A

acidification: see ocean acidification, below.

affluenza: term coined by Australian writer Clive Hamilton, to describe a society where the pursuit of material wealth has led to a lower quality of life with more unhappiness, depression and mental illness due to lack of community and the pressure to get rich.

anthropomorphic climate change: climate change (see below) caused by human activity.

B

biodegradable: capable of decaying rapidly as a result of the action of micro-organisms that break the material down into naturally recyclable elements.

biochar:  biomass burned in a kiln using an airless burning technique that locks in the carbon instead of releasing it. The biochar is then buried and will return nutrients to the soil and store carbon for more than 100 years. Originally used by indigenous communities in the Amazon.

biodiversity: all life on earth, including the variability within and between ecological communities or systems.

biodynamic agriculture: a type of organic farming founded by Rudolf Steiner; it advocates treating a farm or garden as a unified ecological system, and also includes use of mixtures of fermented herbs and minerals as soil addititives, and following an astronomical calendar for planting and sowing.

biofuel: low-emission petroleum substitute made from plant sources; includes ethanol made from cereals and sugarcane and biodiesel made from vegetable oils or animal waste. Biofuel can also be made from animal tallow. Several Australian states have made, or are considering making, it mandatory for petrol to contain a perentage of ethanol. See second generation and third generation biofuel (below).

biomimicry: imitating biological solutions in the design of products and processes.

bioswale: landscape element designed to capture rainwater runoff and remove silt and pollution before it enters the water table.

bright green: term coined by World-changing writer Alex Steffen to refer to those who believe the way to achieve sustainability is through technological innovation. As opposed to dark greens and light greens (see below).

bushtucker: colloquial term for edible native Australian plants.

C

cap and trade: an emissions trading scheme in which total emissions are "capped" at a lower level than existing emissions. Permits to emit CO2, adding up to the value of the cap, are then bought and traded by businesses covered by the scheme.

carbon capture: a process that removes CO2 from, for instance, the emissions of a power station or from the air, and stores it so it does not contribute to the greenhouse effect (see below). One form of carbon capture is carbon sequestration (see below). Carbon capture technology is still unproven on a large scale.

carbon dioxide (CO2): the major greenhouse gas (see below); increasing amounts of CO2 are being released by burning fossil fuels or dead plant matter (including deforestation (see below).

carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e): expresses the global warming impact of other greenhouse gases by comparing them to the amount of CO2 required to cause the same warming effect.

carbon footprint: the amount of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere by an individual, organisation or nation; usually measured in tonnes of carbon dioxide emitted annually.

carbon neutral: achieving zero net greenhouse emissions through activities to reduce gas creation and paying for offsetting schemes such as renewable energy generation and tree-planting.

carbon offset: to pay someone else to reduce their carbon emissions by an amount calculated to equal your own carbon emissions from a particular activity, such as driving, air travel or your business activities. Common forms of carbon offsetting include paying firms to invest in renewable energy generation, energy efficiency or planting trees (which absorb CO2).

carbon sink: any mechanism that removes greenhouse gases or aerosols from the atmosphere. Oceans, trees and soil are all carbon sinks.

carbon trading: a market to encourage carbon abatement through selling and buying ‘carbon credits’, enabling heavy emitters to meet reduction commitments by buying surplus emission reductions. Trading markets are well-established in Europe and the United States.

carrotmobbing: offering to reward a retailer for good environmental practices by organising people to shop at their store.

carrying capacity: the maximum load a system can cope with sustainably. Often used in ecotourism (see below) for the number of visitors a destination can receive without harming the local environment and culture.

chemicals: strictly speaking everything, natural or artificial, is made up of chemicals, but the term is commonly used to refer to synthetic chemical compounds, that is chemical compounds created in laboratories. Note also that some natural chemicals can be toxic, and many synthetic chemicals are harmless.

chemical-free: again, strictly speaking nothing is chemical-free, but the phrase is generally used to mean "free from synthetic chemicals".

chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs): greenhouse gases formerly used in fridges, aerosols, etc, that are being phased out because they destroy the ozone layer. They are being replaced with hydrochlorofluorocarbons and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which are less harmful to the ozone layer.

clean coal: coal produced from a power station where the carbon dioxide emissions have been captured (see carbon capture) and stored in some way (see carbon sequestration). Clean coal technology is still being developed and it is not yet clear if it will be work on a large scale, and if it does, whether it will be commerically viable.

Clean Development Mechanism (CDM): a scheme established by the Kyoto Protocol allowing investors to buy carbon offsets in developing countries, intended to promote sustainable development in those countries it has been criticised by environmentalists as being simply a way for developed nations to offload their responsibility to reduce their own greenhouse emissions.

climate change: changes to planetary climatic conditions as a result of global warming; scientific consensus links warming to the extra carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous dioxide and other greenhouse gases added to the atmosphere by human activity.

climate scepticism: the view that climate change is not proven science. Most climate sceptics follow this by arguing it would be a mistake to risk "wrecking" the economy with measures to control what may be a non-existent problem. Climate scepticism is a refinement of earlier "climate denial" - the view that human activity is not causing global warming.

cloud seeding: firing silver iodide at passing clouds to make them more likely to produce rain.

Club of Rome: a group of scientists, academics, civil servants and businessmen set up in 1968 by Aurelio Peccei, an Italian industrialist, and Alexander King, a Scottish scientist; published the influential Limits to Growth (see below) in 1972.

community supported agriculture (CSA): a network of consumers in a region enter into a contract to buy produce (often organic) from local farmers, guaranteeing a local market to reduce food miles (see below) and allowing consumers to buy fresh local produce at lower prices by bypassing distributors and retailers.

combined heat and power (CHP): producing heat and power in the same process, for instance by using surplus steam when heating water to produce electricity. CHP is potentially very efficient, leading to reduced energy use. Also known as cogeneration. Domestic CHP systems are called microCHP.

compost: aerobically decomposed organic material, such as food scraps, animal manure or plant clippings, that can be used as a soil fertiliser and as an alternative to putting organic waste in landfill (where it decomposes anaerobically, releasing the greenhouse gas methane)

concentrating solar power (CSP): a design of solar power stations that focuses sunlight using mirrors, lenses or tracking systems, either onto photovoltaics panels or to heat water to generate solar thermal power.

contraction and convergence: a proposed global approach to achieving sustainability in which rich nations agree to reduce (contract) their carbon emissions and ecological footprint while poorer nations are allowed to increase emissions, until all nations converge at a sustainable and equitable global level of emissions, resource use, etc.

corporate social responsibility: the concept that all companies, regardless of ownership structure, have obligations to customers, employees and the wider community. The idea of good corporate citizenship extends further than the obligation to obey all laws.

cradle to cradle: an extension of the concept of cradle to grave aimed at designing products so every element of the product can be recycled into other products at the end of its lifetime.

cradle to grave: the whole of a product's life-cycle, from the extraction and processing of natural resources used to manufacture through to transportation, use and ultimate disposal.

D

Deep Ecology: coined by Norwegian philosopher Arne Naess in 1973, the term refers to a philosophical / ethical viewpoint starting from the idea that humanity is an equal but not superior part of the natural world, and seeks to formulate principles of policy and justice based on that principle.

deep (or dark) green: someone who believes we need a radical transformation to a more sustainable society. Also, the belief environmental sustainability should have primacy over economic and social factors. (Contrasts with light green, below, and bright green, above).

deforestation: destruction of forests from logging, land clearing for agricultural and pastural land, mining, oil exploration, urban development and so forth. Deforestation is calculated to account for 20 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, or six billion tonnes, of CO2. Key regions are the Amazon in South America, the Congo rainforest in central Africa, and Indonesia.

dioxin: the popular name for a family of organic compounds that bio-accumulate with toxic effect in humans and wildlife. Two of the most widely studied sources of dioxins are the making of the herbicide Agent Orange and the chlorine bleaching of wood pulp.

downsizing: a deliberate lifestyle choice to lead a simpler life with less money.

E

ecology: correctly, the study of the interaction between living organisms and their environments. Often used simply to mean the environment.

ecological footprint: the estimated amount of productive land required to provide all the resources consumed and absorb all the wastes created by an individual or group. The result is usually expressed in terms of how many planets would be needed for all the world’s population to live the same.

ecosystem: a community of plants and animals that functions as an integrated system.

Ecosystems services: ways in which natural ecosystems support human life and civilisation, such as coral reefs providing a barrier to storms, forests changing carbon dioxide into oxygen, wetlands purifying water and so on. Sometimes used by economists to attempt to value natural ecosystems.

ecotourism: tourism that does not harm the local environment; a stronger definition would be tourism that actively contributes to the protection or restoration of ecosystems.

electric vehicle: a car, bike or other vehicle powered by an electric battery. Electric vehicles can be either hybrids, plug-ins or plug-in hybrids. A hybrid has an electric motor and a petrol or diesel (or biofuel) combustion engine. Excess heat from the engine and/or from braking is used to recharge the electric motor while the vehicle is moving. A plug-in electric vehicle is powered entirely by an electric battery, which is charged from an electicity source when the vehicle is parked. A plug-in hybrid vehicle has a plug-in battery plus a combustion engine which kicks in when the battery runs down and may also recharge the battery, as in a hybrid.

embodied energy: the amount of energy used to manufacture or grow something (and transport it to where it will be used)

embodied water: the amount of water used to manufacture or grow something.

emissions trading scheme: see carbon trading, above

environmental audit: an assessment the environmental impacts of an organisation’s operations.

ethical investment: a range of investment strategies that incorporate environmental and social measures alongside financial returns; also known as socially responsible investment (SRI).

e-waste: discarded electrical equipment such as mobile phones, computers, DVD players and cabling.

extended producer responsibility: a policy approach in which a producer's responsibility for a product is extended to the post-consumer stage of the product's life cycle.

feed-in tariff: a higher rate paid by an electricity supplier to buy electricity from customers who generate domestic solar or wind power. This provides an incentive for householders to install solar panels or wind turbines.

F

fair trade: consumers in rich nations buy from suppliers in poorer nations using companies that ensure the producers get a fair deal.

Fairtrade: trademarked brand name for FLO (Fair Trade Labelling International) to indicate fair trade products that have been certified by an FLO-approved bodies.

freegan(ism): freegans salvage discarded food thrown out by shops, as a political statement to highlight the wasteful nature of our society. food miles: the distance food is transported to reach our plates; this transport uses fossil fuels and thus contributes to global warming.

fossil fuels: oil, gas and coal are made up of ancient plant matter that decomposed and was buried and compressed by natural forces over millions of years. These substances contain CO2 from this ancient plant matter, which is released into the atmosphere when these fuels are burned, contributing to global warming.

fugitive emissions: emissions from leaks in the mining, exploration or transport of fossil fuels, such as gas pipeline leaks.

G

Garnaut Review: a report originally commissioned by the ALP and Australia's state governments in 2007 and published in September 2008, making recommendations for Australia's climate change policy.

genetically modified organism (GM0): an organism whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques.

genetically modified (GM) food: food made using plants that have been genetically engineered. Critics argue that genetic engineering poses a potential risk of biological disaster from unforseen side-effects, and places too much power over our food supply and the natural world in the hands of a few bio-engineering companies.

geo-engineering: in climate change terms, refers to engineering projects that will reduce global warming. Proposals include mirrors in space to reflect sunlight and stop it entering the atmosphere, dumping sulphur dioxide into the atmosphere to reflect sunlight, putting iron in the oceans to stimulate the growth of phytoplankton, tiny micro-organisms that absorb CO2. These proposals are all unproven and seen as desparate last options. Many environmentalist regard them as moral hazards (see below).

geosequestration: a process to reduce CO2 in the atmosphere; a variety of sequestration methods, including removing carbon from flue gases, condensing it to a liquid then pumping it underground for storage, are being explored. Underground storage might include injecting it into the rock cavities after oil and gas have been extracted, or sending it to the bottom of oceans.

geothermal energy: electricity produced by using geothermal heat (that is, heat found underground) to create steam to drive turbines. Geothermal heat originated in various ways, including the original formation of the planet, or radioactive decay of elements inside the earth.

ghost acres: land used to grow feed for animals being reared for meat and dairy production. Ghost acres are often in poorer countries, used to grow feed for cattle in richer nations, and so are not seen by consumers in rich countries, hence the term.

globalisation: refers to the increasing economic, social and culture interconnectedness around the world. Often taken to imply the spread of predominantly North American/European culture and free-market economics.

global warming: an increase in atmospheric temperature caused by the greenhouse effect (below).

green collar jobs: jobs in emerging green industries such as renewable energy, carbon trading, etc.

green consumers: people who buy environmentally friendly products and services.

greenhouse abatement: activity that contributes to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

greenhouse effect: the effect of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere trapping a certain amount of the sun's heat as it reflects back off the surface of the earth towards space. The greenhouse effect is what makes the earth's atmosphere warmer than space, and is thus essential to make the earth habitable. However, if the volume of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere increases, it can increase the amount of heat reflected back into the atmosphere, increasing temperatures in an enhanced greenhouse effect.

greenhouse gas: any atmospheric gas that contributes to the greenhouse effect by reflecting heat rising from the earth back into the . normally the sun's heat hits the earth then escapes into from the sun. Naturally occurring gases include water vapour (potent but short-lived), carbon dioxide (the major greenhouse gas), methane and nitrous oxide. Other greenhouse gases include hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluocarbons (PFCs, produced by aluminium smelting) and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6).

Green New Deal: proposes a Keynsian economic package of public investment to create jobs and stimulate the economy, along the lines of the US 1930s New Deal, with investment focused on green infrastructure and industries to tackle climate change.

green power: electricity generated from renewable sources such as hydro, wind and solar, avoiding the emissions associated with the burning of fossil fuels.

GreenPower: green power schemes certified by the Federal Government's GreenPower scheme.

greenshifting: to give up a conventional lifestyle to live more self-sufficiently.

Greens, The: political party in Australia and many other countries believing in greater environmental protection and a more sustainable society. The Greens in Australia and elsewhere are also socially progressive/liberal and economically left-of-centre.

greywater: used water from washing machines, dishwashers, sinks, baths and showers that can be reused on gardens. In contrast to blackwater from toilets, which is not safe to reuse without being treated.

grid parity: the point at which renewable energy is equal or cheaper in price than grid electricity.

ground source heat exchange: circulating air or water through underground pipes. Because under-soil temperatures are fairly constant all year this air/water can be used for cooling in summer or heating in winter.

guerrilla gardening: covertly planting a green public space or nature strip or roundabout with flowers, vegetables.

H

heat pump: a device to move heat from one place to another; used for fridges and can be used for heating water, or heating or cooling buildings.

high-octane fuel: a petrol formula that has a third less sulphur than regular unleaded petrol and provides more engine power, lower consumption and cleaner exhaust emissions

hybrid vehicle: a vehicle that has both a petrol or diesel and an electric motor, capturing the energy used in braking and/or excess heat from the engine to recharge the electric motor, which is usually used to power the car at slower speeds, such as in urban traffic, thus reducing fuel consumption.

hypermiling: driving techniques to minimise fuel consumption

I

indigenous plants: native plants (see below) that naturally found in a particular region; when planting Australian natives it is best to choose plants indigenous to your area.

insulation: the ability of a material to prevent the transmission of heat; good insulation helps prevent heat entering or escaping from a building, thus reducing the need for air-conditioning or heating.

intergenerational equity: the fair treatment of future generations.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC): an international panel of scientists and researchers, established by the World Meteorological Organisation and the United Nations Environment Program in 1988, and regarded as the leading global authority on the science of climate change.

invasive species: species of plant or animal introduced to a country, region or ecosystem by humans (either deliberately or accidentally). Invasive species often create environmental problems because they may have no natural predators or pests in their new environment to keep their numbers in check.

K

Kyoto Protocol: international agreement on global warming and emissions targets set at the United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Kyoto, Japan, in 1997. The protocol sets greenhouse gas abatement (reduction) targets for nations from 2008 to 2012. Australia ratified the protocol in 2008, leaving the United States as the only industrialised nation not to have ratified. Reduction targets are compared to a base year of 1990. Because Australia's emissions were unusually high in 1990 due to a large amount of land clearing, Australia's Kyoto targets are relatively easy to achieve. The Kyoto protocol will be superceded by a new set of targets to be determined at the Copenhagen summit in 2009.

L

landfill: disposal of solid waste by burying it between layers of dirt in low-lying ground or excavated holes. Organic matter in landfill decomposes anaerobically (without air), gives off the greenhouse gas methane, unlike organic matter that is able to decompose aerobically without greenhouse gas emissions.

LETS (Local Exchange Trading Systems): a non-profit system created in Canada by Michael Linton in the early 1980s, LETS involves the creation of a local network that "trades" goods and services using an imaginary local currency rather than "real" money. The idea is to keep trading local and encourage community-based types of exchange, such as trading home-grown veggies. Some proponents see it as eventually being an alternative to money; others see it as simply a useful complementary system.

life-cycle analysis / assessment: the study of all inputs and outputs of materials and energy to determine the environmental impact attributable to the functioning of a product or service over its whole life cycle.

light green: the view that society can be made sustainable without transforming the fundamentals of our current economic and social system. Alternatively, the view that environmental, social and economic needs should be given fairly equal weight.

Limits to Growth: a 1972 report by the Club of Rome (see above) that suggested economic growth would run up against environmental limits. The report has sold more than 30 million copies.

localisation: a decentralised society where as much economic activity as possible takes place in local communities. Contrasts with globalisation (see above).

LOHAS: a marketing acronym, standing for "Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability", for green consumers (see above).

M

methane: a gas with a greenhouse effect 23 times greater than carbon dioxide. Methane is produced naturally, including from volcanoes, wetlands, termites and the ocean, and by human activity, including from flatulent livestock and the decomposition of organic matter buried in landfill.

microgeneration: decentralised electricity generation by small generating plant such as solar panels, small wind turbines, small biofuel plants; in residential and business premises or small neighbourhood power plants. moral hazard: something that encourages people to behave irresponsibly or unethically. Geo-engineering (see above) is seen by some environmentalists as a moral hazard: if people think global warming can be reversed, they won’t act now to prevent it. Similarly, carbon offsetting (see above)  may be used as justification for not reducing one’s own carbon emissions.

N

native plants: plants that naturally evolved in Australia, as opposed to having been introduced by humans.

Natural capitalism: a book by Paul Hawken, Amory Lovins and Hunter Lovins, arguing that businesses must recognise that their success depends upon valuing and protecting environmental resources ("natural capital").

nature-deficit disorder: term coined by US writer Richard Louv, arguing insufficient direct contact with the natural world has harmful psychological effects on children

no-dig gardening: creating a garden by planting seeds into layers of straw resting on the ground, rather than digging into the soil.

O

ocean acidification: an increase in the acidity of the world's oceans caused by absorbing more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Acidification is reducing the ability of shellfish, coral and fish to form shells, corals and bones, threatening the collapse of marine life.

organic: food or plant crop grown without the use of fossil-fuel based fertilisers, synthetic pesticides or genetically modified crop varieties.

overpopulation: when a country, or the world, has more people than it can support sustainably.

P

paradigm shift: a fundamental change in (a society's) belief/value system.

Participatory Guarantee System: a form of "certification" for small organic producers where the produce is vouched for by local stakeholders such as other organic farmers and consumers. Aims to provide an alternative to the high cost of organic certification for small producers.

passive solar design: a key sustainable building technique. Passive solar design aims to let sunlight into a building in winter to provide warmth, while screening it out during summer. Coupled with good insulation, it reduces the amount of (fossil fuel) energy needed to heat and cool a building. Passive solar design takes advantage of the fact the sun is higher in the sky in summer, when it can be screened out by eaves, awnings, etc, above windows.

permablitz: a working bee to convert a garden to permaculture over a weekend.

permaculture: a system of natural gardening/farming avoiding chemical pesticides and fertilisers and creating "edible forests" that mimic natural biodiverse ecosystems by using mixed planting, mulching, composting, beneficial bugs and insects.

petrochemical: chemicals derived from petroleum.

photovoltaic (PV) cells: panels consisting of cells that use photons from sunlight to knock electrons into a higher state of energy, thus creating electricity.

plastic code: a number identifying the most common plastic type in a product or packaging. All plastics marked 1 to 7 are theoretically recyclable though in practice many are not: 1 - polyethylene terephalate (PET); 2 - high density polyethylene (HDPE); 3 - unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (UPVC) or plasticised polyvinyl chloride (PPVC); 4 – low density polyethylene (LDPE): 5 - polypropylene (PP); 6 - polystyrene (PS) or expandable polystyrene (EPS); 7 - other, including nylon and acrylic.

plug-in electric vehicle: see electric vehicle.

pollution: contaminants that damage an ecosystem, or organisms living in that ecosystem.

precycling: reducing waste by avoiding packaging when shopping by taking your own bags, takeaway containers etc.

provenence seed: seeds gathered from the same location as they will be planted.

R

rainwater tank: a tank for storing rainwater.

recycle: using waste material to manufacture new products, reducing waste

"reduce, reuse, recycle": a slogan encouraging people to learn to reduce consumption and waste.

renewable energy: energy from sources that will never run out, such as solar, wind, geothermal, wave, tidal, ground source and biofuels.

S

seachange: moving from a city to a smaller coastal community.

second-generation biofuels: biofuels (see above) made from organic waste, including waste parts of agricultural crops, organic waste in landfill, and industry waste products such as woodchips, plus biofuels from non-food plants that can be grown on marginal land. Second-generation biofuels avoid the need to sacrifice agricultural land for biofuel production.

seed saving: saving seeds from one year's plants to replant.

slow food movement: a reaction to fast/junk food; seeking to preserve regional cuisines and traditional recipes, encourage locally grown and organic production, farmers markets and encourage people to take time to appreciate what they eat.

smart grid: electricity grid using computers to monitor demand and supply and convey that feedback to power stations and consumers. Smart grids can help reduce peak demand by encouraging consumers to use power off-peak, and integrate intermittent and small scale power sources such as solar into the grid. 

solar energy/power: using the sun's heat to generate electricity. Common forms of solar power include solar panels, solar hot water and solar thermal energy (see below). In a broad sense, all energy on earth comes from the sun's heat, stored in various forms.

solar hot water: using the sun's heat to heat water. The most common method is to circulate the water through tubes in a black rooftop panel.

solar panels: panels of photovoltaic cells (see above) that use sunlight to create electricity.

solar thermal energy: electricity generated by using the sun's heat to either heat water to create steam which is then used to generate electricity, or funnelling hot air into a chimney where it rises, with the air movement turning turbines.

steady state economics: the idea that the aim of economic policy should be to pursue improved quality of life for citizens while GDP remains stable. Associated with US ecological economist Herman Daly.

sustainable development: raising living standards in poor nations without harming the environment.

sustainable growth: economic growth brought about in a way that does not harm the environment and which can therefore be sustained indefinitely. Critics argue sustainable growth is an oxymoron - growth, by definition, cannot be sustained indefinitely on a finite planet.

synthetic chemicals: chemical compounds created in laboratories. There are two categories of synthetic chemicals: so-called "natural" ones made from organic material, and "artificial" ones made from inorganic compounds. It's estimated there are between 70,000 and 100,000 synthetic chemicals in common use today.

sustainability: something that can be maintained indefinitely without (in an environmental context) harming the environment.

T

thermal mass: a structure capable of absorbing and store heat energy, leading to increased comfort for building occupants and a reduced need for artificial heating and cooling.

third generation biofuels: biofuel (see above) made from fast-growing algae, which could be grown cheaply in oceans.

tidal power: electricity generated by capturing the movement of tides. For instance, tidal flows may drive turbines, or the incoming tide may be stored by a barrage dam then used to generate hydro-electricity as it is released back into the ocean.

toxic: harmful to living beings.

tragedy of the commons: a situation in which the rational pursuit of individual self-interest leads to an outcome that is bad for all. For instance, it makes sense for every country to burn fossil fuel to increase living standards for their populations, but the eventual outcome may be reduced living standards for all.

transumption: renting and leasing services rather than buying products.

triple bottom line: a concept replacing the single bottom line of financial profit with a system that takes account of financial, social and environmental outcomes. Generally relates to business accounting.

U

uneconomic growth: the idea that not all economic growth is good, and some growth can have adverse impacts on the environment, society and individuals' quality of life.

V

volatile organic compound: a chemical that can vapourise and enter the atmosphere under normal conditions. Trees are the major outdoor source of VOCs. Paints, cleaning agents and furnishings made from petrochemicals are major sources of indoor VOC pollution.

W

waste management: action to reduce waste, through material efficiency, waste reduction and the recovery and reuse of discarded material.

wave power: electricity generated by the motion of waves. For instance, waves may turn turbines.

weed: any plant considered not to be part of the natural ecosystem of a particular place.

wilderness: areas of the planet untouched by human activity. However, many so-called wildernesses have in fact been influenced by humans; for instance Australia's bush may have been altered by Aboriginal burning.

wind power: electricity generated by using wind to turn turbines, an updated of old-fashioned windmills.

Z

zero carbon / emissions: producing no carbon dioxide (and generally taken to mean no greenhouse gas emissions of any type).

zero growth: a economic system where gross domestic product does not incease. Many environmentlists identify economic growth as the root cause of most environmental problems.

© Mark Mann / EcoDirectory