibers

Agricultural fibers (i.e., cotton) are just recently being introduced for use as insulation materials.

Air Pollution

Contamination of air by smoke and harmful gases, mainly oxides of carbon, sulfur, & nitrogen.

Aluminum

Alternative Energy

Ususally  environmentally friendly, this is energy from uncommon sources such as wind power or solar energy,         not 

Alternative Fuels

A fuel other than gasoline or diesel for powering motor vehicles, often with improved energy efficiency pollution  reduction features, including electricity, natural gas, methanol, ethanol,and fuel cells.

Asbestos

A mineral fiber that has been commonly used in many building construction materials for     insulation and as a fire-retardant. Invisible fibers of asbestos can be inhaled and have been connected to lung diseases and cancer.

Bamboo

Used to make anything from blankets to shoes to flooring, bamboo is versatile, fast-growing, & a replenishable plant. 

Bau-biologie

A field of building science investigating the indoor living environment for a variety of irritants. Practitioners believe the environment of residential, commercial and public buildings can affect the health of the occupants, producing a restful or stressful environment. Important areas of building biology building materials and processes, electromagnetic fields (EMFs) and radiation (EMR) and indoor air quality 

BFRs

A group of chemicals that help protect the public in fire situations. When heated, the bromine detaches from the molecule and slows down the spread of the fire. These chemicals are especially harmful for children, because high quantities have been shown to cause liver toxicity, thyroid hormone disruption, developmental toxicity, neurodevelopment deficits, and cancer in animals.

Biocide

A chemical substance or microorganism which can deter, render harmless, or exert a controlling effect on any harmful organism by chemical or biological means.

Biomass

Organic matter, especially plant matter, which can be converted to fuel and is therefore regarded      as a potential energy source.

Biodegradable

Capable of being decomposed by the action of biological agents, especially bacteria

Biomimicry or biomimetics

The examination of Nature, its models, systems, processes, and elements to emulate or take inspiration from in order to solve human problems.

Bisphenol-A (BPA)

A synthetic estrogen found in products including reusable plastic food containers, lining of canned goods, PVC; and on receipts and money. Can disrupt endocrine system with high risk to developing fetuses and babies.

Blackwater

A wastewater created by toilets 

Brownfields

Abandoned, idled, or under-used industrial and commercial facilities where expansion or redevelopment is complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination.

Building related illness

The term “building related illness” (BRI) is used when symptoms of diagnosable illness are identified and can be attributed directly to airborne building contaminants.

Built environment

Refers to human-built structures such as single family homes. 

A naturally occurring greenhouse gas in the atmosphere, concentrations of which have increased (from 280 parts per million in pre-industrial times to over 350 parts per million today) as a result of humans burning coal, oil, natural gas and organic matter (e.g., wood and crop wastes). It is attributed with being a major contributor to global warming.

Carbon footprint

A measure of your impact on the environment in terms of the amount of greenhouse gasses produced, measured in units of carbon dioxide. 

Carbon monoxide

A colorless, odorless gas that comes from incomplete combustion of gas stoves, fireplaces, kerosene appliances, tobacco smoke, and automobile exhaust. Proper ventilation is important to prevent negative health effects such as fatigue, dizziness, nausea and even death.

Carbon Neutral

Refers to neutral total carbon release, brought about by balancing the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere with renewable energy.  (A carbon footprint is a "measure of the impact human activities have on the environment in terms of the amount of green house gases  produced, measured in units of carbon dioxide". It is meant to be useful for individuals and organizations to conceptualize their personal (or organizational) impact in contributing to global  warming. A conceptual tool in response to carbon footprints are carbon offsets, or the mitigation of carbon emissions through the development of alternative projects such as solar or wind energy or reforestation.

Carbon offsetting -- see "Offsetting" 

Carbon rationing

Limiting the amount of carbon you use each year.  Carbon rationing action groups (CRAGS) help you to reduce your carbon footprint. 

Carbon sink

Carbon dioxide is naturally absorbed by things such as oceans, forests and peat bogs.  These are called carbon sinks. 

Carbon tax

A charge on fossil fuels based on their carbon content.

Cellulose

The fibrous part of plants used in making paper and textiles. Most building products with the word cellulose imply that paper was used in the manufacture.

Cellulose insulation with borates

Cellulose insulation is made from recycled newspaper. The borates provide fire and vermin protection. Most cellulose insulation now uses chemical fire retardants as opposed to the natural borates. Environmentally sensitive persons should avoid cellulose insulation that contains newspaper ink, which can cause allergic reactions. There are cellulose insulation products made without inked newspaper.

Cementitious foam insulation

A magnesium-oxide based material blown with air to create an inert, effective insulation. It is especially good for people with chemical sensitivities.

Certified sustainably managed

Some certifying organizations have been established that oversee the harvesting of wood for lumber. The underlying guidelines are for preservation of a diverse sustainable forest that exhibits the same ecological characteristics as a healthy natural forest.

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s )

A family of chemicals used in refrigeration, air conditioning, packaging, insulation, or as solvents and aerosol propellants. Because CFC’s are not destroyed in the lower atmosphere they drift into the upper atmosphere where their chlorine components destroy the earth’s protective ozone layer.

Composite materials

A complex material made up of two or more complementary substances. They can be difficult to recycle. Plastic laminates are an example. Composite materials are best applied in situations where they can be removed for reuse (not requiring remanufacture).

Compost

A mixture that consists largely of decayed organic matter and is used for fertilizing and conditioning land.

Compost Bio-fuels

Two heat-loving fungi, often found in composts that self-ignite without flame or spark, could soon have new vocations. The complete genetic makeup of Myceliophthora thermophila and Thielavia terrestris has been decoded by an international group of scientists.The findings, published in Nature Biotechnology, may lead to the faster and greener development of biomass-based fuels, chemicals and other industrial materials.

Composting

A process whereby organic wastes, including food wastes, paper and yard wastes, decompose naturally, resulting in a produce rich in minerals and ideal for gardening and farming as a soil conditioner, mulch, resurfacing material, or landfill cover.

Conflict-free diamonds

Diamonds produced without the involvement of violence, human rights violations, or environmental degradation.  The conflict-free Diamond Council examines the entire supply chain- from mine to consumer- before certification. 

Conservation

The careful utilization, preservation, and renewal of a natural resource in order to prevent depletion of human or natural resources.

Cork

Cork is fully recyclable, flexible and repels water.  A myriad of uses from boots to floor tiles, jewelry, and everything in between.

Cultivar

A plant or group of plants selected for desirable characteristics that can be maintained by propagation. Most cultivars have arisen in cultivation but a few are special selections from the wild.

Daylighting

A method of illuminating building interiors with natural light so that the use of artificial lighting is reduced in the day time. Common daylighting strategies include the proper orientation and placement of windows, use of light wells, light shafts or tubes, skylights, clerestory windows, light shelves, reflective surfaces, and shading, and the use of interior glazing to allow light into adjacent spaces.

Deciduous

Trees and plants that shed their leaves at the end of the growing season.

Demand control ventilation

Ventilation provided in response to actual number of occupants and occupant activity.

Design charrette

The charrette process is focused workshop(s) which take place in the early phase of the design process. All project team members meet together to exchange ideas, encouraging generation of integrated design solutions.

DOE

Department of Energy

Domestic hardwood

Deciduous trees that grow in the U.S.; this is the only type of wood in the U.S. where on a general scale the growth of new trees easily exceeds the removal rate.

Dust spot efficiency

The dust spot efficiency test is a semi-quantitative measure of a filter’s collection efficiency for fine particles---those associated with smudging of the interior surfaces of buildings. Upstream and downstream paper target filters collect particles and the opacity (light transmission) is measured.

Home design that is partially or totally below ground, either by digging into existing topography or filling over parts of the structure. Earth sheltered design uses the constant temperature of the soil to improve energy efficiency and can be beneficial for us on hilly sites to decrease maintenance and environmental impact.

Earth's thermal energy

A short distance below the surface, the Earth maintains a mostly constant temperature very close to the human comfort range. This can be used advantageously for geothermal heating systems.

Eco-assessment

An evaluation of your home or workplace with the aim of cutting your energy and water usage. 

Eco Bag

A ethically, organically made bag to use instead of plastic or paper carrier bags. 

Eco-friendly

Not harmful to the environment.  Also environmentally friendly or nature friendly 

Ecube

A wax cube which mimics food in a refrigerator to save it energy

Electromagnetic fields (EMFs)

Electric and magnetic fields are common in nature and in all living things. Electric power produces fields that have a possible association with health risks.

Emissions cap

A limit placed on companies regarding the amount of greenhouse gases it can emit 

Embodied energy

Embodied energy accounts for all energy expended for production and transportation plus inherent energy at a specific point in the life cycle of a product.

Energy Efficiency

The act of delivering the same or more services for less energy.

Energy Efficient Home

A vague term, used freely by sellers of homes.

Energy Saving Grant

Money awarded to you to help improve the efficiency of your home and use less energy.

EnergyStar Home 

About 20 to 30% more efficient than code.

Energy modeling

A computer model that analyzes the building’s energy-related features in order to project energy consumption of a given design.

Energy recovery ventilator (ERV)

A mechanical device that draws stale air from the house and transfers the heat or coolness in that air to the air being pulled into the house. This can help reduce energy costs and dilute indoor pollutants.

Environmentally preferable

Products or services that have a lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment when compared with competing products or services that serve the same purpose. This comparison may consider raw materials acquisition, production, manufacturing, packaging, distribution, reuse, operation, maintenance, or disposal of the product or service.

Ethanol

An alternative automotive fuel derived from grain and corn; usually blended with gasoline.

Exterior grade plywood

Uses phenol formaldehyde (a volatile organic compound) as an adhesive that is released in much smaller amounts compared to urea formaldehyde used in interior grade plywood and particleboard.

Formaldehyde

Colorless, pungent smelling, toxic material used as an adhering component of glues in many wood products. It can cause respiratory problems, cancer, and chemical sensitivity.

Free range

Permitted to graze or forage for grain, etc., rather than being confined to a feed lot or a small           enclosure.  A labeling term that has come under strong scrutiny due to interpretation of   standards.

Fuel cell

A technology that uses an electrochemical process to convert energy into electrical power. Often powered by natural gas, fuel cell power is cleaner than grid-connected power sources. In addition, hot water is produced as a by-product that can be utilized as a thermal resource for the building.

Full spectrum lights

These lights come closer to the natural light spectrum and are considered healthier. 

Fungicide

A chemical compound or biological organism used to kill or inhibit fungi or fungal spores.^[1] Fungi can cause serious damage in agriculture, resulting in critical losses of yield, quality and profit.

Geothermal heat exchange technology

In winter, geothermal heat exchange technology utilizes heat from subsurface water and soils to heat buildings; in summer, this technology extracts heat from the building into subsurface water and soils for cooling.

Glass Recycling

Glass bottles and jars can be recycled endlessly.  That means that unlike some other recycled products, a recycled bottle can be recycled into another glass bottle- and another- so on, forever

Global Warming

An increase in the average temperature of the earth, attributed to the burning of fossil fuels. 

Green

The adjective used to describe people, behaviors, products, policies, standards, processes, places, movements or ideas that promote, protect, restore or minimize damage to the environment. 

Green building: (Green Design)

The practice of increasing the efficiency with which buildings and their sites use and harvest energy, water, and materials, and reducing building impacts on human health and the environment, through better site selection, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and removal.  Also, known as sustainable or environmental building.

Green Fatigue

Becoming tired with some of the constant messages of corporate green credentials and warnings of impending global doom.

Green Homes 

The latest term to describe a home designed to be environmentally friendly, including energy & water efficiency, healthy & more. 

Green Technology Initiative

A consortium of companies pioneering green computing with the aim of helping to educated and inspire businesses to become more energy efficient and responsible with their IT infrastructure 

Green Wedding

Holding your wedding with the least environmental impact possible 

Greenhouse effect

Explains global warming. The process that raises the temperature of  air into the lower atmosphere due to heat trapped by greenhouse gasses, such as carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons and ozone. 

Greenhouse Gas (GHG)

Any gas that absorbs infrared radiation in the atmosphere.  Greenhouse gases include, but are not limited to, water vapor, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), and ozone (03).

Greywater

Wastewater that does not contain sewage or fecal contamination and can be reused for irrigation after simple filtration.

HDPE

High density polyethylene. A type of plastic that is commonly used in milk and water jugs.

Habitat

The area or natural environment in which an organism or population normally lives. A habitat is made up of physical factors such as soil, moisture, range of temperature, and availability of light as well as biotic factors such as the availability of food and the presence of predators.

Harvested rainwater

The rain that falls on a roof and is channeled by gutters to a storage tank or cistern. The uses of this water are dependent on any pollutants that may be picked up from the roof surface.

Hazardous Waste

A substance, such as industrial byproduct, that is potentially damaging to the environment and harmful to humans and other living organisms.

Heat recovery systems

Building mechanical systems that capture waste heat from another system and use it to replace heat that would otherwise come from a primary energy source.

Hemp

Long a favorite accessory and jewelry piece, hemp is one of he most versatile fibers available. It can be found in books and paper products, bags, pet supplies, face creams, flour, and has long outgrown its hippy roots.

Herbicide

A chemical substance used to destroy or inhibit the growth of plants, especially weeds.

High quality duct system

This option avoids the potential of significant heating and cooling losses, as well as avoiding potential health threats caused by depressurizing or pressurizing a house. All ducts are sealed using a fibrated latex mastic and fiberglass tape. Inner and outer linings of the duct are both sealed. The air handler, support platform and return plenum are sealed air tight at the joints. Duct tape is not used in any part of the system. No ductwork is run inside of the building envelope walls. The system can be performance tested to ensure proper installation.

Household Hazardous Waste

A product that is discarded from a home or a similar source that is either ignitable, corrosive, reactive, or toxic. (e.g. used motor oil, oil-based paint, auto batteries, gasoline, pesticides, cell phones, computers, etc.)

Human Ecology

The study of the relationship between humans and their natural, social and built environments. 

Hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC)

HCFCs are generally less detrimental to depletion of stratospheric ozone than chlorofluorocarbons. HCFCs are generally used to replace CFC’s where mandates require CFC’s to be eliminated. A total ban on all CFC’s and HCFCs is scheduled effective 2030.

Hydrolic energy (Hydroelectric energy)

Electric energy produced by moving water

Indigenous materials

To reduce transportation cost and increase viability of the local economy, building materials that are mined, manufactured or fabricated in an area close to where building will take place is always preferred.

Indoor Air

The breathable air inside a habitable structure or conveyance.

Integrated pest management

A coordinated approach to pest control that is intended to prevent unacceptable levels of pests by the most cost-effective means with the least possible hazard to building occupants, workers and the environment.

IPCC

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is a UN-commissioned international working group formed in 1988.  It assesses climate change and its human causes.

J  

Kilowatt hour

A measure of electric usage equivalent to the use of 1,000 watts for one hour.

Kitchen recycling center

A built-in section of the kitchen cabinetry that allows convenient separation of recyclable materials.

Area where waste is dumped and eventually covered with dirt and topsoil

Lead

A harmful environmental pollutant that is typically in the home in lead-based paints and in lead solder used in plumbing before l978. Lead is toxic to many organs and can cause serious damage to the brain, kidneys and nervous system.

Life cycle assessment

The comprehensive examination of a product’s environmental and economic aspects and potential impacts throughout its lifetime, including raw material extraction, transportation, manufacturing, use and disposal.

Life cycle cost

The amortized annual cost of a product, including capital costs, installation costs, operating costs, maintenance costs, and disposal costs discounted over the lifetime of a product.

Light Pollution

Environmental pollution consisting of the excess of harmful or annoying light 

Locovore

A person who eats food grown or raised locally.  In "real life",  one who pays attention to where food comes from and procures local food whenever possible.

Low biocide

Many paints have added fungicides and pesticides. A low-biocide paint does not include such additives.

Low-E windows

“Low-E” (low emissive) windows reflect heat, not light, and therefore keep spaces warmer in winter and cooler in summer.

Low-emission vehicles

Cars, etc. which emit little pollution compared to conventional engines.  Eco-cars / Electric cars / Hybrid cars 

Low pressure drop high efficiency air filters

Extended surface pleated air filters that allow greater air filtration without a significant increase in horsepower requirements.

Material safety data sheet (MSDS)

Forms that contain brief information regarding chemical and physical hazards, health effects, proper handling, storage, and personal protection appropriate for use of a particular chemical in an occupational environment.

Methane: (CH4)

An odorless, colorless, flammable gas that is a major component of natural gas; it is a more powerful global warming agent than carbon dioxide.

Municipal Solid Waste

Garbage or refuse that is generated by households, commercial establishments, industrial offices or lunchrooms and sludges not regulated as a residual or hazardous waste.  This does not include source-separated recyclables.

Natural

Purely defined - anything found in nature or derived directly from plants,animals or minerals.  Natural products do not contain any man-made, synthetic ingredients.  On food, "natural" or "All natural" labels are not meaningful because the federal standards are weak. The USDA will allow a product to be labeled "natural" if it is free from artificial  ingredients, added coloring and heavy processing. Natural is NOT the same as "organic"  (See "organic" in this glossary.)

Natural dyes

Sometimes known as "organic" dyes come from natural sources.  These dyes are different from synthetic dyes, which can also be organic- but often use toxic, non-natural sources and ingredients. Natural dyes usually cost more but are considered more eco-friendly overall. 

Nitrogen oxide: (NOx)

A colorless, poisonous gas. It is a by-product of gas combustion such as that from vehicle exhausts or power stations.  In the atmosphere, NOx can contribute to smog, can impair visibility, and have health consequences.

Non-renewable resources

Resources that are in limited supply, such as oil, coal, and natural gas.  Also see "renewable resources." 

Offsetting

The process of reducing carbon emissions by 'offsetting' it.  An example is by taking flight an compensation paying a company to plant trees to equal the carbon use out.

Oil

Fossil fuel used to produce gasoline, etc. and other materials such as plastics.

Organic

In the U.S., organic food is produced according to certain legally regulated standards. For crops,     it means they were grown without the use of conventional pesticides, artificial fertilizers or sewage sludge, and that they were processed without ionizing radiation or food additives.  For    animals, it means they were raised without the routine use of antibiotics or growth hormones.  At all levels, organic food is produced without the use of genetically modified organisms.

Organic fabrics and textiles

Plant and animal fibers like cotton, wool, hemp, linen, cashmere, silk, jute, soy and bamboo can be certified organic if they are produced according to organic standards set by the USDA. However, the organic label does not guarantee that the finished fabric or textile product is free of all synthetic chemicals, bleaches or heavy dyes.  The Organic Trade Association certifies finished textiles and garments in the United States. 

Organic meat, dairy, poultry, eggs and other livestock products

Organic animal products come from livestock that are fed organic feed and forage throughout their lives, b 

Outgas

The emitting of fumes into the air; there are numerous building materials that have chemicals in them which outgas, when exposed to high temperatures, moisture and/or ozone levels.

Ozone

1) stratospheric ozone: in the stratosphere (the atmosphere layer beginning 7-10 miles above the earth), ozone is a form of oxygen found naturally which provides a protective layer shielding the earth from ultraviolet radiation’s harmful effects on humans and the environment. 2) ground level ozone: ozone produced near the earth’s surface through complex chemical reactions of nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, and sunlight. Ground level ozone is the primary component of smog and is harmful to humans and the environment.

Packaging